Title: One Seed in One Seed
Text: Galatians 3: 1-29
Date: February 10, 2013
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Our
text will be in Galatians 3. But the
promise begins in Genesis 22. We will begin there.
Genesis 22: 15 And the angel of the LORD [Christ] called
unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast
done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17: That in
blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the
stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed
shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because
thou hast obeyed my voice.
Abraham
believed God. God gave him this
inheritance by promise through faith. The
promise was that God would bless Abraham with One Seed in One Seed, that is,
one spiritual nation or race of children (the elect of God) saved in one seed, and
that seed is Christ Jesus.
Proposition: The mystery of God hidden from the foundation of the
world is that God will “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which
are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” (Eph 1: 10) This work is by promise through faith in Christ,
and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the law given at Mt. Sinai.
Now
let’s go to Galatians for the commentary.
Men had come to Galatia preaching another gospel. They were not
out-and-out saying they denied the finished work of Christ; but they were
denying Christ altogther, by insisting believers had to add to the work of
Christ. They insisted that believers must keep the commandments and ordinances
of the Mosaic law—fleshly circumcision being the first. They were doing what carnal men do: exalting
themselves before men by building again old covenant distinctions which are now
destroyed and abolished by the finished work of Christ Jesus.
Paul
was amazed that the Galatian believers were falling for their lies.
Galatians 3: 1: O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched
you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath
been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Paul was always very blunt toward those who
preached ‘another gospel, which is not another”—as he called it. He said, “I wish that they were cut off.” In Galatians 1:8-9 Paul wrote, “But though
we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which
we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now
again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received,
let him be accursed.” Here he says these false teachers have “bewitched you,
that ye should not obey the truth.”
Brethren,
give no ear to men who insist that the believer must add law-keeping to the obedience
of Christ, whether it for justification or for sanctification. They will
bewitch you. And land you in hell!
Paul has
preached the gospel of Christ and him crucified to the Galatians. They had
received the Holy Spirit through Paul’s preaching. Paul is dealing with them as
believers, but Paul’s rebuke is strong. Here is Paul’s first question and our
first point.
I. IT IS BY THE HEARING OF FAITH THAT SINNERS
RECEIVE THE SPIRIT, NOT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW--Galatians: 3: 2: This only would
I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the
hearing of faith?
Did you
receive the Spirit by works that you did?
This could not be the case because the Gentiles had never been under the
law of Moses nor did Paul preach works or the law—except to declare all men
guilty before God. In fact, no apostle or disciple sent by Christ in the New
Testament preached works—they all preached the sovereign grace of God in
Christ. Friends, we cannot walk an
aisle, a Roman Road, attend church, read our bible, say a prayer or anything
else to get saved! That is attempting to
receive the Spirit by the works of the law.
Or did
you receive the Spirit through the hearing of faith? They had to answer “through faith alone.”
Paul does not mean that the Spirit comes, after we believe. We have to be
regenerated by the Spirit. But after that you believe we are sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise. In the early church, they may have received special
gifts of the Holy Spirit that are not now given. Here is Paul’s next question
and our next point.
II. THE GOSPEL NEVER COMMANDS A BELIEVER,
BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT, TO RETURN TO THE WORKS OF THE LAW--Galatians 3: 3: Are ye
so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4: Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
“Having
begun in the Spirit through the hearing of the gospel which declares salvation
is by God’s grace in Christ through faith, which declares “by his one offering
Christ hath perfected forever them that are sanctified”, are you now going to
perfect yourself by going to the law of Moses?”
It is a
false gospel which says once the believer is saved by Christ through faith,
that you must go to the law to make yourself holy by the works of the flesh—that
is a lie. Sanctification is by God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
In our experience of it, it is a heart work, and not a work of the
law. “Fruits of righteousness are by
Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God”—not by our works. (Php 1: 11) Paul
repeatedly, in every epistle, expressly urges believers never to go back to the
beggarly elements of the law. (Galatians
2: 19-21).
III. CHRIST SENDS THE SPIRIT TO REGENERATE
HIS PEOPLE THROUGH THE HEARING OF THE GOSPEL OF FAITH, NOT THROUGH THE
PREACHING OF WORKS—Galatians 3: 5: He therefore that ministereth to you the
Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the
law, or by the hearing of faith?
It is
the resurrection glory of Christ our Head, seated on the throne of God in Mt.
Zion, to send the gospel to his lost sheep and minister the Holy Spirit to
them. The church is the body of Christ who “filleth all in all.”
Ephesians 4:16: From whom the whole body [is] fitly
joined together…[who] effectually [works] in the measure of every part, [and]
maketh increase of the body.
Colossians 2:19 [Christ is]…the Head, from which all the
body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together,
increaseth with the increase of God.
It is
Christ our Prophet, Priest and King, through the Holy Spirit who works miracles
among his church: the miracle of regeneration, the miracle of faith and
repentance, the miracle of growth in grace.
So read it again.
Galatians 3: 5: [Christ] therefore that ministereth
to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of
the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Would
Christ, who is himself the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that
believes, who said, “this is the work of God that you believe on him whom he
hath sent”, would Christ declare that in order to be saved you must turn now to
the works of the law?
Or is
Christ working faith in you by causing you to hear of his faithfulness in how
he has fulfilled the law and established perfect righteousness for his people
by laying down his life?
Brethren,
God is the God of Truth, Christ is the minister of grace and Truth, the Holy
Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and the church is the ground and pillar of the
Truth. Therefore, the truth which declares justification is by the faithfulness
of Christ Jesus, received through God-given faith, which rests in Christ our
Righteousness is the gospel Christ sends.
He sends the gospel which declares man’s complete ruin and inability to
justify or sanctify ourselves by works of righteousness which we have done; he
sends the gospel which exalts Christ as the only one by whose obedience sinners
are made perfect before God. Any preaching
that gives a work to man is not gospel because it is not good news! It is lie!
It is
the preaching of faith through which Christ sends the Spirit because that is
the only preaching where Christ alone receives all the glory and no flesh
glories in his presence. And that is the
very reason why it pleased God to save by the foolishness of preaching.
So Paul
answers the question for them--Galatians
3: 6: Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness. Christ said, John 8: 56: Your father Abraham rejoiced to see
MY DAY: and he saw it, and was glad.
IV. THOSE WHO ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, APART
FROM THE WORKS OF THE LAW, ARE THE TRUE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM--Galatians 3: 7: Know
ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of
Abraham. 8: And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee
shall all nations be blessed. 9: So then they which be of faith are
blessed with faithful Abraham.
Notice verse
8: God does the justifying. Also notice the Lord “preached before the gospel
unto Abraham.” The message was that God has an elect people throughout the
heathen nations: saying, In thee
shall all nations be blessed. Meaning it is not by blood or being of a
certain nation that makes men God’s people—it
is by God’s electing grace in Christ, by God-given faith in Christ Jesus—v9: So then they which be of faith are
blessed with faithful Abraham.
V. ALL WHO ARE UNDER THE WORKS OF THE LAW ARE
UNDER THE CURSE--Galatians: 3: 10: For as many as are of the works of the law
are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them.
Man
must continue—constantly, in heart, word and deed—in all things which are
written in the book of the law. It is
impossible with a sinner—unregenerate or regenerate. Therefore all who attempt to come to God by
their law-obedience or to add to Christ’s work by their law obedience are under
the curse.
Legal arithmetic is Christ + law = Christ of no effect to
you.
Galatians
5: 4: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by
the law; ye are fallen from grace.
VI. BELIEVERS LIVE BY FAITH AND THE LAW IS
NOT OF FAITH--Galatians 3: 11: But that no man is justified by the law in the
sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12: And
the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Believers
trust that we are justified by the finished work of Christ. Therefore we live
by faith in Christ. Our rule of life is faith and the law is not of faith. The law is not our source of life—“Christ is
the Life.” So we live by faith in Christ.
The law is not the power of our life—“Christ is our Strength.” So we
live by faith in Christ. The law is not
the measure of our life—“in Christ all fullness dwells” and “ye are complete in
Christ”—so we live by faith in Christ. Believer
are never told to look to the law for the perfection of God—we are told “Christ
is the fullness of the Godhead bodily” and to “run the race set before us looking
to Christ the Author and Finisher of Faith—so we live by faith.
VII. CHRIST HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF
THE LAW--Galatians
3: 13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse
for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus
Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Some
say Paul is only speaking of the elect among the Jews here since the Gentiles
were never under the Mosaic law in the first place. But the curse we were under
was the same all all men—it was the curse we came under when Adam broke one law
in the garden. So Christ was made a curse for us—the elect among the Jew and
Gentile.
Now, knowing
what great price Christ paid to redeem us from the curse of the law—being made
a curse for us—and knowing that all who are under the works of the law are
under the curse, Believers dare not count the blood of Christ an unholy thing
by going back under the works of the law.
Christ
paid that price for his people that the blessings of Abraham might come on his
elect among the Gentiles, not through the law, but through Jesus Christ. And that “we” might receive the promise of
the Spirit through faith. Note: Paul
being a Jew says, “we”. Remember Peter being a Jew said to his fellow Jews, “We
believe we—Jews—shall be saved, even as they--Gentiles.
VIII. THE INHERITANCE GIVEN OF GOD TO ABRAHAM
AND HIS SEED IS BY PROMISE, AND THE LAW ENTERING IN DID NOTHING TO CHANGE THE
FACT THAT SALVATION IS BY GRACE, NOT BY LAW--Galatians 3: 15: Brethren, I speak
after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it
be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
God’s
everlasting covenant of grace is far more confirmed than any man’s covenant. But even a man’s covenant—once
confirmed—cannot be disannulled or added to. So nothing could disannul or add to the everlasting covenant of
grace which God has already confirmed to Abraham and his seed.
Galatians 3: 16: Now to Abraham and his seed
were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one,
And to thy seed, which is Christ.
There
are two meanings here. First, the true spiritual children of Abraham—the elect
of God—are the “seed of Abraham.” All the multitudes of God’s elect already in
heaven and those in earth, from Jews and Gentiles—make up “one seed”—one holy
nation or race. Secondly, the promise God made to
Abraham, was made in “thy seed”, which is one, even Christ. It was confirmed from eternity. Remember
the mystery of God purposed from eternity in Eph 1: 10 says, “That in the
dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things
in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Galatians 3: 17: And this I say, that
the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was
four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the
promise of none effect. 18: For if the inheritance be of the law, it
is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
The law at Mt.
Sinai--the Ten Commandments which men say are the believers rule of life--was
not given until 430 years after the everlasting covenant of grace was made in
the heart of Abraham through the gospel of grace through the Holy Spirit of
promise. So what was Abraham's rule of life? Faith. The law of Mt. Sinai
changed nothing. Salvation is by the promise of God--the everlasting covenant
of grace made of God the Father, ordered in all things and sure by the work of
Christ Jesus, applied to the heart of the elect by God the Holy Spirit so that
God gets all the glory. The works of the law do not play a part, but will
certainly dam you if you attempt to bring to God anything except Christ alone.
Bow to God's word or you will die Mr. Legalist!
IX. NINTH, THE LAW WAS ADDED FOR ONE REASON AND
FOR A LIMITED TIME--Galatians 3: 19: Wherefore then serveth the law? It
was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the
promise was made;
God
added the law because of transgressions—he is talking about the ten
commandments particularly, as well as the rest of the law--it was added that
every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God. The
law given at Mt. Sinai did not make men sinners—sin, and death by sin, reigned from
Adam to Moses. But the law exposed sin already in man--“that
the offense might abound.”—it showed we all really did die in Adam and come
under the curse.
But the
law was for a limited time--till the
Seed [Christ] should come to whom the promise was made. Christ fulfilled
the types in the ceremonies; Christ justified his people from the broken law; Christ
broke down the middle wall of partition by taking away the law. So when Christ
came the end of the law came.
Some
folks in our day say the law is to still be used for a rule of life. The law
was never meant to be the rule of life; it was given to be the rule of
death. It is called “the ministration of
death.” Righteousness cannot come by the law—neither righteousness of
justification nor righteousness of sanctification—only by the blood of Christ
and the Spirit of our God.
Paul
shows another way the covenant of grace excels the law of Sinai in the way each
are given--Galatians 3: 19: [the law was]
Ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20: Now a mediator is not [a
mediator] of one, but God is one.
Note: There
are a couple hundred different commentaries on these verses. I will give you
two that I found to be very good.
1) Concerning
the law: Moses was the mediator of the law. But he made no legal mediation.
Because a mediator in legal mediation does not represent one party, he must
represent both parties—“a mediator is not of one.” In this case: God was one
and sinful men were the other. But Moses
was only a man, representing only man’s side, plus he was sinner and unfit for
legal mediation. But concerning the promise: God fulfills both sides of the
covenant in Christ who is both, God and Man, in One—“but God is One.” So there
remains nothing for the believer to do but believe on Christ and serve God with
a cheerful heart in love.
2)
Moses was not a mediator of that one holy seed—“not of one.” Moses only was a
mediator to that one part of the elect seed in Israel; whereas God the Son
represented that One holy nation made up of God’s elect from among the nation
of Israel and the Gentile nations—“but God is One.”
Either
way, the point is—the promise fulfilled in Christ is better than the law given
by Moses! The law came by Moses. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ: a better
minister, a better covenant, established on better promises.
We will
read out the rest. It sums up all that has been said.
Galatians 3: 21: Is the law then
against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given
which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22:
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of
Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23: But before faith came, we
were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be
revealed. 24: Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us unto—should be scratched out. A better translation is] until Christ, that we might be justified
by faith. 25: But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a
schoolmaster. 26: For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been
baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28: There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are
all one in Christ Jesus. 29: And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye
Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Believe
on Christ the One Seed and rest with the seed of his one holy nation. Very soon Christ will finish the work of
gathering us all together in him.
Amen!