with Elder Elico Manenji
✝️In this chapter the Apostle Paul rebukes the Galatians first receVng the gospel of Christ and his death for sin by faith but now turned away from that and turned to the power of Judaisers to live according to the law.
For if the almighty power of God’s Spirit was necessary to save from the penalty of sin, how now did they expect to triumph over sin in their lives by their own efforts to keep the law. Salvation is not by keeping the law and if it was necessary then faith would be of non effect as God promised Abraham that all nations will be blessed though you. The promise of salvation was through the seed of Abraham not the seeds of Abraham, salvation was to come through one seed and not many seeds. Abraham believed this and it was accounted for it as righteousness for the just shall live by faith not by the law. So then, the law was added as our schoolmaster to show our sinfulness and take us to the seed who is Christ who aloe has ability in Himself to live and obey the law of God.
So then if any person forsake Christ for trying to keep the law it will be of no effect and no good as the law is just our pedagogue ( _paidagōgos_ ) or schoolmaster to point us the the Saviour who washes and cleanses us from all sin.
*1️⃣Galatians 3:1-11: Salvation, belief, faith, and righteousness are God's promises to children of Abraham.*
⏹️A severe and stern reproof is given to the Galatians for allowing themselves easily seduced by cunning men believing in the simplicity of the gospel that Christ was crucified so that mankind can obtain eternal life, a glorious doctrine of salvation by faith and not salvation by works. The Lord said, *"Do you thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he your father that has bought you? has he not made you, and established you?"(Deuteronomy 32:6).*
⏭️The Apostle proves that the Law only came after the promise that all nations would be blessed/justified through Abraham who believed God and was accounted to him as righteousness. The Lord said to Abraham, *"And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my voice"(Genesis 22:18).*
⏹️ He proves that the introduction of the Law did not bring justification but a curse upon all sinners by which Christ, the promised seed of Abraham came to had redeemed mankind from the curse of the Law having taken the curse on Himself, so that now we might be justified in the sight of God. The Lord said to Moses, *"But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day; that all these curses shall come on you, and overtake you"(Deuteronomy 28:15).*
*2️⃣Galatians 3:12-19: The Law was added to reveal sin and transgression but not as a means of attaining righteousness.*
⏹️So in a way, the blessing of Abraham also came upon the the Gentiles as they accept Christ, the seed of Abraham by faith so that they may receive the righteousness of God through the seed who is Christ. The Psalmist says, *" He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation"(Psalm 24:5).*
⏭️This promise as made to Abraham which came before the introduction of the Law was the mode or means of justification by faith which is a solemn compact or covenant on the part of God and the human race. The Apostle says, *"Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came on all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came on all men to justification of life"(Romans 5:18).*
⏹️It is through Christ the Messiah that we receive by faith the promise of salvation and the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit we may
obtain by virtue of the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus Christ in the place of sinners and the influence of the Holy Spirit as the sum of all the blessings promised to the patriarchs by the prophets. The Apostle Paul says, *" In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise"(Ephesians 1:13).*
*3️⃣Galatians 3:20-29: The Law as a schoolmaster and the mediation of Christ.*
⏹️The promises of God to Abraham brought with them perpetuity and an everlasting covenant which can not be voided, annulled, or abandoned as Christ the promised seed has already died and should be received only by faith. For Christ is the only Mediator between God and man but Moses to which the Law was given was mediator of only the Jews to whom belonged the promise of the land of Canaan but we in Christ belongs the blessing that are eternal. The Apostle says, *"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"(1 Timothy 2:5).*
⏭️The Law came as our pedagogue to take us to Christ who can redeem, save and justify us by faith. Pedagogue was not the instructor but a watcher over the children given under his care to restrain them from evil and temptation and to conduct them to the schools where a ready instructor was waiting for them. John the Baptist beholding Jesus come.to him.said, *" Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world"(John 1:29).*
⏹️Because Christ, the promised seed came, we no longer are under a pedagogue, we are truly liberated from the law of sin and death, we enjoy the privileges of being called children of God. The Apostle wrote, *"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh"(Romans 8:2-3).*
⏹️As children of God we are free from the condemnation of the law, freedom from the power of evil and satan, we are baptized in Christ and put on Christ and we are all equal in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Apostle says *, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit"(Romans 8:1).*
⏫So if then we are Christ', then are we the seed of Abraham by promise as faith makes us members of His body and one with Christ. The Apostle says, *" So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another"(Romans 12:5).*
*🅰️Appeal*
The Law came or was introduced to restrain from committing sin, to put an awe upon our minds so we don't lust to do evil. At the same time the Law was designed to direct mankind to the true and only way whereby sin was to be expiated and pardoned through the death and sacrifice of Christ. Thus the special use for ceremonial law of sacrifices and purifications was given until Christ,, the promised seed came thus ending the dispensation of ceremonies and beginning the gospel dispensation of faith. The Apostle says *, "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God"(Ephesians 2:8).* Amen!!!
Elico Manenji
(+263712952704)
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