Galatians 3:15-25 · The Law and the Promise

15 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

The Ultimate Identity Thief
Galatians 3:15-25
Sermon
by Leonard Sweet
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Anyone remember "Soylent Green"? It was a sixties sci-fi thriller by Harry Harrison (1964) later made into a movie where the big secret on a horribly over-populated future Earth (set in 2022) was this: the most popular processed food stuff in this urban jungle, soylent green, was made out of dead people!!!

And what about 1984 (1949)? Remember George Orwell's scary glimpse into a future where Big Brother listened to, recorded, photographed, knew all about what everyone was doing.

Or what about all the popular sixties spy movies, which sang cool tunes about the government "giving you a number, and taking away your name" (the most notable being 007!).

In one form or another all these strange scenarios actually have come to pass. In fact, they are now accepted as an innocent part of everyday li…

ChristianGlobe Networks, Collected Sermons, by Leonard Sweet