THE AUDITORIUM SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

MARCH 27TH, 2005

GALATIANS 3:10-12

A LIFE OF FAITH

 

 

 

 

I.     What can the Law do?

 

     A.     The Law can curse (3:10).

 

          1.     Paul has already established that all people are under “under sin” (Rom. 3:9).

          2.     Galatians 3:10 describes a group of people under the Law, compared with another group of people “of faith” in 3:9.

          3.     Paul is quoting from Deuteronomy 27:26 in verse 10 of Galatians 3.

          4.     One act of disobedience against God’s Law places a curse on the Law-breaker.

          5.     The Lord Jesus stated that you can break God’s Law by simply desiring to break God’s Law (Matthew 5:27-28).

          6.     The Jewish legalist thinks that by keeping the Law he is accepted by God.

               -     see Matthew 19:16-22.

 

     B.     The Law cannot justify (declare innocent), it can only condemn (declare guilty) - (11).

 

          1.     “No man” means no exceptions (Jew or Gentile).

          2.     “Justified” could read “is being justified.”

          3.     “by the Law” refers to the entire Mosaic Law, or any O.T. writing.

          4.     “In the sight of God” is the only place in time or eternity that must be satisfied.

 

     C.     The Law can cause pride to rise up in the sinner (12).

 

          1.     “The Law is not of faith” means that trying to keep the Law for salvation is an act of the flesh.

          2.     Paul addressed this point in Romans 9:30-32.

          3.     The irony is that the more  legalists tried to gain Justification by the Law the farther away from God they went.

          4.     When a sinner tries to keep the Law he humanizes the Law by his belief that past transgressions can be excused for present obedience.

               -     This leads to self-righteousness.

          5.     James revealed  the impossibility of self-righteousness leading to Justification in James 2:10-11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II.     How do Justified people live (11)?

 

     A.     “The Just shall live by faith.”

 

          1.     The original rendering of this statement is found in Habakkuk 2:4.

          2.     Romans 1:17 - “The JUST shall live by faith.”

          3.     Galatians 3:11 - “The just shall LIVE by faith.”

          4.     Hebrews 10:38 - “The just shall live by FAITH.”

 

     B.     Faith is the means of Justification (Romans 4:5), and the life of Justified people is a walk of faith.

 

          1.     The Christian life is impossible without faith (I John 5:4).

          2.     People who are Justified by faith are characterized by lives of faith in the circumstances of life.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion -   Our own faith is the source of our ability to strengthen others (Luke 22:31-32).