THE AUDITORIUM SUNDAY
SCHOOL CLASS
APRIL 3RD, 2005
UNCONDITIONAL PROMISES
I. Deliverance from the Law (3:13-14),
A.
The nature of Redemption (13).
1.
The title “Christ” means “anointed one.”
2.
The Lord Jesus began His ministry with Holy Spirit anointing (Luke
4:17-18).
3.
“Hath redeemed” refers to the non-repeatable, one-time, sacrifice of
Christ on the cross.
4.
“Us” refers to Jews and Gentiles who believe by
faith in Christ.
5.
“From the curse of the Law” - this was the purpose of the cross.
6.
“Being made a curse for us” - referring to the Substitutionary
Death of Christ.
- Jesus Christ carried our sins to the cross
(I Peter 2:24 and Isaiah 53:4-6).
7.
Jesus did not become a sinner, he became the sinless sin-bearer for us.
8.
A public hanging, in Jewish Law,
was a sign of public humiliation.
B.
The purpose of Redemption (3:14).
1.
“Through Jesus Christ” is the method by which Gentiles can become the
children of Abraham, and heirs of Abraham’s promises.
2.
“Through Jesus Christ” is also the method by which “we might receive the
Promise of the Spirit.”
3.
At the moment of Justification (being declared innocent) believers in
Christ receive the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9).
4.
“Through faith” (14) is how Christians are redeemed, made heirs of
Abraham, and receive the Spirit.
II. The Relationship between God’s Law and
the Abrahamic Covenant (3:15-18).
A.
The Law of Moses was a CONDITIONAL covenant (15).
1.
God would keep His promises if the people would keep their promises (Exodus
19:5).
2.
“I speak after the manner of men” - refers to the common understanding
that contracts cannot be broken simply because one party wants to break them.
Both must agree.
3.
Paul’s point is that the Jews broke the Law of Moses, thus violating a
contract with God, and are now under the curse of breaking the Law.
B.
The Abrahamic Covenant was/is an UNCONDITIONAL
covenant (16).
-
meaning, that God will remain true to His
promise regardless of human weakness or unfaithfulness (Genesis 15).
1. In the covenant, God has promised
to bless and Abraham must only believe that God will bless as He promised.
2.
The promise of the Abrahamic Covenant was
given “to Abraham and his seed” (singular).
- The word “seed” is a reference to the Lord
Jesus Christ (16).
3. Since the Abrahamic
Covenant was given BEFORE the Law in Genesis 13 and 17, the Law cannot effect
the promises of it.
4.
If Abraham received righteousness before the Law, by Faith alone, then
the same must be true of us as well (17-18).
Conclusion - Jesus Christ is the sinless sin-bearer. Our faith in Him and His work on the cross removes the curse of the Law from us.