Chapter 3:19-29 What was the Law for?
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.
This is talking about Moses. The Law as it were coming through a middleman whereas the promise was given directly from God to Abraham.
The Law was delivered by the angels, but the Gospel by the Lord Himself.
Hence, the Gospel is superior to the Law, as the word of a Lord is superior to the word of his servant.
20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.
Here the Apostle briefly compares the two mediators: Moses and Christ. "A mediator," says Paul, "is not a mediator of one." He is necessarily a mediator of two: The offender and the offended.
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.
v19-25 So what is the purpose of the Law? The Law exposed our needs once and for all. It was given to show man what he was really like i.e. unable to keep the law and so reveal to him his great need for a Saviour.
The law showed what God’s standards of morality and conduct were and we are unable to meet them. The Law was our teacher that taught the ABC of being in right standing with God.
Was the Law a bad thing? no it has done its job for you and me by showing our need for repentance and turning to Jesus Christ. The law was given to Moses (acting as a mediator) through angels by God , but the promise was given directly to Abraham by God Himself.
Thus in some way showing the superiority of the promise to the Law.
A mediator is a friend that comes between two parties and is not to act merely with and for one of them. God is one party and sinful man is the other.
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
27 for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
v26-29 The believers are no longer counted as servants but as sons of God who have an inheritance in the Father’s kingdom.
Through baptism we have identified with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. so we die and rise again new creations in Christ Jesus.
The Law made a difference between the Jew and Gentile , the slave, and the freeman but the promise brings all true believers together into the one standing before God as sons of the living God.
Some people try to make this scripture try to say all sorts of things that it cannot mean. It clearly does not abolish human sexuality, male and female may be equal in value before God but not in responsibility and are certainly not interchangeable.
Jesus Christ is an equal opportunity Saviour looking only at your heart not your race or culture.
Belonging to Christ we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise are therefore entitled to the great blessings and privileges of the promise.
Summary
It was always God’s position that man could only be justified by faith and that God accounted Abraham a righteous man who acted in faith. The Law was given to expose sin and sinfulness and was our teacher to teach the ABC of salvation that we are unable to keep the law and can only be saved through faith in the promised seed Jesus Christ.
Through him we have become sons of God and can inherit all the great and precious promises of God.
He will be our God
We will be His people
He will dwell with us
Amen
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