“I Agree” – Galatians 3:15-18

Galatians 3:15-18

“To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.”
 
… I’m sorry, …what? 
 
Honestly, this is one of those passages that makes my eyes gloss over, like when I fully intend to read the legal agreement for an iPhone upgrade that goes on for 200 pages, and I only make it about 2 sentences in before scrolling to the very bottom and hitting the agree button. “Sign away my rights and privacy? Yes please, just don’t make me read that!” 
 
Since, Paul is writing this to a group of people he just called “fools” a few verses back, I have to assume that this would have made sense to someone in the group! So let’s break it down. 
 
Just like any type of contract, once it’s been made and verified, you don’t add to it or declare it invalid. And the contract (covenant) Paul is referring to is the one made to Abraham and his descendant (singular) – referring to Christ. So the contract God made with Abraham (and it’s promise of blessing) was made 430 years before the law ever came about. Therefore, the law couldn’t cancel or change the covenant God had previously made with Abraham. This was just further evidence that the law didn’t bring the promise of blessing and inheritance. 
 
There is even more you can dig out of this passage and I encourage you to do so! But if you’re only scratching the surface today, you can just hit “I Agree” and be confident that the blessing of God’s grace is available to you just as it was to Abraham, and nothing is going to change that.  
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:  
  • Do you ever have a hard time understanding scripture (or is it just me)? If so, what are some different ways you go about trying to figure it out? (consider sharing in the comments below)
  • What is the illustration of a ratified contract supposed to do in encouraging the Galatians (and us)?   
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you respond? 
 

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“The Ending” – Matthew 5:17-18

Matthew 5:17-18

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
 
With the rise of streaming media like Netflix and a dozen other platforms getting in on the action, there have never been more choices to binge-watch. Even in the time of COVID, we don’t have time to waste on bad TV. I am constantly on the lookout for shows that have a winning combination of great storytelling, perfect casting, seamless acting, and brilliant directing. But nothing will make or break a series more for me than the ending. Shows that start with real promise but then fizzle, are canceled too early, or just run off the rails into a ditch make me wish I hadn’t wasted my time in the first place. But give me a story with an ending that wraps everything up in a perfectly satisfying way, and I will usually watch it over and over. There’s satisfaction in the symmetry of a good ending. It shows that from beginning to end, the story was intentional and well woven. 
 
This week we will be looking at the purpose of the law. As we saw in last week’s reading, the law was not made to justify anyone (unless they could follow it completely – more on that in a second).  However, the law wasn’t worthless. And as we begin our look at this theme we stop for a moment to catch some of the words of Jesus in the sermon on the mount. He assured the crowd that he wasn’t coming to do away with the law and the prophets, but that his life and ministry would help to bring it to a beautiful ending. He was fulfilling the law by meeting all of its requirements perfectly. And as messiah, he was also fulfilling all of the Old Testament prophesies in regards to His role. There is symmetry here that reveals all I look for in a beautifully crafted, directed, and executed story. It’s why I can’t stay away. 
 
Share in the comments below a book, movie, or TV show that had a great and fulfilling ending for you. (No judgment zone!) What show failed to deliver when it came to its end?
 
Use the HEAR method to delve further into today’s passage:  
 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond? 
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 
I leave you today with the image of a show that had so much promise, and yet…

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“Runaway Witness”

In my study for this week’s daily readings and sermon Sunday, I learned something that I really wanted to share with you. I didn’t want to put too much information into any one day, or lose the point of the individual passages with a second main point. So today is a spillover into the weekend. I hope you find it as interesting as I did. 
 
In chapter 3 of Galatians, Paul has shifted the focus of his letter from defending his authority (chapters 1 & 2) to defending his message – that justification comes through faith. To our untrained eyes, he has simply been laying out theological points to make his case. But the Judaizers saw that he was doing far more than that. Paul was shooting out the legs to the scaffolding of their argument – one by one. And he was using THEIR ammunition to do so! The references that Paul used were from the elements most sacred to the Jews – the patriarchs, the prophets, and the law. 
 
This is similar to a court scene where an attorney begins to cross-examine a witness from the other side. As the witness begins to share their story it becomes apparent that they are making a case for the opposition! The argument for the side that brought in the witness has just imploded and the trial is over. 
 
Take a few moments to look up the following verses from the Old Testament and see how Paul used them to make his case for faith. 
    • Genesis 15:6
    • Deuteronomy 27:26
    • Habakkuk 2:4
    • Leviticus 18:5
    • Genesis 12:3
    • Deuteronomy 21:23

Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor

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“Baptism – Identity and Community” Galatians 3:27-29

Galatians 3:27-29

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” 

I don’t have the actual data in front of me, but if I had to take a wild guess, I would say that one of the biggest things Baptists are known for is… (wait for it) – baptism. We didn’t invent it (theological spoiler alert – John the Baptist wasn’t actually Baptist), but we put a big emphasis on it because of all that it symbolizes.
 
Baptism by immersion (dunking) symbolizes our decision to die to ourselves (Luke 9:23), identify with Christ in his death (Galatians 2:20) burial and resurrection, and come into new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is an image of complete cleansing and a testimony of our allegiance to the King. 
 
Paul is also stating here that baptism, is like putting on Christ like a garment. This garment identifies us as part of his family, making us heirs with him and equal with one another. This was a radical statement in Paul’s time. Each comparison he used (Jews and Greek, slaves and free, men and women) had well-known hierarchies and separations in their culture. In the New Testament period, it was common for people of similar social classes or trades to eat together on a regular basis. The early church, once it understood and embraced the concept Paul explained here was unique in that believers from all walks of life (those mentioned above) would eat, fellowship and worship together. 
 
Early Christians were baptized as soon as they believed, not for salvation but a testimony of it. And we still celebrate today when a new believer is baptized into the fellowship for those same reasons – identity and community.   
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • Have you participated in the beautiful symbol of baptism? If not, what’s holding you back?
  • If you’d like to be baptized email us at sharon@mybelmont.org  

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond? 

Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor

 

 

 
 

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“Saved from a Curse, by a Curse” – Galatians 3:11-14

Galatians 3:11-14

“Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” 

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. Paul was referring here to Christ’s crucifixion. Crucifixion was created by the Romans not only for execution, but as a means of humiliation and prolonged torture. The fact that Jesus was willing to go through this terrible death to take our place is beyond our comprehension. 
 
In his book, No God But One, Nabeel Qureshi shares a conversation he had with a muslim friend who wondered how a perfect holy God could come to this filthy earth and sacrifice Himself. 
 

“Sahar, let’s imagine that you are on your way to a very important ceremony and are dressed in your finest clothes. You are about to arrive just in time, but then you see your daughter drowning in a pool of mud. What would you do? Let her drown and arrive looking dignified, or rescue her but arrive at the ceremony covered in mud? 

Her response was very matter of fact, “Of course, I would jump in the mud and save her.”

Nuancing the question more, I asked her, “Let’s say there were others with you. Would you send someone else to save her, or would you save her yourself?” 

Considering this, Sahar responded, “If she is my daughter, how could I send anyone else? They would not care for her like I do. I would go myself, definitely.” 

I paused for a short moment before continuing, “If you, being a human, love your daughter so much that you are willing to lay aside your dignity to save her, how much more can we expect God, if he is our perfectly loving Father, to lay aside his majesty to save us?” She consider this for a moment, and the conversation moved on.”

(A while later Nabeel went to lunch with a friend who wanted to introduce him to a new believer who had come from a Muslim background. The new Christian was Sahar!) “The message of God’s selfless love had overpowered her, and she could no longer remain Muslim. A few days after our dinner, she had accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.” pp 91-92, Zondervan 2016. 
 
While using the HEAR method consider the following:
  • How does the metaphor of the mother rescuing the daughter speak to you of what Jesus has done for us? If it doesn’t, is there another metaphor that might? 
  • Take some time to meditate on the idea that the God of the universe became a curse to save us from the curse of the law. 

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 

Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond? 
 
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 

 

 

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“Give Me Liberty” – Galatians 3:10

Galatians 3:10
 
“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 
 
Patrick Henry is famous for the quote, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” Personally, if I had to choose between the two, I don’t think it would take me long to decide. Seems a pretty obvious choice. Liberty please! Of course I understand what Henry meant, but phrased as two equal choices, the saying becomes absurd. 
 
Paul reveals that the Galatians are faced with a similarly ridiculous choice – between the blessing of God through faith (in verse 9) or the curse that comes when relying on the law. Paul explains that according to the law itself (Deuteronomy 27:26) that unless one was to follow every command completely and fully without error, then they would fall under the curse of it’s judgement. And as we saw in Romans 3:23, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Anyone choosing to live by the law would be backing a horse that had no chance of winning. When seeing what each of the two choices bring us, it is quite literally the choice between liberty and death. 
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • When faced with the choice between faith and the law, understanding what each bring (blessing or curse) why would anyone choose the law? This is not a rhetorical question, as some Galatians were clearing being swayed. Why do you think? 
  • Blessing and curse are not simply eternal consequences. We experience the effects of either in this life as well. Can you think of times in your own life when you experienced the effects of blessing through faith or curse through works? 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond? 
 
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 
 

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