10/23/16 – A Gospel of Curses and Redemption

Galatians 3:6-24 ESV
6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 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.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 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”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. 15 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. 16 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. 17 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. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

I.COVENANTS
A.Covenant is an agreement that involves God & humanity.
B.God makes 2 kinds of covenants: Unconditional and Conditional.

II.PEAK 1: GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM
A.Abraham is a pagan who God makes the patriarch of the Jewish people through an unconditional covenant.
B.Abraham was made righteous with God by faith long before circumcision.
C.Circumcision was an outward act of obedience that symbolized what was already true on the inside.

III.PEAK 2: GOD’S COVENANT THROUGH MOSES
A.God initiated a conditional covenant through Moses where His blessing was tied to obedience to His Law.
B.The Mosaic Covenant complements the Abrahamic Covenant by showing us our only hope is the grace of God, not our ability to obey.

IV.GOD’S GOOD PURPOSE IN THE LAW
A.God gave us the Law to:
1.Expose who we already and really are.
2.Intensify our sin so we know we will never be better on our own.
3.To show us we are not just sinners but cursed.
4.To crush us and end our hopes of being made righteous on our own.

V.PEAK 3: GOD’S COVENANT WITH US THROUGH JESUS
A.Everything in the first 2 covenants points to Jesus & righteousness through faith in Him.
B.Jesus initiates His covenant by coming for us. He completes it by becoming a curse for us so He could redeem us.

NEXT STEPS:
1.2 Choices: Relate to God through Jesus and be redeemed or through Moses and be cursed.