Bible Verse of the Day Friday September 8th, 2023

Galatians 3:17-18 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.  For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

God bestowed the Law through Moses 430 years after the last ratification of God's Covenant to Abraham when His son Israel, known as Jacob, relocated to Egypt (Genesis 46:1-4; Exodus 12:40). God confirmed grace perpetually before He bestowed the Law, which was not an addition to the Law in any sense. If the inheritance offered to Abraham depended on the Law, it might not be permanent because it would depend, at least in part, on Abraham's keeping of the Law. But since it was offered based on God's promise, it stands sure.

 

Once God bestowed grace upon humanity, He could not and would not go back on it. Some today substitute grace for Law despite the promise of God to bless us no matter what. There are no strings attached to His blessing, no exceptions. The endowment of grace He bestows upon us is and will always be unconditional and concluding. God's grace is a final contract between Himself and all people living today, who have ever lived, and those who will live in the future; God's grace is an absolute, unconditional, and conclusive contract with us. No new law or regulation is forthcoming; God's contract (His Promise) of grace to us is signed, sealed, and delivered.

 

Humanity can never improve on the promises of God. No one merits or deserves the gift of the blessing of God's grace. The Law and God's grace cannot come together because there is no connection between the two. When the Law makes any changes to grace, it renders it void. No one merits or deserves the gift of the blessing of God's grace. Salvation and sanctification must depend on grace or Law, but not both; they oppose each other. God glorifies Himself by what He does, and His glory does not depend on people; God glorifies Himself by giving something.

 What was the purpose of the Law then? Paul wrote that the Law was invoked because of transgressions until the Seed (Christ) should come. It was not against the promises of God, but because it could not provide life itself, it served the purpose of confining all under sin until Jesus gave the assurance by faith to those who believed (19-22). Thus, the Law served to keep them under guard, held for the faith that God would afterward reveal. Furthermore, it was like a tutor leading them to Christ, where they could have justification by faith. Once faith had arrived, the tutor was no longer required.