The Superiority of God's Promise, Part 2

July 11, 2010 Pastor: John Fonville Series: Galatians

Scripture: Galatians 3:15–3:18

The Superiority of God’s Promise

Part 2

 

Text: Galatians 3:15-18

 

July 11, 2010

 

Review/Introduction:

 

I.       The Promise is permanent. v. 15

 

Lesson:

 

II.       The Promise is grounded in Christ. v. 16

 

A.       Christ is the true heir of the promise

 

“If the promises made to Abraham were made only to Abraham and his immediate descendants, they might well be considered fulfilled even before the giving of the law; the law would simply inaugurate a new era in God’s dealings with mankind. But the promises were not fulfilled in the period before the giving of the law, Paul argues. They were embodied in the coming Redeemer through whom the fullness of blessing was to come. That Redeemer was Christ. Consequently, God’s blessing of justification by grace through faith spans the ages; and the law, whatever else one might think of it, must be seen to have served only an interim function,” (James Boice, Galatians, pp. 462-463).

 

B.       Christ determines the fellow heirs

 

“They (Jews-J.F.) will, no doubt, boast that they have obtained it by their own merit; but Scripture, on the contrary, asserts that all depends on the calling of God; for we must constantly return to the privilege conveyed in these words, ‘In Isaac shall thy seed be called.’ (Gen. xxi. 12.) The uninterrupted succession to this privilege must have been in force until Christ; for, in the person of David, the Lord afterwards brought back by recovery, as we might say, the promise which had been made to Abraham,” (Calvin’s Commentaries vol. 21, p. 95).

 

Reflection:

 

1.       Christ is sufficient for justification.

 

2.       The way to obtain God’s blessing is to receive His promise.

 

“The right way to obtain any blessing of God, is first to receive the promise, and in the promise Christ: and Christ being ours; in Him, and from Him, we shall receive all things necessary,” (William Perkins, Galatians, p. 186).

 

© John Fonville

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