Paul the apostle has been
adamantly sharing with the church membership within Galatia about the
grace of God. He has given example after example and reason after
reason as to why the promised grace of God does not need any
additional laws to be kept to ratify it. God gave the promise of
blessing to all nations who would believe in His Son Jesus'
sacrificial substitution upon the cross and therein paid for and
removed the curse of the law. This new covenant of God is spoken of
by Paul the apostle in comparative manner in chapter three and verse
fifteen of the book of Galatians which reads:
Brethren, I speak after
the manner of men; Though [it be] but a man's covenant, yet [if it
be] confirmed, no man dis-annuls, or adds thereto.
Paul
first employs an illustration from the way men live, “Brethren,
I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant.”
In other words, Paul is pulling from the way contracts and
transactions are conducted among men. Whenever there are two parties
who are committing to certain vows, pledges, oaths or assertions,
each side is expected to keep his or her commitment. We understand
this in marriage vows, real estate contracts, business transactions
and major purchases. By using covenants familiar to the reader, Paul
means to show the superiority of a contract with God who gave the
covenant and promise of the blessing of grace.
Paul
adds, “no man dis-annuls, or adds thereto.” In like manner
unto contracts and covenants that are signed today, additional
clauses are not allowed into the wording unless each party signing
agrees. When once the contract has been signed, sealed and ratified,
there are no changes that take place lest that serve as another
contract. Should one party or the other or even an outsider attempt
to take away or add to a contract it would be considered illegal,
outside the bounds of the law, and contempt. If this is so among the
contracts of men, how much more would the contract and covenant of
God be violated? When the Judaizers introduced the law into the
contract of promise and grace, the law became by personification like
unto another party attempting to introduce additional factors into
the covenant. As with men and their contracts this is impossible, how
much more the contract of God?
The
covenant of God to Abraham was a contract of promise and blessings.
Abraham could not earn this promise. It was given by God. Since this
covenant preceded the law of God, introduction of the law into it
would have violated the promise. We too are promised the grace of God
without the introduction of rules and regulations as additions for
our salvation. This wonderful covenant of grace has been introduced
by God, signed by God, given by God and applied by God to all who
will receive His Son Jesus as their Lord and Savior. There are no
additional clauses that must be added, and no one can make it void.
All those who receive this contract have the assurance of God that it
shall be fulfilled, and God who cannot lie shall keep His word.
Next time we will
look into the one particular seed of Abraham, so read ahead, and let
us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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