The Covenant Accomplished (Galatians 3:15-18)
The Galatian church was struggling with "family problems". The Jewish and Gentile believers could not come to terms with each other's differences, and many Jews were demanding Torah observance for the Gentiles. Paul appeals to the covenant with Abraham to argue that God's promises to His people have been fulfilled in Christ, creating one family of God who should pursue unity not in law observance, but in faith and pursuit of Christlikeness!
- The Abrahamic Covenant is the Lynchpin of the Church (v. 15)
- Paul is not arguing that Abraham is an example of faith and Moses is an example of works.
- If we treat “wills” or “testaments” with respect and honor, God even more takes covenant promises seriously.
- God Has Kept the Covenant in Christ and His Church (v. 16)
- God promised Abraham a family that would “bless the nations”
- V. 14 has already reminded us that this is fulfilled in Christ through in the inclusion of the Gentiles into the family of God.
- Abraham’s “seed” is his family, single and unified
- There is one family, whose head is Christ
- “Christ” in this passage is collective (like 1 Cor. 12:12)
- God promised Abraham a family that would “bless the nations”
- The Mosaic Law had a purpose, but it wasn’t to upend the promise made to Abraham through faith. (v. 17-18)
- This is the same argument Paul makes about circumcision in Romans 4.
- If joining and staying in the “one family” was based on law-keeping, then God’s promises to Abraham have been overruled.
