What legal principles in Galatians 3:15 help us understand God's unchanging promises? Setting the Scene • Paul is answering opponents who claim the Mosaic Law can alter or eclipse the earlier promise to Abraham. • To prove them wrong, he appeals to a common legal fact everyone in the Roman world would recognize. Reading Galatians 3:15 “Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.” Legal Principle #1: Ratification Locks the Terms • In first-century practice, a “covenant” (Greek diathēkē) is akin to a finalized will or contract. • Once signed and sealed—ratified—it becomes legally binding. • No outside party, and not even the original parties acting unilaterally, may change the covenant’s core obligations. • God ratified His promise to Abraham with an oath and a sacrifice (Genesis 15:7-21), underscoring that the covenant’s terms were settled for good. Legal Principle #2: No Subsequent Add-Ons • A ratified covenant cannot be “canceled or amended.” • New clauses or conditions cannot be stapled on after the fact. • Therefore, the Law given 430 years later (Galatians 3:17) cannot revise or nullify God’s earlier promise of righteousness by faith. How the Principles Illuminate God’s Promises • God’s word stands firmer than any human contract: – “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19). – “I, the LORD, do not change” (Malachi 3:6). • Christ is the singular “Seed” to whom the promise was made (Galatians 3:16). Because the promise centers on Him, it remains untouched by later regulations. • For all who are “in Christ,” the covenant blessings are secure, unaffected by shifting circumstances or added human requirements (2 Corinthians 1:20). Cross-References That Reinforce the Point • Hebrews 6:16-18—God swore by Himself so the heirs of the promise “might have strong encouragement.” • Romans 4:13-16—The promise comes “through the righteousness of faith,” not through law, “so that it may rest on grace.” • Psalm 89:34—“I will not violate My covenant or alter what My lips have uttered.” • Hebrews 13:8—“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Living It Out Today • Rest securely: salvation is anchored in God’s unalterable covenant, not in our fluctuating performance. • Reject legalism: any attempt to tack extra requirements onto the gospel misreads God’s unchangeable contract. • Stand confident in witness: the immovable nature of God’s promises offers a solid foundation for sharing Christ with others. |
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