Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 21: The Curse of the Law

Class #21:  Galatians 3:10 teaches that those who seek to be justified by the law are under the curse of the law.  St. Paul cites Deuteronomy 27:26, which leaves no loopholes from which we could escape from that curse.  The curse is the divine verdict/pronouncement of wrath, death and destruction by God against lawbreakers.  The curse which rests upon those who rely on works of the law is meant to contrast with the justified children of Abraham who rely on the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ through faith alone.

Overhead: Galatians Class 21 Overhead
Handouts: Page 2 of Galatians Bible Study Chapter 3 6-9

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 17: The Law has No Place in Justification

Class #17:  St. Paul continues to emphasize the contrast between righteousness by(διά) faith in Christ and righteousness by (διά) law.   The Scriptural teaching of justification by faith cannot allow the introduction of even a drop of works-righteousness otherwise grace is frustrated and Christ died for nothing.

The law has no place in the doctrine of justification.  Of course, the law is to be used to show me my sin, so that I die to the law.  The law is no longer my master and I am no longer his servant.  Through faith in Christ, I live a new life of thankfulness toward God.

Overhead: Galatians Class 17 Overhead

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 16: Christ isn’t a Minister of Sin, is He?

Class #16:  St. Paul declares that Jews know—because of the teaching of the Old Testament—that no flesh is justified by keeping the law(Ps 143:2).  Therefore, in order to be justified according to the promise of the Gospel(Mk 16:16), Christians have believed in Jesus Christ.

With Galatians 2:17-18, St. Paul shows the logical result of what happens when a Christian (who is seeking to be justified by faith) adds the requirement of keeping the law for his justification.  With verse 17, we learn that if faith in Christ alone is insufficient to save, then Christ has become a servant who lead us into sin.  Similarly in verse 18, we see that if believers in Christ need the law in order to be justified, then the church’s teaching of faith alone makes us lawbreakers.  We cannot rebuild the law as a requirement for justification, without turning Christ into a sin-causer and us back into a transgressor.  The truth of the Gospel is that important!

Overhead:  Galatians Class 16 Overhead

Baptismal Life Bible Class – Third Use of the Law, Part 15

Knowing that the Law can only produce “works of the law”(Rom 3:28) while the Gospel creates faith, which brings forth “fruits of the Spirit” (Gal 5:2) 1 Timothy 1:5), we might wrongly decide that the Law is not to be preached to believers.  In this study, we examine the Scriptural teaching concerning the third use of the Law as it is found in the Formula of Concord, VI and Romans, chapters 3-8.  This concludes the Bible Study on the Baptismal Life.

Handout: Baptism Apr 24 2016 Lesson 14

Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Baptized Using the Law Lawfully, Part 14

The law can only produce “works of the law”(Rom 3:28).  The Gospel creates faith, which brings forth good works, which are called “fruits of the Spirit”—“love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).  So what are Christians to do with the law?  How do Christians use the law?  St. Paul tells Timothy, “But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully…” (1 Timothy 1:8).  This lesson introduces the topic of using the law lawfully.

Handout: Baptism Apr 24 2016 Lesson 14