Law and Promise

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Deuteronomy 7:7-11; Galatians 3:15-29

The focus of Galatians 3:15-29 is verse 26: "In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith." That is, all people regardless ethnicity, social status, gender, or any other consideration are only accepted before God "in Christ Jesus."

However, to understand this passage correctly, we need to understand the covenant given to Abraham and the Law given to Moses.

1.  Covenant to Abraham
God's covenant to Abraham is God's declaration of "I am yours, and you are mine." God is the initiator. When Abraham believed God, God saw his faith and credited that faith to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). 

Paul argues here that before the circumcision and the Law, God had already declared his promises and made his covenant with Abraham.

2.  The Law
The Law came 430 years later. Paul's point is that God's promise came before the Law; therefore, the Law does not annul the promise.

The biblical pattern is that grace always comes before Law, covenant comes before commandment, and salvation before legislation. 

Questions for personal reflection and/or group discussion

1. Genesis 15:6 says, "[Abraham] believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness." Why does it matter that this happened before God gave the Law to Moses in Exodus? Why importance does this have for Christians today?
2. According to Galatians 3:19-26, why did God even bother with giving Israel a Law at Mt. Sinai?
3. God rescued the Israelites from Egypt (grace) before he gave them his commandments (law). Where else in the Bible do we see this pattern of grace coming before law?