Philip Dampier's Blog

“…for in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God, through faith.” (Gal. 3:26) They were no longer under a guardian because they had obtained their mature status, sons of God. This verse sets forth three important considerations. How this came to be is not discussed here but is in…

“But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,” (Gal. 3:25) Simple enough statement. Yet, even today, long after the church was composed of a large number of Jewish born brethren, Christians still want to order their lives after the teachings of the law. Recently a…

“So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal. 3:24) Now Paul says the law was a guardian. In times past this term has been translated as tutor or schoolmaster. This makes the law seem as if it were…

“Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.” (Gal. 3:23) Prior to the coming of Jesus Christ, the Jewish world was under the law. Look at the term used to describe “under the law”. It’s imprisoned. Held captive. Slaves…

“But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” (Gal. 3:22) This is verse 19 restated. In 19 Paul uses the revealing of sin until the seed should arrive. Here he uses faith rather than seed…

“Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.” (Gal. 3:21) Paul makes it clear that he is not insulting the law nor his fellow Jews. Perhaps he…

“Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.” (Gal. 3:20) We pick up with the closing comment of verse 19. The law came through angels. Often angels are used by God as messengers but the Bible writers speak of them as if it were God talking. The…

“Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.” (Gal. 3:19) There is a lot in this verse and not all of it is self-explanatory. In…

“For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise, but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.” (Gal. 3:18) What is the inheritance? The inheritance was awarded to the oldest son in a family. It was the blessing passed on to the oldest male…

“This is what I mean; the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.” (Gal. 3:17) God instituted his covenant with Abraham and his descendants 430 years before He gave the Israelites the Law of Moses.…