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Galatians 3 treatment of Abraham

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  • Galatians 3 treatment of Abraham

    This thread is to look a bit at Gal 3 instead of keeping the discussion on Nick's thread.

    I posed this in Nick's thread on Abraham...


    It seems by the gospel accounts that Jews had seen Abraham as a celebrity and the start of their heritage. John the Baptist is noted (in Matt 3:8-9) as saying that God could raise up children of Abraham from stones.

    The powerful point made in Galatians 3 is that the followers of Christ enjoy the covenant of Abraham without any intervention (or obligation) of the Mosaic covenant. Hence, the Jewish laws formed no obligation (toward justification or our walk with God) upon the Christian. In a sense, we became enjoyers of the original covenant which did not have the complications which were added by the Law of Moses (or by subsequent additions to that law).
    Faber then noted:
    Which revives the covenant theology-dispensationalism debate over God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants.

    I don't know if I would exactly fit into either one of those theological frameworks. But I looked at this website: http://www.the-highway.com/covenant-...nsational.html and probably fit right in the middle between those views.

    As may be obvious, it seems that Paul has shown that the law of Moses was not applicable to gentiles. This is similar to the concept that Chinese laws do not apply to me in California. Paul makes this point in Rom 3:19-20.

    The laws were not made an obligation upon Christians, in part, because Jews eventually placed more importance on aspects of law rather than obedience to God. This problem would have developed among any people with whom God could have made the same type of covenant with -- i.e. the same terms of covenant as made with Israel. What we see in Isa 5:1-4 (from the insights of the New Testament) is that mankind (as tested within the Mosaic covenant) could not be restored unto proper behavior by external changes, i.e. the law of Moses and the corrective actions of the prophets. A change of nature was required, as done through the gift of the Holy Spirit through Christ.

  • #2
    I have taken issue on occasion with a few commandment-keeping churches and Christians. If you want to be under the Law, feel free. Just don't think that you have to be in order to saved. If you want to worship on Saturday, go ahead. I am not to condemn him, nor is he to condemn me (Romans 14:5-6). I have even attended worship services in a Seventh Day Baptist Church, and they have occasionally come to ours the next day. (In fact, I haven't found them to be legalistic at all.)

    But I feel, based on Galatians 3 as well as other passages, under no obligation to follow the Law. I eat bacon. I love cheeseburger macaroni Hamburger Helper. I got pictures stored in my computer. (No, not that type!) I drive down the highway on a Saturday afternoon in a four cylinder car breaking the Sabbath about four thousand times in one mile.

    But the other commandments? Adultery, lying, coveting, hating, murder, etc? Only when I feel like it. But because of the Grace of God which constrains me, I don't feel like it.
    For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2 Cor 5:14-15, KJV)
    When I Survey....

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    • #3
      Thanks Faber.

      Now... to anyone reading this ...
      I did the OP largely to see if there was agreement with this short statement of my conclusions.

      Does anyone have a different take on the reason for Paul mentioning Abraham in Gal 3?

      Does my analysis cause issues to any theological frameworks?

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Faber View Post
        But the other commandments? Adultery, lying, coveting, hating, murder, etc? Only when I feel like it. But because of the Grace of God which constrains me, I don't feel like it.
        Oops! Looking back at that statement, I really blew it! I meant just the opposite: But because of the Grace of God which constrains me, I do abide by those commandments.
        When I Survey....

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Faber View Post
          Oops! Looking back at that statement, I really blew it! I meant just the opposite: But because of the Grace of God which constrains me, I do abide by those commandments.
          Oh. I thought you made sense. I envisioned that Christ in you had taken away many desires of the flesh such that you would never feel like doing such harmful acts. In other words, you would not be inclined toward doing harmful acts whereas, without His Spirit, we might not care what harm we do.

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