Galatians 3:17-18 - Homiletics

The irreversibleness of the covenant by the Law.

"This, however, I say, that the covenant that has been confirmed before in reference to Christ, the Law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, does not disannul, that it should do away with the promise."

I. THE COVENANT ON ITS OWN INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION .

1 . It stands irrevocable and indestructible because it has been confirmed by God , that is, by an oath; for, "Because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee" ( Hebrews 6:13 , Hebrews 6:14 ). This oath is to us the sure ground of hope.

2 . It has exclusive relation to Christ regarded as the Head of the Church. He sealed this covenant with his blood, and thus the "cup of blessing" in the Lord's Supper has become "the new covenant in his blood." All covenant blessings reach us by Christ through his Spirit.

3 . It stood for ages alone. The Law came four hundred and thirty years after.

II. THE INABILITY OF THE LAW TO AFFECT THE COVENANT .

1 . The Law and the covenant proceed on two entirely different lines , and cannot therefore traverse each other ' s course.

2 . The lateness of the Law , as an historic institute , leaves the covenant as it found it in the ages of its undisputed validity. There[ore the Law cannot disannul the covenant so as to throw invalidity into the promise.

III. THE INHERITANCE NOT POSSIBLE BY THE LAW , BUT BY THE PROMISE . "For if the inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of promise; but God has given it to Abraham by promise."

1 . The inheritance covers more than the land of Canaan ; it involves "the heirship of the world" ( Romans 4:13 ); but it symbolizes the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom, and especially of that "better country" which was an object of wistful expectation to Abraham himself.

2 . If the Law abrogates the covenant , the inheritance would in that case come of Law ; but it is positively asserted that "God has given it "—the perfect tense marking the duration of the blessing—"to Abraham by promise."