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Commentary on "Old Testament Faith"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 3: Monday, October 24, 2011 - Grounded in Scripture

 

Overview

The theme for today is that the Old Testament scriptures are still authoritive for our time by pointing out that Paul uses a series of references taken from the Old Testament to support his doctrine of ‘Justification by faith alone’ in the gospel and works of Jesus Christ.

 

Observations

The lesson asks us to study Galatians 3:6-14 and identify all the Old Testament references quoted by Paul so that is what is attempted in this commentary.

When you consider that Adventist theology is founded upon the assertion that the ‘moral aspects’ of the Mosaic Law are still binding upon our lives, it is obvious that the unspoken objective is to substantiate the claim that only Adventist preach the whole bible.

One foundational understanding that must be understood is that when Paul is referring to “the law” he is talking about all the law, not certain parts. Nowhere in scripture, New or Old Testament, does he or anyone else separate the law into categories or even imply that certain parts of the law have more merit or application, eternal or otherwise, than any other part of the law.

In the following exercise, we will exchange Paul’s own words with that of his Old Testament references that the quarterly lesson is asking us to identify:

 

Galatians 3:6

And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Gen 15:5-6 ESV)

 

Galatians 3:7 (ESV)

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

 

Galatians 3:8

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen 12:3 ESV)

 

Galatians 3:9 (ESV)

So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

 

Galatians 3:10

“ ‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ (Deut 27:26 (ESV)

 

Galatians 3:11

“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. (Hab. 2:4 ESV)

 

Galatians 3:12

You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord. (Lev 18:5 ESV)

 

Galatians 3:13

“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance. (Deut 21:22-23 ESV)

 

Galatians 3:14 (ESV)

...so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

 

The point of performing this exercise is to show that if you simply study Paul’s message as found here in the epistle of Galatians it will have the same meaning and application even if you find and overlay his words with that of his references.

 

Summary

  1. Paul’s message in the epistle of Galatians stands alone even if you don’t check out his many Old Testament references. Doing so simply validates his theology by showing it is not a man made gospel he is preaching.
  2. When Paul says our faith is apart from the law he means what he seems to mean.
  3. When Paul says that we are spiritually true children of Abraham because our faith, being centered in belief on the finished work of Jesus Christ who became a curse for us, he is saying our justification before God is totally a work of Jesus Christ.
  4. When we study the New Testament scriptures and see references being made to the Old, it is good to turn back and study them. The message will not change but it will become clearer, fuller and have a much more profound application in your life.

 

GO TO DAY 4

 

Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised October 18, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

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