I           Introduction

Explain why Galatians 3:15–25 is particularly relevant and important for understanding the relationship between Abraham, Moses, and Christ. Encourage God’s people to concentrate so that they can learn from Paul how the Bible fits together as a whole.

Briefly highlight why Paul is trustworthy, also the evidences he has given for justification by faith.

II          Moses does not replace Abraham

A          Explain: What did the Jews historically think about the law? Why would this make it harder for them to understand justification by faith?

B          Explain: What do human contracts prove about the covenant made with Abraham?

C          Explain: What does the fact that God spoke directly with Abraham, as opposed to through angels, show about the Abrahamic covenant?

D          Explain: Why did God give the law to his people 430 years later at Mount Sinai?

E          Explain: What does it mean for the law to be added because of transgressions?

E          Explain: How did the law encourage faith in the coming seed, Jesus Christ?

F          Explain: How does the work of a guardian correspond to the work of the law? What does it show about the time of the law?

III         Mosaic law and the Christian

A          Explain: Mosaic law serves and does not replace the promises given to Abraham. It was an initial and temporary administration of the covenant of grace. Given to reveal our sin, given to show our need for a Saviour, it was never meant to be permanent and with the coming of Christ is has come to an end.

B          Explain: How did Christ fulfil the law? Does this mean that God’s moral law no longer applies?

C          Explain: What is God’s moral law? Which old covenant laws no longer apply for the Christian in the same way that they did for those who lived before the coming of Christ?

D          Explain/Apply: Can we still learn from old covenant civil and ceremonial laws? How should we approach them in our study?

E          Explain/Apply: Are there two peoples of God (Israel and the Church)? How were people saved in the time of the old covenant? How are we saved in the time of the new covenant?

Concluding prayer

Heavenly Father,

We praise you for your wisdom, giving your law to prepare your people for the coming of your Son. We praise you for your mercy, how you revealed your perfect character and demands so that we might recognize our sin and need for a Saviour. We praise you for your faithfulness, how you kept your promises made to Abraham, how you saved a people from every nation through the work of Jesus Christ.

Please help us to be confident that his inheritance is our inheritance. Help us also to remember what we have learned about the place of your law. In particular, we ask that you would guide us by your Spirit as we read and study the Old Testament. May we grow in our ability to correctly interpret your Word of truth.

We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.