Paul defends the unity of the church by emphasizing the covenant God made with Abraham and reminding the Galatians that the promise God made was fulfilled in Jesus and all can access it by faith. Paul argues that the Galatians received the Spirit through faith, not works, and quotes scripture saying Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. Paul uses an analogy that a covenant cannot be altered or added to, and that the promises were made to Abraham and his family, meaning Christ. Paul concludes that all who are baptized into Christ are one, regardless of social or ethnic barriers, and belong to Abraham's family through faith in Christ.

2. { Chapter 3: Covenant, Not Contract }{ Chapter 3: Covenant, Not Contract }

3. PAUL DEFENDS THE UNITY of the CHURCH
by:- Emphasizing the COVENANT God made with ABRAHAM
- Reminding the Galatians that the PROMISE God made
was FULFILLED in Jesus, and ALL of us access it by FAITH

4. You witless Galatians! Who has bewitched you? King Jesus was portrayed on
the cross before your very eyes! There’s just one thing I want to know from you.
Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of Torah—or by hearing and
believing? You are so witless: you began with the Spirit, and now
you’re ending with the flesh?
GALATIANS 3:1-3

5. It’s like Abraham. ‘He believed God, and it was counted to
him for righteousness.’ So you know that it’s people of faith who are children of
Abraham. The Bible foresaw that God would justify the nations by faith, so it
announced the gospel to Abraham in advance, when it declared that ‘the nations
will be blessed in you’. So you see: the people of faith
are blessed along with faithful Abraham.
GALATIANS 3:6-9

6. My brothers and sisters, let me use a human illustration. When someone makes a
covenanted will, nobody sets
it aside or adds to it. Well, the promises were made
‘to Abraham and his family’. It doesn’t say ‘his families’,
as though referring to several, but indicates one:
‘and to your family’—which means the Messiah.
GALATIANS 3:15-16

7. This is what I mean. God made this covenanted will;
the law, which came 430 years later*, can’t undermine it,
and make the promise null and void. If the inheritance
came through the law, it would no longer be by promise;
but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
GALATIANS 3:17-18

8. You see, every one of you who has been baptized into
the Messiah has put on the Messiah. There is no longer
Jew or Greek (ETHNIC barriers) ; there is no longer
slave or free; there is (SOCIAL STATUS barriers)
no ‘male and female’ (GENDER barriers); you are
all one in the Messiah, Jesus.
GALATIANS 3:27-29

9. And, if you belong to the Messiah, you are Abraham’s family. You
(ALREADY) stand to inherit the promise (SO ALL THIS
CIRCUMCISION/LAW STUFF IS NOW UNNECESSARY!)
GALATIANS 3:27-29

10. { Chapter 3: Covenant, Not Contract }{ Chapter 3: Covenant, Not Contract }

11. CONTRACT FAITH vs. COVENANT FAITH

12. CONTRACT FAITH vs. COVENANT FAITH
- Legal exchange: goods/services

13. CONTRACT FAITH vs. COVENANT FAITH
- Legal exchange: goods/services
- Based on lack of certainty/trust

14. CONTRACT FAITH vs. COVENANT FAITH
- Legal exchange: goods/services
- Based on lack of certainty/trust
- Asks questions like:
* How certain am I that…?
* How can I be sure that…?
* What’s the max/minimum
I can do/not do & still...?

15. CONTRACT FAITH vs. COVENANT FAITH
- Legal exchange: goods/services
- Based on lack of certainty/trust
- Asks questions like:
* How certain am I that…?
* How can I be sure that…?
* What’s the max/minimum
I can do/not do & still...?
- Relational exchange: vows

16. CONTRACT FAITH vs. COVENANT FAITH
- Legal exchange: goods/services
- Based on lack of certainty/trust
- Asks questions like:
* How certain am I that…?
* How can I be sure that…?
* What’s the max/minimum
I can do/not do & still...?
- Relational exchange: vows
- Based on commitment/trust

17. CONTRACT FAITH vs. COVENANT FAITH
- Legal exchange: goods/services
- Based on lack of certainty/trust
- Asks questions like:
* How certain am I that…?
* How can I be sure that…?
* What’s the max/minimum
I can do/not do & still...?
- Relational exchange: vows
- Based on commitment/trust
- Asks questions like:
* Am I willing to commit…?
* Will I choose to love if…?
* How can I be a better
covenant partner?

18. CONTRACT FAITH vs. COVENANT FAITH
- Legal exchange: goods/services
- Based on lack of certainty/trust
- Asks questions like:
* How certain am I that…?
* How can I be sure that…?
* What’s the max/minimum
I can do/not do & still...?
- Relational exchange: vows
- Based on commitment/trust
- Asks questions like:
* Am I willing to commit…?
* Will I choose to love if…?
* How can I be a better
covenant partner?