Galatians 3:19-25

Introduction: Of The Law. In this chapter Paul asks two main questions concerning the law. First, "Did you receive the Spirit and justification by working the Law?", then, "Why even give the law then?" Paul answers the first question, "No. We receive the promise of the Spirit and justification by grace through faith in Christ alone." The second question he answers like this, "To show our depravity and our inability to keep it, to magnify the promise, and to guard us till Christ had come and faith was revealed." He will show these things in four ways;
1) By stating the purpose of the law,
2) By stating the inferiority of the law,
3) By stating the limits of the law, and
4) By stating the gracious intent of the law.

I. It's General Purpose verse 19

A. To Reveal Sin Rom 7:5
B. To Increase The Sinfulness Of Sin Rom 5:20
C. To Limit Sin 1 Tim 1:8-11

II. It's Inferiority Verse 19 Heb 1:1-4

A. It's Agency-The Angels Deut 33:1-2, Heb 2:1-4
B. It's Mediator-Moses Ex 20:18-21, Heb 3:1-6
C. It's Righteousness-Do this and live. Gal 3:12

III. It's Limit Verses 19, 23, 25

A. Till The Seed Should Come
B. Till Faith Is Revealed
C. Temporary Covenant Between God And Israel Deut 5:1-5

IV. It's Gracious Intent Verses 22-25

A. Confines All under Sin
B. Keeps For Faith
C. Brings Us To Christ

Conclusion: And so the law brings us to Christ. No longer our tutor, teaching us God's holiness and our sinfulness, it lays us down dead at the feet of Christ. But Christ picks us up and covers us with His own life and righteousness. The law could not kill Christ. But Christ could lay His life down under the administration of the law in order to be our fulfillment of the law and our inheritance by faith.
What a magnificent view of how God's promise and the law are finally seen to be on the same side, working towards the same purpose! The law killed us so that life might be given to us. The law aroused sin in us so that Christ's righteousness might be imputed to us. The law kept us bound in prison so that Christ might free us. The law showed us ourselves so that we might look to Christ.