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Stand Firm - Our Covenant

  • Writer: Paul Downie
    Paul Downie
  • 10 hours ago
  • 10 min read

Galatians 3:15-22 NIV 

[15] Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. [16] The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. [17] What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. [18] For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. [19] Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. [20] A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. [21] Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. [22] But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 

Have you ever encountered a legal dispute so bizarre it makes you shake your head? Like the infamous Pringles case in the UK, where it took three levels of court to decide if Pringles were a potato chip (taxable!) or a potato-based snack (not taxable!). Or the man who claimed his body naturally produced alcohol to beat a drunk driving charge. Or the monkey who apparently owned a photo copyright.


Life in a sinful world often throws up some truly strange situations. But did you know that at the very heart of God's relationship with humanity is a form of legal contract – a covenant?


This isn't some dry, dusty legal precedent; it’s the very basis of our identity as God's people.

Even more profoundly, the Apostle Paul uses this concept as powerful evidence that God's plan for salvation has always been by grace, not by works. This wasn't a knee-jerk reaction or an afterthought. From all eternity, God intended to save us through His grace, fully revealed on the cross. Understanding this is absolutely critical, as it forms the bedrock of our faith and the foundation of our lives.


Let's dive into Galatians 3:15-22 and explore three vital aspects of this unbreakable promise: The Covenant, The Seed, and The Promise itself, culminating in the role of The Mediator.


The Unchanging Covenant


Galatians 3:15 (NIV)

"Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case." 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.3.15.NIV)


We've all probably clicked "agree" to countless terms and conditions without reading them. Sometimes, it comes back to bite us – a missed flight with no compensation, oversized baggage fees, unexpected return charges. We treat these legal agreements as trivial.


But what Paul is discussing here is far from trivial. We're not talking about a cheap skirt or a budget holiday. We are talking about the very basis of the relationship between the created and the Creator.


When two parties enter a contract, it cannot simply be set aside by one. If one breaches it, consequences are outlined and enforced. Paul's powerful argument is that it's the exact same with God. The covenant God made with His people, ratified at Mount Sinai and confirmed repeatedly, remains in place. Despite humanity's sin, God has not, and will not, set aside His side of the agreement. He will honor it.


You might think of this as cold and business-like. But consider our most intensely loving human relationships – like marriage. It's codified in legal contracts worldwide, defining rights, responsibilities, and consequences. The fact that God established a covenant with His people is a profound demonstration of His love and faithfulness.


Hebrews 6:16-19 (NIV)

"People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." 

The unshakeable truth that God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God should fill us with incredible reassurance. It anchors our souls and encourages us to trust Him completely.


The Singular Seed


Galatians 3:16 (NIV)

"The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ." - Galatians 3:16 (NIV)

This verse reveals a significant point of contention between Paul and many of his Jewish contemporaries. For centuries, the Jews believed they were the "seed of Abraham" (John 8:33, 39), which defined their identity as God's chosen people and their right to the Promised Land. The promises, they reasoned, were for them, as Abraham's descendants.


But Paul offers a radical reinterpretation. He points out that the promises were made to Abraham and his singular "seed," not "seeds" (plural). This singular "seed," Paul declares, is none other than Jesus Christ.


Consider the original promise to Abraham:


Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV)

"The Lord had said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 

While the Jewish people were indeed a blessing, Paul asserts that the ultimate fulfillment of "all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" comes through Jesus Christ. In His profound statement in Romans 9, Paul emphasizes that not all physical descendants of Israel are truly "Israel" in God's eyes. It's not about physical lineage, but about being children of the promise through faith.


Romans 9:6-8 (NIV)

"It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring." 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.9.6-8.NIV)


This means that through Jesus, the covenant is extended to everyone – Jew and Gentile alike – who believes. We are adopted into the Abrahamic family and become inheritors of salvation through faith in Jesus, who died in our place. This is the "new covenant" prophesied in Jeremiah:


Jeremiah 31:31-33 (NIV)

"“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."

This seemingly "pedantic" point about "seed" is anything but. It identifies Jesus as the exclusive conduit for God's blessing to the world, making it crystal clear that He is the Messiah.


The Enduring Promise


Galatians 3:17-18 (NIV)

"What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise."

Our entire civilization is built on the credibility of promises. From trading agreements to insurance policies to the very money in our pockets, promises are the bedrock. Without them, everything crumbles.


For the Jews, their very existence was founded on a series of promises given to Abraham. Abraham did nothing to earn these promises, except one crucial thing:


Genesis 15:6 (NIV)

"Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

Abraham received the fulfillment of God's promises because of his faith.


Paul's argument is that 430 years later, when the Law was given through Moses, it did not invalidate the promises given to Abraham. The Law was never intended as the path to salvation. Why? Because no one can perfectly obey the Law. As Jesus himself pointed out:


Luke 11:46 (NIV)

"Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them."

Paul echoes this truth:


Romans 3:20-24 (NIV)

"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." 

The Law doesn't negate the promise of salvation by faith. Just as Abraham was justified by faith, so are we. This has profound implications: if someone relies on their own efforts or good deeds for salvation, they will ultimately fail. Salvation comes only through what God has already done for us on the cross, received by faith.


The Only Mediator


Galatians 3:19-22 (NIV)

"Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe."

The presence of a mediator signals a problem – a disagreement so significant that the involved parties cannot resolve it on their own. In the Old Covenant, there were mediators between God and His people: Moses and the priests. Their role was to bridge the gap, to intercede.


Paul's resounding statement here is that Jesus fulfills the role of mediator perfectly and exclusively.


1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NIV)

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time."

Our relationship with God is broken because of sin, and the only One who can repair it is Jesus. No human priest, no saint, no pastor can fix this brokenness. Only Jesus can. This truth provides an undeniable reason for the Galatians – and for us – to cling to the precious Gospel of salvation by grace through faith. There is no other way.


Conclusion: The Operating System of Your Salvation


In game shows like "Deal or No Deal," contestants decide whether to take cash or gamble on the unknown contents of a box. The tension lies in the value comparison. For the Galatians, they had something truly priceless: the Gospel. Yet, some were tempted to "add" to it, believing it would give them greater assurance.


This misguided idea of adding to the Gospel has been a con job throughout history: the sale of indulgences, ritualistic practices, the elevation of simple ordinances into something they were never meant to be. These often come with the false promise that church membership, donations, or even political affiliation are outward symbols of eternal salvation.


None of it is true. None of it.


Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. There is no other way.


Paul takes something the Jews held in immense pride – their covenant relationship with God – and demonstrates that even it cannot save. He proves that God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God, and that this covenant has been wonderfully extended to all nations through Jesus. He shows that God is a covenant-fulfilling God, with Jesus as the ultimate "Seed" and the fulfillment of all Abrahamic promises. And finally, Paul declares that Jesus is the only mediator between God and humanity, the only way our broken relationship can be mended.


This isn't obscure theological debate. This is the very foundation upon which our eternal lives are built. Just as a computer's immense complexity is built on simple 0s and 1s, the vastness of our salvation rests on these foundational truths. This is its operating system, what makes it tick. The fact that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s law and promises means everything to us.


2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God." 

Like in Galatia, there are voices today that want to dilute our simple faith, to add their own opinions, ideas, or philosophies, often for their own gain. There are also those who wish we would abandon it entirely because the Gospel's very existence is an inconvenience to them.


But look at it. Look at it again. How could you ever abandon such a magnificent Gospel?


John 6:67-69 (NIV)

"“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

That is why we must believe it, and truly live it.


Prayer


Lord Jesus, when we grasp the vastness and splendor of what You did for us, our hearts overflow with joy. We will never abandon this beautiful message. Draw us closer to You, and help us learn even more about the incredible salvation You have provided. Amen.


Questions for Reflection


  • Why are these verses in Galatians so crucial for understanding the Gospel? What do they explain about God's plan for salvation?

  • How does Jesus fulfill the roles of "The Seed" and "The Mediator" in this passage?

  • Considering that salvation is by grace through faith, how can we apply this truth more deeply in our daily lives and share it with others?

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