Law or Promise
Theme: A Journey with Abraham
Theme Verse: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Hebrews 11:8 NIV
Readings: Romans 4:13-25
Optional Readings: Galatians 3, 4:4-7, 5:4
Memory Verse: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Galatians 3:2b-3)
Background: Many religious Jews of Jesus' day, mainly the Pharisees, were totally focused on obeying the whole Law. (The Law actually included a lot of interpretations added by Rabbis through the centuries. Also some Jewish believers, called Judiazers, had been trying to convince new Gentile Christians that they had to become Jews first and obey the whole law (including circumcision) before they could become Christians.) Paul reminds us in Galatians 3:10-11, "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.' Clearly no one can keep the whole law and therefore no one is justified before God by the Law…" He also says in Galatians 3:21, "Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!" and in Galatians 3:24, "So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ so that we might be justified by faith."
Note on the word Law The Hebrew word that usually appears in the Old Testament is "torah" -- a statute or precept (a precept is a practical teaching or rule guiding behavior). A precept is a given, like an axiom in mathematics. You don't prove it but you build other things on it. A statute is a rule or law as we know it. Torah is a much broader idea than our idea of laws. The Greek word "nomos" which Paul uses just means laws.
(A Theological Word Book of the Bible Richardson, pages 122-123) The word "law" in the English Bible represents both Hebrew "Torah" and the Greek "nomos" which were not originally equivalent…Torah denotes the guidance or instruction which comes from God thru oracular utterances of the priests, or through the prophets. It is the whole content of God's revelation of His nature and purpose, which incidentally makes clear man's responsibility before God. In so far as this responsibility is clarified by a collection of maxims into a legislative code, the term may be applied to such a code and in this restricted sense it coincides with the meaning of "nomos"(as a legal corpus) . In our English Bible torah is often translated as "law" which gives a misleading impression of the way God dealt with Israel. Paul's use of the word "law" needs to be understood in the context of the continuing controversy with the "Judiaziers. The first council in Jerusalem settled this but did not end the controversy. See Acts 15 (probably about 49 AD) We are not saved by obeying the law but by grace and faith.
The purpose of God's Law, which came several centuries after God's promise to Abraham, was to identify, reveal, clarify to God's people his will and ways. It was given because of our sinful, fallen human nature. In spite of our good intentions we keep falling into our own ways that are opposed to God's ways. Paul in Romans 7 talks about his struggle and failure to completely obey God's law. He says that the commandments forbidding something actually caused "sin to spring to life." (Romans 7:11) That is, when you know something is forbidden, it often becomes that much more attractive! Any examples? Paul says in Romans 7:18b, "For I have the desire to do what is good but I cannot carry it out." But Paul says of the whole of scripture, "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15:4) The words, "it was reckoned to him were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also." (Romans 4:23-24) Word received: The scriptures are written for you.
Therefore what God offered to Abraham and to us is another way. Romans 4:13-14 says, "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith." (If those who live by the Law are God's and Abraham's heirs, then faith and promise have no value.).
Abraham did not receive God's promises through the Law of God but through trusting/having faith in God's promise and word to him. That faith was what God counted as righteousness in Abraham. God gave His promise that way so that His promises might rest on grace and be guaranteed to all Abraham's descendents (vs.16, not only to the Jews but also to those who share in the faith of Abraham, "for he is the father of us all." There is nothing you can do to earn God's promises.
God gave us his teachings and laws to guide us and help us know his will but we do not earn a right relationship with God this way. We receive God's promises by faith, by putting our trust in what God offers us as a gift through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The gift is given by grace (God's undeserved favor) which we do not deserve. Jesus has already done what was/is needed to put us into a right relationship with God and give us eternal life. All we have to do is receive the gift -- and live it out with God's help. Prayer: Lord, help me to believe your promises as Abraham did. Strengthen my faith. Help my unbelief.
God is faithful and will do what he promises. "The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made." (Psalm 145:13b) "God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23:19)
What about the Law, the Torah of God? Do we ignore or reject it? Paul says "Absolutely not." It was given to help us know how to respond in love and obedience to God. Word received: Pray for hearts that open to My purposes. Abraham received My direction. I also give direction to you. My Word is a lamp to your feet. Look to the whole of My word for direction.
But we can't do it perfectly so God has made a provision for those who accept his gift of salvation by faith. He gives us his Spirit and writes his laws/teachings on our hearts so we want to please God and we have a new power (His Spirit) in us to enable us to keep God's ways. Everything comes from God -- even the ability to respond is ours if we desire and ask for it. Prayer: Lord, pour out your Spirit on us. Increase our faith in you. Give us the power to do your will. Write your law and teachings on our hearts. (Jeremiah 31:33)
Paul is talking about this in the Memory Verse. We can't receive salvation as a gift and then turn around and try to obey God's laws and teachings in our own strength. We have to keep on coming to God for the power and wisdom of his Holy Spirit in order to do the things that please God. Word received: You received Me by faith, press on in faith and hope. I will do for you and in you what you cannot do yourselves.
Abraham is a model for us in trusting God. (vs. 20,21) He did not waver through unbelief in what God had promised. Do we waver? Abraham grew strong in faith as he gave glory to God. Where do we get our strength? Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised. Are we convinced that God has the power to do what he promises? Paul says in Philippians 1:16 that he was confident that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." Abraham trusted in God's promises. Do we?? Notice that Abraham did not receive even that part of the promise, a son, for a very long time. Do we expect things to happen on our time table? Yes, we often do, but God gives us hope to wait for his answers.
The promise of the land was a promise Abraham never saw. It happened many generations later. "In hope he believed in hope." He trusted the ONE who promised even though he never saw it fulfilled.
How to teach SS teachers' word: Who will you be guided by? I have given you My word and My Spirit to guide you. Make the choice to be guided by Me.
Examples of the use of the word "Torah" in the Old Testament
"This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law/Torah of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand." (Exodus 13:9)
This, like the introduction to the Ten Commandments (actually Ten Words), begins and is based on God's saving word. What the people are to do is a response.
"The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law/Torah and commands I have written for their instruction." (Exodus 24:12)
Psalm 119:1, 18, 29, 34, 44, 142, 163, 165, and 174 ("thy law/Torah is my delight.")
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law/Torah in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33)
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 29
Please read the Study Guide first.
Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. No one can do enough good things to be saved by God.
2. God's gift of salvation comes through faith when we believe in His Son Jesus.
3. All good things come from God.
4. Our faith in Jesus grows as we trust Him.
5. God gave us the scriptures (Bible) and the laws and teachings in it to guide us.
God wants to give us direction like he did with Abraham.
The Holy Spirit writes God's laws on our hearts and gives us the power to obey God.
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