INTRODUCTION: What is a law? "A rule that must be obeyed." There are many kinds of laws. In our society we have civil law and criminal law. God gave Israel civil and criminal and ceremonial law. He also gave the moral law (10 commandments). We not only have these laws on the books, but we also have natural laws: gravity, magnetism, etc. When laws are disobeyed, there are often (not always) penalties. i.e. speeding laws. There are ALWAYS penalties for breaking God's moral laws. In this passage, Paul asks and answers the question: "What then was the purpose of the law?" (3:19).

Why did God give the Law to Moses and Israel, and to all mankind?

I. NOT as a method of salvation or a way of gaining favor with God (Gal 3:10-12).
A. Deut. 28:15-20 lays out the curse of the Law.
B. No one is "Justified" by keeping the Law, just the opposite.
C. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Gal. 3:13-14).
See Isaiah 53:4-6.


II. NOT to replace the covenant made with Abraham (Gal. 3:15-18).
A. Here God provided a redeemer (the seed).
B. Here God established faith as the method inheriting the promises of the covenant.


III. The Law was given to control sin (Gal. 3:19).
See the Nashville Bellshire school article.


IV. The Law was made our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ (Gal. 3:21-25).
A. The whole world is prisoner to sin.
B. The NASB says "the law was our tutor."
C. The Greek word is "paidagogas"=child trainer. We get our word "pedagogy."
D. If we try hard to live by the Law, we will get tutored as to our inability and need of
a savior.


CONCLUSION: Why did God give the Law?
1. Not as a method of salvation.
2. Not as a method to get God's approval.
3. To control sinful mankind.
4. To drive us to our Savior, Jesus Christ