(Kimball, Minn.) by Wm. Brickey

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 21, 1902

(Kimball, Minn.)

By Wm. Brickey

NOTES ON THE BOOK OF GALATIANS.—NO. I.

Wm. BRICKEY.

(Kimball, Minn.)

It is not my purpose to give a full exposition of this book, but simply to note a few points which I have learned by personal study. First, and the best of all, I have learned that “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, . . . that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Gal. 3:13, 14. This redemption from the law is the same as that of chapter 4:5: “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Notice, this is “when the fullness of the time was come,” when “God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.” Verse 4. Then it is plain that the blessing of Abraham is this: that we may be adopted as sons. And the promise of the Spirit does not mean the promise given by the Spirit, as some say; but is, without doubt, the promise of God to send His Holy Spirit into our hearts when we are adopted. “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” Chapter 4:6.

This Spirit and adoption come through faith in Jesus Christ. Before this faith came, they “were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed.” Chapter 3:23. Now it is true that men had the Holy Spirit, and faith, for they go together, before Christ came in the flesh. See Hebrews 11 and Num. 11:24–29. But will any man of sound faith take the position that they had the same degree and kind of faith in the old dispensation as in the new? They had faith in God, but their knowledge of Jesus Christ was limited. “For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.” 2 Cor. 3:10. The ministration of the Spirit is certainly more glorious than the ministration of the law. It must be perfectly plain to all that they did not believe in the resurrection of Christ before it took place, as they did afterward. “He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” John 7:38, 39. This scripture needs no comment. It is perfectly plain that faith had not yet come according to the gospel standard, else the Spirit would have been given; for it states plainly that when they would believe on Him, rivers of living water should flow.

It is perfectly evident to every Bible student that faith as a distinct doctrine was never preached before Christ came, as it was afterward. But they were kept shut up under the law, living under their ceremonies, which pointed forward to that faith which should afterward be revealed, and which was revealed when the fullness of the time was come (chapter 4:4), the times of reformation. Heb. 9:10. And Paul now declared that Christ had brought the blessing to the Gentiles, and that “if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed.” This faith had not been preached before; therefore they had not received the Spirit by faith. But now the fullness of the time was come, and God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law. And when the resurrection began to be preached, the faith in all its fullness was revealed. God “hath given assurance [‘offered faith,’ margin] unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.” Acts 17:31.

The greatest infidels can readily believe that there was such a man as Jesus, and they can easily believe that He died, for that is the common lot of all. But “if thou shalt . . . believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Rom. 10:9. This, and nothing less than this, is faith according to the gospel. He “hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3. This faith was never preached as a distinct doctrine before the times of reformation. “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin [all—Jews and Gentiles], that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe, both Jews and Gentiles. Gal. 3:22; see also Rom. 11:32. But now that faith had come they were redeemed from the law; were free from their cumbersome ceremonies, and received the promise of the Spirit by faith, and the adoption of sons. Therefore circumcision was no longer a sign of sonship, but a yoke of bondage. Gal. 5:2; Acts 15:1, 10, 5.