The Law Cannot Make the Promise Void
Do not forget as we proceed that the covenant and the promise are the same
thing, and that it conveys land, even the whole earth made new, to Abraham
and his children. Remember also that since only righteousness will
dwell in the new heavens and the new earth, the promise includes the making
righteous of all who believe. This is done in Christ, in whom the
promise is confirmed. Now, "no one annuls even a man's will, or adds
to it, once it has been ratified." How much more must this be the
case with God's "will"!
Therefore, since perfect and everlasting righteousness was assured by the
"will" made with Abraham, which was also confirmed in Christ, by the oath
of God, it is impossible that the law which was spoken four hundred and
thirty years later could introduce any new feature. The inheritance
was given to Abraham by promise. But if after four hundred and thirty years
it should develop that now the inheritance must be gained in some other
way, then the promise would be of no effect, and the "will" or covenant
would be made void. But that would involve the overthrow of God's
government and the ending of His existence. For He pledged His own
existence to give Abraham and his seed the inheritance and the righteousness
necessary for it. "For the promise, that he should be the heir of
the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through
the righteousness of faith." Romans
4:13. The gospel was as full and complete in the days of Abraham
as it has ever been or ever will be. No addition to it or change
in its provisions or conditions could possibly be made after God's oath
to Abraham. Nothing can be taken away from it as it thus existed,
and not one thing can ever be required from any man more than what was
required of Abraham.
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