The following material was received and adapted from Frank Jamerson, who labours with the the Southwest Church of Christ (Lakeland, FL) as both an evangelist and elder. It makes for a wonderful primary lesson to study with folks, placing the two testaments in perspective, and showing how to get into Christ. Use it to the glory of God and the saving of souls.

• Many study the Bible like doing a jigsaw puzzle out of a paper bag. With no idea what the big picture is to look like, the many pieces can be distressing. The who Bible is a development of this one text, Genesis 12:1-3.

• A threefold promise is given. The physical promises were fulfilled in the days of Moses and Joshua (see diagram). The spiritual promise was fulfilled in the Christ. Thsi spiritual promise is the core of the entire Bible, and the topic of consideration in Genesis 3:15-29.

v 15
When a man makes a covenant (will), no one can alter it. How much less could God's covenant with Abram be altered by any!

v 16
(see Genesis 22:18). The "seed" of Abram, through which all nations are blessed is Jesus.

v 17
As the covenant of v 15 is confirmed (and thus unchangeable), so is God's promise to Abram. The Law of Moses, given to Israel, did not annul the promise.

v 18
The "blessing" did not come through the Law, it was never intended to fulfill the promise. If the inheritance were by the Law, it would have come 1,500 years before the Seed! But it is not of Law but of promise that all nations are blessed.

v 19
The Law was "added" because of sin (to purify the flesh - see Hebrews 9:13-14). The Law was never intended to be permanent ("...till the seed should come..."). The Law had a mediator, Moses, therefore it is often called the Law of Moses.

v 20
When God made His covenant with Abram, He did so without a mediator. God made the covenant directly with Abram. The superiority of the promise over the Law is shown, in that God dealt directly with Abram. One translation renders this verse, "But when God gave his promise to Abraham, he did it by himself alone, without angels or Moses as go-betweens." (Living Bible)

v 21
The Law neither hindered nor fulfilled the promise. If it could fulfill the promise, then salvation would be by perfect law keeping.

v 22
Once a person sins, he has become a breaker of the Law. Therefore justification is by grace, not perfect law keeping.

v 23
"Faith" is the system of faith, not personal faith. The Jews were under the Law until "the faith" (the Gospel of Christ) came.

v 24
The Law acted as a "tutor" (guardian) till Christ came. The "tutor" "...was not the instructor of the child; he exercised a general supervision over him and was responsible for his moral and physical well-being..." (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, by W.E. Vines). [Think of a school bus driver, and you will see the point]

v 25
When Christ came, the Law had fulfilled its purpose and was no longer binding (see also Galatians 5:1-4).

v 26
This verse answers three questions. 1) What are you? "...children of God..." 2) How? "...by faith..." (the gospel, not the Law) 3) Where? "...in Christ Jesus..." (not in the physical family of Abraham).

v 27
This verses answers one more question, When? It happened when "...you were baptized into Christ..."

v 28
In Christ there is no national, social, or gender distinctions. Spiritually, all are one in Christ.

v 29
The promise that "...all nations would be blessed..." is fulfilled in Christ. Those "...in Christ..." inherit the blessing of the promise made to Abram.

Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
The infancy narratives regarding Jesus contradict. According to Luke 2:21-39, Jesus was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem eight days after his birth, and then the family go up to Nazareth. In Matthew 2:14-23, after being born the family flee into Egypt and stay there until Herod dies, even on returning, they avoid Judea and go up to Nazareth.