I mean that the Covenant which God had already formally made is not abrogated by the Law which was given four hundred and thirty years later–so as to annul the promise.
And God declared that Abraham's posterity should for four hundred years make their home in a country not their own, and be reduced to slavery and be oppressed.
He it is whom God put forward as a Mercy-seat, rendered efficacious through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness – because of the passing over, in God's forbearance, of the sins previously committed–
What I mean is that each of you is a partisan. One man says »I belong to Paul;« another »I belong to Apollos;« a third »I belong to Peter;« a fourth »I belong to Christ.«
Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the Good News; and not in merely wise words–lest the Cross of Christ should be deprived of its power.
For all the promises of God, whatever their number, have their confirmation in Him; and for this reason through Him also our »Amen« acknowledges their truth and promotes the glory of God through our faith.
Brethren, even a covenant made by a man –to borrow an illustration from daily life– when once formally sanctioned is not liable to be set aside or added to.
God, however, is only one. Is the Law then opposed to the promises of God? No, indeed; for if a Law had been given which could have conferred Life, righteousness would certainly have come by the Law.
At that time you were living apart from Christ, estranged from the Commonwealth of Israel, with no share by birth in the Covenants which are based on the Promises, and you had no hope and no God, in all the world.
All these died in the possession of faith. They had not received the promised blessings, but had seen them from a distance and had greeted them, and had acknowledged themselves to be foreigners and strangers here on earth;
He was pre-destined indeed to this work, even before the creation of the world, but has been plainly manifested in these last days for the sake of you who, through Him,