The issue continued.
Salvation by grace and obedience to the law must always be discussed as separate subjects! “I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21, NET). Christians must never study and discuss the justification and salvation by the faithfulness of Jesus in conjunction with the obedience to the law – the ten commandments. The logical reason for it is apparent. The purpose of giving the law, the ten commandments, was not to make its adherents righteous. The purpose was to educate the people concerning the nature of sin. The law is incapable of justifying sinners and making them righteous. The law was designed for demanding perfect obedience and eternally condemning its violators; nothing less would suffice. The law, the ten commandments, is good in what it was designed to do. It reveals sin and condemns its violators. The law is not defective. However, we must understand that the law could not justify the sinner. The law was not designed for justification. The nature of the law and its purpose is to condemn the lawbreakers.
Paul further emphasizes this point. “Is the law therefore opposed to the promise of God? Absolutely not! For if a law has been given that was able to give life, then the righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything and everyone under sin so that the promise could be given – because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ – to those who believe.” (Galatians 3:21, 22, NET). Carefully fulfilling the law’s demands could not lead to sanctification and holiness. Anyone who attempts to obey the law will fail and continue as a sinner.
Paul reminds the Gentile Christians in Galatia that it is not logical to “begin with Spirit” and then include the works of the law as an additional requirement for justification. The Gentile Galatians who converted to Judaism carefully obeyed the same law the Jews did. Nevertheless, despite their careful obedience, they did not receive the promised Holy Spirit. However, when they heard the good news, they believed. They were filled with the Holy Spirit because they believed. Because the Spirit came through belief, not through obedience, Paul asks the believers in Galatia; “The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?” (Galatians 3:2, NET). So, the Holy Spirit will not come through obedience to the law but through believing in Jesus Christ.
More in the next blog.
