Paul's Letter
to the Galatians - Part 2
by Paul George
Question: How can men, sinful by
nature, come to God, holy by nature?
Answer: There is only one-way, accept the salvation God’s grace makes available
through Christ’s death and resurrection. Forget about merit salvation through
obedience to the Law of Moses. If the law could have provided the righteousness
necessary for justification, it would not have been necessary for Christ to die.
In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, there are five arguments Paul used to support
his claim justification is available through faith and not obedience to the Law
of Moses. The first is:
The Argument From Experience – Galatians 3:1-5
The Galatians were behaving like people led blindly and unresistingly to their
own destruction. They have closed their eyes. They no longer see Christ
crucified. They received the gift of the Holy Spirit for the refining and
purifying of their hearts; their sins forgiven, and brought into the family of
God. They are adding the law to the gospel preached to them. Paul saw this as an
irresponsible act. Their compromising the gospel awakened in Paul a great
sorrow. He addresses the Galatians as “foolish Galatians” (Galatians 3:1) and
wanted to know “who has bewitched” them (3:1). He wanted to know if they had
received justification for their sins through works or faith.
The Galatians were like many professing Christians today. They have heard the
gospel, accepted it as the truth and the sacrament of the Lord's Supper
administered among them, in both Christ crucified has been set before them. They
accept and practice doctrines that are not according to the gospel message
taught by Jesus and the apostles.
Paul pleads with the Galatians, he tells them to remember the working of the
Holy Spirit upon their souls. He reminds them of the sanctifying influences, the
miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, and especially that justification is by
Christ only, and not by the works of the law. To convince them of the error of
their ways he asks them how they came by these gifts and graces: Was it by the
works of the law or by faith. These people could not answer the question. They
were Gentiles and never taught the law before they heard the gospel message and
believed what they heard. This is the reason why the Judaizers brought their
message of works to the Galatians. Their intent, knowingly or unknowingly was to
undermine the gospel preached to them.
Paul told the Galatians to consider their past, present, and judge whether they
were fallen away from what they had been taught; whether they were being led
astray. They believed in the gospel message when Paul preached it, they accepted
it, and now they are involved in a practice that is not necessary for the
forgiveness of sin and accepted before God as a righteous person. Like far too
many converts today, the Galatians had a good beginning but now they are turning
to the law, and expected to advance to higher degrees of perfection by adding
the observance of the law to faith in Christ, in order to be justified, which
could end in nothing but shame and disappointment. They were pulling down with
one hand what they had built with the other.
The honors and privileges we have as Christians should shame us out of the
foolishness of apostasy and backsliding. This was Paul’s intent in writing this
letter to the Galatians. Moral precepts are defective because they are weak by
nature. We are too weak by nature to obey the moral precepts.
The Galatians, through Christ were God’s children, yet as disobedient
Christians, they were foolish children. They were deceived children following
the deceivers in their midst. It is not enough to know the truth, and to say we
believe it, but we must obey it too; we must submit to it, and abide by it.
Foolish children are those who know the truth when it is plainly set before
them, will not obey it. The doctrine preached was not justification by works or
a combination of faith and works. Paul called the Galatians foolish because they
are forsaking the gospel that Paul had preached and exchanging it for one that
had strings attached to it.
Paul’s second point, The Argument From Abraham – 3:6-9, is to add strength to
his first point.
In this passage, Paul uses the relationship that existed between God and
Abraham. God accepted Abraham as a righteous man because he believed God; he
trusted God and he obeyed God. Those who are the sons of Abraham follow his
example. God preached the gospel message to Abraham, saying, “All the nations
will be blessed in you” Genesis 12:3). The physical sons of Abraham, the Jewish
people, are his descendants through Isaac and Jacob. Those who believe in God
and His Son Jesus Christ are Abraham’s spiritual sons. They are men of faith and
not men of works or men of circumcision. This is what Paul wanted the Galatians
to understand. The Judaizers were the physical descendants of Abraham but they
were not his spiritual descendants. Gentiles become the spiritual sons of
Abraham when they follow Abraham’s example.
Paul’s third point is, The Argument From The Law – 3:10-29
Paul opens this point of his letter with a quotation from Deuteronomy, “Cursed
is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them” (Deuteronomy
27:26). In his argument from Abraham, Paul showed the Galatians the difference
between a physical son of Abraham and a spiritual son, who is the heir of the
promise to Abraham.
Paul wants the Galatians to know the difference between the law and grace and we
need to do the same when it involves rites and ceremonies. Grace promises
blessing. The Law pronounces punishment. At the same time the scripture plainly
set forth that it was not the works of the law a person is justified, for it is
written, "The righteous man shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
We cannot be justified by the law because the law condemns us. The condition of
life, by the law, is perfect, personal, and complete obedience. The language of
the law is, do this and live and for every failure there is no forgiveness but a
penalty to be paid. If our obedience is not as written in the law, we fall under
the curse of the law; wrath, ruin, and separation. Under the law, we are all
guilty before God. However, Paul tells us there is a way we can escape this
curse, and regain the favor of God, namely, through faith in Christ. To redeem
us from the curse of the law He took upon Himself the curse of the law. His
purpose in doing this was that the blessing promised Abraham might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ. Therefore, all who believe on Christ, whether Jew
or Gentile, might become heirs of Abraham's blessing, and particularly of that
great promise of the Seed, reserved for the times of the gospel. Therefore, it
was not by putting themselves under the law, but by faith in Christ, the
Galatians became the children of God and heirs of the promise. It is through
faith in Jesus Christ we become children of God and heirs of the promise.
God’s promise to Abraham was a covenant. The death of Abraham did not annul the
covenant and the Judaizers could not alter the promise to make room for the law.
It would be inconsistent with God’s holiness, wisdom, and faithfulness. God did
not give Moses the law to establish a different way of justification from the
way established by the promise. The Israelites believed they were God’s chosen
people. They believed they were sinners as well as others. The purpose of the
law was to make them aware of their sin and curb the desires of their hearts
that are contrary to the will of God. The Israelites also believed the purpose
of the law was to direct them to the true and the only way sin can be forgiven.
That way is through the law of sacrifices. Paul denies this in his gospel of
faith. Paul claimed the law of sacrifices ceased with the death of Christ.
However, the law is always in force, and is still useful to convince men they
are sinners and to restrain them from committing sinful acts we are not under
the bondage of the law. The law given to Moses to give to the people could not
affect the promise made to them in the promise God made to Abraham.
The law is not inconsistent with the promise, but intended to reveal man’s
transgressions and to show them the need they have of a better righteousness
than that of the law. However, in our present state both Jew and Gentile, are in
a state of guilt, and therefore unable to achieve righteousness and
justification by the works of the law. The law reveals the disease of the human
nature, but cannot prescribe a cure. The law can only prescribe a temporary
relief through the sacrifice of animals. The promise predicts the cure. The cure
is the blood of Jesus Christ.
The position of the law was that of a tutor (Galatians 4:24); to lead and
direct men to Christ that they might be more fully instructed by Him as their
instructor in the true way of justification and salvation, which is only by
faith in Him, and of which He was appointed to give the fullest and clearest
instructions. If this was the purpose of the law before the appearance of
Christ, why can it not continue to be so under the Christian state too? After
the appearance of Christ the way of pardon and life through faith in Him, are
set in the clearest light possible and we have no need of the law to direct us
to Him as there was then.
The law reveals the goodness of God to his people of old, in giving the law to
them; though, in comparison of the gospel the people were in a state of darkness
and fear. However, the law provided the means and helps both to direct the
people their duty to God and to encourage their hopes in Him. The fault of the
people was mistaking the purpose of the law, and using it for a purpose other
than God’s purpose. They expected to be justified by the works of it. The
purpose of the was not to be the means of their justification, but only a means
of convincing them of their guilt and of their need of a Savior, and of
directing them to Christ, and faith in Him, as the only way of obtaining this
privilege.
The great advantage of the gospel is we not only enjoy a clearer understanding
of divine grace and mercy than was afforded to the Jews of old, but are also
freed from the state of bondage and fear under which they were held; we are not
considered children but as sons grown up to a full age. We enjoy greater
freedoms, and privileges, than they were. The privilege we enjoy under the
gospel is, we are sons and not servants. We have a freer access to God. Having
accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and relying on Him alone for
justification and salvation and admitted into a happier relation to God. This
faith in Christ, whereby we became the children of God, Paul reminds us was what
we professed in baptism. Having in baptism professed our faith in Him we
declared ourselves His servants and disciples and through Him, we are the
children of God.
The law made a difference between Jew and Greek, between the bond and the free,
master and servant, and male and female. Now we all stand on the same level, one
in Christ. None accepted on the account of any national or personal advantages
he may enjoy above the other or rejected for the want of them; but all who
sincerely believe on Christ, He accepts and they become the children of God
through faith in Him.
The judaizing teachers would have the Galatians believe that they had to be
circumcised and keep the Law of Moses, or they could not be saved. "No," says
the apostle, "there is no need of that; if you sincerely believe on Him, who is
the promised seed, in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed, you
therefore become the true seed of Abraham. As such you are his heirs according
to the promise and entitled to the great blessings and privileges of it."
Christians enjoy greater and better privileges than the Jews did under the law.
It is unreasonable and unwise to listen to those who endeavor to deprive us of
the truth and the liberty of the gospel.
Paul's Letter to the Galatians -
Part 3
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