“We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith
of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the
works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be
justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ
the minister of sin? God forbid. “
Galatians 2:15-17
Justification
by faith and not by works of human laws is the principal theme of both the
epistles to the Romans and the churches of Galatia. I recently began a
textual sermon series over Galatians, and we have been exploring how quickly a
congregation can find itself in danger. One of the chief threats came from the
Judaizing teachers who had made their way down to Galatia at that point and
were trying to bind the works of the old Mosaic Law on the converts in Galatia.
Paul attacked the idea of taking the focus off of Christ and placing it on the old
Law. Now there is no denying that the New Testament is a law in itself. The
perfect law of liberty (cf Jam, 1:25); the law of Christ (cf. Gal. 6:2). The
law, though, is that of mercy and dispels the notion of works, works, works.
The New Testament is a law system that incorporates grace.
Tom Wacaster
said it like this: Imagine a man is driving home and gets pulled over for
speeding. He gets a ticket and the officer says he needs to appear on this day
at this time at this place. The day comes and the man approaches the bench,
holds up the ticket and says, “I want justice!” What would justice be? It would
certainly be that the man would pay the ticket. That is what the law requires.
Sin is a transgression of the Law (1 Jn. 3:4). Yet, there is a better promise
beyond that. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:23). The Lord justifies us
through faith in Christ and never in the Mosaic Law that was nailed to the
cross (cf. Col. 2:14).
Grace and Peace,
Ryan
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