Galatians 3:12
12Yet the law is not of faith, but “The man who does them shall live by them.”
Truth to Learn
The Christian who is trying to obey the Law of Moses or the rules of their church in order to be a “good Christian” is not living by faith.
Review
A few verses back, Paul told us that God promised Abraham that in him all nations, Jew and Gentile alike, would receive God’s blessing. He then went on to say that those who are of faith “are blessed with believing Abraham.” In other words, God’s blessing (righteousness imputed) is upon those who believe God’s promises, not on those who try to earn their righteousness by obeying the law.
Meaning Explained
Paul now declares that not only is the law not of faith, but whoever tries to satisfy the law is committing his future life to living by the law. On the surface this may seem contradictory. It sounds like he is saying that life can be obtained by keeping the law. However, Paul is making a reference to a passage in Leviticus which says:
Leviticus 18:5 5You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.
The key in this verse is the phrase “if a man does.” If anyone keeps the whole law, he, or she, will receive life. The problem is that anyone with a sin nature cannot keep the whole law. The only one who ever wholly kept the law is Christ himself. In fact, He declared in His Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:17 17Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
The word translated “fulfill” is the Greek word “pleroō” which means “to make full” or “to fill up,” but by implication it means to fully satisfy. Christ came to fully satisfy all that the law requires for righteousness and life, but it is impossible for us.
So, what Paul is saying is that satisfying the law is not done by faith but by works. The Galatians Christians had been taught by the false teachers that they had to keep some of the ordinances of the law in order to be completely saved. Paul has just shown them that keeping part of the law is not sufficient because in order to be justified by the law the entire law must be kept. And, as he said two verses back;
“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
Therefore, anyone trying to complete or secure their salvation by works of the law is under God’s curse.
That’s something to think about!
So What?
If you believe that you have to keep the works of the Law in order to live a victorious Christian life, then I ask you: “Are you keeping the whole Law?”
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2007 Will Krause. All rights reserved.