Our
Opening Prayer
Father, we thank You for Your written Word. We thank You that it's given by inspiration of God and that it's profitable to us. And even now, as we look at this section of Holy Scripture, would You strengthen our hearts and would You cause us to reflect upon the glory of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Gospel. How we thank You that He has redeemed us from the curse of the law.
How we thank You that He has paid the debt that we owed how we thank You that He was our substitute and surety on that cross, on that tree. We give praise to You, Most High, for delivering Him up for us all. And we would ask even now that Your Spirit would shine the light upon the Redeemer. And we ask in Jesus' holy name.
Amen. Well,
Introduction
as we look at this particular passage, it is connected to what we are looking at in our morning services. In Acts chapter 13 and 14, in that first missionary journey, the region that Paul, or one of the regions that Paul visits, is Galatia, the southern Galatian churches. And so after he finishes that missionary journey, likely he writes this epistle to the Galatians. In fact, John Stott makes that comment.
He says, we need to remember in Acts 13 that Paul is addressing Galatians. Only a few months or so later, he will be writing his letter to the Galatians. It is very striking, therefore, that he brings together here at the conclusion of his sermon, in Acts 13, five of the great words which will be foundation stones of his gospel as he expounds it in his letter. Having referred to Jesus' death on the tree, Acts 13.29, he goes on to speak of sin, Acts 13.38, faith, justification, law, Acts 1339, and grace in Acts 1343.
So what Paul does here in Galatians is basically rehearses what he had preached to those churches on the first missionary journey. And here specifically, he is defending the doctrine of justification by faith alone. He introduces that in chapter 2 at verse 15 to verse 21. And now he's going to confirm this idea or this doctrine of justification by faith in a whole host of ways.
Notice in the first place, there are several witnesses to the shortcomings of legalism. First, the Galatians' experience according to chapter three, verses one to five. Secondly, the example of Abraham, chapter three, verses six to nine. Thirdly, the law's expectation in chapter three, verses 10 to 14, the priority of the promise in verses 15 to 18, and then ultimately the purpose of the law in verses 19 to 25.
So as I said, he is vindicating that great doctrine of justification by faith alone. And our focus this evening will be on verses 10 to 14. We have in the first place, the expectation of the law in verses 10 to 12. And then secondly, the gracious provision of God in verses 13 to 14.
So the law does not justify, the law cannot produce those acceptable to God, but rather the gospel does because of what Christ has accomplished on behalf of his people. So let's look at this particular section, verses 10 to 14, as I said in the first place, the expectation of the law. Paul is contrasting between what he says here concerning the law and what he has said in verses 6 to 9 with reference to Abraham. Abraham found acceptance with God, or received a righteousness from God, not through the works of the law, but rather through faith in the promise of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.
And the basic themes in verses 6 to 9 are faith, justification, and blessing. When he comes to deal with the law here in verses 10 to 12, the emphasis is upon works, condemnation, and God's curse. So there is this contrast, and essentially what the apostle is saying, there is one of two ways by which sinners attempt to enter into the presence of God. You either do it on your own, your own law-keeping, your own merit, your own ability, or by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
When he speaks about the works of the law or those doing the works of the law, we need to appreciate he's speaking in terms of justification. We wouldn't be having a series on the Ten Commandments if it was not the case that Christians, in some form or other, have to obey the law. We obey the law as a consequence of our salvation. How Paul speaks here concerning the law is not to denigrate the law, but rather to denigrate the idea of acceptance by God through the works of the law.
And that's the point in verses 10 to 14. Notice he confirms this by scripture. He first appeals to Deuteronomy 27, and then he emphasizes the teaching of Habakkuk 2, and then he confirms this by Leviticus chapter 18. So let's look at this densely packed section of scripture and see what the apostle is doing.
The Expectation of the Law
Notice in the first place this appeal to Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 27 and the Curse
Verse 10 he says, for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. So the reality that those who are of the works of the law are under the curse. Again, he is not condemning law-keeping as a pattern of sanctification in the Christian life.
He is condemning the attempt at law-keeping for justification before God, acceptance by God. And he highlights this. The apostle is not saying it's wrong to keep the law, rather it is wrong to try and keep the law for justification. Matthew Poole explains it.
He says, to be under the law is under the covenant of works, or under the expectation of life and salvation only from obedience to the works of the law. I think we're pretty well taught in our church as we reflect upon these themes pretty regularly. Obviously, we should never attempt to try to gain acceptance with God by our own performance of the law. Well, we didn't come to this on our own.
We came to this because it's emphasized so recurringly by Paul the Apostle. The gospel answers to man's greatest need, acceptance by God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. John Calvin says the contradiction between the law and faith lies in the matter of justification. For the present question is not whether believers ought to keep the law as far as they can, which is beyond all doubt, but whether they can obtain righteousness by works, which is impossible.
And as we look at this passage from Deuteronomy 27, notice the emphasis. Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do that. Now, an obvious assumption for the Apostle Paul is that there is never been, or has never been, presently never is, and will never in the future be one who actually does all that the law commands. See, that's the issue.
The problem is never with the law. The problem is always with man. Our total depravity, our total inability, our position covenantally in Adam renders us dead to all good things spiritually. So as a result, when it comes to the law, we can not only not keep it for acceptance with God, but everything in our heart wants to despise it and reject it and run from it.
Prior to our conversion, we are not great lovers of the law of God Most High. And then when we look at this particular passage in a bit more detail, it's interesting. In Deuteronomy 27, remember they're on the plains of Moab, they're getting ready to enter into the promised land, and they have this covenant ceremony. And there's this mount called Gerizim, and it's on that mount that blessings are pronounced.
When you enter into the land, and you do what God commands you, there will be blessing in the land. There's another mountain called Ebal. And Ebal was the place of curse, and the curses come to the children of Israel, and the emphasis in Deuteronomy 27-26, which is the last statement in a string of statements, says, Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them. And that highlights what we see in Paul's text.
Galatians 3.10, curse it is everyone who does not continue. See, here's the situation. In all things which are written in the book of the law, to do that for a person, I was gonna say a sinner, Can't happen. For a person to gain acceptance by God, it must be based on absolute perfect law keeping.
I hope by now, or maybe 10 minutes ago, you say, oh, of course, this is why we should never try to approach God via the law. Because he doesn't say, do the best you can. He doesn't say, okay, I see that your heart's in the right place. No, obedience to the law of God as a means of justification or acceptance by God must be rendered the way that our confession of faith highlights.
In 2nd London Confession, chapter 19, paragraph 1, it talks about God's law and it says, "...by which God bound him, Adam, and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience." That's the emphasis in the law of God. Not your best attempt, not I tried, I didn't do the best I could, but Lord, you're gonna forgive me anyway. Remember, justification, acceptance with God. It comes only as a result of perfect compliance to all things written in the book of the law to do that.
Now, if you look at chapter five in verse three, you'll see how Paul deals with the Galatian problem. See, with Galatia, or the churches in Galatia, not long after his preaching, Judaizers came to those churches. And those Judaizers said, it's good to do what Paul says in terms of believing on Jesus as Israel's Messiah, but you must also keep the laws of Moses. In order to be accepted by God, you Gentiles, you not only need to believe the gospel, but you also need to be circumcised.
Now, circumcision, if it's not done for a religious observance, is neither here nor there. But when we attach religious significance to circumcision, that's the problem, and Paul condemns it in Galatians 5.3. Notice what he says, I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. goes back to that category I presented earlier. There's one of two ways to approach God, either grace through faith in Christ Jesus or on our own.
We can't mingle the two as the Judaizers were enjoining upon them. We can't say faith plus works. It's faith alone by which God accepts us into his presence. So if you choose the path of law, it must be all things that are commanded, it must be exact, it must be entire, and it must be perpetual.
And I hope all of you will say a hearty amen to the reality that that is absolutely impossible for us sons of Adam. But then notice what Paul goes on to say in his emphasis in Habakkuk 2.4.
Habakkuk 2:4 and Justification by Faith
Notice his argument. Verse 11, but that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for the just shall live by faith. So if the emphasis in verse 10 on Deuteronomy 27, 26 is the reality that no one will ever be accepted by God with reference to law keeping, because he doesn't do all things that are commanded, that's the same emphasis here in this appeal to the prophet Habakkuk. The just shall live by faith.
That then excludes the possibility of attempting to approach God through the works of the law. The sanctioned approach on this side of the garden, this side of the fall, is grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone. The just shall live by faith is the emphasis. There is no acceptance with God through the works of the law.
The appeal to Habakkuk 2.4 underscores the only way of acceptance with God, justification by faith alone. Turn to one other spot where the apostle appeals to that text. In Romans chapter 1. Romans chapter 1.
Very familiar passage, the very thesis statement of the epistle of Paul to the Romans, verses 16 and 17. In verse 16, he says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith. So in both places, and there are other places to be sure, but in both these places, Paul invokes or calls to mind that passage in Habakkuk 2, not to teach that we're accepted by God or we live by faith plus works, or we live by a commingling of the two, but the just shall live by faith.
That's the emphasis in Galatians 3. 10 to 14. Deuteronomy 27 demands complete compliance with every jot and tittle of the law. Habakkuk 2.4 indicates that the just doesn't live by law-keeping, the just shall live by faith.
Leviticus 18:5 and the Law's Demand
And then the final text that he appeals to is in Leviticus 18.5. In verse 12, in Galatians 3, he says, yet the law is not of faith. Again, Another statement excluding the possibility that a sinner could approach God on the terms of law. No, the law is not of faith.
It is not the case that there is that co-mingling. It's not the case that you get a little bit, a little bit of faith, a little bit of works, a little bit of compliance with the Mosaic law, a little bit of looking unto Jesus. And that is what God accepts. No, the law is not of faith.
And then he goes on to indicate, but the man who does them, those laws, those commandments, those pieces of legislation shall live by them. So the appeal to Leviticus 18.5 further demonstrates the inability, nay, the impossibility of acceptance with God through the works of the law. The law is not of faith, and therefore, according to Habakkuk 2.4, there is no chance whatsoever someone comes to God in terms of justification through the works of the law. The man who does the law must live by that law perfectly, entirely, exactly.
And of course, no one is able to do so.
The Law as Old Covenant Pedagogue
I would suggest to you that one of the functions for the old covenant was to function as a covenant of works. The covenant made by God with Israel was to continually alert them to the reality that they were sinners, that they stood in need of a savior. They were being pointed by that law to consider the promised Messiah who would come in the fullness of the time when God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law. I think that's the way we're supposed to understand what Paul does in Galatians 3 at verse 19.
So if we see here, and I'm going to look at verse 19 in a moment, but you could see, if Paul says there's no acceptance by God with reference to the works of the law, well then the natural question might arise, well then whence the law? Why the law? Why that old covenant system? And I think that's what he's speaking about. in terms of law in this section in Galatians 3.
He's talking about the old covenant as a covenant. Notice in verse 19, what purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made and was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. It was added because of transgressions.
This was a means by which God Most High kept Israel in check. When our kids were little, they had these things. I don't think we ever used them. I think they still have them today.
They're sort of a leash for a child, right? You wrap it around the kid. It's a little bit more user-friendly than a dog leash and not much different, I guess. But you put that on the kid so if you're somewhere, you can sort of yank him back.
If he's going to run off or he's going to do something that he shouldn't do, you just kind of give him a yank. It's kind of, in a sense, what Paul is saying the Old Covenant did. It preserved the people. It preserved the line such that the seed could come.
It preserved the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and David. It kept the people in tow until the arrival of the mediator. That's how you're supposed to understand this next section when he says we're no longer under the law. He doesn't mean we're free to commit adultery.
He means we're no longer under the old covenant. We're no longer under a covenant of works, attempting acceptance by God through those works of the law. Notice in verse 21, is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not.
For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. Again, it's not law. It's man. It's not law.
It's our Adamic nature. It's not law. It's rebellion. Paul underscores this in Romans chapter 7.
The law is holy. It's just. It's good. The problem has always been the human heart and its response to that law.
Verse 22 says, but the scripture has confined all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, and I don't mean that, he doesn't mean that Abel didn't have faith. He doesn't mean that David didn't have faith. We just read Psalm 32, where David is rejoicing in the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, the removal of sin, and that by faith.
He's not saying faith was absent in the Old Testament. If he is referring to the Old Covenant as the law, he likely is referring to New Covenant as faith. In other words, it is the means of approach unto God. So then he goes on to say, verse 23, but before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith, which would afterward be revealed.
Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. It functions that way individually, Romans 3.20, therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. It functions that way for you and I. It also functions that way for corporate Israel.
And that's what he is saying in this instance. Therefore, the law was our tutor, our pedagogue to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. And when he says in verse 25, but after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. He doesn't mean no law for the Christian.
He doesn't mean go ahead and do whatever it is you want. He means the old covenant is over. It has done its job. Messiah has come.
The free promise of God is realized and it's by grace through faith in Jesus that persons enter in to heaven. Now, if you ask the question,
The Law in the Gospels
has anybody else ever observed this? Look at Matthew chapter 19. Matthew chapter 19, two passages where we see our Lord use the law this way. Matthew chapter 19, there's that instance with the rich young ruler.
Verse 16, now, behold, one came and said to him, good teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? You see our default disposition, what do I do to get into heaven? What do I do to get into heaven? That really betrays any knowledge of who God is and who we are, right?
God is holy, holy, holy. God is most high, glorious, wondrous, spotless, pure. God is light, John tells us. So this idea that if there's a good thing that I can do, if there's one requirement that I can check off and somehow gain my acceptance with God, that's man's default position.
That is man in Adam. And Jesus wants to highlight that with this particular man. So what does he do? He uses the law.
He uses the law to expose this man and to show him his need. Verse 17, so he said to him, why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.
He said to him, which ones? Jesus said, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The young man said to him, all these things I have kept from my youth, what do I still lack? It's a pretty powerful statement, isn't it?
Do you think that of yourself as a believer? Do you actually say all these things I've kept from my youth? I mean, there's some pride going on here. I think you'll all agree.
There's at least a self-aggrandizement where this guy thinks he's a whole lot better than what the Bible tells us he is. And then in verse 21, Jesus said to him, if you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come, follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Christ is not teaching contrary to the Apostle Paul.
Do this thing, sell your stuff, and then you'll have acceptance with God. He's preaching the 10th commandment to him to show him his sin, to show him his need. It's functioning there as a child tutor. It's functioning there as a pedagogue, the way that the Old Covenant did with reference to Israel and their need for Messiah.
Turn over to Luke chapter 10, one other instance of this. There's others in the Bible, but we don't have a lot of time for all of that So we're going to just look at these two specimens the parable of the Good Samaritan the parable of the Good Samaritan Oftentimes it's preached as a covenant of works Oftentimes it's preached in this way be the good neighbor go thou and do likewise help the downtrodden and poor Now, I'm all for being a good neighbor. I'm all for going and doing likewise. I'm all for help the downtrodden and poor, but that's not the point of this passage.
To miss the context is to end up preaching the covenant of works. Go out and be good neighbors and God will be happy with you. That's not the point of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Look at verse 25.
And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said to him, What is written in the law? What is your reading of it? So he answered and said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
And he said to him, You have answered rightly. Do this, and you will live. Now, this is an important point in this section that we need to take into consideration. Verse 29, he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, and who is my neighbor, this fellow thought he was doing quite well.
This fellow thought he was compliant with the law. This fellow thought, as far as things go, I'm in the best possible place to be. Well, Jesus tells the parable of the good Samaritan, not simply to teach this fellow to go and be a good neighbor, but to show him his sin, to show him his depravity, to show him his wickedness. He preached it as a means to stir up this man to go after Jesus Christ.
So back in Galatians chapter 3, the contrast between law and faith, The contrast between law and gospel is with reference to justification before God. When it comes to the normative use of the law, the gospel and the law sweetly comply together. There is great harmony, great joy, but when we attempt to gain access with God through the law, we are putting ourselves in a bad predicament. Just to summarize this section, we'll move on into the next.
John Eady says, the apostles' meaning is that, confessedly, everyone fails to keep all the written enactments of the law. Therefore, everyone seeking salvation by his own obedience is under a curse. It's just the way it is. That's what the law brings.
Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law. The man who does them shall live by them. In other words, absolute perfection in terms of compliance to that law. He says, or Edy goes on to say, he is striving to obtain blessing from a code which has condemned and cursed him to win life from a law which has wrought his death.
The Gracious Provision of God
Now that brings us to the provision or the gracious provision of God in verses 13 and 14. If we learn that there's no acceptance with God or by God for us in that state of under the works of the law, then what hope is there? That's the glory of the gospel, right? The Lord has provided hope.
The Lord has graciously given his son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. The Geneva Bible at this point says, how then can they be blessed whom the law pronounces to be accursed? Because Christ sustained the curse, which the law laid upon us, that we might be quit from it. The law does not provide acceptance with God because of our sinfulness.
So God provides a savior who deals with our sinfulness. He cleanses us. He gives us his righteousness. He enables us to stand in the presence of his father.
So what the law cannot do, and again, it's not the fault of the law, but rather it's the fault of men relative to the law, God does in the provision of his son, and that brings us to consider the only redeemer of God's elect, our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice in verse 13, he says, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.
Redemption as Deliverance by Price
Now the idea of redemption there, it definitely indicates deliverance. but it's deliverance by the payment of a price. And that payment of a price comes, as Paul says here, through the blood of Jesus Christ. He became a curse, not because he sinned, but because our sin is imputed to him. Just like in 2 Corinthians 5.21, God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us.
That's the sense in which he was made a curse for us. Not because he was personally liable to the judgment of God for having sinned against God, but rather our sin is heaped up upon him and his righteousness is heaped up upon us. That is the glory of the doctrine of imputation. As Poole says, the word redemption generally signifies delivering.
Here it signifies a deliverance by a price paid. Notice verse 13, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. That curse we were under because of Deuteronomy 27, 26. Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things.
The man who does not live by these things brings upon our own heads, our own lives, a curse, and yet Christ has redeemed us from the curse of that broken law by having become a curse for us. And it's the same language that Paul uses here that he uses in incarnation texts. In 2 Corinthians 8, 9, he says, you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor. He wasn't always a curse.
He became a curse when God heaped our sin upon him and he stood on that cross and he took the punishment that was due for us. He became a curse in the plan of God to deliver us from the curse of the law. And that's the emphasis of the apostle in this section. The Lord Jesus became a curse. by imputation and exhausted the wrath and fury and judgment of God for all those whom the Father had given him."
Substitutionary and Particular Atonement
Notice as well the concept of substitution. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. Substitutionary atonement is thoroughly biblical. Substitutionary atonement is where we hang our souls.
If it's a general, hypothetical, offered out there, if anybody wants to avail it, no, no, no, no. None of us would ever. None of us would never choose for Jesus. None of us would ever say, I want the way of acceptance by grace through faith in Christ Jesus.
That's not it. Christ goes to that cross for all that the Father gave Him. Christ goes to that cross for the many for whom His blood was shed for remission of sins. He doesn't go to that cross in a hypothetical or general sort of way, but it's particular redemption, it's blood atonement, substitutionary in nature.
He stood for us. And then Paul indicates or gives us some scriptural sort of bearing with reference to this concept of curse. Notice what he goes on to say, having become a curse for us, for it is written, curse it is everyone who hangs on a tree. Now, this was the language this morning in Acts chapter 10.
Remember, after they had killed him, they took him down from the tree. Peter uses that concept in Acts chapter 5, and he also uses it in 1 Peter chapter 2. This idea of tree is reminiscent of the text that Paul is highlighting here. It's Deuteronomy chapter 21, verse 23, but in the context.
Verses 22 and 23 in Deuteronomy 21. It says, if a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, for he who is hanged is a curse of God. So Paul invokes that piece of data to substantiate his claim that Christ has become a curse for us. So substitutionary curse-bearing for the elect of God is what Christ wrought out.
So again, not hypothetical. It's not just sort of offered out there. If anybody wants to take it, take it. No, it's a for-us transaction.
And brethren, that needs to encourage us Because Christ loved me, Paul says in Galatians 2.20, and he gave himself for me. It's one of the beautiful things of the Christian religion is the ability to use personal pronouns, to call Jesus my Lord and my God, to be able to say he loved me and gave himself for me. Brethren, in a hypothetical general Arminian-Pelagian sort of a system, there is no particularity. And ultimately the onus is upon the man to activate the various blessings of God.
But that is never how it's presented in scripture. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Christ is the operative one. Christ is the efficient agent.
We are the recipients of those blessings. And that's how Paul ends in verse 14.
The Blessing of Abraham for the Gentiles
Notice that he not only redeemed us, but he brings these blessings to bear upon us. In verse 14, he says that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Matthew Poole again, I think, rightly interprets the blessing of Abraham. It understands those spiritual blessings of justification, reconciliation, and adoption, which came to Abraham upon his believing and the imputation of righteousness thereupon unto him.
Remember, churches in Southern Galatia, for the most part, are Gentile. So Paul is showing Gentile inclusion in the covenant promises of God. And he says as much here in verse 14, that the blessing of Abraham, you understand that? Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles.
Why? In Christ Jesus. All the promises of God are yea and amen in Him. Notice this is not confined there.
Look at verse 26 in chapter 3. For you're all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek.
There is neither slave nor free. There is neither male nor female. For you're all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.
So Gentile believers in the churches of Galatia were sons and daughters of Abraham. All the while, ethnic Jews who had rejected Jesus Christ as Messiah, they had classified themselves unwittingly as Gentiles. So there is this great sort of turnaround. And then notice he highlights this in 4.6.
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, father. Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir of God. through Christ, so the blessing of the Spirit secured by the redeeming work of Christ. We have not only inclusion into the covenant promises of God, but the reception of the Holy Spirit.
In fact, look how he starts off this section in Galatians 3. Galatians 3.1, O foolish Galatians, excuse me a moment, O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? that you should not obey the truth. See, for the Apostle Paul, these Judaizers coming in saying, okay, faith in Jesus plus circumcision, that is to bewitch people. In Galatians chapter one, he says they want to pervert, they want to destroy, they want to hurt the very gospel itself, the freeness of it, the graciousness of it, the The glory of it is unacceptable to carnal men.
They recoil at the thought of God in Christ reconciling the world to himself. There has to be something about the sinner. There has to be something about our accomplishment. There has to be something that we can contribute.
Well, Luther, I think, was right. The only thing we contribute to our salvation is the sin we need to be saved from. But with reference to these Judaizers, faith in Jesus plus circumcision, and that will commend you to God. That's why he says, who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you and is crucified?
This only I want to learn from you. Did you receive the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
Have you suffered so many things in vain if it indeed was in vain? So you see what he's saying, this idea to try and supplement faith in Christ is to ultimately shipwreck your faith. It's either Christ alone or it's the law alone, but there's no commingling of the two. That is absolutely contrary to the purpose and the plan of God Almighty.
Application
Well, brethren, in conclusion, just a few thoughts and then we'll move into the supper. First, in terms of a few observations about the law in the gospel, Both are crucial for persons to know. I think it was Spurgeon that said, the man who knows law and gospel is a good theologian. The man who understands the relationship between the two, the man who understands how these things work together is a good theologian.
There's no place for being negligent with reference to these things. First of all, the law shows us our sin. I mentioned Romans 3.20 in the individual realm, but as well corporately, Israel was shown their sin while they were under law. They were taught by God, through the prophets, their need for the Lord Jesus Christ.
They were taught to look unto that promised one who was coming to save his people from their sins. The law highlights our need for redemption to come from somewhere else. If we are convinced that our law-keeping will never avail with God, then that will hopefully promote in us the seeking of the way of access vis-a-vis through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel manifests the glory of the Savior.
We sing a hymn. It used to be 127. It's now 286. In the old hymn book, it's 127.
In the new one, it's 286. I don't think I'm going to learn the new numbers before I die, so I'm going to do that once in a while. But John Newton, in his hymn, Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder, he speaks of the Lord Jesus, and he says, He has hushed the law's loud thunder, and he has quenched Mount Sinai's flame. Again, we are never, ever permitted by God to take away from a statement like that that law is bad.
Law is good. Law functions the way God designed it to function. The problem is that men try to use that law unlawfully as a means of acceptance with God. But those who have been conquered by the grace of God that understand something of law and gospel can rejoice with what John Newton writes.
He has hushed the law's loud thunder. He has quenched Mount Sinai's flame. He doesn't do that by saying bad law. He does that by satisfying the demands and requirements of that law.
He upholds it. He vindicates it. He demonstrates its majesty and its excellence. He doesn't just suspend the law and now everybody can come in.
No, he keeps the law and then that righteousness is imputed to us. This is how God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ. The gospel manifests the glory of the Savior who redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. Now, a second thing I want to mention by way of a concluding thought is that this whole area, this whole chapter, chapter 3, confirms not only chapter 2, 15 to 21, but especially verse 21 in chapter 2.
Let's just remind ourselves of what Paul says there. He said, I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. You see, if you think that you can go to heaven based on what you do, based on what you've done, based on what you plan to do in the future, then why Golgotha? Why Calvary?
Why that incident, that situation where the father was pleased to bruise the son? Paul's argument is airtight. I do not set aside the grace of God. If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
So if you think for a moment that you're gonna go to heaven because you're good, you're excellent, you're wonderful, you're essentially saying that what took place on Calvary was needless. You didn't need to send the son of your love, you didn't need to crush him on my behalf, because I'm good enough to sort of earn it for myself. Machen comments on 221, he says, this verse is the key verse of the epistle to the Galatians. It expresses the central thought of the epistle.
The Judaizers attempted to supplement the saving work of Christ by the merit of their own obedience to the law. That word supplement is powerful and it's important. You need to understand the Judaizers didn't say, OK, no Jesus, just work yourself into heaven. That's not what they did.
They didn't say no Jesus. They affirmed faith in Jesus Christ, Israel's Messiah. You Gentiles need to believe on him, but you also need to be circumcised. You're obligated to keep the laws of Moses in order to be accepted.
This idea of supplementation. This idea of a little addition, this idea of a little bit of contribution on our part. No, the lines are clearly drawn by the Apostle Paul. Either it's law or it's grace.
Either it's law or it's gospel. He says, the Judaizers attempted to supplement the saving work of Christ by the merit of their own obedience to the law. That, says Paul, is impossible. Christ will do everything or nothing.
Earn your salvation if your obedience to the law is perfect, or else trust wholly to Christ's completed work. You cannot do both. You cannot combine merit and grace. If justification, even in the slightest measure, is through human merit, then Christ died in vain.
See, sometimes people say, well, what's the big deal? I mean, yeah, faith in Christ, a little law, that's okay. It's to militate against the very cross. If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.
Even if a little tiny righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. And Paul will not entertain that for a moment. John Calvin says, for if we do not renounce all other hopes and embrace Christ alone, we reject the grace of God. And then Luther and his commentary on Galatians, which every Christian ought to read before they die.
For whoever seeks righteousness apart from faith in Christ, whether it be through works or satisfactions or afflictions or the law of God is nullifying the grace of God and despising the death of Christ even though he may speak otherwise with his mouth. And on our text, specifically, Galatians 3.14, Luther comments that this is how we ought to speak to Christ. I am thy sin, thy curse, thy death, thy wrath of God, thy hell. But thou art my righteousness, blessing, life, grace of God, and heaven.
I think Luther's right on, brethren. That's the way we need to speak to Christ, concerning Christ, and as we preach Christ. That's the way of salvation. Not faith plus works.
Grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we thank you for your Word. We thank you for the clarity of the Apostle's argument. We thank you for that sample preaching in Pisidian Antioch. Thank you for his concern for the souls of men and the desire to not only educate them, but to see them freed from sin, freed from the curse of the law, justified by faith alone in Christ alone.
God, I pray that we would see this for ourselves, that it would bring great comfort and great encouragement to us. And God, as we witness, as we evangelize, as we testify to others, may we always seek to present the glory of the gospel, the freeness of the gospel, the grace of God in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. And it's in His most blessed name that we pray. Amen.
Well, let's turn in our Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 11.