The Works Of The Law
© 09.25.23 By David Eric Williams
We are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified (Galatians 2:15-16 NET).
To be a Jew by birth (by nature) in the old age was beneficial in every way. As Paul said in another place, what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision? Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God (Romans 3:1-2 NET). In addition to the word and law of God, the covenant people enjoyed access to the blessings of the Abrahamic promises for the present and the future.
On the contrary, Gentiles - everyone who was not a Jew – was a sinner by definition. Gentile sinners were idolaters living outside the law and covenant and there was no path open to them to become righteous. Except one.
A Gentile sinner could become a Jew through a process of circumcision and adherence to the Mosaic ritual. (Genesis 17:12-14, Exodus 12:48 and so on). As a proselyte to the Jewish life and religion, the former Gentile sinner enjoyed the same blessings of the covenant as the person who was a Jew by natural birth.
The works of the law were designed to set the people of God apart from the heathens. The food laws, the rules against association with the unrighteous, the regulation of worship as to time and place all served to make a sharp distinction between the people of God and the rest of the world.
Yet, the works of the law were not designed to effect the realization of the covenant promises. As we will find later in the letter, the law was a short-lived provision provided as a guardian until the coming of the Messiah. Part of the guardianship was to show the Jews their inability to remain faithful to God. Thus the imperative of the faithfulness of the Messiah.
In essence, Paul’s opponents denied the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. They believed adhering to the Mosaic ritual actualized covenant faithfulness. Yes, they said, the Messiah had come, but in their view, his role was simply a part of the promises, not the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. Hence, in their minds, the need for continued observance of the law.
The true gospel contradicted this claim. According to the gospel Paul received directly from Christ, all of God’s promises are yes in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). It is belief in Him that makes one part of the family of God. It is not necessary to become a Jew in order to be saved. Period.
We will continue this survey of Galatians in a couple weeks.
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