With all his discussion
about the promise of God and the law of God, Paul the apostle might
seem to have exhausted all his persuasions toward the church members
at Galatia. However, to be sure there was a clear understanding, Paul
adds further discussion about the relationship between God's promise
and God's law. In chapter three and verse twenty-one he wrote:
[Is] the law then
against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law
given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have
been by the law.
Paul
begins with a question, “Is the law then against the promises of
God?” The easy answer is “no”, but Paul shares an emphatic
“God forbid:” or perish the thought. No one should think
that the law of God is somehow eliminated by God's promise. The value
of the promise of God is important, and the value of the law is
important.
Paul
goes on to say, “for if there had been a law given which could
have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”
In other words, if there could have been a law or laws that would
have provided a righteous life, then people would have been able to
live righteously by the law. However, we know that the law saves no
one, not because the law isn't good, but because people are not able
to keep it.
There is none
righteous, no, not one. (Romans
3:10)
The
law of God was added so that we could know that we are lawbreakers,
and it is in our very nature to be breakers of the laws of God. The
promise of God is shown to be extremely necessary by the law, and
without God's promise, we would be doomed. There are no laws that
provide righteous living. The law doesn't portend itself against the
promise of God but rather shows us our need for a Savior. The
Judaizers who had infiltrated the Galatian churches were promoting
the importance of keeping the law as a form of righteousness, and
Paul shows that the law cannot make anyone righteous. The promise of
grace was given by God, and the law of God shows the need for God's
promise. They both work hand in hand. Paul adds more to this line of
thinking, but we will save that till next time.
Next time we will
see how the law concludes everyone under sin and shows us our need
for Jesus, so read ahead, and let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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