A Debtor to Do the Whole Law Galatians 5:3 - Equipped for Battle

Paul the apostle knew there were those among the church members at Galatia who believed that they must go through the ritual of circumcision to be saved. They also believed that those who trusted in Jesus must follow the law of God in order to be saved. Paul is addressing these members as he challenges their line of thinking. If what they are believing is true then those who are circumcised must also follow every aspect of the law of God. In chapter five and verse three Paul continues to confront them. He wrote:

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Paul begins this verse with, “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised,...” As though the first time in verse two was not enough, Paul makes an additional appeal to those who have submitted to circumcision. Paul who was indeed the apostle of Jesus Christ, born a Jew, and a steep follower of the law as a Pharisee, who probably knew more about the law than anyone to whom he was writing, makes a second appeal for “every man” who is circumcised to think about what he is about to declare.

Paul continued, “that he is a debtor to do the whole law.” In other words, if a man was to submit to the tradition of circumcision “for salvation” then he must also follow every aspect of the law as well. This is impossible with man, but was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. There would be no need for Jesus if we could keep the law of God, and it isn't that we might not keep one aspect of the law. No, rather, it is that we must keep every rule, law and ritual within the law. We must abide by every “jot” or “tittle” of the law if we are to be righteous before God.

Herein lies our problem We cannot keep the law of God perfectly, and although there were those among the church members in Galatia who were attempting to abide by the rule of circumcision, they would certainly fail on some other aspect of the law. If any one should think that he or she could keep the law, they also should turn to the sermon on the mount found in the gospel of Matthew in chapters five through seven to see how Jesus showed us that violation to the spirit of the law was as though we break it. To be a debtor to the law means certain failure, because we cannot keep the law. Jesus, however, did keep the whole law, and because He paid the price for our failure to keep it by dying on the cross, now our belief and trust in Him becomes all we need for salvation. We are in debt to the law no longer because Jesus Christ paid for all the debt we might ever incur.

Next time we will see what Paul has to say about falling from grace, 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