The word, law? (?????) it appears twelve times in nine verses in the letter to the Galatians (2. 16, 19, 21; 3. 2, 5, 10, 13, 18, 21). It is obvious that this is one of Paul’s priorities for The Churches of Galatia. As we studied this letter, we realized that there was a social and racial divide in these churches in Asia Minor. With the growth of Christianity, many Gentiles converted to Christ and this generated an inevitable tension between Jews and Gentiles. , some teachers taught that new to faith (the Gentiles) must observe Jewish laws (food, circumcision, etc. ) to be fully accepted by God.
This teaching of merit for salvation (his own works) received a severe attack from the Apostle Paul, to the point that he said he was one?Another gospel? (1. 6, ??????)? something totally different, of another kind and of another quality. Paul says that though, should an angel preach something different from what he preached to be considerate of?Anathema? (1,7). Was the Apostle surprised?(1. 6) negatively with these brethren because they are very influenced by this other teaching. Were they disturbed? (1. 7) by false teachers. This is exactly what causes false teaching, of unrest, whether in marriage, at work, in devotional life, or in the church. The big problem for Paul was that the abandonment of the true gospel was indeed God Himself:?[?] Are you going so fast from the one who called you in Christ’s grace to another gospel?(1. 6, highlighted by the author). This was the reason for the apostles’ harsh approach.
- While the Apostle’s ministry was to please God and be a servant of Christ (1.
- 10).
- Was the purpose of false teachers to seduce these brethren into taking an interest in them?(4.
- 17).
- With a pseudo-Christian teaching.
- They added to the gospel of the crucified Christ (3.
- 1) the “rudiments of the world” (4.
- 3) and sought one?Improved meat? (3.
- 3) by obedience to the law.
- Respecting days.
- Months.
- Times and years?(4.
- 10).
- To add something to Christ’s work.
- Both for justification and for sanctification.
- Is really to diminish it.
- Paul constantly exhorted the “fools” (3.
- 1) to return to the gospel.
The question that remains, however, is: what is the role of the law for the Christian?Extreme of legalism? This tension is present in every card to the Galatians. In fact, it was Martin Luther who said, “Who knows how to correctly distinguish the gospel from the Law, must thank God, and can be sure that he is a theologian?”.
John Bunyan helps us with the role and importance of the law. In his book “The Pilgrim”, Bunyan recounts the pilgrim’s arrival at the interpreter’s house. In every room that entered the house, a different scene was exposed before his eyes. about the interpreter to perform these scenes. One of these rooms visited was a very large room full of dust that was never swept away.
After being seen for a while, the interpreter called a man to sweep him away, and as soon as the man began to sweep, the thick dust flew and the Christian (pilgrim) was almost strangled.
Then the interpreter asked a girl who was ready: “Bring water and spray the room!”The room was cleaned and cleaned.
The Christian, without really understanding what this scene meant, asked the actor and the answer was:
“This piece is the heart of a man who has never been sanctified by the sweet grace of the Gospel. Dust is his original sin and the internal corruptions that have infected every man. The one who started sweeping is the law; But the one who brought water and sprayed it is the gospel; now, as soon as the first one started sweeping, the dust rose around him, he couldn’t clean the room and you almost suffocated, this shows him that the law instead of cleaning lifts the sin of the heart (by the way he acts), revives it, strengthens it and increases it in the soul, while revealing it and forbids it , because it does not grant the power to suppress it.
On the other hand, just as you saw the girl spray the piece of water, and so the cleansing was done with pleasure, it shows you that the gospel, when it enters the heart, exerts its gentle influences. and beautiful. That is why I tell you that just as you saw the girl shaking the dust and spraying water on the ground, so sin is overcome and subjugated, and the soul is cleansed by the faith described in the gospel; therefore, the room is apt to inhabit the King of Glory.
See that for Bunyan, God’s law is extremely useful and necessary; without it, the dust of original sin would remain intact or settle on the floor of the room (human heart). But when the law came about in the form of dust, dirt was exposed!And, right after that, we had to resort to the water of the gospel!Luther would surely say Bunyan was a good theologian.
In the same way Paul says that although man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Christ. (2. 16), who died for the law? (2. 19) and that the justice obtained by the law is contrary to the justice obtained by the death and work of Christ (2. 21), the apostle also teaches us the importance of the law. Knowing that his opponents would raise objections to what he was talking about, Paulo adds the question: “So what is the law for?” Was it added for transgressions? (3. 19). There is a need and validity of the law for all times. It is in front of it that we realize that we are transgressors. The role of the law is not to justify us, but to condemn us. In Bunyan’s words, their role is to remove the dust from our hearts. Therefore, the antinomist argument does not serve to say that the law has expired or that “we are not under the law. ” It will remain forever, because it is the divine will and God is immutable. We need to read the context of Paul’s argument when he says that “we are not under the law”, the context is justification. It is in this sense that we are not under it, that is, we do not depend on it to justify ourselves.
Perhaps Paul’s audience might raise another objection: “But in my case where I am already saved, have I already turned to Christ for my justification, do I still have to obey the law?Would Paul’s answer be categorical?Look what it says:
13 [?] But do not use your freedom to give the flesh a chance; on the contrary, be servants of each other out of love. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one precept, namely, “Love thy neighbour as thyself” (5:13-14).
Although we achieve our freedom by faith in Christ, Paul says we are?Servants of each other? And it is loving that we conform to the law, we still have to comply with the law, the difference is our motivation. now love, not the pursuit of merit. Is that what Paul said before? [?] Does faith act out of love?(5,6).
Similarly, the Apostle says that if we take care of each other, will we fulfill the law of Christ?(6,2). Is this, the law of Christ, no different from “serving one another?”(5,13). Christ is our greatest example and our greatest motivation; is driven by our faith in him that we will love others and therefore obey the divine law.
To summarize the Apostle’s argument: the law does not justify us, but condemns us; He serves as our guardian until Christ (3:24) demonstrates our need for a savior; But because we are in Christ, once we receive adoption and inheritance by Him alone, we will now freely and lovingly obey our Lord and serve our neighbor; that way we’ll respect the law.
Finally, we must recall the traditional division of law proposed by Myles Coverdale (1488-1569), adopted by Joo Calvino and most reformers:
Moral law? Summary in the Ten Commandments is the just and eternal norm of our relationship with God and with people.
Civil law [1]? It was composed of laws that ruled Israel as a nation under divine rule. There were guidelines on how to make war, restrictions on land use, debt settlement, and thinking about specific violations of Israel’s legal code.
Ceremonial law [2]? These were rules for celebrating religious feasts and worshipping God in the sanctuary; they included laws on clean and filthy food, instructions for ritual purity, guidelines for the conduct of priests, and, in particular, instructions to offer sacrifices (sacrificial system).
Although we can find divine principle and wisdom in the civil and ceremonial laws of these three types of laws, only moral law remains for all believers. What God reaffirmed to His people at the foot of Mount Sinai are the principles by which He governs his Can we even say that these ten commandments were present in Eden (Gen 1-2)?Jesus summarized these commandments as follows: love God and love your neighbor (Mt 22:37-38).
Let us remember the conclusion of the sage
“Of all that has been heard, the conclusion is this: fear God and keep his commandments, for it is the duty of all?(Ec 12:13).
[1] One of the mistakes of Theonomism is to imagine that the civil laws of the time of Moses have not yet been imposed on today’s nations. Example: “Christian America”. (John Frame note).
[2] One of the mistakes of dispensationalism is to imagine that ancient ceremonies and sacrifices will be restored in Israel. We only have two ceremonies: baptism and dinner.
Dispensationalism advocates the restoration of Israel as a nation under the reign of God, the complete reconstruction of the Temple, and the restoration of the Old Testament sacrificial system (John Frame Note).