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Commentary on "The Road to Faith"
Day 2: Sunday, November 6, 2011 - The Law and the Promise
Today's lesson is entitled "The Law and the Promise". Galatians 3:21a is quoted.
"Is the law then contrary to the promises of God?" Galatians 3:21a ESV
The first question for today is, "What mistaken concepts did Paul's opponents have about the role of the Law?" The Sabbath School lesson's suggested answer is given in the next sentence. "These people [the opponents] believed that the law was able to give them spiritual life." The author goes on to say this, "The law cannot make anyone alive spiritually. This does not mean, however, that the law is opposed to God's promise."
First, these opponents of Paul are generally called Judaizers. Scholars believe the Judaizers were a group of Jews who taught that adherence to the Old Covenant Law was necessary for the fullness of grace. These folks followed Paul from place to place and tried to undo the simple truth of the Gospel (salvation by grace alone through faith alone) by seeking to cause the new converts to think that they needed to adhere to the Law even after accepting Jesus as their Savior. They taught that the Gospel was not so simple, that it was not simply about Jesus' finished work. Instead, the Judaizers said, salvation comes by faith PLUS Law-keeping.
Second, if the Law cannot give spiritual life, then what does it have to do with our walk of faith?
12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "He who practices them shall live by them."
13 Christ 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"—
14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:12-14 (NASB)
In other words, if we have faith in Jesus as our personal Savior, then by seeking to keep the Law, we put ourselves back under the curse of the Law. What is the curse of the Law? It is that we must keep the whole Law in its entirety if we choose to keep any part of it. Torah, the Law of Moses, has 613 commands, not just 10. If we choose to live by the works of the Law, then we must keep all 613 laws of Torah flawlessly. There is no room for sin. The Law is not a take it or leave it system. We must choose between righteousness by Law keeping or righteousness by faith through Jesus' shed blood and resurrected life.
Here is another direct quote from today's lesson: "Because of the extent of sin and the limitations of the law, the promise of eternal life can come to us only through the faithfulness of Christ in our behalf."
This is almost a true statement. Eternal life is not only a promise (something that Jesus promises will happen). For the person who puts their trust in Jesus, eternal life begins at the moment of surrender. True life brings every blessing and benefit we will ever need.
24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 (NASB)
In light of this truth, the next question for today is puzzling: "Though the law cannot save us what great benefits does our adherence to it have for us? That is, what practical good have you experienced in your own life through obedience to God's law?"
The inspired writing of Galatians does not ask us how Law keeping benefits us. In contrast, it teaches us that Law keeping is totally impractical and even futile. We simply cannot do it. So consider the question again. "What great benefits does adhering to the Law give us?" With great clarity, Paul answers that question. NONE! Indeed, the Law is a curse which kills us - condemns us as unfit for heaven. The Law only kills.
The Spirit is life and through Jesus, we have it freely and abundantly. What is your choice? Life through the Spirit or death through the Law?
The entirety of Galatians 3:21 (the verse for today) says this:
21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. Galatians 3:21 (NASB)
In summary, True life is not something we WILL get when we " finally reach heaven". Life begins when we truly accept Jesus Christ's finished work on our behalf.
What benefits can be gained by adhering to the Law? Paul's answer is "None." Jesus is our life. Every benefit we have is through Him, by Him, and for Him. Jesus is all we need for blessings today. Jesus is enough.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised November 5, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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