GALATIANS
CHAPTER 3. The apostle having shown how the believing Jews had given up the principle of seeking justification by works of law, that they might be justified in Christ, on the principle of faith; and after proving that if righteousness could be attained on the principle of law, then Christ is dead in vain; he now exclaims, “O, foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified?” Could anything be more senseless? If the Jews, who had been under law for 1,500 years, had to give it up in order to be justified by faith, why should the believing Gentiles, who professed to be justified by faith in the atoning death of Christ, now go back to that which the Jews had thus given up?
Is it not like a slave who has been set free at great cost by a large ransom, now so senseless as to go back to bondage, in order to try to do what he never can, work out his own freedom? The great redemption price had been distinctly declared to them—“Jesus Christ crucified.” Oh, how senseless to reject this redemption, to turn from Christ crucified, to their own vain efforts to keep the law. And are not these words just as applicable now? Oh, senseless England, who hath bewitched thee? Art not thou doing the very thing that the Galatians were doing? Thy forefathers, 300 years ago, were groaning under the bondage of law, and vainly seeking to be justified by works. God heard their groans, and revived the truth of justification on the principle of faith. The great ransom has been set before thee, Jesus Christ crucified. And now thou art so senseless as to think it was all a mistake to believe God, and enjoy salvation? Oh, senseless Christendom! thou art going back to salvation by works, and to ritualism; thou art trying hard to prove that Christ died in vain.
Oh, Protestants, “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Think of the sufferings of your fathers for the truth. “Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.” Yes, if you can be justified by sacraments and works; then indeed it was vain for Christ to die to procure the ransom of the slave.
The apostle cites Abraham, in proof that justification before God is not on the principle of law or works. “Even as Abraham believed God, and it [that is, faith] was reckoned to him for righteousness.” Faith was reckoned as righteousness. This was a most remarkable’ ground of defense. The very father of the nation of Hebrews was not justified on the principle of works at all, but on the very principle of faith; which principle Paul had preached, and now defended. He says, Know then that they that are on the principle of faith, these are Abraham’s sons. This was a self-evident fact.
Let us then turn to the history of Abraham at the case to which Paul refers, as an illustration of saving faith, or justifying faith. (Read Gen. 12:1-31Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: 2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:1‑3).) Abraham was called of God in verse 1. Then God speaks to him. “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” The promise is repeated in reference to his heir in chapter 15. We shall find important details further on. But mark, there are no conditions propounded as at Sinai. God says, “I will bless thee.” This is the absolute word and promise of God. Yes, the unconditional word of God. Not a single ‘if.’ “And he believed in the Lord; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.” This then is the principle of faith, for which Paul contends, believing in the Lord—believing His absolute, unconditional word. Had there been a single condition, Abraham would have had to believe in himself, in his ability and faithfulness to fulfill that condition. This element was entirely excluded. The Lord alone was his object of faith. All depended on Jehovah the promiser and Abraham believed Him. And his faith was reckoned as righteousness.
We will now pass on to the confirmation of the promise by the oath of Jehovah, in chapter 22. Here we get the very picture of how God has confirmed and accomplished His promise, in the offering up of His own Son for sinful men. Isaac the heir is offered up on the altar, and received in figure from the dead. Isaac was spared, and God provided a ram to die in his stead., “And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.” Then the Lord spake by His angel from heaven, and said, “By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD; for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son; that in blessing I will bless thee.... and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”
That all this pointed to Christ there can be no doubt, for the apostle says, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” (Gal. 3:1616Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Galatians 3:16).)
To Abraham God confirmed His promise by an oath; to us He has confirmed His promise by raising up Christ the new seed from the dead.
Let us return to Gal. 3:88And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. (Galatians 3:8). The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify us poor heathen on the principle of faith, thus preached the gospel to Abraham, saying, “In thee shall all nations be blessed.” Then there are two principles still kept before us. They who are of the principle of faith are the children of Abraham; they who are of the principle of the works of the law, are under the curse. Are not these two principles in direct contrast? On one principle, faith in God gives peace with God, as, in Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1); whereas the other principle, seeking to attain to righteousness before God by works of law, places those so seeking under the curse. The defender of the gospel makes his position quite clear. “For it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”
We must carefully mark that this is solely the question of justification before God. And we must not confound it with justification before men, as in Jas. 2:14-2614What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:14‑26). There it is righteousness of walk before men. “Ye see,” is the theme of James. “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident: for the just shall live by faith.” The law could not give life, and all were guilty and under condemnation. The law could neither give life nor righteousness to guilty sinners; it could only curse the guilty. The law is not of faith. What a remarkable expression! we shall see more of this further on.
But if those who were seeking righteousness by the law, were still only under the curse, what can meet, or who has met this terrible state of man under the curse? “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Yes, He endured the utmost bitterness of that curse for those who were under the curse of law; and not that alone, but, “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.” Mark, Christ did not die the death of the cross that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through keeping the law. No; but through Jesus Christ. “That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through [or, on the principle of] faith.”
It is a most serious question for the reader. Are you seeking righteousness on the principle of law? Then you are putting yourself under its curse. Are you justified on the principle of faith freely through the redemption we have in Christ Jesus? Then you have received the Spirit, the witness and seal of that redemption, through the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins. On which principle do you stand before God?
The question is now raised, Can anything alter the promise or covenant of God? Though even it be a man’s covenant confirmed, then no man disannulleth or addeth thereto. How ranch more so of God, who has confirmed His promise in Christ. A very serious statement is then made: “And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” Now mark this, the unconditional premise of God confirmed in Christ, was given four hundred and thirty years. before the conditional law, or covenant of law, was given on Mount Sinai. The two distinct principles are thus separated by four hundred and thirty years. Blessed for us that the law, given amid the thunderings of Sinai, cannot set aside for a single instant the promise of God.
The, apostle waxes bolder and bolder in his defense of the gospel, as given to him direct by the Lord Jesus Himself. He says, “For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” If the inheritance was given to Abraham by promise four hundred and thirty years before the law was given, then, clearly, the inheritance is not of the law; the law has nothing to say to the principle of unconditional promise. It is the very opposite principle. The principle of law is what man should do as a creature for God. But the figure of Isaac is the entire opposite of this. The promise of God is confirmed in His gift of His only begotten Son, and in that death which He has accomplished, and it is God who has raised that Son from the dead. All is absolutely of God, and therefore nothing can disannul it, or make the promise of none effect. If, then, our eternal salvation is secured on the principle of faith in Christ, wholly apart from the principle of law, for what purpose was the law given. This question may next fairly engage our attention.