GALATIANS 3
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
– Galatians 3:10-17
GALATIANS 3 LAW IS NOT OF FAITH
David Guzik comments on verse 10 as “To prove his point Scripturally Paul quoted from Deuteronomy 27:26. The Old Testament itself shows us that if we do not keep all things in the law and actually do them, then we are under a curse. The important words are all and do. For God to approve you on the basis of the law, you first have to do it. Not simply know it, not simply love it, not simply teach it, not simply want it, you must do it. Secondly, you have to do it all.” The book of James mentions the royal law in chapter 2:8 which is to love your neighbor as yourself. It says in that same chapter in verse 10 that whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. That is what Paul is referring to here. To follow the law is to walk in love and not to follow rules. In other words, our relationship with God and with others need to be based on loving, not just compliance to certain rules. When Paul refers to the law here, he is addressing the over 600 additional laws that the Jews added to the ten commandments. When Jesus died, he gave us grace and not just a bunch of laws. He showed us what it is to obey as a result of love and not to obey as a result of fear.
REFLECTION
- How is obedience without love a form of work and not faith?
