The Galatians were being foolish.
Or, more literally, they were not thinking things through.
The whole province was slipping into legalism, but they should have known better. In Galatians 3, Paul listed some of the theological reasons why the Galatians should not have been deserting Christ and falling for a false gospel.
One reason is due to the difference between a promise and a law:
And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise (Gal 3:17-18).
God made a promise to Abraham. Then God gave Israel a Law. The latter cannot annul the former. Why not? What’s the difference between a law and a promise?
Let’s begin with some similarities.
Both are legal. Both are covenants. So in that sense, a law and a promise are similarly binding.
Both involve works. Laws and promises are obligations to do something.
So what’s the difference between the two? You could say it is a difference in who is obliged to do the work. It is the difference in perspective between the first person and the second person, between “I” and “you.”
For example, if I make a promise to drive you, a friend, to the airport, who is doing the work? I am. I am promising to do the driving, to be there on time, and to get you there on time.
By contrast, if the State promulgates a law that says everyone must pay an 8% sales tax, who does that work? You, the taxpayers.
Who does the work in a promise? The promiser.
Who does the work in a law? Those under the law.
So how does this relate to Gal 3:17-18 and Paul’s argument that a later law cannot annul an earlier promise?
When God made a promise to Abraham (i.e., to justify the Gentiles by faith, vv 6-9), who does the work? God. He obligated Himself to keep it.
But when, 430 years later, God gave Israel the Law, who does the work? Israel. God obligated the Jews to keep it.
Here’s part of Paul’s point to the Galatians: Israel’s later obligation to keep the Law did not annul God’s earlier obligation to keep His promise to Abraham. Do you see why? A deal is a deal. If Israel had to keep the Law for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, it would no longer be a promise. It would be something else. Hence, Paul says, “For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise.
But God’s promise still stands. It was made to Abraham and Christ (v 16). The Mosaic Law didn’t—couldn’t—change it. The promise would stand. God would do it. He had to. It was His word. It was His obligation to fulfill His promise.
And if the Galatians had not been foolish—that is, if they had thought through the difference between a promise and a law—they would have stood on God’s promise, rather than fall for a false gospel.
Alvin
What they deserted was the way of grace, they bought into what many believing Jews believed that the law was for the Christian life.
Ken Tamashiro
HI Pastor Shawn,
I hope I’m understanding Galatians correctly here.
(Paul said): For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise;
(Ken’s understanding): For if Salvation is based on Gods Law to stand righteously before God, it is no longer the Free Gift of Eternal Life but is based on your efforts by using God’s Law to receive Eternal Life.
Jesus himself eliminated the Law at the Cross to confirm that a man’s right standing with God is based by his Faith in Christ, never by his self-efforts to live righteously as to gain Eternal Life.
Christs Death on the Cross ended the Law so that man has a right standing with God by Faith.
Similarly, the Legalistic Church has returned to the Law and Grace as to confirms one’s Lifestyle as being a True Believer.
Ken Tamashiro,
Leo Z
Hi Ken,
Here’s my 2 cents on this. Matthew 5:17-18 states that Jesus came to fulfill the law not not to end or abolish it. God’s principles as stated in the Law as given in the Mosaic Covenant is an unchanging truth of God. It’s value stands forever (we still benefit from it even today). However its purpose ceased upon Jesus’ fulfillment of it (part of why He came). His coming and going, ushered in a different dispensation of God’s economy in dealing with man. With Jesus came the dispensation of Grace and the Church Age. Salvation however, throughout the ages (Old and New Testament) was always by God’s grace through faith, with the object of that faith as the coming Messiah (in the Old) or the Messiah who has come (in the New). That’s my understanding of it.
The promise to Abraham and the Law given to Moses stand separately. The Galatians were mistaken in their thinking of mixing and confusing the two. As Pastor Shawn said, they did not think it through.
Pam
Shawn, I really enjoyed this simple but profound explanation of the difference between law and promise. I hope you’ll consider doing a blog series on Ruth and then Galatians, or vice versa. Appreciate all you do.
Rick Deacon
Ken I enjoy your comments and maybe I’m knit picking here, but Jesus didn’t end the law, He full filled it. Matthew 15:17,18 “Do not I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, I have not come to abolish them but to full fill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished.”
Leo Z
Thank you Pastor Shawn for the great insights on this blog.
Lifting you and GES in prayer, continuously!
Alvin
I liked what Zane said in His Romans Commentary concerning the law page 390-391.
13:8. Owe no one anything except to love one another. For the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Quote: But this did not mean, as his opponents had evidently alleged (Rom 3:8), that a Christian should live without regard to the moral standards of the law. On the contrary, obedience to the law was implicit in a life lived in love.
The words HAS FULFILLED THE LAW do not contradict Paul’s earlier assertion that no one does this in reference to the law as a whole (cf. Rom 3:19-20). Instead, Paul’s words here are very precise. Paul is talking about someone WHO LOVES ANOTHER (ho gar agapon yon heteron) and is pointing out that when one treats a person with love he is doing what the law requires. In so far as he treats a person that way, he has FULFILLED THE LAW as regards THAT person. But a broad fulfillment in all areas of conduct is impossible for a sinful human being and is not at all in view. End quote.
Alvin
Also I remember Zane saying that only the one who has been baptized into Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection has passed out of the sphere of the law.
And that the law would be fulfilled when heaven and earth pass away.
Matthew 5:18
“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Revelations 21:1
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth HAD PASSED AWAY.
Daniel Miller
I need some help with an issue of security. First off I would like to say I love the GES and I am currently reading “The Gospel of Doubt” by Wilkin, and it is an amazing. My issue is that if someone were to ask me what my belief is about how to be saved I would say that you must believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins and that everyone who believes in his name has everlasting life. However, I have read the Bible and know about his death, ressurection, and promises of everlasting life to all who believe in him. I believe in his promise of life, but also doubt my salvation. I do not know why. It is possible it is because maybe i believe in salvation by faith and works. maybe I believe i really don’t believe? The point is I am filled with doubts, and Lordship salvation theology (though I know it is works salvation) scares me into doubting even more. Can doubting salvation mean you are not really saved? Since I believe in Jesus for everlasting life, what happens if I doubt that eternal security? Does that mean I am not saved? If so than isn’t it contradictory that salvation can be never lost no matter what? Once I became born again by faith, can my doubts of eternal security recant that eternal security? Please help.
Thanks
Alvin
Hi Daniel,
The death, burial and resurrection is why Jesus is able to give us the free gift of eternal life. He has removed the sin barrier between God and man. He is the Lamb of God that took away the sin of the whole world. So, no one was left out, everyone is savable. And He desires everyone to be saved (John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:19; 1 Tim 2:3-4).
The moment one believes in Jesus for eternal life they have passed from death into life. They will never come into a judgment concerning their eternal destiny. John 5:24 is very clear on this:
Most assuredly, I say to you, He who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
The only condition is to believe. And to believe is simply being persuaded that Jesus is telling the truth in a verse like John 3:16 or John 5:24.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Everlasting life is everlasting you can never lose it. But assurance of our salvation can be lost, usually from false teaching. Like you said about Lordship salvation, taking verses out of their context. Just remember there is no verse in the Bible that contradicts John 3:16. We always take the clear simple verses over the more difficult to understand verses. We know Scripture cannot contradict itself. It has to be so simple that a little child can understand and be saved.
Alvin
Also Daniel, my favorite story in the Bible is John 4 the Woman at the Well. It’s all about the giving and receiving of a gift. Jesus first asks her for a drink, in which she would do all the work of drawing the water. He would simply drink. In the same way Jesus tells her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
If she would have known those two things, the gift of God, and who He was, the Christ the giving and receiving would have already happened.
The living water is the message of life, believed it springs up into everlasting life. Jesus goes on to tell her the water that He gives one drink and she will NEVER thirst. Jesus goes on to bring her to the point where she goes from seeing Him as simply a Jew (verse 9), to seeing Him as someone greater than Jacob (verse 12), then as a Prophet (verse 19), to seeing Him as the Christ (verse 25,26).
He never asks her to repent, or to leave the one she is living with. It’s all about the giving and receiving of a gift, she can take freely. Just as Revelation 22:17 makes clear:
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”
And let him who hears say, “Come!”
And let him who thirsts come.
Whoever desires let him take the water of life freely.
Alvin
Daniel, Jesus wants you to believe Him. These are the words the Father gave Him to give us, words of eternal life. You can read about this in John 12:44-50. In fact if we don’t believe His words they will come back to judge us (see verse 47). And the Apostle John also wrote 1 John 5:9-11 concerning the Testimony of God having to do with eternal life, whether we believe His testimony or not.
This shows that He wants everyone to believe His promise of eternal life.
He gave His life on the cross, that we might have life, which He gave for the life of the world (John 3:16; 6:51). That’s you, that’s me, that’s everyone~!
Diane Boring
Hi Daniel,
I would love to have a book from GES sent to you (my gift) that may help you. It’s called….
“Secure and Sure” by Robert W. Wilkin. I know others who have been helped by that book who have struggled with assurance of salvation. It’s a great book because it’s biblical and easy to read. If you would like it, just send GES your name and address and tell them to CONTACT me who told you that I would pay for the book. I will THEN order it for you. They have my name and e-mail address. It would be a joy and privilege for me to have them send that book to you as a gift.
Daniel Miller
Thanks Alvin I appreciate it. Thank you for taking time to answer my question. Im glad that Jesus doesn”t save us conditionally, or else who in this world could be sure they are going to heaven right? I guess I was doubting whether I really believe what i know is the truth if that makes sense. I know that Only Jesus can save us from damnation and that there is absolutely no amount of works that can save us, I just don’t understand why even knowing this truth I can hear a sermon by Paul Washer or John macarthur and be shaken so easily. Not that my view changes on FGT, but it stirs fear and doubt making me wonder if I really believe if I let these false teachers get to me.
Thanks again Alvin, Ive read some of your other commentary on other blogs, I appreciate your input and your stance on the Gospel. Glad to see so many others stand with FGT.
Daniel Miller
Thank you Diane, and thank you Alvin. You guys have been very helpful. It is true Jesus never demands change or repentance to be saved. Only to believe on him for eternal life. I have been accused of wanting “a licence to sin” by professing this belief. Its sad that people fail to see that eternal security produces fruit, not a desire to “go live like the devil.” God Bless you guys! I will look into that book and see about ordering it! right now Im reading the “Gospel of doubt” by Wilkin and “beyond doubt” by Shawn Lazar. I appreciate talking with people who lift Jesus up for who he is. The work is indeed finished amen!
Leo Z
Daniel,
I will be praying for you. I will ask the Lord to give you His calming assurance and peace every time you have these bouts with fear and doubt about the security of your salvation. Allow Him to lift you up through His Word every time you start to feel doubt and fear coming on. Pray and go back to God’s promises about the surety, permanency, irrevocability of the gift of “ever-lasting” life that He has given you. (John 3:16; John 5:24; John 6:40; John 10:28-29; 1John 5:9-12). The Father does not and can not lie, neither does His Son, Jesus.
As the hymn goes, “‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word, just to rest upon His promise, just to know thus saith the Lord”. It’s all about Him! If you’ve “believed in Him” for the “life” He offers apart from anything else, it’s a done deal! You can bank on it! Don’t let anyone else tell you differently.
Born Again
Daniel, there is an even better way to be sure of your salvation. 1 John 3:14-16 “We know that we have passed over from death to life because we love the brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that every murderer does not have eternal life residing in him.
We have come to know love by this: that he laid down his life on behalf of us, and we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers.”
So Daniel, is there anyone you cannot forgive as Christ has forgiven you? Is there any brethren you are not willing to die for in Christ’s name? Examine your heart to see if you have the love of God in you, it is a sure way to know you are saved. Only born again people can love unconditionally other people, even willing to die for them in the name of Christ.
Leo Z
Daniel, It is not what you do but what Christ did and His unfailing promise of life to those who believe in Him that secures and assures your salvation, bar none! When you start looking at yourself, going through self-introspection, you will always be in doubt, guaranteed! If you look at the “fruit” of your salvation (your works), you will never find full assurance. However, if you look at the “root” (Jesus) of your salvation, full assurance will be yours. He remains ever faithful even though you’re not because He can never deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13).
Alvin
I wouldn’t even give the false teachers a hearing. My wife and I have been married 45 years, and she was raised strict Catholic. She grew up fearing God in a bad way. She didn’t see God as a loving God. When we started going to Church it was a Calvinistic Church. The pastor told her, maybe she wasn’t one of the elect. She didn’t have a problem believing that because she didn’t think anyone could truly love her. She is very sensitive, she can’t even see a dead animal along side the road without being emotionally moved.
This Calvinist Church would have destroyed her. Anyway once I figured it out I got my family out of that Church.
My wife ended up having to be put in a mental ward for awhile, she lost all hope. God touched her life in that mental ward, she had a peace come over her and was ready for God to take her home. I was able to take her home a couple weeks after that.
So, giving these false teachers a hearing is a bad thing, especially if your prone to depression.
Zane Hodges cleared up my confusion concerning the difference between the gift of eternal life and discipleship. And brought spiritual health to my family. The book “Absolutely Free,” God brought me too. I had to travel about a hundred miles to get it in a second hand store for 5 dollars, but it was the greatest investment I ever made.
Wyatt Sutton
Thank you for this article on Gal 3:17-18. I think it clears up a confusion I have had since Bible collage. We were told that if the Jew in the Old Testament could keep the law they would be justified. The problem was they couldn’t. What you said about Gal 3:17-18 makes me understand that the law was never meant to justify. Here is my question. Is there any place in the Old Testament that indicates the fulfilling the law would justify?
Born Again
Wyatt,
The Law pointed to the sacrifice of Christ. Under the law the guilty was given the knife to slay the lamb or sacrificial animal they were bringing to the temple. Think about this, let’s say you lived in the OT and you sinned, the priest would hand you the knife to slay the innocent lamb. The Law was teaching the sinner that the only way to have sins forgiven is by the shedding of blood. The wages of sin is death, either your death or the Lamb of God’s death. The Law has always been a teacher pointing to Christ and showing everyone under the Law how completely worthless they are in keeping the Law. Everyone under the Law knew they were transgressors and absolutely needed to slay those lambs to cover their sins.
Alvin
Jesus makes that clear in Romans 2:6-13 and whoever has eternal life also is justified before God (Gal 3:21).
2:6 He will repay each person according to his works: to those who seek glory and honor and immortality by persisting in good work, eternal life, but to those who are selfish and disobey the truth, but obey unrighteousness instead, anger and wrath tribulation and distress for every human soul who does what is evil, for the Jew first and for the Greek; but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does what is good, both to the Jew first and to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.
2:13. Because it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be justified.
This is a principal, not a fact.
Zane: In principal, God rewards true obedience to His law with ETERNAL LIFE, but in practice no one ever acquires it that way.
Born Again
Alvin, that is crazy talk. How about this: if you are born again, that part of you that is born of God cannot sin and obeys perfectly the law of God (by the way, that Law is the Law of Love, God is Love). It is only that new creature that inherits the kingdom of God, the old self called the flesh perishes with the death of the body. In this way, the children of God never sin (new creature never sins, it does not mean while in this body you never sin, you still have an old self) but the flesh does nothing but sin. Born again people have two different selves, very distinct, only one survives death.