Limits of the Law

The jurisdiction of the Mosaic regulations over the covenant community reached its limit with the arrival of Jesus, the Seed of Abraham.

In responding to claims that Gentiles must be circumcised, Paul appealed to the common experience of the Spirit received by the Galatians.  Did they receive the Gift through a “hearing of faith” or “from the works of the Law?”  Having begun in the Spirit, why did they seek the “completion” of their faith based on “flesh” by submitting to circumcision?

Paul cited the example of Abraham who was “reckoned righteous from his faith,” and not from the rite of circumcision that he received after the fact. He is the “father” of all who are “from faith” rather than from the “works of the Law.” The latter are “under a curse.” The Law attests, “Cursed is every man who continues not in all things written in the Book of the Law.” Had not Israel committed itself to do everything commanded by Yahweh? - (Exodus 24:3, Deuteronomy 27:26, Galatians 3:5-10).

[Photo by Jonathan Bean on Unsplash]

Jesus came to redeem men from the “curse of the Law” by becoming a curse on their behalf, so that the “blessing of Abraham,” the “promise of the Spirit,” might come upon Gentiles through faith rather than from the “works of the Law.”

According to custom, “a man’s confirmed covenant” could not be altered after the fact. Likewise, the “promise” made to Abraham and “his Seed,” namely, Jesus of Nazareth. The covenant was confirmed by God 430 years before the Law was given at Sinai, therefore, it did not add to or subtract from the earlier promise. The promise takes precedence over the Mosaic Legislation. The inheritance of the covenant is based on the “Promise” - (Galatians 3:15-19).

The Law was supplemental. It was an interim stage that dealt with “transgressions until the Seed should come.” It was incapable of “making alive,” otherwise, “righteousness would have been in law.”  The Law “confined all things under sin that the promise might come based on the faith of Jesus Christ.”

The Torah was Israel’s custodian “until Christ,” but, he having come, “no longer were we under the custodian.” The Law’s custodianship ceased with the arrival of Jesus; therefore, no longer could there be “Jew or Greek.”

All those in Christ become “Abraham’s Seed, according to promise, heirs” regardless of ethnicity, gender, economic or social status. The social divisions inherent in the Law no longer apply, though returning to “the works of the Law” would rebuild those now obsolete barriers - (Galatians 3:23-29, Hebrews 8:6-13).

Paul provided a similar contrast in the fourth chapter of Galatians. While still a minor, the heir was “under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of by his father.”

Before the coming of Jesus, “we were infants, in servitude under the elementary principles of the world until the fullness of time,” at which point he came to “redeem them who were under Law, that we might receive the adoption.”  Therefore, believers became sons and heirs rather than servants - (Galatians 4:1-6).

If the Torah still determined who was “in” the covenant community and who was not, and if obedience to all of its regulations remained mandatory for right standing before God, then Paul’s entire argument would crumble. Thus, his earlier declaration:  If acquittal before God is based on the “works of the Law,” then Jesus died in vain - (Galatians 2:17-21).

If we are still “under the Law,” then we are not heirs according to the promise, and therefore, we remain under servitude to the “elementary principles of the world.” If that is true, then we are still dead in our sins - (Romans 10:4 – “For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes”).

Adopting the rite of circumcision would mean returning to servitude under the “elementary principles” of this fallen age, not liberty or “completion,” and the abandonment of the “faith of Jesus Christ.” By doing so, we would declare that his death on the Cross is null and void.

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SEE ALSO:

• Both Jews and Gentiles - (The equality of Jews and Gentiles before an impartial and just God is pivotal to Paul’s Gospel. They stand or fall before Him on the same basis)

• Salvation for All! - (The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth offers salvation and life to men and women of every nation and people)

• His All-Sufficiency - (Paul responds to his opponents by emphasizing the all-sufficiency of the faithful act of Jesus in his obedience unto death – Galatians 2:15-21)

{Published originally on the Letters to the Church website}