Paul’s Opening Treatise On the Law

I. THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE LAW (Galatians 2:15-16)

A. The Knowledge of the Jews (Galatians 2:15-16a)

1. The lineage of Paul and many to whom he was writing (Galatians 2:15)
a. We who are Jews by nature
b. And not sinners of the Gentiles
2. “Knowing…believed” (Galatians 2:16)
a. It was a yoke “which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” (Acts 15:10)
b. Jesus said Moses gave the law, but “none of you keepeth the law” (John 7:19)
c. Paul later testified, “neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law” (Galatians 6:13)
d. It is amazing when you consider that the Jews of old understood the insurmountable monster that the law and yet wanted to convince Gentiles of the necessity of strict obedience for salvation. Fast forward about 2,000 years and Gentiles are now trying to suggest those Jews got saved by obeying the Law.

B. The Insufficiency of the Law (Galatians 2:16)

1. Its comparative insufficiency
a. The works of the Law
1.) Did not give lasting righteousness (Romans 9:30-32)
2.) Did not justify (Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:11; Acts 13:38-39; Romans 3:20, 28)
b. The faith of Christ
1.) Provides righteousness (Romans 3:21-22; Philippians 3:9; Ephesians 2:8-9)
2.) Provides justification (Galatians 2:16)
2. Its certain insufficiency (Romans 8:3-4; Galatians 3:21; Hebrews 10:1-10)
a. A man IS NOT justified by the works of the Law
b. By the works of the Law shall NO FLESH be justified
3. The law provided two ways for man to approach God through his own works:
a. Obedience to the commandments (Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 27:26)
b. The making of sacrifices (Leviticus 1:1-4; Leviticus 4:27-35)
c. The first provision, obedience to the commandments, could not save man because no man could keep the commandments (Romans 8:3; Hebrews 7:18-19)
d. The second provision, the making of sacrifices, could not save man because the blood of animals could not put away sin
1.) Old Testament teaching (Psalm 51:16; Isaiah 1:11; Hosea 6:6)
2.) New Testament teaching (Hebrews 9:8-10; Hebrews 10:1-4, 11)
3.) Even in the sacrifices, God took note of the heart (Proverbs 15:8; Proverbs 21:27; Jeremiah 7:21-23)

C. The Education of the Law (Galatians 2:16)

1. The knowledge of the Law (Romans 3:19-20; see also Romans 1:20; Galatians 3:22)
a. The knowledge of God’s righteousness
b. The knowledge of God Himself
c. The knowledge of man’s inadequacy
2. Brought about faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:21-24)
3. Which establishes the Law (Romans 3:31)
a. Faith does not make void the Law
b. Instead, it establishes the Law

II. THE MISNOMER OF THE LAW (Galatians 2:17-18)

A. The Supposed Supremacy of the Law (Galatians 2:17)

1. This statement is very likely in response to something that had been disseminated by and amongst the Jews.
2. It is possible that the Jews were personally convinced and had suggested that simple faith in Christ would encourage people to live lawless lives.
3. Therefore, the gospel and particularly its Saviour was nothing more than an encouragement of unrighteous behaviour.

B. The Supremacy of Grace (Galatians 2:17-18)

1. Christ is not the minister of sin (Galatians 2:17).
2. The Christian life promotes personal responsibility and accountability (Galatians 2:18).
3. “For the grace of God…teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” (Titus 2:11-12)
4. “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.” (Romans 6:1-2)
5. “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” (Romans 6:15)
6. Christianity encourages saints to serve by love (Galatians 5:6, 13)

III. THE TRANSACTION OF THE LAW (Galatians 2:19-21)

A. Dead to the Law (Galatians 2:19)

1. The law did not die
a. It still condemns the sinner (Romans 3:19-20; Romans 5:20; 1 Timothy 1:9-10)
b. It still curses (Galatians 3:10, 13)
c. It is still the ministration of death (2 Corinthians 3:7)
d. It still demands the death of the transgressor (Romans 6:23)
2. Rather, Paul was dead through the law (Romans 7:9-11)
3. And to the law (Romans 7:4, 6)
4. That he might live unto God

B. New Life in Christ (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:1-22)

1. Crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live
a. The problem identified – “I” (Romans 7:18)
b. The daily application – “am” (1 Corinthians 15:31)
c. The deathful life – “crucified” (Galatians 6:14)
d. The identification and submissive life – “with” (Romans 6:8; Colossians 2:20)
e. The key to life – “Christ” (Colossians 3:1-4)
2. Not I, but Christ liveth in me
3. The life I live I live by the faith of the Son of God (2 Corinthians 4:11; Colossians 2:6; 1 Peter 4:1-2)
a. Who loved me (2 Corinthians 5:14)
b. Who gave Himself for me (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

C. No Frustration of Grace (Galatians 2:21; Hebrews 10:29)

1. I do not frustrate the grace of God.
2. If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
3. To suggest that the Law makes men righteous is to suggest that Christ did not have to die. It frustrates the grace of God and does despite unto the Spirit of grace.
4. To reject God under the law was severe, but to reject God under grace is to be worthy of much sorer punishment.
5. The context of Galatians 2 and Hebrews 10 is that of Jews who came close to trusting Christ as Saviour, but rejected the gift and grace of God in favour of finding righteousness through the Old Testament Law.