21 Mar 2023

In our study of Galatians, it is clear that we are not saved by works or by the law; it is also clear that in our outworking of our Christian life, we do not keep the law as ‘performance’ to be approved by God or to ‘score points’, for as believers, we are already accepted in the beloved, and adopted as children of God.
Having said that, we must not be guilty of misrepresenting Scripture on the subject of the law.

Some believers do that by referring to Paul’s well known statements:
“Christ is the end of the law” (Rom.10:4) and “you are not under the law” (Rom. 6:14), without appreciating their context, and misinterpreting them as meaning that the category of law has now been abolished, that we are no longer under obligation to obey it, but are free to disobey it.
But Paul meant something quite different – he was referring to the way of salvation, not the way of holiness. He was insisting that for our acceptance with God we are ‘not under the law but under grace’, since we are justified by faith alone, not by works of the law. But we are still under the moral law for our sanctification. As Luther kept saying, the law drives us to Christ to be justified, but Christ sends us back to the law to be sanctified.

This understanding is very important as all around us today moral standards are slipping. People are confused whether there are any moral absolutes left, and relativism has permeated the world and is seeping into the church.

The Apostle Paul is quite clear about the place of the law in the Christian life. He insists that both the atoning work of Christ and the indwelling presence of the Spirit are with a view to obeying the law. Why did God send His Son to die for our sins? – in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who…live…according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:3-4). And why has God put His Spirit in our hearts? – in order to write His law there (2 Cor. 3:3,6).
Consequently, God’s Old Testament promise of the new covenant could be expressed equally as “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts (Jer. 31:33) and as “I will put my Spirit in you and move you…to keep My laws” (Eze. 36:27),

Jesus Christ calls us to obedience (John 14:21). The way to prove our love for Christ is to obey His commandments. The test of love is obedience, Jesus said, and the reward of love is a self-revelation of Christ.

I have been saddened to interact with some so-called Christian youth leaders who, living an immoral promiscuous life, insisted that it is alright since Christ has already paid for their sins, past, present and future. When I asked them from whom did they receive this teaching, they replied that their pastor told them so. What is more alarming is that some of them even shared that they were not even required to confess their sins, for they were already forgiven.
This is very serious indeed and those advocating such teachings would have to face the judgement of God!