By Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel

Galatians 3:21 “Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.”

Our study of the book of Galatians continues. This blog entry will primarily focus on Chapter 3. The Scripture teaches that the laws of Moses were unable to free mankind from their inherently sinful nature or provide a sufficient atonement for our sins in order to bring us into a state of righteousness before God. To understand the concept of righteousness or justification, let us start by defining it. Righteousness simply means to be accepted by God and to be in a state of right standing with Him. It signifies that we are not condemned but instead approved or justified by God.

HOW THEN DO WE GET SAID ACCEPTANCE OR JUSTIFICATION BY GOD?

Our acceptance by God is solely through placing our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we come to Christ, accepting Him as our Savior and Lord, we experience the blessings of righteousness. It is important to note that any other means or attempts to attain righteousness apart from faith in Christ can lead to a curse rather than blessings. Paul laid this out clearly in the verses below.

Gal 3:10-12 “But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” 12 This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”

 Also, through Christ’s sacrificial act, we have been liberated from the curse of the law. Christ did this by taking upon Himself the curse meant for us. The Bible says that the consequence of sin is death.  Christ, out of His love for us, paid the price of death on our behalf. As a result, we now receive the blessings promised to Abraham through our faith in Christ Jesus. It is through this simple act of faith in Jesus that we partake in the blessings and inheritances made available to us.

 Gal 3:13-14 “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.”

THE LAW WAS INSUFFICIENT AND INADEQUATE!

 Paul then argued that if the law had the power to restore us to right standing with God after we sinned and fell short of His glory, then there would be no need for the gift of righteousness that Jesus provides. If obeying the law alone could atone for our sins, cleanse us of unrighteousness, bring about spiritual transformation, and enable us to be in right standing with God, then we would have been able to achieve it through our own obedience to the law. However, Paul emphasizes that the law alone cannot accomplish this, which is why we need the gift of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.

Remember that we were imprisoned by our sinful nature, in fact, we were slaves to it. David even went as far as saying in Psalms 51:5 that “ I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.” But again, as reemphasized in Galatians 3:22, we were set free from the prison of sin and its consequences by believing in Jesus Christ. We simply cannot behave ourselves out of this. Our own efforts cannot secure our freedom. It is through what Jesus accomplished for us on the Cross that we find our way out of this prison. This is the essence of the good news—the message of liberation and salvation that brings hope and eternal life.

Galatians 3:22, “But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

SO WHY THEN WAS THE LAW GIVEN?

Why did God give the laws of Moses if they were unable to set man free or atone for his sin? The laws served three primary purposes:

1. Revealing the nature of sin: The law was given to define what sin is. Without the law, we would not have known what actions are considered sinful. It serves as a guide to identify sin. (Romans 7:7)
2. Acknowledging our sinful state: The law reveals our inherent sinfulness, helping us recognize the extent of our wrongdoing. (Romans 3:20)

3. Pointing to our need for salvation: By highlighting our enslavement to sin, the law emphasizes our inability to free ourselves from its grip. It directs us to seek help from Jesus for liberation. Gal 3:24 “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

IS THE LAW IN CONFLICT WITH THE PROMISE?

Gal 3:21-22 “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”

The verses above explain that there should be no conflict between God’s giving of the law and His promise. What God accomplished through the promise of eternal life in Christ is what the law could ever achieve. The law was unable to restore mankind’s relationship with God, but God fulfilled this through faith in Christ Jesus. So is the law useless? Absolutely not! While the law has a purpose, it cannot make us righteous. Instead, God provided righteousness through our faith in Jesus Christ. 

To summarize, Galatians chapter 3 emphasizes the inadequacy of the law in providing salvation and righteousness for all.  The law was given to reveal and define sin, making us aware of our sinful nature and our need for redemption. The law itself cannot save or make us righteous but it points us to Christ, who fulfilled the requirements of the law and offers salvation through faith. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are set free from the power of sin, we received grace, became slaves of righteousness, and are led by the Spirit of God. Hallelujah! This is great news!