16 - WHY SHOULD WE AVOID LEGALISM?July 23, 1961
Henry F. Kulp
Galatians 3: 19 - 25 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 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. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Here Paul is asking the question—Why was the law given? If the law can’t save, what was God’s purpose in giving the law? So the starting point in our study is to recognize the law had a beginning. It started with Moses.
1/ Why was it given? There were many reasons why it was given. The week before last we told you it was given to show transgression, to make sin legally wrong.
2/ Now, it is necessary to see that the law was national. It was dispensational, because it was given for only a period of time, from Moses until Christ. Now, it is national, and what do you mean by that? It was given to a definite nation, the nation Israel, and to no one else. This is established beyond a shadow of a doubt in Romans 2: 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
For you will notice, that there are two classes of people spoken of here—those who have sinned without the law, and those who have sinned in the law. Who are they?
Romans 2: 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Surely Scripture cannot be plainer. The Gentiles have never had the law. It was given to Moses as a mediator for the people, as a middle-man, and it was only given to the nation Israel.
3/ It might be well that we take a second and say—who are the Gentiles? I heard of a preacher who was doing a cross-word puzzle, and they asked for a seven letter word for Christian, and so thoughts ran through his mind of words that would fit this—a believer? No, that has eight letters. Then saint, that has five letters. And so on—and he couldn’t think of the word, so he filled out the rest of the cross-word puzzle, and discovered the word was Gentiles. And of course there are many people who feel that a Gentile is a Christian. But that is not true. The followers of Mohammed are Gentiles, but they are not Christians. Hindus are Gentiles, but not Christians. The unregenerate people in our land by the millions are Gentiles, but they are not Christians. The Greek word for Gentiles, simply are not Israelites, and God has drawn the line of distinction. In other words, the Gentiles are non-Jews.
4/ Non-Jews have not the law. They have never had the law—they have never been subject to the law—they have never been put under the law.
5/ The next question that follows this is why did God give the law to this one nation? Well, the answer is also given to us in Romans.
Romans 3: 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
God said the law was given to Israel to stop the mouths of all men forever who would teach that salvation is by the law. Men have always wanted to work for God. Adam did right after he sinned. He made a coat of fig leaves. He tried to make himself righteous before God, he tried to cover his sin before God, and ever since then, man has been trying to appease God with his works, with his religion, by keeping the law. So God gave the law to Israel to prove that no one can be saved by the law. To stop the mouths of all men everywhere, so they will not come to God and say, look, God, I’m pretty good, I kept the law, I’ve done this and I’ve done that and I’ve done the other thing.
6/ God had an experiment for all men. He put this one nation—the whole nation who was over 1,500 years under the law, and he proved that the law cannot be kept by man—there is no need for further proof.
John 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
Now notice this, Jesus asked the question of the religious people of His day—did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepth the law? Not one person in 1,500 years was able to keep the law. Not a single Jew had kept it all those years. Here is proof to all man—why the law was given to show all men that they cannot be saved by works.
7/ But the next thought we have, do you realize that One at the end of those 1,500 years came, by the name of Jesus Christ, and He was the only One who ever did keep the law, and that nation ended up by nailing that Man to the cross of Calvary. The law had not changed their hearts. Here was One Man who kept it, and they rejected Him. The law ends up causing men to be guilty, cursed by the law.
8/ The law cannot change a heart—the law can’t make a heart one bit better.
9/ Now notice, it says that all may become guilty before God, recognizing that they can’t possibly work their way into the presence of God. How often folks have come to me and I’ve ask them whether they were saved—I’m doing the very best I can. And so, what are they saying? They are saying, God, here’s the record of my life. You ought to let me into Heaven because of my record. But you will not get into Heaven because of the record of your life. No, in no wise. Suppose you go down Sixth Avenue at 70 miles an hour, go through all the traffic lights without any regard to the police whistle, and when you are overtaken, you reach out and slap the policeman. When they finally get you into court, they throw the book at you. Here are violations by the dozens, and the judge decides to make an example of you. He totals your fine, and they reach $1,000, but you haven’t any money. Then you finally have your brother who comes in and he pays the fine for you, and while he is paying the fine, you start for the door. A policeman says to you, What right do you have to leave this courtroom? Notice, he says what right? What would you say to him? Would you say, well, there’s my record. I’m the man that drove the car up Sixth Avenue at 70 miles an hour, slapped the policeman and went through the lights. Now let me go. I’m going to go free, and I’m allowed to go out and go free through that door, because my fine has been paid. That is it exactly. If you get into Heaven, it will not be because of your record that allows you, it is your record that condemns you—you get into Heaven because Jesus Christ paid the price of your sin. And Israel under the law, shows you that your record is horrible, just as their record was horrible.
10/ Now let us look and see what the law did for Israel Galatians 3: 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Notice, the word, concluded, that word is misunderstood today, it is not the word, that we think of as being concluded. The figure is that of a criminal or a condemned man who is already in prison. Actually, it could be better translated, the Scriptures have locked up all under sin. Then we come down to the 23rd verse. We, meaning the Jews, were in ward under the law, and the word, ward, or under, here means perpetual prisoners. So the law was a jailor to Israel. Men under the law were locked up and could not be released, except by grace. All the law can do is lock you up and put you in prison, because your record proves it.
11/ Now let us notice something else about the law—why the law was given. We said the law was national, that it was dispensational. Now as we come down here to verse 24 it is proven (verse 24 & 25) even more clearly to us.
Galatians 3: 24, 25 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
I want you to notice the words, our, us, and we. Wherever the pronouns, we, our, and us occur in the book of Galatians, Paul is speaking of Israel, of the Jews. But when he uses the pronouns “ye” and “you” he refers to the nations, in other words to the Gentiles, to the non-Jews. This is the key to the book of Galatians. Now let us notice verse 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
12/ Wherefore, the law was our school-master. He says, was, past tense—our—that is the Jew’s school-master. Nowhere do we read that the law is a school-master—it was.
Again, we said the law was dispensational. It is because it was past-tense—it is a day that is now gone. The word school-master, could be translated tutor or teacher.
Now, the word, translated school-master, referred to a servant, usually a slave to whom the child was entrusted for instruction, for training and discipline until he becomes of age. But when the child came of age, he passed from under the tutor, the salve, the servant, the school-master.
13/ Then notice the change in personal pronoun. Verse 26, 27 For ye, the Gentiles, are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
In other words, the Gentiles, who never had the law, are saved by just having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
14/ Now the important thing to notice here, in verse 25 But after the faith has come, we are no longer under a school-master.
No language can be plainer. The law was a school-master up to Christ, but when He came, even Israel was no longer under the school-master. The Jews are not now under the law.
15/ Notice, that the pivoting point of everything is here in Galatians 3: 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 faith of Jesus Christ. This promise of grace refers to redemption, naturally—to salvation. All this came about because of the faith of Jesus Christ. Now, as you know, there are two aspects of faith. The Scriptures speaks of faith in two ways—objective faith, and subjective faith.
Objective faith is simply to trust in another, in what another has said or done—it moves toward an object.
But subjective faith is the character that shows that one is worthy of trust. Objective faith is associated with what one does. He believes in another. Subjective faith is the quality one possesses. Fidelity, dependability, worthiness, to be believe in. Thus, if I have faith in you, I have objective faith. But to have faith in you, you have to be faithful, so you have objective faith.
16/ Galatians 3: 6 - 9 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Abraham is called faithful because he believed God implicitly. He was faithful because he had faith in God. But on the other hand, God is called faithful. Not because he believes in others, but because He is true, He is dependable.
Hebrews 10: 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
He is faithful that promised. He is dependable. He is worthy. Abraham’s faith is objective faith, God’s faith is subjective faith. This subjective faith is absolutely necessary.
17/ Notice the next step in our study.
Romans 3: 3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
It is about subjective faith. What if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God of non-effect? Here the faith of God is clearly His fidelity – His worthiness as to be believed, and so the Apostle says in effect what if some refused to trust Him, does that affect His trustworthiness? Absolutely not.
18/ Here he is saying the law, that which was the jailer—that which kept people locked up under lock and key, kept them in ward. Will not nullify the promise of God, because Jesus Christ was faithful. He came and paid the price of our redemption.
19/ Now, notice, Galatians 3: 21 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.
For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness could have been by the law, and we have to be righteous to be saved. But the law cannot bring righteousness. Let us turn in the Scripture and show you that righteousness comes by faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 3: 21, 22 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
He is not referring to faith in Christ—but to Christ’s fidelity, and then he adds, unto all and upon all them that believe. Thus, Christ’s faith is fidelity, is righteousness to them that believe.
20/ Philippians 3: 9 And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ.
Notice the contrast, the law and the faith of Christ. Man’s failure keeps him from having righteousness, but God’s complete trustworthiness gives him righteousness by faith in Christ.
21/ Now let us go back to another portion of Scripture that is in Galatians, and we skipped over it, purposely up to this point.
Galatians 2: 15, 16 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Here, notice that Paul says a man cannot be justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Christ—even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by faith of Christ.
Here Paul emphasizes and re-emphasizes that the law cannot save us, but it is through the trust-worthiness, the fidelity of Christ.
All of this is the work of Christ, it is not our work. If only men and women could see this.
AMEN
Ref: 07/23/1961 / 16 - WHY SHOULD WE AVOID LEGALISM? / 12/29/2020
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