TheApostlePaulsTeachingon

JustificationintheBookofGalatians
DidPaulteachtheGalatiansthattheywerenotobligatedtokeepGodslaw?
Galatians 5:18But if ye be led ofthe Spirit, ye are not underthe law (KJV)has
proventobeamajorstumblingblockformainstreamChristianly,whichgenerallyassumesthat
PaulwastellingtheGalatiansthattheywerenotrequiredtokeepGodscommandments.
The problem, as is the case with numerous similar passages, is one of poortranslation.
ThedefinitearticletheisnotpartoftheoriginalGreektextthepassageshouldread:Butif
youareledbytheSpirit,youarenotunderlaw.Butwhatdoesitmeantobenotunderlaw?
DoesthisrefertoGodsholy,righteouslawsandcommandments?Doesitrefertorituallawsof
theOldTestament?WhataboutthetraditionallawsofJudaism?
AswedelveintotheapostlePaulswritingsinGalatiansinvolvingjustificationbyfaith
andworksoflaw,keepthesekeybackgroundpointsinmind:
1)JustasPaulinstructedChristiansinRome,oncewehavebeenjustifiedfrompastsins,
wecannotcontinuetolive in sinasa wayoflifebecausesin isthe transgressionofGods
law (I John 3:4, KJV). He wrote: Whatthen shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, sothat
gracemayabound?MAYITNEVERBE!Wewhodiedtosin,howshallweliveanylonger
therein?(Rom.6:12).ConcerningkeepingthelawsofGodinthespirit,PaulwrotetotheRo
mansthattheymightserveinnewnessofthespirit,andnotintheoldnessof theletter.[For]
thelawisindeedholy,andthecommandmentholyandrighteousandgood.Forweknow
that the law is spiritual (Rom. 7:6, 12, 14). Paul NEVER taught against Gods laws and
commandmentsinanyofthechurches.
2)ThephraseworksoflawreferstotheworksofanylawthelawsofGod,thelaws
ofJudaism,andthe lawsofpaganreligions.Clearly,Paulused worksof law inthe broadest
sensewhich included all religious works of law. However, when the definite article the is
usedintheGreekasinworksofthelawitisreferringspecificallytotheLawofGod.(For
amoredetailedexplanationofworksoflawandworksofthelaw,seethearticle,Didthe
ApostlePaulTeachaRighteousnessWithoutLawKeeping?.)
Therefore, Pauls use of the phrase works of law includes all humanlydevised reli
giousdecrees,traditionallawsofJudaism(Mark7:113),aswellastheritualandsacrificiallaws
followedbyGentilesinworshippingtheirgods(Acts14:818).
3) Throughout Pauls writings, he emphasizes that justification is graciously granted to
thebelieverbasedonrepentanceandfaithinthesacrificeandshedbloodofJesusChrist.This
stateofjustificationiscalledthegiftofrighteousness,orthegiftofjustification,whichGod
theFatherfreelyimputestotherepentantbeliever(Rom.5:17).Itcanneverbeearnedbydoing
anykindofworksof anylaw.
GalatiansTwo:PaulwrotethathewasforcedtorebukedPeter,BarnabasandotherJews
publiclyfortheirhypocrisyinrevertingbacktoadheringtoatraditionallawofJudaismthatfor
badeJewsfromeatingwithGentiles.Peterknewbetter,asGodfirstusedhimtopreachthegos
pelandrepentancetoGentiles,beginningwithCorneliusandhishousehold(Acts10).
Aswillbeseen,theaccountinGalatianschaptertwodoesnotinvolveanylaworcom
mandmentofGodonlytraditional lawsof Judaism,whichPaulreferredtohereasworksof

law.ObservingsuchtraditionalJewishlawscanneverbringspiritualjustificationorputone
inrightstandingwithGodtheFather.Letusscrutinizetheentireaccountversebyverse:
ButwhenPetercametoAntioch,Iwithstoodhimtohisfacebecausehewastobecon
demned for before certainones came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles. However,
whentheycame,hedrewbackandseparatedhimselffromtheGentiles,beingafraidofthoseof
thecircumcision party.Andtherestof theJewsjoinedhimin thishypocriticalact,insomuchthat
evenBarnabaswascarriedawaywiththeirhypocrisy.
ButwhenIsawthattheydidnotwalkuprightlyaccordingtothetruthofthegospel,I
saidtoPeterinthepresenceofthemall,Ifyou,beingaJew,arelivingliketheGentiles,and
notaccordingtoJudaism,whydoyoucompeltheGentilestoJudaize?[Thatis,toeatsepa
rately,asdounconvertedJews.]WewhoareJewsbynatureandnotsinnersoftheGentiles
knowingthatamanisnotjustifiedby[traditional]worksoflaw,butthroughthefaithofJe
susChrist,wealsohavebelievedinChristJesusinorderthatwemightbejustifiedbythefaith
ofChrist,andnotby [traditional]worksoflawbecauseby [traditional]worksoflawshallno
fleshbejustified[beforeGodfrompastsins].
Nowthen,ifweareseekingtobejustifiedinChrist,andweourselvesarefoundtobe
sinners,isChristthen theministerofsin?MAYITNEVERBE!ForifIbuildagainthosethings
thatIdestroyed[theadherencetothelawsofJudaism],Iammakingmyselfatransgressor.ForI
throughlaw[sincethewagesofsinisdeath]died[intheoperationofbaptism]tolaw[thatis,to
Judaismstraditionallaws],inorderthatImaylivetoGod[inloveandobedience].Ihavebeen
crucifiedwithChrist[bybaptism],yetIlive.Indeed,itisnolongerIbutChristlivesinme.For
thelifethatIamnowlivingintheflesh,IlivebyfaiththatveryfaithoftheSonofGod,Who
lovedmeandgaveHimselfforme.IdonotnullifythegraceofGodforifrighteousness[justifi
cation]isthrough worksoflaw,thenChristdiedinvain(Gal.2:1121).
Thewholepurposeofrepentance,baptismand justification by faith inthesacrificeand
shedbloodofJesusChrististoreceivetheHolySpiritofGod,whichisourbegettalfromGod
theFatherandtheearnest(pledgeordownpayment)ofoursalvation(IJohn3:9Eph.1:13
14).Paulwrotenothinginthispassagethatcanbeconstruedtomeanhewasabolishingthelaws
andcommandmentsofGodforNOMANCANDOSO!
GalatiansThree:Paulcontinuesinchapterthree,makingitclearthatanyworkofany
lawisnotabletobringaboutjustificationforpastsins.WhileGodrequiresChristianstokeep
His lawsandcommandmentsintheirfullspiritual intent,nolawhasthepowertoforgivesin,
justifyapersontoGodspiritually,imparttheHolySpirit,orbestoweternallife.Thefunction
of Gods laws and commandments is to define sin: O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched
you into not obeying the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ, crucified, was set forth in a
writtenpublicproclamation?ThisonlyIdesiretolearnfrom you:didyoureceivetheSpirit
ofGodby[traditional]worksoflaw,orbythehearingoffaith?Areyousofoolish?Having
begunintheSpirit,areyounowbeingperfectedintheflesh[throughobediencetocarnallaws
of Judaism]? Therefore, consider this: He Who is supplying the Spirit to you, and Who is
working deeds of power among you, is He doing it by works of law or by the hearing of
faith?(Gal.3:15).
Concerning the laws and commandments of God, Paul demonstrates that they are not
contrarytoGodspromisesofeternallifewhichcanonlycomethroughlovingobedienceand
faith inJesusChrist.Isthe lawthen contrarytothepromisesofGod?MAYITNEVERBE!
Forifalawhadbeengiventhathadthepowertogivelife,thenrighteousness[justification]
wouldindeedhavebeenbylaw.ButtheScriptureshaveshutupallthingsundersin,sothatby
thefaithofJesusChristthepromise[ofeternallife]mightbegiventothosewhobelieve.Now
beforefaithcame,wewereguardedunderlaw,havingbeenshutupuntothefaiththatwasyetto
berevealed[atChristsfirstcoming].Inthisway,thelawwasourtutortoleadustoChristthat

we mightbe justified by faith.Butsince faith hascome,weareno longerunderatutor(Gal.

3:2125).
After repentance, baptism and the laying of hands, God gives the Holy Spiritwhich
uniteswiththespiritofmanwithinthebeliever(IJohn3:9)bringingconversion(John14:17).
God,thenbeginstowriteHislawsandcommandmentsinthemindofthenewbeliever(Heb.
10:16).Insteadoftheexternaltutoringofthelaw,thebelievernowbeginstodevelopthemind
ofChristbytheHolySpiritthroughfaith(Phil.2:5).This istheinternalworkingoftheHoly
Spirittoleadthebelieverinallrighteousness(Rom.8:14).
Galatians Five: Judaism required that Gentile proselytes be circumcised in the flesh
beforetheycouldenterthesynagogue.Theywerethenrequiredtokeepthetraditionallawsof
Judaism. False teachers were causing converts in Galatia to revert back to those teachings,
which were mixed with pagan Gnosticism derived from Hellenistic Judaism. This was the
yoke of bondage of which Paul wrote. On the other hand, the laws and commandments of
Godwereneverayokeofbondageevenwhenkeptintheletterofthelaw,asrequiredun
dertheOldCovenant(Deut.4:18,39405:121,32336:125).
ThisisthereasonPauladmonishedtheGalatianstoremainunyieldinginthetrue faith,
warningthemnottorevertbacktoworksoflawofJudaismforjustification:Therefore,stand
fastinthelibertywherewithChristhasmadeusfree,anddonotbeheldagaininayokeofbond
age.Behold,I,Paul,tellyouthatifyoubecomecircumcised[intheflesh,ratherthanintheheart
bytheSpirit(Rom.2:2529Col.2:13)],Christshallprofityounothing!Again,Iampersonally
testifyingtoeverymanwhoisbeing[physically]circumcisedthatheisadebtortodothewhole
law[alltheOldTestamentlawsandthetraditionallawsofJudaism,therebyeliminatingrepen
tance,faithandbaptism].
Youwhoareattemptingtobejustifiedbyworksoflaw,youarebeingdeprivedofany
spiritualeffectfromChrist.Youhave fallen fromgrace!ForwethroughtheSpiritarewaiting
forthehopeofrighteousnessbyfaith(Gal.5:15).
With this background, we can see that in Galatians 5:18 Paul was continuing his point
aboutattemptingtoachievejustificationbyworks.Thus,thephrasenotunderlawhasnothing
todowithabrogatingGodslawsandcommandments,butreferstonotbeingunder,ordepend
anton,worksoflawforjustificationButifyouareledby theSpirit,youarenotunder[works
of]law.