Here's an article/commentary on the Galatians that I wrote in July 1999:
LAW AND GOSPELThe relationship between Law and Gospel continues to be entirely misunderstood by almost all Christians. The failure of Christians to understand the role of Law in this age of Grace has caused congregations to become thoroughly legalistic, and has degenerated the Gospel proclamation of the pulpit into a guide for human conduct. If we as Christians are to preach the Good News of Christ to the entire world, then we must understand this precarious relationship between Law and Gospel to ensure that God’s Grace is never substituted with human effort.
Perhaps the most articulate expression of the relationship between Law and Gospel is found in Paul’s epistle to the Galatians. Further, Paul’s affirmations in this letter are restated with increased force by the vivid imagery and colourful language in Martin Luther’s “Commentary on Galatians”. The relationship between Law and Gospel becomes fully exposed in these two theological masterpieces.
The Law is Oppressive
The Law of God is indeed holy, but is at the same time weak. The Law is not weak in itself, for it is the perfect exposition of God’s will; but when applied to humans, it can never be obeyed, no matter how earnestly we try. Our total depravity, corrupt nature, and weakness of the flesh render the Law useless. For the Law does not demand only external obedience, but the internal obedience of our hearts, minds, and souls that man is altogether incapable of.
Not only is the Law of God unable to enforce obedience in humans, but it is an oppressive device which tortures the souls of those confronted by it. For “all who rely on observing the Law are under a curse.” (Galatians 3:10) Indeed “the Law is most excellent: yet it is not able to quiet a troubled conscience, but increaseth terrors, and driveth it to desperation.” (Commentary on Galatians) When confronted with the strict and holy demands of the Law, man is driven to despair and hopelessness. For by his own efforts, he fulfills none of the Law’s righteous demands; rather, the Law oppresses him, and causing him not to love God, but to hate him instead. Striving to keep the Law actually alienates one from God, since “to live to the Law is to die to God.” (Commentary on Galatians)
To seek salvation by adherence to the Law is to seek salvation in vain “because by observing the Law no one will be justified.” (Galatians 2:16) The Law does not work for us in seeking salvation, but against us. “He that liveth to the Law … is dead and condemned. For the Law cannot justify and save him, but accuseth, terrifieth, and killeth him.” (Commentary on Galatians) It is “so intolerable a tyrant and cruel tormentor” such that “the devil is wont by the Law to make us afraid.” (Commentary on Galatians) We conclude that the Law is our enemy, our oppressor, and our tormentor. Salvation must lie beyond the scope of Law.
The Law leads us to the Gospel
What then, was the purpose of God’s Law? Did God bring to us his Law in order to prepare us for destruction? By no means! Instead, the Law’s purpose is meaningful, since its oppressive nature curiously leads us to the Gospel promise. Paul states this clearly in his epistle: “What, then was the purpose of the Law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.” (Galatians 3:19) By increasing transgressions of humans, the Law makes our depraved nature and utter imperfections clear to us as we fail to execute God’s will for us. Only by recognizing that we are shameful sinners who are unable to face the presence of a holy God, will we cry out for help in desperation. Without the Law, we have a high view of ourselves, and we convince ourselves that our human efforts, works, and deeds are substantial and procure justification. But the Law makes it abundantly clear that the opposite is true. When confronted with the Law, we then understand how hopeless we are, and that our works and deeds amount to nothing.
Thus in despair and desperation, we cry out to the promise of God. We cry out for Grace and mercy from our loving Saviour. “When a man is humbled by the Law, and brought to the knowledge of himself, then followeth true penitence.” (Commentary on Galatians) Being convinced of our own unworthiness, we look no longer to our own strivings, but to God’s Gospel of Grace, given freely for sinners. Man, “being terrified with the Law, utterly despaireth of his own strength: he looketh about, and sigheth for the help of a mediator and Saviour. Here then cometh in good time the healthful word of the Gospel.” (Commentary on Galatians) Thus we conclude that the Law leads us to the Gospel. “The Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24)
The Gospel brings Salvation
Gospel, not Law, gives us the way, the life, and the resurrection. If the Law drives us to the Gospel, then the Gospel provides us salvation. The Gospel is summarized by the following: God’s Grace is given to us freely on the grounds of Christ’s death, and those that receive this Grace through faith are justified as righteous before God. Paul declares that “we have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ.” (Galatians 2:16) “By faith only in Christ we are pronounced righteous, and not by the works of the law or charity.” (Commentary on Galatians) God has promised us his Grace, so that all who receive it by faith in Christ will be saved.
Further, this Gospel of Grace requires no human effort, works, or deeds to effect salvation. Rather, the mere apprehension of this promise of Grace through faith ensures a righteous standing before God. Thus the righteousness that we attain by grace through faith is entirely passive, and God’s Grace extends to us no matter how repugnant our deeds are. Indeed, “the afflicted and troubled conscience hath no remedy against desperation and eternal death, unless it take hold of the promise of Grace freely offered in Christ, that is to say, this passive righteousness through faith.” (Commentary on Galatians)
It is only this passive righteousness of God’s forgiving Grace that justifies us. There is no dependence on human effort, but rather, salvation is attributed to God alone. He is from first to last the author of our salvation. Our hope lies not in our capacity to do good works, but in God’s loving initiative manifested in his death on the Cross. In him our hope lies, and thus our salvation is assured, since it does not depend on our own fickle abilities, but God’s steadfast resolve to reconcile his people. For “there is no comfort of conscience [that is] so firm and so sure, as this passive righteousness is.” (Commentary on Galatians)
There is no Law in Grace
Grace, by definition, comes with no strings attached and does not require any prior condition for its procurement. Law, on the other hand, consists solely of demands upon the human conscience. There is no harmony between the two, and there is no Law for those who have received the Grace of God.
Martin Luther draws this antithesis between Law and Grace with impressive determination. We should “teach Christians to be ignorant of the Law” since “a Christian man is free from all laws.” (Commentary on Galatians) Christians are “children of Grace which are under no Law,” and “must have nothing to do with [the Law].” (Commentary on Galatians) There is no compatibility between Law and Gospel since “between the righteousness of the Law and the righteousness of Christ, there is no mean.” (Commentary on Galatians) Paul confirms Luther’s statements by exclaiming, “if righteousness could be gained through the Law, Christ died for nothing.” (Galatians 2:21) For “now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law.” (Galatians 3:25) For the Christian, the Law “is utterly abrogate.” (Commentary on
Galatians)
Not only are Law and Grace held at an antithesis, but Grace itself has defeated the Law and has set us free from the Law’s oppression. The Gospel abolishes the Law, and is our victory over this cruel tyrant. “Wherefore the Law has no right to accuse me, or to hold me any longer, for I am risen again.” (Commentary on Galatians) “The Law is void, and I am escaped out of my prison and grave.” (Commentary on Galatians) “By Christ [we are] utterly freed from the Law” since “the Father [has] abolished the Law, sin, and death.” (Commentary on Galatians) The Law which had previously kept us in bondage is now entirely nullified since the Gospel has won a victory over the Law. “Before faith came, we were held prisoners by the Law, locked up until faith should be revealed.” (Galatians 3:23) Thus Christians who possess the Gospel promise of Grace shall be no longer under the Law, but set free from it, having nothing to do with it.
Christians no longer need the Law as a guide, but will respond to the Gospel of Grace so gratefully, that good works automatically flow. Christians will declare their absolute loyalty to Christ and will do everything in their power to ensure that his will is done. For Christians, God “will put his Law in their minds and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33) and thus the “the entire Law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:14) For when brought under Grace, a Christian will desire to follow the Law, not under external compulsion, but by sheer gratitude of God’s Grace given for him.
Conclusions
The righteous Law of God, by its strict demands, tortures the human soul by demanding what cannot be given. Man despairs of his standing before a righteous, holy God. But convinced of his utter helplessness, the Law leads man to cry out in desperation for the unconditional Grace of God. This Grace, this Gospel, does not fail when received through faith, but ensures salvation. Thus the Gospel has triumphed over the Law, and has gained a glorious victory for all Christians. May God bless us evermore with his Gospel of Grace. Amen.
