If there’s one e-book that highlights the hazards of blending grace with regulation it’s Galatians. Which is why I’m at all times shocked when folks use Galatians to combine grace with regulation.
You wouldn’t assume it was potential. It’s like opening a cookbook and discovering recipes for poison. It’s like discovering yeast in your matzah.
A little bit leaven leavens the entire lump of dough. (Galatians 5:9)
Whereas writing my commentary on Galatians, I did a number of studying. I used to be shocked at how typically I discovered folks attempting to sneak just a little regulation into Paul’s masterpiece on grace. It often occurred with this verse:
For the entire Legislation is fulfilled in a single phrase, within the assertion, “You shall love your neighbor as your self.” (Galatians 5:14)
It’s important to admit, that is an uncommon verse to seek out smack-bang in the course of Galatians. Quoting regulation in a e-book warning in regards to the risks of the regulation is like discovering a rock in a field of candies. It ought to lead us to ask questions, like this:
Is love your neighbor a part of the brand new covenant?
No. That is from the Legislation of Moses (Lev. 19:18). It’s 100% outdated covenant. That doesn’t imply it’s a nasty regulation. “Love your neighbor” is an effective regulation, a superb regulation. However it’s nonetheless a regulation, which suggests it has no relevance to your stroll with God.
For you aren’t below regulation… (Romans 6:14)
But folks say issues like, “we should preserve the regulation of affection” and “God instructions us to like our neighbors.” Hmm. The Jews having been attempting to maintain the “love your neighbor” regulation for 3,500 years. How’s that understanding?
(I’m not choosing on the Jews. All of us fall wanting God’s requirements.)
In the event you assume holding the “regulation of affection” goes to make you righteous and holy, or a greater particular person, you might be as silly because the Galatians. And in the event you inform others that God instructions them to like their neighbors, you might be placing regulation on them. You’re pushing them away from grace and selling lifeless works.
Which begs the query:
Why does Paul quote an outdated covenant regulation in a brand new covenant letter?
Paul will not be preaching a regulation you need to obey. Learn the verse in context with the one which follows and you will note that he’s utilizing the regulation to show the hypocrisy of the regulation academics. “Your hostility in direction of me and your assaults on one another show that you’re unable to maintain the regulation that you’re preaching.” It’s a devastating physique blow to the legalists.
Like all of the Legal guidelines of Moses, the “love your neighbor” regulation will not be a regulation we will preserve, and Paul will not be suggesting we strive. He’s warning the Galatians, “These regulation preachers are phonies. Don’t hearken to them.”
However didn’t Jesus quote this regulation?
Jesus quoted the “love your neighbor” regulation on quite a few events and more often than not he did so in an outdated covenant context. For example, when requested in regards to the biggest instructions within the regulation, he stated “Love God and love your neighbor” (Matt. 22:36–40). In the event you have been to rank the Legal guidelines of Moses, these are the highest two. However these legal guidelines don’t have any relevance within the new creation.
“Love your neighbor” is a superb regulation, and the way fantastic the world can be if we might love our neighbors. However historical past proves that we’re incapable of loving our neighbors. Fortunately there’s a higher regulation known as the Legislation of Christ. See in the event you can spot the distinction:
Legislation of Moses: Love your neighbor
Legislation of Christ: Love each other as I’ve liked you
Jesus known as his commandment a new commandment, which means it was a brand new form of commandment (John 13:34). The outdated commandment relied in your flesh – which is why we will’t preserve it – however the brand new commandment is powered by God’s grace.
Do you see? The Legislation of Moses calls for that you simply preserve the regulation day in, time out, even when your neighbors usually are not the nicest folks. However the Legislation of Christ solely asks that you simply obtain Christ’s love. Obtain, obtain, obtain.
Christ loves us first, and as we obtain from the abundance his love and style, we discover ourselves in a position to love others, our neighbors, even our enemies.
All that is to the glory of his grace.
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The most recent installment in my grace-based sequence on the Parables of Jesus, “The Parable of the Minas”, has simply been launched on Patreon. It’s also accessible on E2R’s Supporters’ Web page.
