Can Galatians 3:21 be read as follows: “Is then the law against the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given which was able to give righteousness, life would have indeed been of law”? Is it wrong to render it this way? If so, where is the error?
Galatians 3:21 correctly says, “Is then the law against the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given which was able to give life, righteousness would have indeed been of law.” The error in the question is the reversal of “life” and “righteousness.” We have to understand what Paul meant. Paul said that the law and the promises of God are not opposed to each other. The Galatians thought that the promises came after the law; Paul proved that the promises were made before the law. God made the promises to Abraham and then gave the law later. In fact, God made the promises to Abraham four hundred and thirty years before He gave the law. Therefore, we must realize that God gave the law four hundred and thirty years after He gave the promises to Abraham.
Among Christians there is the mistaken concept that God had to save man by grace because He failed to achieve His purpose through the law. However, this was not the case. God’s promise to Abraham did not depend on Abraham’s doing. Abraham received the promise only by believing. The reason God gave the law to the children of Israel was because they failed to realize the preciousness of grace. The purpose for giving them the law was to make them realize that they were sinful in violating the law, so that they would then treasure God’s promises. But, even after God gave man the law, He continued to save man by grace. The law causes man to know himself. Only after a man knows himself does he treasure grace. If a person is hungry, he naturally wants to eat. However, if he does not want to eat, he may need to have his appetite stimulated. In the same way, the law leads man to the point where he realizes the need for grace.
What Galatians 3:21 means is that if the law could have given life to man, it could also have given righteousness to man. Does the law give life or righteousness first? Do Christians gain life first or righteousness first? This is the main point that Paul argued in Galatians. Paul said that if the law could give us life, it also could give us righteousness. In our salvation, we obtain righteousness first and then life. Does a man perish because he has committed sins? Does committing sins or perishing come first? Obviously, committing sins comes first and perishing follows. How then can a man be saved? He is saved by righteousness. Does righteousness or life come first? Obviously, righteousness comes first and life follows. We can verify this by the Scripture. Romans 5:17 says, “Much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” This verse says righteousness comes first and reigning in life later. Verse 21 says, “So also grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This is another verse that says righteousness comes first and eternal life later. Romans 8:10 says, “The spirit is life because of righteousness.” This is yet another verse that says righteousness comes first and life later.
We need to be clear that the reason we do not have life is because we do not have righteousness. According to the righteousness of God, whoever is without righteousness should be punished and should die. When the Lord Jesus came, He did not first resurrect and then die for us. He died first, and then He was resurrected for us. When we believe in Him, we receive the righteousness attained by Him; then this righteousness becomes our life. The spirit is life because of righteousness. The Lord Jesus died and resurrected for us so that we might have life. The Lord Jesus died, and according to God’s righteousness, God must forgive man because the price has been paid and the righteous requirement of God has been satisfied. Our salvation is based on the righteousness attained by Christ, which renders it impossible for God not to forgive us. What Paul meant was, “If the law could have given life, I would also have to say that the law could give righteousness. But I did not say this. Righteousness is manifested apart from the law, it is not of the law.” In spite of this, God still saves man according to the principle of the law, for the law states that only those who are righteous can gain life. Grace gives man righteousness and then life. Therefore, the promise of God is not opposed to the law.
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