It Bears Repeating
Comments on Galatians with an ear to Luther’s commentary
Scripture Text: Galatians 2:21 and Exodus 20:1-17
Series: Comments on Galatians
Luther sums it up nicely: “The law is good, holy, and profitable, but it does not justify.” Yes! By all means keep the law. Do not crave something that is not yours. Do not lie. Do not steal. Do not commit adultery or murder. Honor your parents. Keep the Sabbath holy. Do not abuse the name of God. Do not make or worship idols. Have no other gods but the One God.
In order to keep the first commandment (the last one listed above), you must not imagine you are justified to God with help from anyone but God. Keeping the law with the hope being righteous before God is to deny God. Indeed, it is to set yourself up as a god — able to save yourself. Therefore, to think God needs your help by you keeping the law is to break the law. You are breaking the very first commandment when you think God needs your assistance. So, yes! It bears repeating. Keep the law. But do not expect that to save you from judgment.
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Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman has served as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, since 2021. Previously, Pastor Ryman served congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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