Lawmen and Freeman

 

Lawmen and Freeman

Comments on Galatians with an ear to Luther’s commentary

Scripture Text: Galatians 1:6–9 and Psalm 119:33–40

Series: Comments on Galatians

Today's Scripture Jigsaw

If one does not rely upon the grace of God, there is only one alternative: the law of God. This alternative is impossible. King David asked for the understanding to wholly keep the law (Psalm 119:34). But he was incapable (re: Bathsheba) and by necessity needed to trust God’s grace instead of his ability to “observe it with [his] whole heart.” 

David’s situation is just like our own: he needed to try to be good but to depend upon God’s grace—because he was not good. We run the risk of being like the Galatian Christians who enslaved themselves to the law after they had been set free by grace in Christ. This is tantamount to giving up one’s citizenship in Christ’s kingdom. One cannot be both citizen and slave. Yet this is exactly what the Galatians had bought into because of the heresy of those who attacked Paul’s doctrine. They were easily swayed to be law-keepers instead of freemen.

Today’s churches are filled with these same sorts of lawmen. It seems that entire congregations are bent on keeping their own version of law for both membership requirement and method of denigrating other Christians. In doing so, like the Galatians of old, these congregations have relegated the cross to the back seat. Personal glory (i.e.: I am right and you are wrong.) has taken center stage. They have led themselves away “from the living fountain of grace and life” and must now depend upon an impossible law — whether they realize it or not.

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