Go to previous: http://thatblessedhope.ucoz.com/index/0-48
THE
THREE ERRORS
In
the Epistle to the Galatians the Holy Spirit through Paul meets and answers
the three great errors into which in different degrees, theological systems
have fallen.
The
course of this demonstration is like the resistless march of an armed host.
Nothing can stand before it. The reasonings of ancient and modern legalists
are scattered like the chaff of the summer threshing floor.
We
have, most of us, been reared and now live under the influence of Galatianism.
Protestant theology, alas, is for the most part, thoroughly Galatianized,
in that neither law nor grace are given their distinct and separated
places, as in the counsels of God, but are mingled together in one incoherent
system. The law is no longer, as in the Divine intent, a ministration
of death (2 Corinthians 3:7), of cursing (Galatians 3:10),
of conviction (Romans 3:19), because we are taught that we must
try to keep it, and that by Divine help we may. Nor, on the other hand,
does grace bring us blessed deliverance from the dominion of sin, for we
are kept under the law as a rule of life despite the plain declaration, "Sin
shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under
grace" (Romans 6:14).
THE
FIRST ERROR
The
Spirit first meets the contention that justification is partly by law works and
partly by faith through grace (Galatians 2:5 to 3:24).
The
steps are:
1.
Even the Jews, who are not like the Gentiles, hopeless,
"and without
God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12), but already in
covenant relations
with God, even they, "knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ" (Galatians
2:15,16), have
believed; "for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
2.
The law has executed its sentence upon the believer
(Galatians 2:19);
death has freed him. Identified with Christ’s
death by faith, he, in the reckoning of God, died with Christ (Romans
6:3-10; 7:4).
3.
But righteousness is by faith, not by law (Galatians 2:21).
4.
The Holy Spirit is given to faith, not law-works (Galatians
3:1-9).
5.
"As many as are of the works of the law are under the
curse" — and the reason
is given: "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are
written in the book of the law to do them" (Galatians 3:10). The law,
then, cannot "help", but can only do its great and necessary work of condemnation
(Romans 3:19,20; 2 Corinthians 3:7,9; Galatians 3:19; James 2:10).
Elsewhere
(Romans 5:1-5) the Spirit, by the same Apostle, sums up the results
of justification by faith with every semblance of human merit carefully
excluded. Grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, has brought the believer
into peace with God, a standing in grace, and assured hope of glory.
Tribulation can but serve to develop in him new graces. The very love
that saved him through grace now fills his heart; the Holy Spirit is given
him, and he joys in God. And all by grace, through faith!
THE
SECOND ERROR
The
Spirit next meets and refutes the second great error concerning the relations
of law and grace — the notion that the
believer, though assuredly justified by faith through grace wholly without
law-works, is, after justification, put under law as a rule of life.
This
is the current form of the Galatian error. From Luther down, Protestantism
has consistently held to justification by faith through grace. Most
inconsistently Protestant theology has held to the second form of Galatianism.
An
entire section of the Epistle to the Romans, and two chapters of Galatians
are devoted to the refutation of this error, and to the setting forth of
the true rule of the believer’s life. Romans 6, 7,
8, and Galatians 4 and 5, set forth the new Gospel of the believer’s
standing in grace.
Romans 6:14 states the new principle: "For
sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law,
but under grace."
The
Apostle is not here speaking of the justification of a sinner, but of the deliverance
of a saint from the dominion of indwelling sin. In Galatians, after
showing that the law had been to the Jew like the pedagogue in a Greek
or Roman household, a ruler of children in their nonage (Galatians
3:23,24) the Apostle says explicitly (ver. 25), "But after
that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster" (pedagogue).
No
evasion is possible here. The pedagogue is the law (3:24); faith justifies;
but the faith which justifies also ends the rule of the pedagogue. Modern
theology says that after justification we are under the pedagogue. Here
is a clear issue, an absolute contradiction between the Word of God and
theology. Which do you side with?
Equally
futile is the timorous gloss that this whole profound discussion in Romans
and Galatians relates to the ceremonial law. No Gentile could observe
the ceremonial law. Even the Jews, since the destruction of the temple,
A.D. 70, have not found it possible to keep the ceremonial law except
in a few particulars of diet. It is not the ceremonial law which says, "Thou
shalt not covet" (comp. Romans 7:7-9). The believer is separated by death and
resurrection from Mosaism (Romans 6:3-15; 7:1-6; Galatians 4:19-31). The
fact remains immutable
that to God he is, as to the law, an executed criminal. Justice has
been completely vindicated, an it is no longer possible even to bring an accusation
against him (Romans 8:33,34).
It
is not possible to know Gospel liberty, or Gospel holiness, until this great
fundamental truth is clearly, bravely grasped. One may be a Christian and
a worthy and useful man, and be still under bondage to the law, but one
can never have deliverance from the dominion of sin, nor know the true
blessedness and rest of the Gospel and remain under the law. Therefore,
once more, note that it is death which has broken the connection
between the believer and the law. "The law hath dominion over a man as
long as he liveth" (Romans 7:1). "But now we are delivered from the
law, that being dead wherein we were held" (Romans 7:6). Nothing
can be clearer.
But
I hasten to add that there is a mere carnal and fleshly way of looking at our
deliverance from the law, which is most unscriptural, and I am persuaded,
most dishonoring to God. It consists in rejoicing in a supposed deliverance
from the principle of Divine authority over the life —
a deliverance
into mere self-will and lawlessness.
The
true ground of rejoicing is quite other than this. The truth is, a Christian
may get on after a sort under law as a rule of life. Not apprehending
that the law is anything more than an ideal, he feels a kind of pious
complacency in "consenting unto the law that it is good," and more or
less languidly hoping that in the future he may succeed better in keeping it
than in the past. So treated, the law is wholly robbed of its terror. Like a sword
carefully fastened in its scabbard, the law no longer cuts into the conscience.
It is forgotten that the law offers absolutely but two alternatives
exact obedience, always, in all things, or a curse. There is no third
voice.
"Cursed
is every one that continueth not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them" (Galatians 3:10; James
2:10).
The
law has but one voice:
"What
things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the
law; that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become
guilty before God" (Romans 3:19).
The
law, in other words, never says: "Try to do better next time." Of
this the
antinomian legalist seems entirely unaware.
THE
TRUE CHRISTIAN LIFE
And
now we are ready to turn from the negative to the positive side to the secret
of a holy and victorious walk under grace. We shall find the principle and the power
of that walk defined in Galatians 5:16-24. The principle of the walk is
briefly stated:
"Walk
in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (Galatians
5:16).
The
Spirit is shown in Galatians in a threefold way. First, He is received by the
hearing of faith (Galatians 3:2). When the Galatians believed they received
the Spirit. To what end? The legalists make little of the Spirit. Though
they talk much of "power" in connection with the Spirit, it is power
for service which chiefly occupies them. Of His sovereign rights, of His
blessed enabling in the inner life, there is scant apprehension. But it is precisely
there that the Biblical emphasis falls. In Romans, for example, the Spirit
is not even mentioned until we have a justified sinner trying to keep the
law, utterly defeated in that attempt by the flesh, the "law in his members,"
and crying out, not for help, but for deliverance (Romans 7:15-24).
Then the Spirit is brought in with, Oh, what marvelous results!
"The
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the
law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).
Not
the Apostle’s effort under the
law, nor even the Spirit’s help in that effort,
but the might of the indwelling Spirit alone, breaks the power of indwelling
sin (Galatians 5:16-18).
You
ask, and necessarily at this point, what is it to walk in the Spirit? The answer
is in Galatians 5:18: "If ye be led of the Spirit." But how else may
we be led of Him save by yieldedness to His sway? There is a wonderful
sensitiveness in the blessed Spirit’s
love. He will not
act in and over our lives by way of almightiness, forcing us
into conformity.
That is why "yield" is the great word of Romans 6, where it is expressly
said that we are not under the law, but under grace.
The
results of walking in the Spirit are twofold, negative and positive. Walking
in the Spirit we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
The "flesh" here is the exact equivalent of "sin" in Romans
6:14, "Sin
shall not have dominion over you." And the reason is immediately given
(Galatians 5:17). The Spirit and the flesh are contrary, and the Spirit is
greater and mightier than the flesh. Deliverance comes, not by self-effort
under the law that is Romans 7 — but by the omnipotent Spirit, who Himself
is contrary to the flesh (Galatians 6:7), and who brings the yielded
believer into the experience of Romans 8.
|