Justification by Faith: Paul's Argument Against Law-Keeping

Those justified by faith inherit the blessing of salvation, while those seeking justification by works are under a curse.

### Justified by Faith, Not Works of the Law: Galatians 3:10-14
* 🔒 Paul emphasizes that those seeking justification through works of the law are under a curse, as "**Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, so as to do them**" (Deuteronomy 27:26).
* 📖 The apostle argues that no one can be justified before God by the law, quoting Habakkuk 2:4, "**The righteous shall live by faith**."
* ✝ Paul explains that Christ redeemed believers from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for them, referencing Deuteronomy 21:23, "**Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree**".
* 🌟 The purpose of Christ's redemptive work is so that "**the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles**," allowing all believers to receive the **promised Spirit through faith**.
* 🔒 Those who desire to be under the law, seeking justification through works, are actually choosing to be under a curse, as they are obligated to **keep the whole law perfectly**.
* 🌿 Paul distinguishes between the broader concept of the law, which includes teachings on faith like **Genesis 15:6**, and the narrower sense of the law as a system of **perfect obedience for justification**.
* 🤔 The apostle challenges the Galatians to consider how they can **escape the curse of the law**, setting the stage for his explanation of **justification by faith** in the following verses.

[Music] This is our first session on Galatians 3:10 to 14. For as many as are of works of the law are under a curse. Why? Because it is written in Deuteronomy 27:26, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, so as to do them. Understood? Nobody does. Verse 11. Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, because Habakkuk 2:4 says, The righteous shall live by faith. Faith marks this righteousness and gains this life, but the law is not of faith. Rather, the one who does them shall live by them. Leviticus 18:5. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree. Deuteronomy 21:23. So that in Christ Jesus, the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Father as

we watch Paul wield the word of God from Deuteronomy and Habakkuk and Leviticus and Deuteronomy show us what he's accomplishing here in teaching us how not to be of works of the law or to seek to be justified by the law. Oh God, free us from this and grant us to walk instead by faith and thus prove to be righteous by faith and thus live. Pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. His first verse here shows that he's arguing for why it is those who are of faith who are blessed along with Abraham or those who are of faith who are the sons of Abraham. They are the ones who are justified. So only those who are justified by faith are the children of Abraham and inherit the blessing of salvation. Because, as many as choose the opposite, not faith but works, are under a curse. So he makes it as bleak as possible. It's not just that trying to work your way to heaven leaves you out, it puts you under.

a positive curse so to be of works here what is what is that here they are in chapter 4: 211. Tell me you who desire to be under the law, those are the people who are of Works. They want to make the basis of their standing with God law keeping. And here's the problem with that. He says over in chapter 5, I testify again to everyone who accepts circumcision, now that accept circumcision means choose to be a law keeper as a way of getting right with God. If you accept what the false teachers are saying, namely you must be circumcised, then you are obligated to keep the whole law. Same thing over in James, Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. The law. If you want to go with law keeping as a way of getting right with God, it's all or nothing. If you want to make performance righteousness, deed righteousness the ground of your acceptance with God, the Deeds must be

complete and perfect. And so, he argues here, the reason you're under a curse is because it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not abide in all things written in the law, the book of the law, so as to do them. And nobody does. Verse 11, now it is evident, plain, you should have seen it, though you're bewitched and have become blind to plain things. Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law. If you want a way out of this curse, it is not going to be by reestablishing law-keeping. I mean, if you've already dug yourself a hole and a thousand times you have fallen short of the law in your life and now you're going to try to make it to Heaven, this is not the way you can make it. Both Bible and experience have taught us this. Why can't efforts to keep the law save us? Because Habakkuk 2:4 says, The righteous shall live by faith. Now there's a lot of argument about whether in the original context that's

faithfulness and that's live your life on Earth. I think Paul would see that and say I am pushing through those possibilities and realizing that the only faithfulness that counts with God is the kind that has faith in God's promises at the bottom of it. And the only kind of righteousness that God will accept is a righteousness that is through such faith. And if such faith has brought a person into the experience of such uh right standing with God, then that person will live and not just live a life on Earth, but will live in that righteousness forever. I think Paul would simply say I'm pushing down into the essential meaning of those three words, and what I see there is righteousness must be a righteousness through faith, and that will produce justification, and with justification eternal life. That's the argument, and the negative half of the argument is but law, lawke keeping those who are of works of the law, those people are not of Faith. The law is not of Faith, which means it

comes under the ban of habc 2:4. They're not going to live because the law is not of Faith. Now I know that we have said several times, for example in 2:19, that it is the law itself that taught that you can't be saved by law keeping, that's true. So Paul is beginning to make some distinctions here when he uses the word law here. He doesn't mean that Genesis 15:6, which is in the law in the larger sense, doesn't teach Faith. Genesis 15:6 says that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6 is of Faith. So when he uses the word law here, he's clearly thinking in terms of the law in its narrower sense of demanding obedience, perfect obedience. And if you want to put the footing of your life on that narrow conception of The Commandments of the law and perform them in order to get right with God, then you can't do it. It's not a faith. And if you don't

have faith. You're not going to live. You won't enjoy this righteousness. Rather, the alternative to this statement is Leviticus. The one who does them shall live by them. The law in its larger sense clearly provides pointers to justification by faith. That's the way Paul's been arguing in this letter so far. Abraham is described in the law, that is, in the first five books of Moses, but he's going to talk in just a few verses about the law came in 430 years later than the promise made to Abraham. And so he's using law in at least these two senses: law in its larger sense of how the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, taught, and law in the narrower sense of the commandments that if you choose to live by them will only bring a curse. So we're left with the question: having made clear here that there is no way out of this curse by law-keeping, how did we get out? And that's what this text is about next. [Music]

The Law-Path to God Is Cursed: Galatians 3:10–14, Part 1

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The Significance of Faith Over the Law in Galatians 3:10-14

Paul emphasizes the curse of relying on the law for justification, highlighting the importance of faith for righteousness.

By referencing Old Testament scriptures, he explains how Christ's redemption has brought the blessing of Abraham to the Gentiles through faith.

Paul argues that only through faith can one be justified and receive the promised Spirit, contrasting the curse of relying on works for salvation.

The Futility of Law-Keeping for Salvation

Trying to gain acceptance with God through law-keeping is futile, as it requires perfect adherence to the entire law.

The curse of failing to uphold the law makes it impossible to achieve righteousness through deeds.

The futility of law-keeping is evident, as the only path to justification before God is through faith, not by trying to fulfill the law.

Interpreting Paul's View on Faith and Righteousness

Paul emphasizes the importance of faith in God's promises for righteousness and eternal life.

He argues that faith, not the works of the law, is the key to justification and living in righteousness forever.

Paul makes a distinction between the broader sense of the law, which includes faith, and the narrower sense that focuses on demanding perfect obedience, stating that the latter cannot bring a person into right standing with God.

The law in the Bible is seen in a larger sense of teaching from the first five books of Moses, as well as in a narrower sense of commandments that bring a curse if followed.

Paul's argument in the text emphasizes justification by faith, using Abraham as an example.

The passage explores the inability to escape the curse through law-keeping and the alternative of faith for justification.