Galatians 3:22-24
law I. The law of Moses, Summary:- (1) The Mosaic Covenant was given to Israel in three parts: the commandments, expressing the righteous will of God Exodus 20:1-26, the "judgments," governing the social life of Israel Exodus 21:1-24:11, and the "ordinances," governing the religious life of Israel ; Exodus 24:12; 31:18.
- (2) The commandments and ordinances were one complete and inseparable whole. When an Israelite sinned, he was held "blameless" if he brought the required offering Luke 1:6; Philippians 3:6.
- (3) Law, as a method of the divine dealing with man, characterized the dispensation extending from the giving of the law to the death of Jesus Christ Galatians 3:13,14,23,24.
- (4) The attempt of legalistic teachers (e.g.) Acts 15:1-31; Galatians 2:1-5, to mingle law with grace as the divine method for this present dispensation of grace, brought out the true relation of the law to the Christian, viz.
- (1) Law is in contrast with grace. Under the latter God bestows the righteousness which, under law, He demanded Exodus 19:5; John 1:17. (See Scofield "Romans 3:21"). ; Romans 10:3-10; 1 Corinthians 1:30.
- (2) The law is, in itself, holy, just, good, and spiritual Romans 7:12-14.
- (3) Before the law the whole world is guilty, and the law is therefore of necessity a ministry of condemnation, death, and the divine curse Romans 3:19; 2 Corinthians 3:7-9; Galatians 3:10.
- (4) Christ bore the curse of the law, and redeemed the believer both from the curse and from the dominion of the law Galatians 3:13; 4:5-7.
- (5) Law neither justifies a sinner nor sanctifies a believer Galatians 2:16; 3:2,3,11,12.
- (6) The believer is both dead to the law and redeemed from it, so that he is "not under the law, but under grace" Romans 6:14; 7:4; Galatians 2:19; 4:4-7; 1 Timothy 1:8,9.
- (7) Under the new covenant of grace the principle of obedience to the divine will is inwrought Hebrews 10:6. So far is the life of the believer from the anarchy of self-will that he is "inlawed to Christ" 1 Corinthians 9:21 and the new "law of Christ" ; Galatians 6:2; 2 John 1:5 is his delight; while, through the indwelling Spirit, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in him ; Romans 8:2-4; Galatians 5:16-18. The commandments are used in the distinctively Christian Scriptures as an instruction in righteousness ; 2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 13:8-10; Ephesians 6:1-3; 1 Corinthians 9:8,9.
Copyright information for
Scofield