Pastor’s corner

Faith or Works?

The New Testament book of Galatians is a treatise that explains the difference between living by Mosaic Law or living by Grace as taught by Jesus Christ and the apostles. The apostle Paul explained the grace gospel to the rough mountain people of Galatia and many of them believed in Christ as their Savior. They started learning how to live daily by grace under Paul’s teaching. It did not take long for the enemies of grace, those who lived by the Mosaic Law, to arrive in Galatia and distort the teaching of Paul and the message of grace. This was a crisis situation and Paul addressed it!

Paul taught that eternal life was gained at the moment a person stops working for their salvation, promoting their own goodness, or trying to earn credits with God, and simply believes in Christ who paid for their personal sins on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). Once a person has gained eternal life he does not need to return to keeping the Mosaic Law to maintain his salvation or spirituality.

Grace and Law do not mix. Under grace one is spiritual when they are filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) but under Mosaic Law spirituality was noted through believing the promises of God, rituals, sacrifices, and feast days. Under grace the Holy Spirit produces the fruits of the Spirit in one’s life; love, joy, peace, long-suffering, patience, self control, etc. Under Law a person has to work, sacrifice, and obey codes of conduct but only a few attained the empowerment of the Spirit in the Old Testament.

Note Paul’s words in chapter 3:1 “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?” The bewitching means to give someone the evil eye or hypnotize them.

The Law keepers hypnotized the Galatian Christians with their legalism or spirituality by works or keeping the Law.

The problem is that the Law can never bring us into favor with God.

It makes demands but does not have the power to fulfill, satisfy or complete a person.

On the other hand, Grace sets aside the Law because these things are fulfilled through Christ.

Put another way, Grace is free to give us what we cannot earn, deserve or get from the Law.

Grace can give what the Law can never give us: relationship with God in time and in eternity.

Grace can only be appropriated by faith.

Earning or deserving God’s favor for salvation and spirituality can never be gained.

Note the next phrase, “crucified among you” which means Christ was crucified in the past with the result that He provides salvation forever for those who believe. So they were saved by His crucifixion, not by the Mosaic Law. Crucifixion stands out in contrast to the Law. It wasn’t the Law that died for them; rather it was the Law that killed them spiritually for it made mankind aware that he cannot work hard or long enough to equal Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We enter into Christ’s sacrifice by faith at a point in time without working for it. That’s Grace!

Paul’s second question is in chapter 3:2, “This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” The principle of Grace is illustrated by the Holy Spirit in verses 2-5. Did they receive the permanent indwelling of the Spirit by works through the Law or by hearing with faith? The obvious answer is by hearing with faith. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer and this happens at the moment of salvation. They did not keep the Mosaic Law in the past to get the Holy Spirit so why start now?

Paul’s question in chapter 3:3 regards the filling of the Spirit. It did not come by working for it but rather by faith in Christ at one point in time. “Are you now being perfected by the flesh?” So they had a good beginning in the [sphere of the] Spirit,” but they rejected it by returning to keeping the Law (works of the flesh). If we sin we are to confess our sins to God the Father (1 John 1:9) and He applies it to the cross then refills us with the Spirit. Paul in Romans 8 says that they that are “in the flesh cannot please God.” Those who follow any works system as believers cannot please God.

In closing, spiritually born again Christians are saved by faith and God’s Grace. They are spiritual by means of the filling of the Spirit which is God’s work in us. There is no need to return to the Mosaic Law for salvation or spirituality.

Ron McMurray,

Sheriff’s Chaplain