Galatians 2:11-19 NASB But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. Paul here is speaking directly to an attitude. This section of his letter to the Galatians is often quoted in support of dismissing the Law. Paul is simply saying that if his listeners are keeping the Law as a mandatory obligation then it is a pointless endeavor. Yet, without the Law, we never would have recognized our need of a Savior. He does not dismiss the significance of the Law, but the necessity of working for grace. It is only through Jesus Christ that we are justified. It does not mean that we throuw out the Law. We must understand it, from the Jews point if view it was clearly an issue of confusion to those of the circumcision who were trying to impose that right upon the new gentile Chrisitians. The circumscision was indeed no longer a necessary requirement. Circumcision is not found in the Ten Commandment law, but the Law of Moses. Civil and moral and ceremonial laws must be distinguished. They were important in the understanding of salvation and expressing the sacrifice necessary for sin, but they were not meant to extend past the point at which Jesus would fulfill them. Those laws of ceremony and civil function were indeed nailed to the cross. The Ten Commandment law must distinguished apart and Paul does in his further explanation of this issue..Not looking for conflict with this statement just my right to post truth in the face of error.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 14:37:16 +0000
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