Galatians 3

The papists invented their own doctrine offaith. They say charity creates and adorns their faith. By stripping Christ ofour sins, by making Him sinless, they cast our sins back at us, and make Christabsolutely worthless to us. What sort of charity is this? If that is a sample oftheir vaunted charity we want none of it.

Our merciful Father in heaven saw how the Lawoppressed us and how impossible it was for us to get out from under the curse ofthe Law. He therefore sent His only Son into the world and said to Him:"You are now Peter, the liar; Paul, the persecutor; David, the adulterer;Adam, the disobedient; the thief on the cross. You, My Son, must pay the world's iniquity." The Law growls: "All right. IfYour Son is taking the sin of the world, I see no sins anywhere else but in Him.He shall die on the Cross." And the Law kills Christ. But we go free.

The argument of the Apostle against therighteousness of the Law is impregnable. If Christ bears our sins, we do notbear them. But if Christ is innocent of our sins and does not bear them, we mustbear them, and we shall die in our sins. "But thanks be to God, whichgiveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Let us see how Christ was able to gain thevictory over our enemies. The sins of the whole world, past, present, andfuture, fastened themselves upon Christ and condemned Him. But because Christ isGod He had an everlasting and unconquerable righteousness. These two, the sin ofthe world and the righteousness of God, met in a death struggle. Furiously thesin of the world assailed the righteousness of God. Righteousness is immortaland invincible. On the other hand, sin is a mighty tyrant who subdues all men.This tyrant pounces on Christ. But Christ's righteousness is unconquerable. Theresult is inevitable. Sin is defeated and righteousness triumphs and reignsforever.

In the same manner was death defeated. Deathis emperor of the world. He strikes down kings, princes, all men. He has an ideato destroy all life. But Christ has immortal life, and life immortal gained thevictory over death. Through Christ death has lost her sting. Christ is the Deathof death.

The curse of God waged a similar battle withthe eternal mercy of God in Christ. The curse meant to condemn God's mercy. Butit could not do it because the mercy of God is everlasting. The curse had togive way. If the mercy of God in Christ had lost out, God Himself would havelost out, which, of course, is impossible.

"Christ," says Paul, "spoiled principalities and powers, He madea show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Col. 2:15.) They cannot harm those who hide in Christ. Sin, death, thewrath of God, hell, the devil are mortified in Christ. Where Christ is near thepowers of evil must keep their distance. St. John says: "And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." (I John 5:4.)

You may now perceive why it is imperative tobelieve and confess the divinity of Christ. To overcome the sin of a wholeworld, and death, and the wrath of God was no work for any creature. The powerof sin and death could be broken only by a greater power. God alone couldabolish sin, destroy death, and take away the curse of the Law. God alone couldbring righteousness, life, and mercy to light. In attributing these achievementsto Christ the Scriptures pronounce Christ to be God forever. The article ofjustification is indeed fundamental. If we remain sound in this one article, weremain sound in all the other articles of the Christian faith. When we teachjustification by faith in Christ we confess at the same time that Christ is God.

I cannot get over the blindness of the Pope'stheologians. To imagine that the mighty forces of sin, death, and the curse canbe vanquished by the righteousness of man's paltry works, by fasting,pilgrimages, masses, vows, and such gewgaws. These blind leaders of the blindturn the poor people over to the mercy of sin, death, and the devil. What chancehas a defenseless human creature against these powers of darkness? They trainsinners who are ten times worse than any thief, whore, murderer. The divinepower of God alone can destroy sin and death, and create righteousness and life.

When we hear that Christ was made a curse forus, let us believe it with joy and assurance. By faith Christ changes placeswith us. He gets our sins, we get His holiness.

By faith alone can we become righteous, forfaith invests us with the sinlessness of Christ. The more fully we believe this, the fuller will be our joy. If you believe that sin, death, and the curseare void, why, they are null, zero. Whenever sin and death make you nervouswrite it down as an illusion of the devil. There is no sin now, no curse, nodeath, no devil because Christ has done away with them. This fact is sure. Thereis nothing wrong with the fact. The defect lies in our lack of faith.

In the Apostolic Creed we confess: "Ibelieve in the holy Christian Church." That means, I believe that there isno sin, no curse, no evil in the Church of God. Faith says: "I believethat." But if you want to believe your eyes you will find many shortcomingsand offenses in the members of the holy Church. You see them succumb totemptation, you see them weak in faith, you see them giving way to anger, envy,and other evil dispositions. "How can the Church be holy?" you ask. Itis with the Christian Church as it is with the individual Christian. If Iexamine myself I find enough unholiness to shock me. But when I look at Christin me I find that I am altogether holy. And so it is with the Church.

Holy Writ does not say that Christ was underthe curse. It says directly that Christ was made a curse. In II Corinthians 5:21Paul writes: "For he (God) hath made him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that wemight be made the righteousness of God in him." Although this and similar passages may be properly explained by sayingthat Christ was made a sacrifice for the curse and for sin, yet in my judgmentit is better to leave these passages stand as they read: Christ was made sinitself; Christ was made the curse itself. When a sinner gets wise to himself hedoes not only feel miserable, he feels like misery personified; he does not onlyfeel like a sinner, he feels like sin itself.

To finish with this verse: All evils wouldhave overwhelmed us, as they shall overwhelm the unbelievers forever, if Christhad not become the great transgressor and guilty bearer of all our sins. Thesins of the world got Him down for a moment. They came around Him like water. OfChrist, the Old Testament Prophet complained: "Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off." (Psalm 88:16.) By Christ's salvation we have been delivered from theterrors of God to a life of eternal felicity.

VERSE 14.Thatthe blessing of Abraham might come, on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.

Paul always keeps this text before him:"In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Theblessing promised unto Abraham could come upon the Gentiles only by Christ, theseed of Abraham. To become a blessing unto all nations Christ had to be made acurse to take away the curse from the nations of the earth. The merit that weplead, and the work that we proffer is Christ who was made a curse for us.

Let us become expert in the art oftransferring our sins, our death, and every evil from ourselves to Christ; andChrist's righteousness and blessing from Christ to ourselves.

VERSE 14.Thatwe might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

"The promise of the Spirit" isHebrew for "the promised Spirit." The Spirit spells freedom from theLaw, sin, death, the curse, hell, and the judgment of God. No merits arementioned in connection with this promise of the Spirit and all the blessingsthat go with Him. This Spirit of many blessings is received by faith alone.Faith alone builds on the promises of God, as Paul says in this verse.

Long ago the prophets visualized the happychanges Christ would effect in all things. Despite the fact that the Jews hadthe Law of God they never ceased to look longingly for Christ. After Moses noprophet or king added a single law to the Book. Any changes or additions weredeferred to the time of Christ's coming. Moses told the people: "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shallhearken." (Deut. 18:15.)

God's people of old felt that the Law ofMoses could not be improved upon until the Messiah would bring better thingsthan the Law, i.e., grace and remission of sins.

VERSE 15.Brethren,I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it beconfirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

After the preceding, well-taken argument,Paul offers another based on the similarity between a man's testament and God'stestament. A man's testament seems too weak a premise for the Apostle to arguefrom in confirmation of so important a matter as justification. We ought toprove earthly things by heavenly things, and not heavenly things by earthlythings. But where the earthly thing is an ordinance of God we may use it toprove divine matters. In Matthew 7:11 Christ Himself argued from earthly toheavenly things when He said: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children; how muchmore shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"

To come to Paul's argument. Civil law, whichis God's ordinance, prohibits tampering with any testament of man. Any person'slast will and testament must be respected. Paul asks: "Why is it that man'slast will is scrupulously respected and not God's testament? You would not thinkof breaking faith with a man's testament. Why do you not keep faith with God'stestament?"

The Apostle says that he is speaking afterthe manner of men. He means to say: "I will give you an illustration fromthe customs of men. If a man's last will is respected. and it is, how much moreought the testament of God be honored: 'In thy seed shall all the nations of theearth be blessed.' When Christ died, this testament was sealed by His blood.After His death the testament was opened, it was published to the nations. No man ought to alter God's testament as the falseapostles do who substitute the Law and traditions of men for the testament ofGod."

As the false prophets tampered with God'stestament in the days of Paul, so many do in our day. They will observe humanlaws punctiliously, but the laws of God they transgress without the flicker ofan eyelid. But the time will come when they will find out that it is no joke topervert the testament of God.

VERSE 16.Nowto Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, asof many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

The word testament is another name for thepromise that God made unto Abraham concerning Christ. A testament is not a law,but an inheritance. Heirs do not look for laws and assessments when they open alast will; they look for grants and favors. The testament which God made out toAbraham did not contain laws. It contained promises of great spiritualblessings.

The promises were made in view of Christ, inone seed, not in many seeds. The Jews will not accept this interpretation. Theyinsist that the singular "seed" is put for the plural"seeds." We prefer the interpretation of Paul, who makes a fine casefor Christ and for us out of the singular "seed," and is after allinspired to do so by the Holy Ghost.

VERSE 17.Andthis I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, thelaw which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that itshould make the promise of none effect.

The Jews assert that God was not satisfiedwith His promises, but after four hundred and thirty years He gave the Law."God," they say, "must have mistrusted His own promises, andconsidered them inadequate for salvation . Therefore He added to His promises something better, the Law. The Law,"they say, "canceled the promises."

Paul answers: "The Law was given fourhundred and thirty years after the promise was made to Abraham. The Law couldnot cancel the promise because the promise was the testament of God, confirmedby God in Christ many years before the Law. What God has once promised He doesnot take back. Every promise of God is a ratified promise."

Why was the Law added to the promise? Not toserve as a medium by which the promise might be obtained. The Law was added forthese reasons: That there might be in the world a special people, rigidlycontrolled by the Law, a people out of which Christ should be born in due time;and that men burdened by many laws might sigh and long for Him, their Redeemer,the seed of Abraham. Even the ceremonies prescribed by the Law foreshadowedChrist. Therefore the Law was never meant to cancel the promise of God. The Lawwas meant to confirm the promise until the time should come when God would openHis testament in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God did well in giving the promise so manyyears before the Law, that it may never be said that righteousness is grantedthrough the Law and not through the promise. If God had meant for us to bejustified by the Law, He would have given the Law four hundred and thirty yearsbefore the promise, at least He would have given the Law at the same time Hegave the promise. But He never breathed a word about the Law until four hundredyears after. The promise is therefore better than the Law. The Law does notcancel the promise, but faith in the promised Christ cancels the Law.

The Apostle is careful to mention the exactnumber of four hundred and thirty years. The wide divergence in the time betweenthe promise and the Law helps to clinch Paul's argument that righteousness is not obtained by the Law.

Let me illustrate. A man of great wealthadopts a strange lad for his son. Remember, he does not owe the lad anything. Indue time he appoints the lad heir to his entire fortune. Several years later theold man asks the lad to do something for him. And the young lad does it. Can thelad then go around and say that he deserved the inheritance by his obedience tothe old man's request ? How can anybody say that righteousness is obtained byobedience to the Law when the Law was given four hundred and thirty years afterGod's promise of the blessing?

One thing is certain, Abraham was neverjustified by the Law, for the simple reason that the Law was not in his day. Ifthe Law was non-existent how could Abraham obtain righteousness by the Law?Abraham had nothing else to go by but the promise. This promise he believed andthat was counted unto him for righteousness. If the father obtainedrighteousness through faith, the children get it the same way.

We use the argument of time also. We say oursins were taken away by the death of Christ fifteen hundred years ago, longbefore there were any religious orders, canons, or rules of penance, merits,etc. What did people do about their sins before these new inventions werehatched up?

Paul finds his arguments for therighteousness of faith everywhere. Even the element of time serves to build hiscase against the false apostles. Let us fortify our conscience with similararguments. They help us in the trials of our faith. They turn our attention fromthe Law to the promises, from sin to righteousness; from death to life.

It is not for nothing that Paul bears down onthis argument. He foresaw this confusion of the promise and the Law creepinginto the Church. Accustom yourself to separate Law and Gospel even in regard totime. When the Law comes to pay your conscience a visit, say: "Mister Law, you cometoo soon. The four hundred and thirty years aren't up yet. When they are up, youcome again. Won't you ?"

VERSE 18.Forif the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise.

In Romans 4:14, the Apostle writes: "For if they which are made of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and thepromise made of none effect." It cannot be otherwise. That the Law is something entirely different fromthe promise is plain. The Law thunders: "Thou shalt, thou shalt not."The promise of the "seed" pleads: "Take this gift of God."If the inheritance of the gifts of God were obtained by the Law, God would be aliar. We would have the right to ask Him: "Why did you make this promise inthe first place: 'In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed'?Why did you not say: 'In thy works thou shalt be blessed'?"

VERSE 18.ButGod gave it to Abraham by promise.

So much is certain, before the Law everexisted, God gave Abraham the inheritance or blessing by the promise. In otherwords, God granted unto Abraham remission of sins, righteousness, salvation, andeverlasting life. And not only to Abraham but to all believers, because Godsaid: "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Theblessing was given unconditionally. The Law had no chance to butt in becauseMoses was not yet born. "How then can you say that righteousness isobtained by the Law?"

The Apostle now goes to work to explain theprovince and purpose of the Law.

VERSE 19.Whereforethen serveth the law?

The question naturally arises: If the Law wasnot given for righteousness or salvation, why was it given? Why did God give theLaw in the first place if it cannot justify a person?

The Jews believed if they kept the Law they would be saved. When they heard thatthe Gospel proclaimed a Christ who had come into the world to save sinners andnot the righteous; when they heard that sinners were to enter the kingdom ofheaven before the righteous, the Jews were very much put out. They murmured:"These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us,which have borne the burden and heat of the day." (Matthew 20:12.) They complained that the heathen who at one time hadbeen worshipers of idols obtained grace without the drudgery of the Law that wastheirs.

Today we hear the same complaints. "Whatwas the use of our having lived in a cloister, twenty, thirty, forty years; whatwas the sense of having vowed chastity, poverty, obedience; what good are allthe masses and canonical hours that we read; what profit is there in fasting,praying, etc., if any man or woman, any beggar or scour woman is to be madeequal to us, or even be considered more acceptable unto God than we?"

Reason takes offense at the statement ofPaul: "The law was added because of transgressions." People say thatPaul abrogated the Law, that he is a radical, that he blasphemed God when hesaid that. People say: "We might as well live like wild people if the Lawdoes not count. Let us abound in sin that grace may abound. Let us do evil thatgood may come of it."

What are we to do? Such scoffing distressesus, but we cannot stop it. Christ Himself was accused of being a blasphemer andrebel. Paul and all the other apostles were told the same things. Let thescoffers slander us, let them spare us not. But we must not on their accountkeep silent. We must speak frankly in order that afflicted consciences may findsurcease. Neither are we to pay any attention to the foolish and ungodly peoplefor abusing our doctrine. They are the kind that would scoff, Law or no Law. Ourfirst consideration must be the comfort of troubled consciences, that they may not perish with the multitudes.

When he saw that some were offended at hisdoctrine, while others found in it encouragement to live after the flesh, Paulcomforted himself with the thought that it was his duty to preach the Gospel tothe elect of God, and that for their sake he must endure all things. Like Paulwe also do all these things for the sake of God's elect. As for the scoffers andskeptics, I am so disgusted with them that in all my life I would not open mymouth for them once. I wish that they were back there where they belong underthe iron heel of the Pope.

People foolish but wise in their conceitsjump to the conclusion: If the Law does not justify, it is good for nothing. Howabout that? Because money does not justify, would you say that money is good fornothing? Because the eyes do not justify, would you have them taken out? Becausethe Law does not justify it does not follow that the Law is without value. Wemust find and define the proper purpose of the Law. We do not offhand condemnthe Law because we say it does not justify.

We say with Paul that the Law is good if itis used properly. Within its proper sphere the Law is an excellent thing. But ifwe ascribe to the Law functions for which it was never intended, we pervert notonly the Law but also the Gospel.

It is the universal impression thatrighteousness is obtained through the deeds of the Law. This impression isinstinctive and therefore doubly dangerous. Gross sins and vices may berecognized or else repressed by the threat of punishment. But this sin, thisopinion of man's own righteousness refuses to be classified as sin. It wants tobe esteemed as high-class religion. Hence, it constitutes the mighty influenceof the devil over the entire world. In order to point out the true office of theLaw, and thus to stamp out that false impression of the righteousness of the Law, Paul answers the question: "Wherefore then serveth the Law?"with the words:

VERSE 19.Itwas added because of transgressions.

All things differ. Let everything serve itsunique purpose. Let the sun shine by day, the moon and the stars by night. Letthe sea furnish fish, the earth grain, the woods trees, etc. Let the Law alsoserve its unique purpose. It must not step out of character and take the placeof anything else. What is the function of the Law? "Transgression,"answers the Apostle.

The Twofold Purpose of the Law

The Law has a twofold purpose. One purpose iscivil. God has ordained civil laws to punish crime. Every law is given torestrain sin. Does it not then make men righteous? No. In refraining frommurder, adultery, theft, or other sins, I do so under compulsion because I fearthe jail, the noose, the electric chair. These restrain me as iron bars restraina lion and a bear. Otherwise they would tear everything to pieces. Such forcefulrestraint cannot be regarded as righteousness, rather as an indication ofunrighteousness. As a wild beast is tied to keep it from running amuck, so theLaw bridles mad and furious man to keep him from running wild. The need forrestraint shows plainly enough that those who need the Law are not righteous,but wicked men who are fit to be tied. No, the Law does not justify.

The first purpose of the Law, accordingly, isto restrain the wicked. The devil gets people into all kinds of scrapes.Therefore God instituted governments, parents, laws, restrictions, and civilordinances. At least they help to tie the devil's hands so that he does not rageup and down the earth. This civil restraint by the Law is intended by God forthe preservation of all things, particularly for the good of the Gospel that itshould not be hindered too much by the tumult of the wicked. But Paul is not nowtreating of this civil use and function of the Law.

The second purpose of the Law is spiritual and divine. Paul describes thisspiritual purpose of the Law in the words, "Because oftransgressions," i.e., to reveal to a person his sin, blindness, misery,his ignorance, hatred, and contempt of God, his death, hell, and condemnation.

This is the principal purpose of the Law andits most valuable contribution. As long as a person is not a murderer,adulterer, thief, he would swear that he is righteous. How is God going tohumble such a person except by the Law? The Law is the hammer of death, thethunder of hell, and the lightning of God's wrath to bring down the proud andshameless hypocrites. When the Law was instituted on Mount Sinai it wasaccompanied by lightning, by storms, by the sound of trumpets, to tear to piecesthat monster called self-righteousness. As long as a person thinks he is righthe is going to be incomprehensibly proud and presumptuous. He is going to hateGod, despise His grace and mercy, and ignore the promises in Christ. The Gospelof the free forgiveness of sins through Christ will never appeal to theself-righteous.

This monster of self-righteousness, thisstiff-necked beast, needs a big axe. And that is what the Law is, a big axe.Accordingly, the proper use and function of the Law is to threaten until theconscience is scared stiff.

The awful spectacle at Mount Sinai portrayedthe proper use of the Law. When the children of Israel came out of Egypt afeeling of singular holiness possessed them. They boasted: "We are the people of God. All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." (Ex. 19:8) This feeling of holiness was heightened when Moses orderedthem to wash their clothes, to refrain from their wives, and to preparethemselves all around. The third day came and Moses led the people out of theirtents to the foot of the mountain into the presence of the Lord. What happened?When the children of Israel saw the whole mountain burning and smoking, theblack clouds rent by fierce lightning flashing up and down in the inky darkness,when they heard the sound of the trumpet blowing louder and longer, shattered by the roll ofthunder, they were so frightened that they begged Moses: "Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest wedie." (Ex. 20:19.) I ask you, what good did their scrubbing, their snow-whiteclothes, and their continence do them? No good at all. Not a single one couldstand in the presence of the glorious Lord. Stricken by the terror of God, theyfled back into their tents, as if the devil were after them.

The Law is meant to produce the same effecttoday which it produced at Mount Sinai long ago. I want to encourage all whofear God, especially those who intend to become ministers of the Gospel, tolearn from the Apostle the proper use of the Law. I fear that after our time theright handling of the Law will become a lost art. Even now, although wecontinually explain the separate functions of the Law and the Gospel, we havethose among us who do not understand how the Law should be used. What will it belike when we are dead and gone?

We want it understood that we do not rejectthe Law as our opponents claim. On the contrary, we uphold the Law. We say theLaw is good if it is used for the purposes for which it was designed, to checkcivil transgression, and to magnify spiritual transgressions. The Law is also alight like the Gospel. But instead of revealing the grace of God, righteousness,and life, the Law brings sin, death, and the wrath of God to light. This is thebusiness of the Law, and here the business of the Law ends, and should go nofurther.

The business of the Gospel, on the otherhand, is to quicken, to comfort, to raise the fallen. The Gospel carries thenews that God for Christ's sake is merciful to the most unworthy sinners, ifthey will only believe that Christ by His death has delivered them from sin andeverlasting death unto grace, forgiveness, and everlasting life. By keeping inmind the difference between the Law and the Gospel we let each perform itsspecial task. Of this difference between the Law and the Gospel nothing can be discovered in the writings of themonks or scholastics, nor for that matter in the writings of the ancientfathers. Augustine understood thedifference somewhat. Jerome and othersknew nothing of it. The silence in the Church concerning the difference betweenthe Law and the Gospel has resulted in untold harm. Unless a sharp distinctionis maintained between the purpose and function of the Law and the Gospel, theChristian doctrine cannot be kept free from error.

VERSE 19.Itwas added because of transgressions.

In other words, that transgressions might berecognized as such and thus increased. When sin, death, and the wrath of God arerevealed to a person by the Law, he grows impatient, complains against God, andrebels. Before that he was a very holy man; he worshipped and praised God; hebowed his knees before God and gave thanks, like the Pharisee. But now that sinand death are revealed to him by the Law he wishes there were no God. The Lawinspires hatred of God. Thus sin is not only revealed by the Law; sin isactually increased and magnified by the Law.

The Law is a mirror to show a person what heis like, a sinner who is guilty of death, and worthy of everlasting punishment.What is this bruising and beating by the hand of the Law to accomplish? This,that we may find the way to grace. The Law is an usher to lead the way to grace.God is the God of the humble, the miserable, the afflicted. It is His nature toexalt the humble, to comfort the sorrowing, to heal the broken-hearted, tojustify the sinners, and to save the condemned. The fatuous idea that a personcan be holy by himself denies God the pleasure of saving sinners. God musttherefore first take the sledge-hammer of the Law in His fists and smash thebeast of self-righteousness and its brood of self-confidence, self-wisdom,self-righteousness, and self-help. When the conscience has been thoroughlyfrightened by the Law it welcomes the Gospel of grace with its message of a Savior who came into theworld, not to break the bruised reed, nor to quench the smoking flax, but topreach glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, and to grantforgiveness of sins to all the captives.

Man's folly, however, is so prodigious thatinstead of embracing the message of grace with its guarantee of the forgivenessof sin for Christ's sake, man finds himself more laws to satisfy his conscience."If I live," says he, "I will mend my life. I will do this, Iwill do that." Man, if you don't do the very opposite, if you don't sendMoses with the Law back to Mount Sinai and take the hand of Christ, pierced foryour sins, you will never be saved.

When the Law drives you to the point ofdespair, let it drive you a little farther, let it drive you straight into thearms of Jesus who says: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavyladen, and I will give you rest."

VERSE 19.Tillthe seed should come to whom the promise was made.

The Law is not to have its say indefinitely.We must know how long the Law is to put in its licks. If it hammers away toolong, no person would and could be saved. The Law has a boundary beyond which itmust not go. How long ought the Law to hold sway? "Till the seed shouldcome to whom the promise was made."

That may be taken literally to mean until thetime of the Gospel. "From the days of John the Baptist," says Jesus, "until now thekingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For allthe prophets and the law prophesied until John."(Matthew 11:12, 13.) When Christ came the Law and the ceremonies of Mosesceased.

Spiritually, it means that the Law is not tooperate on a person after he has been humbled and frightened by the exposure ofhis sins and the wrath of God. We must then say to the Law: "Mister Law,lay off him. He has had enough. You scared him good and proper." Now it isthe Gospel's turn. Now let Christ with His gracious lips talk to him of betterthings, grace, peace, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life.

VERSE 19.Andit was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

The Apostle digresses a little from hisimmediate theme. Something occurred to him and he throws it in by the way. Itoccurred to him that the Law differs from the Gospel in another respect, inrespect to authorship. The Law was delivered by the angels, but the Gospel bythe Lord Himself. Hence, the Gospel is superior to the Law, as the word of alord is superior to the word of his servant.

The Law was handed down by a being eveninferior to the angels, by a middleman named Moses. Paul wants us to understandthat Christ is the mediator of a better testament than mediator Moses of theLaw. Moses led the people out of their tents to meet God. But they ran away.That is how good a mediator Moses was.

Paul says: "How can the Law justify whenthat whole sanctified people of Israel and even mediator Moses trembled at thevoice of God? What kind of righteousness do you call that when people run awayfrom it and hate it the worst way? If the Law could justify, people would lovethe Law. But look at the children of Israel running away from it."

The flight of the children of Israel fromMount Sinai indicates how people feel about the Law. They don't like it. If thiswere the only argument to prove that salvation is not by the Law, this one Biblehistory would do the work. What kind of righteousness is this law-righteousnesswhen at the commencement exercises of the Law Moses and the scrubbed people runaway from it so fast that an iron mountain, the Red Sea even, could not havestopped them until they were back in Egypt once again? If they could not hearthe Law, how could they ever hope to perform the Law?

If all the world had stood at the mountain, all the world would have hated theLaw and fled from it as the children of Israel did. The whole world is an enemyof the Law. How, then, can anyone be justified by the Law when everybody hatesthe Law and its divine author?

All this goes to show how little thescholastics know about the Law. They do not consider its spiritual effect andpurpose, which is not to justify or to pacify afflicted consciences, but toincrease sin, to terrify the conscience, and to produce wrath. In theirignorance the papists spout about man's good will and right judgment, and man'scapacity to perform the Law of God. Ask the people of Israel who were present atthe presentation of the Law on Mount Sinai whether what the scholastics say istrue. Ask David, who often complains in the Psalms that he was cast away fromGod and in hell, that he was frantic about his sin, and sick at the thought ofthe wrath and judgment of God. No, the Law does not justify

VERSE 20.Nowa mediator is not a mediator of one.

Here the Apostle briefly compares the twomediators: Moses and Christ. "A mediator," says Paul, "is not amediator of one." He is necessarily a mediator of two: The offender and theoffended. Moses was such a mediator between the Law and the people who wereoffended at the Law. They were offended at the Law because they did notunderstand its purpose. That was the veil which Moses put over his face. Thepeople were also offended at the Law because they could not look at the bareface of Moses. It shone with the glory of God. When Moses addressed the peoplehe had to cover his face with that veil of his. They could not listen to theirmediator Moses without another mediator, the veil. The Law had to change itsface and voice. In other words, the Law had to be made tolerable to the people.

Thus covered, the Law no longer spoke to thepeople in its undisguised majesty. It became more tolerable to the conscience. This explains why men fail to understand the Law properly, withthe result that they become secure and presumptuous hypocrites. One of twothings has to be done: Either the Law must be covered with a veil and then itloses its full effectiveness, or it must be unveiled and then the full blast ofits force kills. Man cannot stand the Law without a veil over it. Hence, we areforced either to look beyond the Law to Christ, or we go through life asshameless hypocrites and secure sinners.

Paul says: "A mediator is not a mediatorof one." Moses could not be a mediator of God only, for God needs nomediator. Again, Moses could not be a mediator of the people only. He was amediator between God and the people. It is the office of a mediator toconciliate the party that is offended and to placate the party that is theoffender. However, Moses' mediation consisted only in changing the tone of theLaw to make it more tolerable to the people. Moses was merely a mediator of theveil. He could not supply the ability to perform the Law.

What do you suppose would have happened ifthe Law had been given without a mediator and the people had been denied theservices of a go- between? The people would have perished, or in case they hadescaped they would have required the services of another mediator to preservethem alive and to keep the Law in force. Moses came along and he was made themediator. He covered his face with a veil. But that is as much as he could do.He could not deliver men's consciences from the terror of the Law. The sinnerneeds a better mediator.

That better mediator is Jesus Christ. He doesnot change the voice of the Law, nor does He hide the Law with a veil. He takesthe full blast of the wrath of the Law and fulfills its demands mostmeticulously.

Of this better Mediator Paul says: "Amediator is not a mediator of one." We are the offending party; God is theparty offended. The offense is of such a nature that God cannot pardon it.Neither can we render adequate satisfaction for our offenses. There is discord between God and us. Could notGod revoke His Law? No. How about running away from God? It cannot be done. Ittook Christ to come between us and God and to reconcile God to us. How didChrist do it? "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which wascontrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." (Col. 2:14.)

This one word, "mediator," is proofenough that the Law cannot justify. Otherwise we should not need a mediator.

In Christian theology the Law does notjustify. In fact it has the contrary effect. The Law alarms us, it magnifies oursins until we begin to hate the Law and its divine Author. Would you call thisbeing justified by the Law?

Can you imagine a more arrant outrage than tohate God and to abhor His Law? What an excellent Law it is. Listen: "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out ofthe house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods. . .showing mercy untothousands . . . honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long uponthe land. . ." (Ex. 20:2, 3, 6, 12.) Are these not excellent laws, perfect wisdom?"Let not God speak with us, lest we die," cried the children ofIsrael. Is it not amazing that a person should refuse to hear things that aregood for him? Any person would be glad to hear, I should think, that he has agracious God who shows mercy unto thousands. Is it not amazing that people hatethe Law that promotes their safety and welfare, e.g., "Thou shalt not kill;thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal"?

The Law can do nothing for us except toarouse the conscience. Before the Law comes to me I feel no sin. But when theLaw comes, sin, death, and hell are revealed to me. You would not call thisbeing made righteous. You would call it being condemned to death and hell-fire.

VERSE 20.But God is one.

God does not offend anybody, therefore Heneeds no mediator. But we offend God, therefore we need a mediator. And we needa better mediator than Moses. We need Christ.

VERSE 21.Isthe law then against the promises of God?

Before he digressed Paul stated that the Lawdoes not justify. Shall we then discard the Law? No, no. It supplies a certainneed. It supplies men with a needed realization of their sinfulness. Now arisesanother question: If the Law does no more than to reveal sin, does it not opposethe promises of God? The Jews believed that by the restraint and discipline ofthe Law the promises of God would be hastened, in fact earned by them.

Paul answers: "Not so. On the contrary,if we pay too much attention to the Law the promises of God will be slowed up.How can God fulfill His promises to a people that hates the Law?"

VERSE 21.Godforbid.

God never said to Abraham: "In theeshall all the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast kept theLaw." When Abraham was still uncircumcised and without the Law or any law,indeed, when he was still an idol worshiper, God said to him: "Get thee outof thy country, etc.; I am thy shield, etc.; In thy seed shall all the nationsof the earth be blessed." These are unconditional promises which God freelymade to Abraham without respect to works.

This is aimed especially at the Jews whothink that the promises of God are impeded by their sins. Paul says: "TheLord is not slack concerning His promises because of our sins, or hastens Hispromises because of any merit on our part." God's promises are notinfluenced by our attitudes. They rest in His goodness and mercy.

Just because the Law increases sin, it does not therefore obstruct the promisesof God. The Law confirms the promises, in that it prepares a person to look forthe fulfillment of the promises of God in Christ.

The proverb has it that Hunger is the bestcook. The Law makes afflicted consciences hungry for Christ. Christ tastes goodto them. Hungry hearts appreciate Christ. Thirsty souls are what Christ wants.He invites them: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, andI will give you rest." Christ's benefits are so precious that He willdispense them only to those who need them and really desire them.

VERSE 21.Forif there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousnessshould have been by the law.

The Law cannot give life. It kills. The Lawdoes not justify a person before God; it increases sin. The Law does not securerighteousness; it hinders righteousness. The Apostle declares emphatically thatthe Law of itself cannot save.

Despite the intelligibility of Paul'sstatement, our enemies fail to grasp it. Otherwise they would not emphasize freewill, natural strength, the works of supererogation, etc. To escape the chargeof forgery they always have their convenient annotation handy, that Paul isreferring only to the ceremonial and not to the moral law. But Paul includes alllaws. He expressly says: "If there had been a law given."

There is no law by which righteousness may beobtained, not a single one. Why not?

VERSE 22.Butthe Scripture hath concluded all under sin.

Where? First in the promises concerningChrist in Genesis3:15 and in Genesis22:18, which speak of the seed of the woman and the seed of Abraham. Thefact that these promises were made unto the fathers concerning Christ implies that the fathers were subject to the curse of sin and eternaldeath. Otherwise why the need of promises?

Next, Holy Writ "concludes" allunder sin in this passage from Paul: "For as many as are of the works ofthe law are under the curse." Again, in the passage which the Apostlequotes from Deuteronomy 27:26, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in thebook of the law to do them." This passage clearly submits all men to the curse, not only those who sinopenly against the Law, but also those who sincerely endeavor to perform theLaw, inclusive of monks, friars, hermits, etc.

The conclusion is inevitable: Faith alonejustified without works. If the Law itself cannot justify, much less canimperfect performance of the Law or the works of the Law, justify.

VERSE 22.Thatthe promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

The Apostle stated before that "theScripture hath concluded all under sin." Forever? No, only until thepromise should be fulfilled. The promise, you will recall, is the inheritanceitself or the blessing promised to Abraham, deliverance from the Law, sin,death, and the devil, and the free gift of grace, righteousness, salvation, andeternal life. This promise, says Paul, is not obtained by any merit, by any law,or by any work. This promise is given. To whom? To those who believe. In whom?In Jesus Christ.

VERSE 23.Butbefore faith came.

The Apostle proceeds to explain the servicewhich the Law is to render. Previously Paul had said that the Law was given toreveal the wrath and death of God upon all sinners. Although the Law kills, Godbrings good out of evil. He uses the Law to bring life. God saw that theuniversal illusion of self-righteousness could not be put down in any other waybut by the Law. The Law dispels all self-illusions. It puts the fear of God in aman. Without this fear there can be no thirst for God's mercy. God accordingly uses the Law for ahammer to break up the illusion of self- righteousness, that we should despairof our own strength and efforts at self-justification.

VERSE 23.Butbefore faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith whichshould afterwards be revealed.

The Law is a prison to those who have not asyet obtained grace. No prisoner enjoys the confinement. He hates it. If he couldhe would smash the prison and find his freedom at all cost. As long as he staysin prison he refrains from evil deeds. Not because he wants to, but because hehas to. The bars and the chains restrain him. He does not regret the crime thatput him in jail. On the contrary, he is mighty sore that he cannot rob and killas before. If he could escape he would go right back to robbing and killing.

The Law enforces good behavior, at leastoutwardly. We obey the Law because if we don't we will be punished. Ourobedience is inspired by fear. We obey under duress and we do it resentfully.Now what kind of righteousness is this when we refrain from evil out of fear ofpunishment? Hence, the righteousness of the Law is at bottom nothing but love ofsin and hatred of righteousness.

All the same, the Law accomplishes this much,that it will outwardly at least and to a certain extent repress vice and crime.

But the Law is also a spiritual prison, averitable hell. When the Law begins to threaten a person with death and theeternal wrath of God, a man just cannot find any comfort at all. He cannot shakeoff at will the nightmare of terror which the Law stirs up in his conscience. Ofthis terror of the Law the Psalms furnish many glimpses.

The Law is a civil and a spiritual prison.And such it should be. For that the Law is intended. Only the confinement in theprison of the Law must not be unduly prolonged . It must come to an end. The freedom of faith must succeed the imprisonment ofthe Law.

Happy the person who knows how to utilize theLaw so that it serves the purposes of grace and of faith. Unbelievers areignorant of this happy knowledge. When Cain was first shut up in the prison ofthe Law he felt no pang at the fratricide he had committed. He thought he couldpass it off as an incident with a shrug of the shoulder. "Am I my brother'skeeper?" he answered God flippantly. But when he heard the ominous words,"What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me fromthe ground," Cain began to feel his imprisonment. Did he know how to getout of prison? No. He failed to call the Gospel to his aid. He said: "Mypunishment is greater than I can bear." He could only think of the prison.He forgot that he was brought face to face with his crime so that he shouldhurry to God for mercy and for pardon. Cain remained in the prison of the Lawand despaired.

As a stone prison proves a physical handicap,so the spiritual prison of the Law proves a chamber of torture. But this itshould only be until faith be revealed. The silly conscience must be educated tothis. Talk to your conscience. Say: "Sister, you are now in jail all right.But you don't have to stay there forever. It is written that we are 'shut upunto faith which should afterwards be revealed.' Christ will lead you tofreedom. Do not despair like Cain, Saul, or Judas. They might have gone free ifthey had called Christ to their aid. Just take it easy, Sister Conscience. It'sgood for you to be locked up for a while. It will teach you to appreciateChrist."

How anybody can say that he by nature lovesthe Law is beyond me. The Law is a prison to be feared and hated. Anyunconverted person who says he loves the Law is a liar. He does not know what heis talking about. We love the Law about as well as a murderer loves his gloomycell, his straight-jacket, and the iron bars in front of him. How then can theLaw justify us?

VERSE 23.Shut up unto the faith whichshould afterwards be revealed.

We know that Paul has reference to the timeof Christ's coming. It was then that faith and the object of faith were fullyrevealed. But we may apply the historical fact to our inner life. When Christcame He abolished the Law and brought liberty and life to light. This Hecontinues to do in the hearts of the believers. The Christian has a body inwhose members, as Paul says, sin dwells and wars. I take sin to mean not onlythe deed but root, tree, fruit, and all. A Christian may perhaps not fall intothe gross sins of murder, adultery, theft, but he is not free from impatience,complaints, hatreds, and blasphemy of God. As carnal lust is strong in a youngman, in a man of full age the desire for glory, and in an old man covetousness,so impatience, doubt, and hatred of God often prevail in the hearts of sincereChristians. Examples of these sins may be garnered from the Psalms, Job,Jeremiah, and all the Sacred Scriptures.

Accordingly each Christian continues toexperience in his heart times of the Law and times of the Gospel. The times ofthe Law are discernible by heaviness of heart, by a lively sense of sin, and afeeling of despair brought on by the Law. These periods of the Law will comeagain and again as long as we live. To mention my own case. There are many timeswhen I find fault with God and am impatient with Him. The wrath and the judgmentof God displease me, my wrath and impatience displease Him. Then is the seasonof the Law, when "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spiritagainst the flesh."

The time of grace returns when the heart isenlivened by the promise of God's mercy. It soliloquizes: "Why art thoucast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Can you see nothingbut law, sin, death, and hell? Is there no grace, no forgiveness, no joy, peace,life, heaven, no Christ and God? Trouble me no more, my soul. Hope in God whohas not spared His own dear Son but has given Him into death for thy sins."When the Law carries things too far, say: "Mister Law, you are not the whole show. There areother and better things than you. They tell me to trust in the Lord."

There is a time for the Law and a time forgrace. Let us study to be good timekeepers. It is not easy. Law and grace may bemiles apart in essence, but in the heart, they are pretty close together. In theheart fear and trust, sin and grace, Law and Gospel cross paths continually.

Whether reason hears that justificationbefore God is obtained by grace alone, it draws the inference that the Law iswithout value. The doctrine of the Law must therefore be studied carefully lestwe either reject the Law altogether, or are tempted to attribute to the Law acapacity to save.

There are three ways in which the Law may beabused. First, by the self- righteous hypocrites who fancy that they can bejustified by the Law. Secondly, by those who claim that Christian libertyexempts a Christian from the observance of the Law. "These," saysPeter, "use their liberty for a cloak of maliciousness," and bring thename and the Gospel of Christ into ill repute. Thirdly, the Law is abused bythose who do not understand that the Law is meant to drive us to Christ. Whenthe Law is properly used its value cannot be too highly appraised. It will takeme to Christ every time.

VERSE 24.Whereforethe law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.

This simile of the schoolmaster is striking.Schoolmasters are indispensable. But show me a pupil who loves his schoolmaster.How little love is lost upon them the Jews showed by their attitude towardMoses. They would have been glad to stone Moses to death. (Ex.17:4.) You cannot expect anything else. How can a pupil love a teacher whofrustrates his desires? And if the pupil disobeys, the schoolmaster whips him,and the pupil has to like it and even kiss the rod with which he was beaten. Doyou think the schoolboy feels good about it? As soon as the teacher turns his back, the pupil breaks the rod and throws it into thefire. And if he were stronger than the teacher he would not take the beatings,but beat up the teacher. All the same, teachers are indispensable, otherwise thechildren would grow up without discipline, instruction, and training.

But how long are the scolding and thewhippings of the schoolmaster to continue? Only for a time, until the boy hasbeen trained to be a worthy heir of his father. No father wants his son to bewhipped all the time. The discipline is to last until the boy has been trainedto be his father's worthy successor.

The Law is such a schoolmaster. Not foralways, but until we have been brought to Christ. The Law is not just anotherschoolmaster. The Law is a specialist to bring us to Christ. What would youthink of a schoolmaster who could only torment and beat a child? Yet of suchschoolmasters there were plenty in former times, regular bruisers. The Law isnot that kind of a schoolmaster. It is not to torment us always. With itslashings it is only too anxious to drive us to Christ. The Law is like the goodschoolmaster who trains his children to find pleasure in doing things theyformerly detested.

VERSE 24.Thatwe might be justified by faith.

The Law is not to teach us another Law. Whena person feels the full force of the Law he is likely to think: I havetransgressed all the commandments of God; I am guilty of eternal death. If Godwill spare me I will change and live right from now on. This natural butentirely wrong reaction to the Law has bred the many ceremonies and worksdevised to earn grace and remission of sins.

The Law means to enlarge my sins, to make mesmall, so that I may be justified by faith in Christ. Faith is neither law norword; but confidence in Christ "who is the end of the law." How so isChrist the end of the Law? Not in this way that He replaced the old Law with newlaws. Nor is Christ the end of the Law in a way that makes Him a hard judge who has to be bribed by works as the papists teach.Christ is the end or finish of the Law to all who believe in Him. The Law can nolonger accuse or condemn them.

But what does the Law accomplish for thosewho have been justified by Christ? Paul answers this question next.

VERSE 25.Butafter that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

The Apostle declares that we are free fromthe Law. Christ fulfilled the Law for us. We may live in joy and safety underChrist. The trouble is, our flesh will not let us believe in Christ with all ourheart. The fault lies not with Christ, but with us. Sin clings to us as long aswe live and spoils our happiness in Christ. Hence, we are only partly free fromthe Law. "With the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the fleshthe law of sin." (Romans 7:25.)

As far as the conscience is concerned it maycheerfully ignore the Law. But because sin continues to dwell in the flesh, theLaw waits around to molest our conscience. More and more, however, Christincreases our faith and in the measure in which our faith is increased, sin,Law, and flesh subside.

If anybody objects to the Gospel and thesacraments on the ground that Christ has taken away our sins once and foralways, you will know what to answer. You will answer: Indeed, Christ has takenaway my sins. But my flesh, the world, and the devil interfere with my faith.The little light of faith in my heart does not shine all over me at once. It isa gradual diffusion. In the meanwhile I console myself with the thought thateventually my flesh will be made perfect in the resurrection.

VERSE 26.Forwe are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Paul as a true apostle of faith always hasthe word "faith" on the tip of his tongue. By faith, says he, we arethe children of God. The Law cannot beget children of God. It cannot regenerate us. It can only remind us of the old birth by which wewere born into the kingdom of the devil. The best the Law can do for us is toprepare us for a new birth through faith in Christ Jesus. Faith in Christregenerates us into the children of God. St. John bears witness to this in hisGospel: "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, evento them that believe on his name." (John 1:12.) What tongue of man or angel can adequately extol the mercyof God toward us miserable sinners in that He adopted us for His own childrenand fellow-heirs with His Son by the simple means of faith in Christ Jesus!

VERSE 27.Foras many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

To "put on Christ" may beunderstood in two ways, according to the Law and according to the Gospel.According to the Law as in Romans 13:14, "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ," which means to follow the example of Christ.

To put on Christ according to the Gospelmeans to clothe oneself with the righteousness, wisdom, power, life, and Spiritof Christ. By nature we are clad in the garb of Adam. This garb Paul likes tocall "the old man." Before we can become the children of God this oldman must be put off, as Paul says, Ephesians4:29. The garment of Adam must come off like soiled clothes. Of course, itis not as simple as changing one's clothes. But God makes it simple. He clothesus with the righteousness of Christ by means of Baptism, as the Apostle says inthis verse: "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put onChrist." With this change of garments a new birth, a new life stirs in us.New affections toward God spring up in the heart. New determinations affect ourwill. All this is to put on Christ according to the Gospel. Needless to say,when we have put on the robe of the righteousness of Christ we must not forgetto put on also the mantle of the imitation of Christ.

VERSE 28.There is neither Jew norGreek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for yeare all one in Christ Jesus.

The list might be extended indefinitely:There is neither preacher nor hearer, neither teacher nor scholar, neithermaster nor servant, etc. In the matter of salvation, rank, learning,righteousness, influence count for nothing.

With this statement Paul deals a death blowto the Law. When a person has put on Christ nothing else matters. Whether aperson is a Jew, a punctilious and circumcised observer of the Law of Moses, orwhether a person is a noble and wise Greek does not matter. Circumstances,personal worth, character, achievements have no bearing upon justification.Before God they count for nothing. What counts is that we put on Christ.

Whether a servant performs his duties well;whether those who are in authority govern wisely; whether a man marries,provides for his family, and is an honest citizen; whether a woman is chaste,obedient to her husband, and a good mother: all these advantages do not qualifya person for salvation. These virtues are commendable, of course; but they donot count points for justification. All the best laws, ceremonies, religions,and deeds of the world cannot take away sin guilt, cannot dispatch death, cannotpurchase life.

There is much disparity among men in theworld, but there is no such disparity before God. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23.) Let the Jews, let the Greeks, let the whole world keepsilent in the presence of God. Those who are justified are justified by Christ.Without faith in Christ the Jew with his laws, the monk with his holy orders,the Greek with his wisdom, the servant with his obedience, shall perish forever.

VERSE 28.Forye are all one in Christ Jesus.

There is much imparity among men in theworld. And it is a good thing. If the woman would change places with the man, if the son would change places with the father, the servant with themaster, nothing but confusion would result. In Christ, however, all are equal.We all have one and the same Gospel, "one faith, one baptism, one God andFather of all," one Christ and Savior of all. The Christ of Peter, Paul,and all the saints is our Christ. Paul can always be depended on to add theconditional clause, "In Christ Jesus." If we lose sight of Christ, welose out.

VERSE 29.Andif ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to thepromise.

"If ye be Christ's" means, if youbelieve in Christ. If you believe in Christ, then are you the children ofAbraham indeed. Through our faith in Christ Abraham gains paternity over us andover the nations of the earth according to the promise: "In thy seed shallall the nations of the earth be blessed." Through faith we belong to Christand Christ to us.