8.52 The law is not of faith
If a person walks under the law, he would have no need for faith because his righteousness and blessings would be earned (Rom 4:4-5). Faith is only needed when God gives you promises on the basis that Christ has paid for it, and you stretch out your hand to receive. The person who walks under the law does not walk in faith. Paul says that “the law is not of faith”.
(Gal 3:11-12)
But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” Yet THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”
We see our standing completely in Christ, apart from the works of the law; separate from our own performance. Gal 2:16 contrasts between works and faith as means to righteousness (justification). They are antithesis. We are either under the system of works or the system of faith. By the works of the law, no one will be justified. Only by faith in Christ do we receive justification.
(Gal 2:16)
…knowing that a man is not justified by the WORKS OF THE LAW but by FAITH in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by FAITH in Christ and not by the WORKS OF THE LAW; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Since righteousness is a free gift to be received by faith, we do not boast about our performance.
(Eph 2:8-9)
For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH, and that not of yourselves; it is the GIFT of God, not of works, lest anyone should BOAST.
Grace eliminates all sense of self-righteousness. Grace makes nothing of man’s performance but makes everything of Jesus’ performance. For that reason, grace did not go well with the self-righteous Pharisees. They were unhappy when Jesus healed and forgave others, whom they felt were less deserving than them.
Today the key to moving is faith is to stop living by the law. If we trust in our performance, we cannot experience the power of his performance. There were two people in the Bible whom Jesus praised as having great faith. The first was the centurion (Matt 8:10). The second is the Syro-Phoenician woman (Matt 15:28). What is the common denominator between them?
They were both Gentiles who never knew the law. They were not hindered in the realm of faith. They put their full confidence in Jesus. You too can put your faith fully in Him.
(Gal 3:11-12)
But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” Yet THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”
We see our standing completely in Christ, apart from the works of the law; separate from our own performance. Gal 2:16 contrasts between works and faith as means to righteousness (justification). They are antithesis. We are either under the system of works or the system of faith. By the works of the law, no one will be justified. Only by faith in Christ do we receive justification.
(Gal 2:16)
…knowing that a man is not justified by the WORKS OF THE LAW but by FAITH in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by FAITH in Christ and not by the WORKS OF THE LAW; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Since righteousness is a free gift to be received by faith, we do not boast about our performance.
(Eph 2:8-9)
For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH, and that not of yourselves; it is the GIFT of God, not of works, lest anyone should BOAST.
Grace eliminates all sense of self-righteousness. Grace makes nothing of man’s performance but makes everything of Jesus’ performance. For that reason, grace did not go well with the self-righteous Pharisees. They were unhappy when Jesus healed and forgave others, whom they felt were less deserving than them.
Today the key to moving is faith is to stop living by the law. If we trust in our performance, we cannot experience the power of his performance. There were two people in the Bible whom Jesus praised as having great faith. The first was the centurion (Matt 8:10). The second is the Syro-Phoenician woman (Matt 15:28). What is the common denominator between them?
They were both Gentiles who never knew the law. They were not hindered in the realm of faith. They put their full confidence in Jesus. You too can put your faith fully in Him.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 10:14 PM
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