Paul never, not for a second, thought the Law of Moses capable of producing genuine soul salvation … not since Paul met Jesus (the Crucified, Buried, Risen, Ascended Son of God) that day on the Damascus Road … and was saved by our Lord’s amazing grace!
Yet neither does Paul ever call the Law bad names, or suggest it unnecessary to the overall Plan of God! (It was a “schoolmaster,” as we shall soon learn! “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24, our Lesson one day next week, the Lord willing.)
Now Paul does call the men and women who say that the Law is above Jesus, that the Law is necessary to get a sinner forgiven and his name written down in Heaven … he does call some of that crowd a few bad names! (As in Philippians 3:2 … “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.” Pretty plain, bold too!)
Thus the Apostle in today’s Text emphasizes (re-emphasizes) his “Grace-only” approach to salvation, the one God gave him to preach and teach!
See?
The Law is not “against” God’s Promises, God’s Grace! (God’s “Salvation as a Gift” soteriology!) “Against” used here is “kata” in Greek, a preposition meaning “down on” or here perhaps even “above, towering over.”
And then comes Paul’s “trademark” line “God forbid” (used only by Paul in the whole Bible, 3 times in Galatians but 10 times in Romans, then once more in 1 Corinthians) which translates “Theos me.” With “me” (pronounced “may”) being a negative particle “solemnly asserting” a big, strong (reverberating) “NO!”
Then (in our Text) Paul says it! Read on, please …
” … for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”
The Law can not give (eternal) Life!
Why?
Because of man’s “sinner-ship.”
Because man was “conceived in iniquity!” (Psalm 51:1, King David, speaking for us all … “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”)
(I am adding a lot of supporting Scripture today, it seems. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” Romans 8:3, “weak through the flesh!”)
Wow!
A very big “if” today … “IF there had been a law given which could have given life” … but there wasn’t! Not God’s fault, mind you, humanity’s fault!
Then Paul rightly concludes … “Righteousness should have been by the law.” Jesus would not have had to come to earth and die on the Cross … “if” the Law could have saved lost souls!
How clear!
How logical!
How precious!
And … “Oh, how we should love Jesus!”
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Two words in closing … “JESUS SAVES!”
No, make that three words … “ONLY JESUS SAVES!”