1962 Bible Studies - page 194

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BIBLE STUDIES unto her voice ; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called " (Genesis 21. 10-12).

This is a standing witness to the fact that actions according to the flesh ever bring sorrow. There must be complete severance between flesh and spirit. We need to cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7. 1). Believers are not children of a handmaid (the old covenant), but are children of the freewoman (the new covenant).

CHAPTER 5

Verse 1: With freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage.

This verse, as shown in the R. V., should have been in chapter 4. It is the conclusion of the apostle’s allegorical argument.  Christ has made believers free from all moral and ceremonial law-keeping in order that they might be justified by faith. The requirement of the law as to its moral statutes comes after justification, not to perfect the work of Christ in the justification of the believing sinner (Romans 8. 4 ; 13. 8-10). Love God and love your neighbour is the meaning of the whole law and the prophets (Matthew 22. 37-40). Such a law man naturally cannot keep. Hence we must turn to One who kept the law perfectly, so that He might be a sacrifice for law-breakers. The Galatians were not to allow themselves to be held and coerced into a yoke of bondage.

Verses 2, 3: Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circum-cision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Paul after his lengthy digression returns again to the matter of circum-cision with which he was dealing in chapter 2. The issue which was joined in Antioch was finally settled regarding the Gentiles at the council of apostles and elders at Jerusalem (Acts 15). Circumcision was the first rite in the experience of the males of the children of Israel, for they had to be circumcised the eighth day (Leviticus 12. 3; Genesis 17. 10-12). Paul says, in Romans 2. 25, " Circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of the law : but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. " Circumcision and law-keeping stood together ; there could be no adding of circumcision to faith to make salvation more secure for the believer. It was not an adjunct of faith. It was either that the circumcised person kept the whole law, which meant going to Jerusalem at the appointed seasons and engaging in the services proper to the law, or being a new creature in Christ, and, as such, free from the law, so far as salvation by free grace, and through faith, is concerned. The bane of many religious systems is this poison of Judaism with its teaching of faith and works as necessary to salvation. A person in bondage to such systems can never know the glorious truth of -- " by grace have ye been saved through faith "

J. M.

(Ephesians 2. 5, 8).

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