Propositions
Exegetical Proposition: In Galatians 3:19-29, Paul asserts that the law points to a Messianic age where believers are transferred into a new realm through their participation in Christ.
Theological Proposition: Christians no longer live under the law but, instead, live in a new cosmic reality in Christ Jesus.
Homiletical Proposition: Believers are to live life based on their new position in Christ to fulfill the law of love.
Introduction
In Galatians 3:19-29, the Apostle Paul explains the relationship of the law to the new realm inaugurated by Christ, a realm where Christians no longer live under the law. The question remains as to how a believer practically appropriates Paul’s message. The homiletical proposition is that believers are to live life based on their new position in Christ to fulfill the law of love. The research is divided into three sections categorized under the general headings of the purpose of the law, the transference of Christians into a new realm, and the participation of believers in Christ. Each section of the research first provides a brief exegetical analysis of the passage and then explains the application.
Law
In Galatians 3:19-22, Paul addresses the purpose of the law, the mediation of the law, and whether the law contradicts the promise of the Spirit through Christ that fulfills the covenant with Abraham (Gen 12:1-3). Scripture supports multiple purposes of the law including the ability to restrain sin, to increase awareness of sin (Rom 3:20), to provide a vehicle to deal with sin, to prove the impossibility of keeping the law (Gal 3:10), and even to increase sin (Rom 5:20). Thomas Schreiner explains that Paul shows that the law is subordinate to the promise by arguing that the former required the mediation of multiple parties, while the latter came directly from God to Abraham.[1] Finally, Paul asserts that the law does not contradict the promise, but each plays a different role.[2] The temporary nature of the law ultimately leads to the consummation of the promise inaugurated by Christ in a new epoch.
It is odd to suggest that the law exacerbates sin, especially with the worldview of an ancient Jew. However, Tim Keller explains more than one way to reject God. It is possible to reject God through irreligion, as represented by Gentile paganism in antiquity, but it is also possible to reject God through religion, where the individual presents a moral righteousness to God to either earn salvation or receive reciprocation.[3] Moralism can result in self-reliance and pride. In this way, the law can increase transgressions.
Schreiner points out that although laws and rules may curb unhealthy behavior they cannot solve the human condition.[4] As Timothy Ralston notes, application moves beyond behavior and into the realm of knowledge, belief, and direction.[5] Rules may lead to rebellion, or alternatively, to compliance, but what is necessary is a transformation of the heart, where beliefs, emotions, and the will align with godly behavior. The law does not have the power to create a heart transformation; its power is subordinate to the promise of the Spirit through faith in Christ. According to Keller, a restructuring of identity is required as following the rules of the old system will be short term and superficial.[6] A new heart and new spirit is necessary for believers to follow God’s ordinances (Ezek 36:25-27). Believers are transported into a new cosmic reality that no longer exists under the law, but exists in Christ Jesus. Living within the new epoch inaugurated by Christ removes the need of rule-following and reciprocation, and opens the possibility of extending love to God and others without requiring anything in return.
Transfer
In Galatians 3:23-25, Paul explains that the custodial nature of the law ultimately removes the necessity of life under the law. F. F. Bruce points out that believers are transferred from the old epoch under the law to a new realm with the arrival of Christ.[7] Accordingly, the law played the part of a pedagogue, which, according to Richard Longenecker, acts as a supervisor and points to a justification that is not obtained by following the law, but by faith in Christ.[8] According to the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, the word to justify, δικαιόω, is semantically pregnant, which not only juxtaposes nicely with the law’s forensic meaning, but also has a participatory connotation and ethical implications.[9] Finally, Paul concludes the short pericope by summarily restating that believers are no longer under the law. Living in the new realm of Christ rather than under the law eliminates the necessity of performance driven righteousness. Larry Crabb asserts that every human being has one basic need, personal worth, that is resolved with two types of inputs, security and significance.[10] Believers naturally attempt to fulfill the need of personal worth externally rather than internally by using the inputs of performance and other people’s opinions to validate their worth. Accordingly, Richard Lovelace explains that often believers attempt to “rely on their sanctification for justification.”[11] In other words, believers rely on their religious performance and lack of conscious sin to rest in the assurance of God’s acceptance instead of believing that Christ’s righteousness is the ground for God’s acceptance.[12]
Paradoxically, living under the realm of the law where performance and other people’s opinions define reality, rather than living under the new realm of Christ’s righteousness, removes the believer’s ability to extend love. More specifically, when believers attempt to find their personal worth in their performance, the focus remains on self rather than on God or others. Furthermore, when a believer attempts to find their personal worth in the opinion of others, the focus turns from God, and towards controlling other people’s responses. In both cases, loving others is replaced with loving self. However, living in the new realm of Christ’s righteousness where the believer is fully accepted allows the individual to focus on loving others rather than meeting the need of personal worth that has already been fulfilled in the gift of Christ’s righteousness (Rom 5:15-17).
Participation
Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study
In Galatians 3:26-29, Paul identifies believers as sons of God baptized into Christ, which results in a oneness of all believers in Christ. Because of believers’ participation in Christ, Bruce explains that they take on the status of sonship through adoption.[13] Furthermore, although baptism is not a rite that confers justification, Constantine Campbell recognizes that baptism represents a spiritual reality where the believer participates in Christ’s death and resurrection.[14] Finally, the new “in Christ” position of believers creates a oneness that has the opportunity to unite all of humanity and bless all nations (Gen 12:1-3).
Believers living life based on their new position are called to fulfill the law of love (Gal 5:14). John Barclay notes that central to Pauline theology is the ultimate gift of righteousness, which is given “regardless of worth.”[15] In other words, personal worth based on racial ethnicity, gender, or cultural status is completely shattered by Paul’s message. The implications are staggering because as James Samra recognizes, the more that believers identify themselves with Christ, the more Christlike they become.[16] The practical ramifications of Paul’s theology again addresses humanity’s largest need, personal worth, and humanity’s most important activity, love.
Paul’s message allows believers to accept themselves, which in turn, empowers love for others. If personal worth and acceptance is determined by ethnicity, race, and status, then external society controls the believer’s view of self. Accordingly, the individual will attempt to either accommodate the peer-pressure of culture or experience a life of shame due to a perceived lack of personal worth. The former eliminates the ability to love because the focus turns outward to obtain love for self. The latter eliminates the ability to love because the focus turns inward to medicate the feelings about self.
Alternatively, when believers identify with Christ, they become Christlike as Christ’s work empowers love. Instead of focusing on fulfilling the need of personal worth, believers rest in the fact that they are already fully accepted and deeply loved sons of God due to the gift of Christ’s righteousness. The believer no longer needs to focus on fulfilling the need of personal worth. Instead, the believer is empowered by Christ’s work to love others as they live within a new cosmic reality in Christ.
Conclusion
Paul’s message has significant practical implications. First, removing rule-following and reciprocation extends the power of unconditional love. Second, living in the new realm, believers are fully accepted based on Christ’s righteousness, which empowers believers to focus on loving others rather than love extraction. Third, participation in Christ forms the identity of the believer, which eliminates the need of finding personal worth in achievement or others that stifles love. Without question, believers are to live life based on their new position in Christ, not under the law, to fulfill the law of love.
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[1] Thomas R. Schreiner, Galatians, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 242-43.
[2] Ibid., 244.
[3] Tim Keller, Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), 63.
[4] Schreiner, Galatians, 251.
[5] Timothy Ralston, “Showing the Relevance: Application Ethics, and Preaching,” in Interpreting the New Testament Text, ed. Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning (Wheaton: Crossway, 2006), 305.
[6] Tim Keller, The Prodigal Son: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith (New York: Riverhead, 2008), 133.
[7] F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Galatians, The New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1982), 181.
[8] Richard N. Longenecker, Galatians, vol. 41 of Word Biblical Commentary, ed. Ralph P. Martin (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1990), 148.
[9] New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, s.v. “δικαιόω” ed. Verlyn D. Verbrugge, abr. ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000), 143–44.
[10] Larry Crabb, Effective Biblical Counseling: A Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselors (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013), 62–63.
[11] Richard F. Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1979), 101.
[12] Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life, 101.
[13] Bruce, The Epistle, 184.
[14] Constantine R. Campbell, Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), 207–8.
[15] John Barclay, Paul and the Gift (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015), 435, 567.
[16] James G. Samra, Being Conformed to Christ in Community: A Study of Maturity, Maturation and the Local Church in the Undisputed Pauline Epistles (New York: T&T Clark, 2008), 113.
Bibliography
- Barclay, John. Paul and the Gift. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015.
- Bruce, F. F. The Epistle to the Galatians. The New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1982.
- Campbell, Constantine R. Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.
- Crabb, Larry. Effective Biblical Counseling: A Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselors. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013.
- Keller, Tim. Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.
- ________. The Prodigal Son: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith. New York: Riverhead, 2008.
- Longenecker, Richard N. Galatians. Vol. 41 in Word Biblical Commentary. Edited by Ralph P. Martin. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1990.
- Lovelace, Richard F. Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1979.
- Ralston, Timothy. “Showing the Relevance: Application Ethics, and Preaching.” In Interpreting the New Testament Text, edited by Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning. Wheaton: Crossway, 2006.
- Samra, James G. Being Conformed to Christ in Community: A Study of Maturity, Maturation and the Local Church in the Undisputed Pauline Epistles. New York: T&T Clark, 2008.
- Schreiner, Thomas R. Galatians. Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Edited by Clinton E. Arnold. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010.
- Verbrugge, Verlyn D., ed. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Abr. ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.
