The letter Killeth -
2Co 3:6 ¶ Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. {giveth life: or, quickeneth} (KJV)
The letter killeth in the sense that the law was made for sinners, 1 Tim 1:9. The Law of God can only direct a person in what to do after they have sinned. In this sense the law was made for sinners, as the following verse illustrates.
1Ti 1:9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
The law was a tutor to show us what sin was (sin is a violation of the Laws of God, 1 Jn 3:4), and the Law then informed a person that a sacrifice had to be made in order for them to be forgiven, Gal 3:24.
Ga 3:24 So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ (the sacrifice for all mankind), that we might be justified by faith.
Ga 3:25 But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.
(ASV)
Here is where what could be considered a conflicting concept can enter a person's mind. Gal 3:35 illustrates that if we have faith we are not 'under the law'.
Gal 3:25 says that when faith has come we are justified by that faith and are no longer under the law or tutor, Gal 3:24.
Now we know that Jesus said that the law has not passed away, but in Galatians Paul tells us that if we have faith we are no longer under the law or tutor.
That is the seeming contradiction.
Jesus said in Matt 5:18 that the Law has not passed away and yet he Apostle Paul says in Galatians 3:25 that a Christian is not under the law if they have faith.
Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.
So do we have to decide whether to follow either Jesus or Paul?
================================================== ======
Here is the answer to this seeming contradiction-
Faith means keeping the Law of God according to Gal 3:25. Faith means not being "under the Law of God".
Ga 3:25 But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.
(ASV)
Explanation-
Once faith comes we are no longer "under the law". Now before anyone says that we cannot keep the law perfectly or be perfect according to the Law - remember that keeping the law does not mean that we never sin. Keeping the law means that if and when we sin we confess that sin to Jesus (the sacrifice under the new covenant) to obtain forgiveness. There were several people in the Bible who were perfect or blameless according to the law. They were not sinless they simply complied with the law and made the appropriate sacrifice after they sinned and were forgiven, and at that point God considered them blameless according to His laws.
Paul said that once faith comes we are no longer under the law or tutor. To understand this statement we must see what Paul considered the phrase "under the law" to mean.
Paul wrote both romans and Galatians so His concepts about the Law are the same in both books.
In Romans the answer to the seeming contradiction is found, specifically in the following pasted verses -
Ro 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.
Ro 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rm 6:14 tells us that - Sin does not dominate a person under grace but it does dominate a person "under the Law". This is because Grace teaches them to abstain from ungodliness or not to sin, titus 2:11-12.
Paul's understanding appears to be that the phrase "under the law" is contrasted with the phrase "under Grace".
So if being "under grace" means to abstain from ungodliness as Titus 2:11-12 states, then the phrase "under the law" must refer to sinful activity.
We know that the law was made for sinners. So if a Christian is "under the law" the authority over that person is the law.
They have sinned and violated the laws of God if the authority over them is the law because the law can only discipline a lawbreaker.
Of course the all of laws of God were summarized by Jesus as being - Love for God and neighbor. So if we walk in Love (walk in patience and kindness, 1 Cor 13) we are keeping all the Laws of God, whether we understand the allegorical nature of any one specific commandment or not. If we fail to walk in Love we confess the sin or unloving attitude or action and are again blameless according to the Laws of God.
Being "under the Law's of God" is similar to being "under the laws of man". The law of man is the authority over a person if they have broken the law. They then go to Jail or pay a fine.
A person has to keep the laws of man in order to avoid arrest and not be "under the authority of the police and the laws of man".
If a person is under the tutor (the Law's of God) they have not learned the lessons of faith yet and are still sinning.
If we have faith we are not under the law (or tutor) according to Gal 3:25.
Ga 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
This means that faith is keeping the all laws of God and not violating them. This means doing the right thing in God's eyes or being righteousness in God's eyes as opposed to being right or righteous in our own eyes, Job 32:1.
================================================== ========
If a person is under grace they are no longer under the law. Remember that grace teaches us to abstain from ungodliness, Titus 2:11-12. In other words God's grace teaches us not to sin or not to violate the law. It can therefore be said scripturally that the Grace of God teaches us to Love or be patient and kind.
When faith comes scripture supposes that a person will have learned not to violate the law or not sin. If they do sin they simply confess the sin to Christ (the sacrifice) to be forgiven) and try again not to sin.
What this means is that the law says that a sacrifice must be made after a sin is committed. So the Law was made for sinners.
Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Many people think that "Grace" is a cover for ungodliness. It is not. Grace teaches us to abstain from ungodliness (or sin) as Titus 2:11-12 tells us.
The Law could not do this - it could only offer a way to obtain forgiveness after a sin had been committed. Under the Old Covenant this was to sacrifice an animal or some such offering. Now that Christ has come we simply recognize and confess the activity as being sinful and Jesus is faithful to forgive us. Just as under the Old covenant, a person can still be forgiven for sinful behavior. In addition, under the new covenant a person can by the grace of God be taught not to sin.
Joh 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
This is what Paul wanted when He said - Php 3:9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
(KJV)
Paul wanted not only to be forgiven after He sinned (the righteousness of the Law). He also tells us in Philippians 3:9 that He wanted to be taught (through faith) to receive the grace of God and learn not to sin in the first place.
So this should give new meaning to the phrase "by Grace we are saved". Our sin is not excused in any way. We are simply taught (under Grace ) not to violate the laws of God. We are saved from God's wrath as it is directed against sin when we cooperate with the grace of God as it teaches us to keep the Law's of God and not sin.
All sin is lawlessness, 1Jo 3:4 Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
(ASV)
The Law could not make a person into someone who kept the law but as you can see - by teaching a person to abstain from ungodliness - the grace of God can make a person into someone who is able to keep the Law, Titus 2:11-12.
[video=youtube;y2UFq_BuplM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2UFq_BuplM[/video]
Respectfully - Brian
2Co 3:6 ¶ Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. {giveth life: or, quickeneth} (KJV)
The letter killeth in the sense that the law was made for sinners, 1 Tim 1:9. The Law of God can only direct a person in what to do after they have sinned. In this sense the law was made for sinners, as the following verse illustrates.
1Ti 1:9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
The law was a tutor to show us what sin was (sin is a violation of the Laws of God, 1 Jn 3:4), and the Law then informed a person that a sacrifice had to be made in order for them to be forgiven, Gal 3:24.
Ga 3:24 So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ (the sacrifice for all mankind), that we might be justified by faith.
Ga 3:25 But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.
(ASV)
Here is where what could be considered a conflicting concept can enter a person's mind. Gal 3:35 illustrates that if we have faith we are not 'under the law'.
Gal 3:25 says that when faith has come we are justified by that faith and are no longer under the law or tutor, Gal 3:24.
Now we know that Jesus said that the law has not passed away, but in Galatians Paul tells us that if we have faith we are no longer under the law or tutor.
That is the seeming contradiction.
Jesus said in Matt 5:18 that the Law has not passed away and yet he Apostle Paul says in Galatians 3:25 that a Christian is not under the law if they have faith.
Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.
So do we have to decide whether to follow either Jesus or Paul?
================================================== ======
Here is the answer to this seeming contradiction-
Faith means keeping the Law of God according to Gal 3:25. Faith means not being "under the Law of God".
Ga 3:25 But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.
(ASV)
Explanation-
Once faith comes we are no longer "under the law". Now before anyone says that we cannot keep the law perfectly or be perfect according to the Law - remember that keeping the law does not mean that we never sin. Keeping the law means that if and when we sin we confess that sin to Jesus (the sacrifice under the new covenant) to obtain forgiveness. There were several people in the Bible who were perfect or blameless according to the law. They were not sinless they simply complied with the law and made the appropriate sacrifice after they sinned and were forgiven, and at that point God considered them blameless according to His laws.
Paul said that once faith comes we are no longer under the law or tutor. To understand this statement we must see what Paul considered the phrase "under the law" to mean.
Paul wrote both romans and Galatians so His concepts about the Law are the same in both books.
In Romans the answer to the seeming contradiction is found, specifically in the following pasted verses -
Ro 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.
Ro 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rm 6:14 tells us that - Sin does not dominate a person under grace but it does dominate a person "under the Law". This is because Grace teaches them to abstain from ungodliness or not to sin, titus 2:11-12.
Paul's understanding appears to be that the phrase "under the law" is contrasted with the phrase "under Grace".
So if being "under grace" means to abstain from ungodliness as Titus 2:11-12 states, then the phrase "under the law" must refer to sinful activity.
We know that the law was made for sinners. So if a Christian is "under the law" the authority over that person is the law.
They have sinned and violated the laws of God if the authority over them is the law because the law can only discipline a lawbreaker.
Of course the all of laws of God were summarized by Jesus as being - Love for God and neighbor. So if we walk in Love (walk in patience and kindness, 1 Cor 13) we are keeping all the Laws of God, whether we understand the allegorical nature of any one specific commandment or not. If we fail to walk in Love we confess the sin or unloving attitude or action and are again blameless according to the Laws of God.
Being "under the Law's of God" is similar to being "under the laws of man". The law of man is the authority over a person if they have broken the law. They then go to Jail or pay a fine.
A person has to keep the laws of man in order to avoid arrest and not be "under the authority of the police and the laws of man".
If a person is under the tutor (the Law's of God) they have not learned the lessons of faith yet and are still sinning.
If we have faith we are not under the law (or tutor) according to Gal 3:25.
Ga 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
This means that faith is keeping the all laws of God and not violating them. This means doing the right thing in God's eyes or being righteousness in God's eyes as opposed to being right or righteous in our own eyes, Job 32:1.
================================================== ========
If a person is under grace they are no longer under the law. Remember that grace teaches us to abstain from ungodliness, Titus 2:11-12. In other words God's grace teaches us not to sin or not to violate the law. It can therefore be said scripturally that the Grace of God teaches us to Love or be patient and kind.
When faith comes scripture supposes that a person will have learned not to violate the law or not sin. If they do sin they simply confess the sin to Christ (the sacrifice) to be forgiven) and try again not to sin.
What this means is that the law says that a sacrifice must be made after a sin is committed. So the Law was made for sinners.
Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Many people think that "Grace" is a cover for ungodliness. It is not. Grace teaches us to abstain from ungodliness (or sin) as Titus 2:11-12 tells us.
The Law could not do this - it could only offer a way to obtain forgiveness after a sin had been committed. Under the Old Covenant this was to sacrifice an animal or some such offering. Now that Christ has come we simply recognize and confess the activity as being sinful and Jesus is faithful to forgive us. Just as under the Old covenant, a person can still be forgiven for sinful behavior. In addition, under the new covenant a person can by the grace of God be taught not to sin.
Joh 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
This is what Paul wanted when He said - Php 3:9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
(KJV)
Paul wanted not only to be forgiven after He sinned (the righteousness of the Law). He also tells us in Philippians 3:9 that He wanted to be taught (through faith) to receive the grace of God and learn not to sin in the first place.
So this should give new meaning to the phrase "by Grace we are saved". Our sin is not excused in any way. We are simply taught (under Grace ) not to violate the laws of God. We are saved from God's wrath as it is directed against sin when we cooperate with the grace of God as it teaches us to keep the Law's of God and not sin.
All sin is lawlessness, 1Jo 3:4 Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
(ASV)
The Law could not make a person into someone who kept the law but as you can see - by teaching a person to abstain from ungodliness - the grace of God can make a person into someone who is able to keep the Law, Titus 2:11-12.
[video=youtube;y2UFq_BuplM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2UFq_BuplM[/video]
Respectfully - Brian
