Old Testament: saved by grace through faith: What Paul says in Galatians

 

Tuesday I began a three part series asking the question, “How did a person get right with God in the Old Testament?” I offered a very brief survey and came up with the answer, “People in Old Testament days were made right with God by faith.” Wednesday I looked at what Paul said about this in his epistle to the Romans. Today, in my final post I will look at what Paul said in his epistle to the Galatians.

Why is this even important? I believe a fairly common misconception is that Jews in the Old Testament were saved by keeping the Law. But, if folks could ever get right with God by their obedience to the law, under any covenant, then Christ died in vain, it was all for nothing - we don’t need the cross. or Christ. But we do need Christ, and the blood of the cross, because getting right with God has always and only been by grace through faith.

Galatians 3:10-12 

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

v 11 No man is justified by the law in the sight of God. What he means is, No one ever has, ever will, or ever can be made right with God by the law.

And why not? Because the principle has been laid down, The just shall live by faith. This is Habakkuk 2:4. In the Old Testament! The one who is righteous by faith is the one who shall live. Anybody, anywhere, anytime who needed to get right with God, did so by faith. There’s no other way.

Galatians 3:16-27 

16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.  17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.  18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

God made a covenant with Abraham in which he promised Christ, a covenant of promise, grace, and faith. 3:7 know ye, then, that those of faith -- these are sons of Abraham (YLT) and 3:9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham (NKJ)

Verse 17 reveals another eternal principle: the law, which came 430 years after the promise, cannot strip the promise of it’s power, make it of none effect. Paul’s point is, the blessing of Abraham was given by promise and received by faith; this is all grace.  This is the original and only way God deals with us. The giving of the law does not change this. In other words, they were not saved by keeping the law.

19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 

Is the law against or contrary to the promises? That is, God dealt with Abraham by promise, grace, and faith, does the law change that? God forbid or no way!

if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law - Here’s why no one ever could or ever can be made right with God by the law – it can’t give life.

the promise by faith of Jesus Christ - that is the promise of Christ and the blessing of righteousness and life in him, this can and does give life to them that believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 

This, before faith came, does indeed look like there was no faith until Christ came. But this can’t be true - Hebrews 11. What Paul literally wrote was, before the faith came and the faith revealed. The faith, the faith of Jesus Christ, the gospel. This in no way indicates that people were not saved by grace through faith, that was always God’s way of dealing with us - it’s just official now!

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 

Once again, v 26 after the faith is come; the faith of Jesus Christ, the gospel.

In Old Testament days, people looked forward to the Christ who was to come, and God forgave sins because Jesus was coming to die for them. Now we look back to the Christ who has come, and God forgives sins through faith in his shed blood. Old Testament, New Testament, our hope is Christ. We are both, we are all, saved by grace through faith in Christ. (see Romans 3:25-26) Thank God!

YLT - Young's Literal Translation

NKJ - New King James