But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
Galatians 4:9
Read: Galatians 4:1-20
Devotion: God’s law is holy and righteous and good (Rom 7:12). It reflects God’s character, it is a massive boon for the soul, and oh yeah, it is literally perfect (Ps 19:7-8). The law’s purpose is to bring people to Christ (Gal 3:23-29), and there is no better law or standard for man or society.
However, just because something is intrinsically good does not mean that it can’t be misused or twisted. Due to our sinful nature, we have the propensity to pervert and abuse all of God’s good gifts. Marriage is a wonderful blessing from God (Gen 2:18), and yet it is corrupted and defiled in all sorts of despicable ways today. Creation itself declares the glory of God (Ps 19:1). Mankind takes that knowledge, suppresses it, and exchanges that truth for lies (Rom 1:20-23).
Similarly, mankind takes God’s law that he has revealed, twists its purpose and meaning, and applies it in inappropriate ways. We see the Jews misuse God’s law throughout its history and during the ministry of Jesus. Jews and Gentiles alike mishandle God’s law through the time of the apostles to today. Even Christians, those given a new nature through Christ, have been guilty of misusing God’s law.
One fatal but common way that people misuse the law is viewing it as a means of righteousness and concluding that obedience to the law is means of one’s salvation and thus the way to become one of God’s people.
This false teaching was causing all sorts of problems and confusion among the Galatian churches, and Paul wrote a letter to address this problem directly. These largely Gentile believers were being told by some Judaizers (professing Jewish Christians) that until they got circumcised and began following the Mosaic Law, they are not yet a part of God’s people. These false teachers were saying, “Yes, Jesus is the Christ, but you also need to add your own obedience on top of Jesus’ obedience to be truly counted among God’s people.” Paul opened his letter with a passionate denunciation of the gospel these frauds were hawking. Their so-called “gospel” was contrary to the true gospel, and the false teachers who peddled it deserved to be accursed (Gal 1:6-9).
Salvation is, and always has been, by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone. When the people of Israel made sacrifices to cover their sin in accordance with God’s law, they were doing so in faith that God would provide the means of their salvation. They didn’t know the name or person of Jesus, but they were trusting God’s Word that He had provided and would provide them a means of forgiveness, despite the fact they deserved death for their sin.
On this side of the cross we have a more complete picture of how God has provided for our forgiveness. The means is Christ’s perfect obedience and sacrificial death on behalf of the sinner—a sacrificial death that is completely effective and applicable for all those that believe. But what if I want to add just one more work, one of my works, on top of Jesus’ works just so that I can be sure that God sees me as innocent and righteous?
As Paul writes to the Galatians, that is nothing less than a return to idolatry. Before the heart is changed through the power of the gospel of Christ, that heart is set against God and is presently worshipping something that is by nature not God. That idol can be self, the moon, an animal, or a piece of wood or rock. And how do you appease these false gods? By works. This is what every false religion boils down to: “If I am good enough I will enter into paradise when I die.”
But as God has revealed in His word, such a notion is false. No one is good enough, and no one is justified through works of the law (Rom 3:9-20). By trying to add even one work to Christ’s, even if it is a work according to God’s perfect law, you leave the realm of faith and go back to works righteousness. Either Christ has saved you completely or you remain guilty in your sin, trying to appease a god of your own creation with insufficient good works. Remove any thought from your mind that your works in any way justify you. Instead, trust fully and completely in the One who was sent “to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal 4:5).
Ponder and Pray: Consider how faith and works are completely incompatible with regard to our salvation. Finish by praising and thanking God for the sufficient work of Christ.
