Why is reliance on the law insufficient for righteousness according to Galatians 3:11? Setting the Verse in Context “And it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” Why the Law Cannot Justify • The law demands flawless obedience. One misstep breaks the whole (James 2:10). • Human nature is fallen; complete compliance is impossible (Romans 3:23). • The law exposes sin but offers no power to conquer it (Romans 7:7-12). • Failure under the law brings a curse, not blessing (Galatians 3:10). Faith: God’s Design from the Beginning • Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4, showing righteousness by faith predates the Mosaic law. • Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6; Genesis 15:6). • Romans 1:17 and Hebrews 10:38 repeat the same refrain—faith is the means of life. What the Law Does Accomplish • Reveals God’s holiness and our shortfall (Romans 3:20). • Acts as a guardian leading us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). • Points forward to the need for a perfect substitute (Hebrews 10:1-4). The Superiority of Faith in Christ • Justification is a gift received, not a wage earned (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Christ bore the curse of the law on the cross (Galatians 3:13). • In Him we gain “a righteousness not of my own that is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ” (Philippians 3:9). Living Out the Truth • Rest in Christ’s finished work instead of tallying personal merit. • Let gratitude, not fear, motivate obedience (John 14:15). • Walk by the Spirit, who empowers what the law could only command (Galatians 5:16-18). |
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