The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 149

Ver. 16.-Justification by faith. These words contain the pith and kernel of the Epistle. Occurring in historical narration, they strike the key-note of what is i:ather an expostulation and appeal to previous convictions than an original, calm argument, such as is the treatment of the same subject in the Epistle to the Romans. St. Paul says· he con,icted St. Peter of inconsistency in requiring Gentiles to Judaize, by reminding him that even they, Jews as they were, were not justified on account of works, but through faith in Christ. By an easy and natural transition this reminiscence is made the occasion for passin~ from the historical to the doctrinal part of the Epistle. That b'feat truth which called forth the protest of apostle against apostle is the truth from which the Galatians, like the Christians at .Antioch, are being lured away. It is of the essence of Christianity t.o them as it was to their sister Church, and as it will be to the Church in all ages. I. CHRISTiilTI'Y BRINGS JUSTIFICATION. What is justification? Some have under- stood it as "making righteous," others as "accounting righteous." It is plain that St. Paul does teach that real righteousness is obtained through faith (e.g. Rom. iii. 21). But it is equally plain that the natural rendering of such a passage as that now before us suggests the idea of treating or reckoning as righteous. The inference is that St. Paul used the expressions in both senses. And the inference from that is, not that he was confused in thought or consciously ambiguous, but that he sa.w a much closer connection between the two than Protestant theology, in revulsion from Romanism, has always made apparent. Justification is the immediate result of fori(iveness. God cannot think a man to be other than he is ; but he can act towards him better than he deserves, can treat a sinner as only a righteous man deserves to be treated. This is justification. Now, forgiveness is personal and moral. It is not mere remission of penalties. It is reconciliation and restitution. The justification which is the con- sequence is not a mere external thing. It sows the seed of positive righteousness by infusing the highest motive for it. If it did not do this it would be immoral. Jus- tification is itselfjustified by its fruits. This great boon is thefirstgraceofChristianity. Until we are forgiven and thus justified we cannot begin to serve God. !I. CHRISTIANITY DECLARES THE F.ilLUBE OF ATTEMPTING TO SECURE JUSTIFICATION THROUGH WORKS OF LAW. All the world over men have been making frantic but futile efforts in this direction. .A sickening sense of failure is the invariable result (Rom. vii. 24). It is like the vanishing of a nightmare to see that the whole attempt is a mistake, that God recognizes its impotence, and that he does not expect us to succeed in it. I. We cannot be ;"ustified through works of Law, because if we do our best we are unprofitable servants, and have only done what we ought to have done. The slave whose whole time belongs to his master cannot earn anything by working overtime. Future obedience 1B simply obligatory on its own account; it cannot atone for past negligence. 2. We cannot renew our own nature by anything we do, seeing that we only work outwards from our nature. While the heart is corrupt the conduct cannot be justifying. 3. There is no life in Law to infuse power for holier service. Law restrains and represses; it cannot renew and inspire. Only love and grace can do that. 4. Never- theless, obedience to the principles of the Law ia not superseded by any other method of jui,tification. It is the justified through faith, and they only, who truly obey the Law, delighting to do the will of God. Ill. CHnISTIA.lfiTY PBOMISEB JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH m CHRIST. 1. Faith is the meanB of justification, not the 11:rounds of it. We are not justified on account of OH, II, 1-21.] THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. lH,