The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 314

ea:11e~tly ~nd aITeclionately_ w9:rns him. Let him consider what he is doing. He is b_nngmg himself m!der ob)1p:at1on to do the whole Law, and that personally, with this risk attached, that, 1f he fails to do the whole Law, he comes under its curse. (2) Doing the whole Law excludes fi·om Christ anil grace. "Ye are severed from Christ ye who would be jastified by the Law; ye are fallen away from grace." The apostle t~kes the doing of th6 whole Law to be equivalent to the working out of the tvhole of their justi- :fication. That was necessarily to the entire exclusion of Christ. There was nothin"' left for him to do. His work was made of none effect. 'l'hey were severed from Christ and all the benefit of his work. They were thus fallen away from grace. Formerly they stood upon the merits of Christ, they had their Surety to answer for them; now they had themselves, immediately and fully, to answer to God for their Law-keeping. 2. .'J'!ie case of Christians stated. (1) The expectancy of faith. "For we through the Spmt by faith wait for the hope of righteousness." The thought in its simplicity is that we hope for righteousness. This can only be the righteousness on the ground of which we are justified. There is a difficulty in this being presented as future, when it can be immediately and fully enjoyed. Some attempt to get over the difficulty by supposing the meaning to be the hope that belongs to righteousness, i.e. the hope or et1:rnal life. B1;1t that is attaching a not very obvious meaning to the language. If we thmk of justifying righteousness as future, the reference can only be to the vindication of its sufficiency on the day of judgment, and further to the establishing of our personal interest in it on that day. The latter reference especially seems borne orit by the associated language. \Ve are represented as in the att.itude of expectancy. We wait for the hope, i.e. now the realization of the hope of righteousn:ess. This expectancy being based, so far as God is concerned, in the work of the Spirit on our hearts, and so far as we are concerned, in the exercise of faith, is based in reality. But' being based at the same time in that which is not completed, it partakes of imperfection. We are not so sure as those Jndaists were who rested on the fact of''their being circumcised. We are not so absolutely sure as we shall be when judgment has been pronounced in our favour. We are confident that the righteousness of Christ 'will be shown to be all-sufficient as the ground of Justification. And we hope, more or less confidently, according to the operation of the Spirit in our hearts and the working of faith,'that it will be shown that we are possessors of that righteousness. (2) The energy <,>f faith. "'For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision·; but faith working through love." The apostle here does not take so high ground with regard to circnmcision. He had forbidden the Galatians to submit to circumcision, on the ground that it would exclude them from Christ. Here he puts circumcision on a level with uncircumcision, as availing nothing within the Christian sphere. Neither is what avails baptism, which has taken the place of circumcision. The outward form is a matter of indilference, unless as it is connected with the inward reality. Whnt must ever be demanded is, as the representation is here--faith, and not a dead faith, but, according to the conception of Paul as well 1'8 according ·to the conception of James, a faith that is operative. And the energy of faith goes out in love.. There is, as we are taught here, a blessed harmony between these two gr~ces. lf we believe that not only God is, but that he is inexhaustible Goodness, we must be drawn out in love towards him. And if we believe that the .Son of God condescended. to become man and devoted himself for us, we must be impelled oU:t beyond ou·rselves towards the good of others. . • IL CERTAIN BEARINGS OF THE CABE ON THE GALATIANS. 1. They were hindered in a good career. "Ye were running well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" (1) Points in a good career. (a) That it be directed to a right end. This is brought out; in connection with their obeying the truth. 'l'hei~ caree~ in heathenism was vitiated by their being involved in error. 'l'he true idea ?f hfe had n~t bten revealed to them. But when they obeyed the truth they took Christ to be then· end and undertook to shape their career according to the rules of Christ,.' And .that iij necessary to the commencement of a good career. (b) That'it be· comm,enced early. If the Galatians did not commence in early life, yet they commenced as soon as au opportunity in providence was presented to them, and so far they can be cited as an .,xample of commencing early. It would have been a great advantage to th.em to have been taught and moulded as Christians in youth. There would not have been OR. V. 1-26.) 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE G-ALA'fJANS. 281