WHY BELIEVING YOU MUST KEEP THE LAW MEANS YOU ARE SHUT UP FROM A SAVING FAITH- Gal.3:23-26

By Edward O'Hara ,

As I have said many times before. If you are defining sin by what the law says you are in the wrong covenant. The reason this is so very important for we who profess to believe in Jesus is that being in the wrong covenant keeps us from knowing Him and having the eternal life that is only made possible by knowing Him.

This is why Paul said in Gal.3:23 while Israel was under the law they were “shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.” A faith that Paul says in Rom.10:17 “comes by hearing. And hearing by the word of God.” To show that faith for eternal life is only found in the New Covenant. And could not be found in the Old.

Which is why we see that those in the Old Testament sought for the promise but never attained it. Because it could not be attained through that testament. But, only through the New Covenant we find in the New Testament.

So when you hear someone teaching saying that “we are not under the law but we still must keep the law” you know they are preaching salvation from the wrong covenant.

And this is what every church teaches. So many people have been deceived to believe it must be true. Because they think, How could every church be so wrong as to teach something that is antithetical to New Covenant doctrine?

Or am I misunderstanding them? Is it possible they are saying something else when they say that even though we are not under the law we must still keep it? Let’s look at what they say that shows that every church does indeed teach what is antithetical to New Covenant doctrine.

When they say “we are not under the law but we still need to keep it”, is there something they say will happen if we don’t? Because if they do then this will show us whether what they are teaching is true for those under the Old Covenant, or the New.

If they teach that not keeping the law will cause our fellowship with God to be harmed because when we behave badly God has to punish us, then they are saying we are under the law. If they say that not keeping the law will bring the judgment of God on us because God must punish all sin, then they are saying we are every bit as much under the law as Israel was after Moses gave it to them.

Because it is only when men are under the law that their sins, ie their bad behavior as defined by the law, are imputed to them by God. Meaning that if God punishes New Covenant believers for their bad behavior we are really not under a New Covenant at all. But, in fact remain under the law. With all of its imputation of sins and consequential harm they do to our fellowship with God.

But, Paul says in Rom.2:14,15 when speaking of the covenant we are in now that the gentiles, that is the other nations than Israel, who do not have the law show that they are a law unto themselves. When they do by their very nature what is written in the law. Because when they do this they Paul says they show the work of the law is written in their hearts.

Noting that it is “the work of the law”, and not the law itself, that is written in their hearts. That is, that they do unto others by loving others as God has loved them that shows this work of the law. Doing the 2 new commands that Jesus gave to Israel. And not the keeping of the law as Israel was commanded to under the Old Covenant.

Btw, this is exactly what God was also saying in Jer.31:33 when He told Israel that in a New Covenant He will make with them He will put His laws in their hearts. Replacing their heart of stone represented by the commandments written on stone. With a heart of flesh wherein will dwell God’s Spirit to lead them into all truth. Instead of laws written on stone.

Which is why Paul said it is “not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” Saying also that this is why “there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law”.

Showing that those who remain under the law believing they must keep it will be judged by the law as unbelievers in Jesus. While those who sin without the law, which is when the gentile lives in unbelief toward Jesus, will be condemned by the same sin of unbelief.

But, what do we see being taught in the New Covenant? We see that if we have trusted in Jesus, regardless of good or bad works, He will never leave nor forsake us. We also see in Rom.8 that there is nothing that can separate us from God’s love. We see blessing and not cursing in the New Covenant.

We see fellowship with God that can never be broken. We see the protection of God that is never removed. We see that even when we are not faithful God is always faithful. Because He can not deny Himself.

We see that “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this verse we find the missing link between Old Covenant law and New Covenant grace. between the false narrative that says “we are not under the law but we must still keep it”. And “he who is dead is freed from sin”.

So it is that whoever is born of God has His seed remaining in him so that he can not sin. Because sin as the Old Covenant is defined by works. While the New Covenant defines sin as unbelief.

This helps us see that what John is teaching here is that it is not any bad works we may do that will separate us from God or cause a break in our fellowship with Him. Because this becomes impossible for the believer in Jesus because New Covenant sin is defined as unbelief. And not as bad works as it is defined in the Old Covenant.

So when you hear someone teaching or preaching that separation from God or broken fellowship with God is a possibility for the believer. You are hearing someone teaching or preaching that the New Covenant believer is still under the law.

Making them part of the Old Covenant and not a partaker of the New Covenant. And consequently have not been born of God. Showing how very important it is that we learn to define sin as the New Covenant defines it. Having our minds renewed as Paul says in Rom.12:1,2. So that we do not fall into Satan’s trap of salvation by works.

Because spiritual death or separation from God is impossible for those who have believed. Because salvation is not based on works, but on faith. It is believing Jesus for eternal life that brings us into relationship with God. And the promise of immortality at the resurrection.

So if we will trust in Jesus, to confess the Lord Jesus, and believe He has raised from the dead. We shall be saved. This is all that is needed to be secure in our life with Jesus. To know that we have eternal life now. And will have immortality at the resurrection.

Do this and you will be made a child of God and heir to His kingdom. Do this and you will no longer define sin according to commandments written on stone. But, by your trust in Him. Do this and when the bridegroom comes for His bride you will be made completely ready to go with Him. Do this and a spirit will be created in you by God that joins you to Him so that you will be with Him for all eternity in His kingdom. Do this… and I will see you there or in the air!

This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v4fgxro-why-believing-you-must-keep-the-law-means-you-are-shut-up-from-a-saving-fai.html?mref=6zof&mrefc=2