Derek Thomas

Well, that's the first thing, I have been crucified.

And then go back a verse to verse 19, I died to the law, for through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God.

Now, we could read this verse and interpret this in a way that Paul didn't intend for it to be interpreted.

Paul isn't saying here everything that one can possibly say about the law.

He's speaking about the law in the context of a discussion about justification, in a context of a discussion about how a person can be right with God.

And the answer to the question, how can I be right with God, is not through my obedience to the law.

Now, if you were asking a different question on a different occasion in a different context, are Christians meant to obey the law?

Yes, the Christians are meant to obey the moral law, the Ten Commandments.

Not in order to be justified, but because we are justified.

Because we are filled with gratitude and thanksgiving for all that God has done for us in the gospel.

But here in Galatians, the context is right with Godness.

The context is justification by faith.

And in justification, my obedience to the law has no part to play whatsoever.

Now, that's not to say that obedience to the law doesn't play a part.

It's not my obedience to the law.

It's Jesus' obedience to the law.

He obeyed the law so that I don't have to obey the law.

And the fact of the matter is that my attempts to obey the law have been ruinous.

One of the aspects of the law is that it's given in order to convict us of sin.

The law was added because of transgressions.