If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain

Paul warns against false teaching which can be so subtle. He describes a time when he went to Jerusalem and he had Titus the uncircumcised Greek with him. The enemies planted false believers in the church to try and move people back to the old religion which they were in bondage to the Law. Paul defends not only the gospel but the freedom in Christ.

Paul describes that he has the full support of the Jerusalem apostles James, Peter and John and they showed this by giving Barnabas to Paul to help him spread the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul also recalls that he once had to rebuke Peter, when Peter who ate freely among the Gentiles, suddenly turned back to the customs of the Law when some other Jews arrived. Paul explains that justification is not by the works of following the traditions of the Law but by faith itself.




Galatians 2
Defending the Gospel

1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

6 But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

No Return to the Law

11 Now when Peter[a] had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you[b] compel Gentiles to live as Jews?[c] 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Job Maintains His Integrity

Job stands firm on his innocence in this passage and explains that there is no point for him to defend his innocence if it was not true. He goes on then to describe what happens to a hypocrite, showing that there is no point for him to be one.

In v2, he still attributes the calamities to God, but we also see his stubborness that he will not curse God or speak anything against the Almighty. In v6, he stresses his righteousness, not so much self-righteousness, but a knowledge that he did not bring punishment on himself. If Job was a hypocrite, he would not call on God, nor delight in him, hoping that his friends would understand this. FRom v14-23, Job describes how a hypocrite may seem to prosper on one hand, but often on the other hand, he will lose those benefits.

It's not clear how Job is arguing this since previously he rejected his friends assumption that the calamities befall Job because of his wickedness. In that case, Job pointed out that it wasn't his wickedness. In the passage here, Job seems to indicate that he understands that for hypocrites, their prosperity is not permanent. It appears that Job was trying to explain at length that if he was a hypocrite, he would accept it and that he wouldn't be crying out to God as he is doing now.


Job 27

 1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
 2 “As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
 3 As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils,
 4 My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.
 5 Far be it from me That I should say you are right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.
 6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.
 7 “May my enemy be like the wicked, And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
 8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much, If God takes away his life?
 9 Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him?
 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call on God?
 11 “I will teach you about the hand of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
 12 Surely all of you have seen it; Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?
 13 “This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty:
 14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
 15 Those who survive him shall be buried in death, And their[a] widows shall not weep,
 16 Though he heaps up silver like dust, And piles up clothing like clay—
 17 He may pile it up, but the just will wear it, And the innocent will divide the silver.
 18 He builds his house like a moth,[b] Like a booth which a watchman makes.
 19 The rich man will lie down, But not be gathered up;[c] He opens his eyes, And he is no more.
 20 Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night.
 21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; It sweeps him out of his place.
 22 It hurls against him and does not spare; He flees desperately from its power.
 23 Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.