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NASB | Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Galatians 3:24 with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith. |
Bible Question: Is the command to "LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH" in Mark 12:29-34 and elsewhere something that we, as Christians indwelt by the Holy Spirit can attain with God's enablement in this life, or is this merely an impossible command designed to humble us in our sinfulness? |
Bible Answer: Question: Is it possible to love God as commanded? (?)Unanswered Not Specified Brent Douglass Sat 03/31/01, 10:43am Is the command to "LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH" in Mark 12:29-34 and elsewhere something that we, as Christians indwelt by the Holy Spirit can attain with God's enablement in this life, or is this merely an impossible command designed to humble us in our sinfulness? . . . My answer: The Scripture Jesus quoted in Mark 12:29 and following is part of the Mosaic Law. Note that in Mark 12 the question was asked by a Jew living in the age of the Law (prior to the age or dispensation of Grace) and answered by a Jew, who also kept the Law. (Since Jesus was entirely without sin, it is obvious that He kept ALL the Mosaic Law, never once stumbling in even one point. By definition sin is the transgression of the law.) So to answer the question, "What is the purpose of the Law?" would also be to answer your question, "Why was the commandment in Mark:12:29-34 given?" . . . Here is my best answer, according to my learning and understanding of what the BIBLE teaches re the Law and the believer's relationship to it. . . . 1) No one was ever saved by keeping the law. Gal 3:11 "But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for 'the just shall live by faith [trusting]'." . . . 2) The command in Mark 12 is a quote from the Mosaic Law found in Deut 6:4-9 and also in the book of Numbers. . . . 3) What is the purpose of the Law? This is a question whose answer I pursued for years. I finally found it in the NT Scriptures (right where it belonged). You'll find the answer in the third chapter of Romans and other passages, including the entire book of Galations, but especially Gal 3:19-25. Quoting Gal 3: 24-25: "Therefore the law was our tutor [literally, 'child conductor', a slave whose duty it was to take care of a child until adulthood] to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith has come, we are no longer under the law." See also Rom 3:28. Whole books have been written on the subject of the Law and its relationship to NT believers. But the entire answer to the question, "What is the purpose of the Law?" is summed up in the above quote (Gal 3:24-25) and in the following single sentence written by John MacArthur: "The law was our tutor which, by showing us our sins, was escorting (leading) us to Christ". . . . 4) The Law (including Deut 6:4-9) was given, in part, to show us our sinfulness. . . . 5) James 2:10 (ASV 1901) "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one [point], he is become guilty of all." Note: If one places himself under the law, how many commandments does he have to keep -- 10? No, all of them, all 613 commandments contained in the Pentateuch. (I do not mean to imply that this is what you are doing, sir, only that there are some who would do so, beginning with keeping the Sabbath and dietary laws and ending who knows where.) . . . To summarize: Gal 3: 24-25: "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith has come, we are no longer under the law." John MacArthur: "The law was our tutor which, by showing us our sins, was escorting (leading) us to Christ". |