Daily Bible Nugget #64, Galatians 2:16

The Nugget:

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

My Comment:

Once again, the Bible clearly tells us that we cannot get to God by the works of the law–by keeping the Ten Commandments, or any other rules. We are saved by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. You will have noticed that in this listing of memory verses for the plan of salvation as it is given in the Bible that this issue of commandment keeping has been brought forward several times. When showing someone just what it is that the Bible teaches about an issue, it is helpful to show the truth as it appears in several places in the Bible. That should help to get the point across. Anyone who will take the effort to memorize the verses I have been sharing will be equipped to share faith in Christ with someone else, should the opportunity arise.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1349 for Galatians 2:16.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1369 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Galatians 2:16.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Galatians 2:16. Knowing. Gr. oida, Jn 8:55n. that a man. ver. 19. Ga 3:10-12. 5:4. Jb 9:2, 3, 29. 25:4. Ps 130:3, 4. Mt 4:4. Lk 10:25-29. Ac +*13:38, +39. Ro 3:19, 20, 27, 28. 4:2, 13-15. Ph 3:9. justified. Gr. dikaioō (S#1344g, Ro 8:30). Lk 7:29. 10:29. 1 C 4:4. works. Ga 3:2, 5, 10. Ro 2:15. He 6:1. 9:14. T **3:5. of the law. The Apostle asserts the freedom of the Christian from the law of Moses in its totality, making no distinction as between ceremonial and moral (Hogg & Vine, p. 88). Ga 5:3. Le +*18:5n. Ro 2:13. Ja **2:10. but by the faith. Ga 3:13, 14, 22-24. 4:5. Hab **2:4. Ro 1:17. *3:21-26, 28, 30. 4:5, 6, 24, 25. *5:1, 2, 8, 9. 8:3, 30-34. +9:30. *10:10. 1 C 6:11. 2 C **5:19-21. Ep 3:12. Ph 3:9. He 7:18, 19. of Jesus Christ. Ac 20:21. we have believed in. ver. 20. Jn 3:15, 16. 6:29, 30, 68, 69. **20:31. Ac **4:12. 15:9. **16:31. Ro *+10:14. Ph 1:29. Col 2:5. 1 P 1:2, 8, 9, 18-21. *2:24. *3:18. 2 P 1:1. 1 J *1:7. *2:1, 2. Re 7:9, 14. justified by the faith. Ga 3:24-26. Lk *18:14. Jn *3:15. Ac 15:11. 20:21. 24:24. Ro 3:22, 28, 30. 1 T 2:7. T 3:7. not by the works of the law. Ro *4:4, 5. 11:6. for by the works of the law. Ga *3:11, 24. Ex +*34:6, 7. Jb 9:2, 3. Ps *143:2. Ro 2:12. T *3:5. no flesh. ver. **21. Ga 1:16. Ge 6:12. Lk +3:6. Ro *3:20. be justified. or, made righteous. Gr. dikaioō (S#1344g, Ro 8:30). Made righteous is from dikaioō and commonly translated as “justified.” The issue here is between Law and grace, between the blood of the Levitical animal and the blood of the Son of God, and between the effect of each: to justify or to make righteous. There is necessarily contextual and dispensational diversity in meaning with respect to these terms. Accordingly, the meaning of dikaioō cannot be to justify under both Law and grace. Under Law dikaioō means to justify (cf. Ro 2:13), but under grace it means to make righteous (cf. Ro 3:24; T 3:7); further, these meanings accord with the respective systems as to ability to put away sin. Under the Law the blood of Levitical animals could not take away sins (cf. He 10:4, 11). But the blood of Christ, under the better covenant, does what the Law could never do—takes away sin. Regenerative change of the inner man was not possible under Law; in Christ there is a power by which sinners may be made righteous! (cf. Ro 2:13; 3:20 and notes) [Lavender NT, ftn f]. Ga **3:11. Ro 3:22, 23.