Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians

Chapter 4

"I want to give you another illustration from everyday life," he writes to the

Galatians. "As long as an heir is under age he is treated very much like a

servant. He is not permitted to order his own affairs. He is kept under

constant surveillance. Such discipline is good for him, otherwise he would

waste his inheritance in no time. This discipline, however, is not to last

forever. It is to last only until 'the time appointed of the father.' "

In calling the Law the elements of the world Paul refers to the whole Law,

principally to the ceremonial law which dealt with external matters, as

meat, drink, dress, places, times, feasts, cleansings, sacrifices, etc. These

are mundane matters which cannot save the sinner. Ceremonial laws are like

the statutes of governments dealing with purely civil matters, as commerce,

inheritance, etc. As for the pope's church laws forbidding marriage and

meats, Paul calls them elsewhere the doctrines of devils. You would not call

such laws elements of heaven.

The Law of Moses deals with mundane matters. It holds the mirror to the evil

which is in the world. By revealing the evil that is in us it creates a longing

in the heart for the better things of God. The Law forces us into the arms of

Christ, "who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that

believeth." (Romans 1:4.) Christ relieves the conscience of the Law. In so far

as the Law impels us to Christ it renders excellent service.

I do not mean to give the impression that the Law should be despised. Neither

does Paul intend to leave that impression. The Law ought to be honored. But

when it is a matter of justification before God, Paul had to speak

disparagingly of the Law, because the Law has nothing to do with

justification. If it thrusts its nose into the business of justification we

must talk harshly to the Law to keep it in its place. The conscience ought not

to be on speaking terms with the Law. The conscience ought to know only

Christ. To say this is easy, but in times of trial, when the conscience writhes

in the presence of God, it is not so easy to do. As such times we are to

believe in Christ as if there were no Law or sin anywhere, but only Christ. We

ought to say to the Law: "Mister Law, I do not get you. You stutter so much. I

don't think that you have anything to say to me."

When it is not a question of salvation or justification with us, we are to

think highly of the Law and call it "holy, just, and good." (Romans 7:12) The

Law is of no comfort to a stricken conscience. Therefore it should not be

allowed to rule in our conscience, particularly in view of the fact that Christ

paid so great a price to deliver the conscience from the tyranny of the Law.

Let us understand that the Law and Christ are impossible bedfellows. The

Law must leave the bed of the conscience, which is so narrow that it cannot

hold two, as Isaiah says, chapter 28, verse 20.

Only Paul among the apostles calls the Law "the elements of the world, weak

and beggarly elements, the strength of sin, the letter that killeth," etc. The

other apostles do not speak so slightingly of the Law. Those who want to be

first-class scholars in the school of Christ want to pick up the language of

Paul. Christ called him a chosen vessel and equipped with a facility of

expression far above that of the other apostles, that he as the chosen vessel

should establish the doctrine of justification in clear-cut words.

Paul calls the Virgin Mary a woman. This has been frequently deplored even by

some of the ancient fathers who felt that Paul should have written "virgin"

instead of woman. But Paul is now treating of faith and Christian

righteousness, of the person and office of Christ, not of the virginity of

Mary. The inestimable mercy of God is sufficiently set forth by the fact that

His Son was born of a woman. The more general term "woman" indicates that

Christ was born a true man. Paul does not say that Christ was born of man and

woman, but only of woman. That he has a virgin in mind is obvious.

This passage furthermore declares that Christ's purpose in coming was the

abolition of the Law, not with the intention of laying down new laws, but "to

redeem them that were under the law." Christ himself declared: "I judge no

man." (John 8:15.) Again, "I came not to judge the world, but to save the

world." (John 12:47.) In other words: "I came not to bring more laws, or to

judge men according to the existing Law. I have a higher and better office. I

came to judge and to condemn the Law, so that it may no more judge and

condemn the world."

How did Christ manage to redeem us? "He was made under the law." When Christ

came He found us all in prison. What did He do about it? Although He was the

Lord of the Law, He voluntarily placed Himself under the Law and permitted it

to exercise dominion over Him, indeed to accuse and to condemn Him. When the

Law takes us into judgment it has a perfect right to do so. "For we are by

nature the children of wrath, even as others." (Eph. 2:3.) Christ, however,

"did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." (I Pet. 2:22.) Hence the

Law had no jurisdiction over Him. Yet the Law treated this innocent, just, and

blessed Lamb of God as cruelly as it treated us. It accused Him of blasphemy

and treason. It made Him guilty of the sins of the whole world. It overwhelmed

him with such anguish of soul that His sweat was as blood. The Law condemned

Him to the shameful death on the Cross.

It is truly amazing that the Law had the effrontery to turn upon its divine

Author, and that without a show of right. For its insolence the Law in turn

was arraigned before the judgment seat of God and condemned. Christ might

have overcome the Law by an exercise of His omnipotent authority over the

Law. Instead, He humbled Himself under the Law for and together with them

that were under the Law. He gave the Law license to accuse and condemn Him.

His present mastery over the Law was obtained by virtue of His Sonship and

His substitutionary victory.

Thus Christ banished the Law from the conscience. It dare no longer banish us

from God. For that matter,--the Law continues to reveal sin. It still raises

its voice in condemnation. But the conscience finds quick relief in the words

of the Apostle: "Christ has redeemed us from the law." The conscience can

now hold its head high and say to the Law: "You are not so holy yourself. You

crucified the Son of God. That was an awful thing for you to do. You have lost

your influence forever."

The words, "Christ was made under the law," are worth all the attention we

can bestow on them. They declare that the Son of God did not only fulfill one

or two easy requirements of the Law, but that He endured all the tortures of

the Law. The Law brought all its fright to bear upon Christ until He

experienced anguish and terror such as nobody else ever experienced. His

bloody sweat. His need of angelic comfort, His tremulous prayer in the

garden, His lamentation on the Cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou

forsaken me?" bear eloquent witness to the sting of the Law. He suffered "to

redeem them that were under the law."

The Roman conception of Christ as a mere lawgiver more stringent than

Moses, is quite contrary to Paul's teaching. Christ, according to Paul, was not

an agent of the Law but a patient of the Law. He was not a law-giver, but a

law-taker.

True enough, Christ also taught and expounded the Law. But it was incidental.

It was a sideline with Him. He did not come into the world for the purpose of

teaching the Law, as little as it was the purpose of His coming to perform

miracles. Teaching the Law and performing miracles did not constitute His

unique mission to the world. The prophets also taught the Law and performed

miracles. In fact, according to the promise of Christ, the apostles performed

greater miracles than Christ Himself. (John 14:12.) The true purpose of

Christ's coming was the abolition of the Law, of sin, and of death.

If we think of Christ as Paul here depicts Him, we shall never go wrong. We

shall never be in danger of misconstruing the meaning of the Law. We shall

understand that the Law does not justify. We shall understand why a

Christian observes laws: For the peace of the world, out of gratitude to God,

and for a good example that others may be attracted to the Gospel.

What ever induced God to adopt us for His children and heirs? What claim can

men who are subservient to sin, subject to the curse of the Law, and worthy

of everlasting death, have on God and eternal life? That God adopted us is due

to the merit of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who humbled Himself under the

Law and redeemed us law-ridden sinners.

Next, the Holy Ghost is sent forth into the hearts of the believers, as here

stated, "God sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts." This sending is

accomplished by the preaching of the Gospel through which the Holy Spirit

inspires us with fervor and light, with new judgment, new desires, and new

motives. This happy innovation is not a derivative of reason or personal

development, but solely the gift and operation of the Holy Ghost.

This renewal by the Holy Spirit may not be conspicuous to the world, but it is

patent to us by our better judgment, our improved speech, and our unashamed

confession of Christ. Formerly we did not confess Christ to be our only merit,

as we do now in the light of the Gospel. Why, then, should we feel bad if the

world looks upon us as ravagers of religion and insurgents against

constituted authority? We confess Christ and our conscience approves of it.

Then, too, we live in the fear of God. If we sin, we sin not on purpose, but

unwittingly, and we are sorry for it. Sin sticks in our flesh, and the flesh

gets us into sin even after we have been imbued by the Holy Ghost. Outwardly

there is no great difference between a Christian and any honest man. The

activities of a Christian are not sensational. He performs his duty according

to his vocation. He takes good care of his family, and is kind and helpful to

others. Such homely, everyday performances are not much admired. But the

setting-up exercises of the monks draw great applause. Holy works, you

know. Only the acts of a Christian are truly good and acceptable to God,

because they are done in faith, with a cheerful heart, out of gratitude to

Christ.

We ought to have no misgivings about whether the Holy Ghost dwells in us.

We are "the temple of the Holy Ghost." (I Cor. 3:16.) When we have a love for

the Word of God, and gladly hear, talk, write, and think of Christ, we are to

know that this inclination toward Christ is the gift and work of the Holy

Ghost. Where you come across contempt for the Word of God, there is the

devil. We meet with such contempt for the Word of God mostly among the

common people. They act as though the Word of God does not concern them.

Wherever you find a love for the Word, thank God for the Holy Spirit who

infuses this love into the hearts of men. We never come by this love

naturally, neither can it be enforced by laws. It is the gift of the Holy

Spirit.

The Roman theologians teach that no man can know for a certainty whether

he stands in the favor of God or not. This teaching forms one of the chief

articles of their faith. With this teaching they tormented men's consciences,

excommunicated Christ from the Church, and limited the operations of the

Holy Ghost.

St. Augustine observed that "every man is certain of his faith, if he has

faith." This the Romanists deny. "God forbid," they exclaim piously, "that I

should ever be so arrogant as to think that I stand in grace, that I am holy,

or that I have the Holy Ghost." We ought to feel sure that we stand in the

grace of God, not in view of our own worthiness, but through the good services

of Christ. As certain as we are that Christ pleases God, so sure ought we to

be that we also please God, because Christ is in us. And although we daily

offend God by our sins, yet as often as we sin, God's mercy bends over us.

Therefore sin cannot get us to doubt the grace of God. Our certainty is of

Christ, that mighty Hero who overcame the Law, sin, death, and all evils. So

long as He sits at the right hand of God to intercede for us, we have nothing

to fear from the anger of God.

This inner assurance of the grace of God is accompanied by outward indications

such as gladly to hear, preach, praise, and to confess Christ, to do one's

duty in the station in which God has placed us, to aid the needy, and to

comfort the sorrowing. These are the affidavits of the Holy Spirit testifying

to our favorable standing with God.

If we could be fully persuaded that we are in the good grace of God, that our

sins are forgiven, that we have the Spirit of Christ, that we are the beloved

children of God, we would be ever so happy and grateful to God. But because

we often feel fear and doubt we cannot come to that happy certainty.

Train your conscience to believe that God approves of you. Fight it out with

doubt. Gain assurance through the Word of God. Say: "I am all right with God. I

have the Holy Ghost. Christ, in whom I do believe, makes me worthy. I gladly

hear, read, sing, and write of Him. I would like nothing better than that

Christ's Gospel be known throughout the world and that many, many be

brought to faith in Him."

The fact that the Spirit of Christ in our hearts cries unto God and makes

intercession for us with groanings should reassure us greatly. However, there

are many factors that prevent such full reassurance on our part. We are born

in sin. To doubt the good will of God is an inborn suspicion of God with all

of us. Besides, the devil, our adversary, goeth about seeking to devour us by

roaring: "God is angry at you and is going to destroy you forever." In all

these difficulties we have only one support, the Gospel of Christ. To hold on

to it, that is the trick. Christ cannot be perceived with the senses. We

cannot see Him. The heart does not feel His helpful presence. Especially in

times of trials a Christian feels the power of sin, the infirmity of his

flesh, the goading darts of the devil, the agues of death, the scowl and

judgment of God. All these things cry out against us. The Law scolds us, sin

screams at us, death thunders at us, the devil roars at us. In the midst of

the clamor the Spirit of Christ cries in our hearts: "Abba, Father." And this

little cry of the Spirit transcends the hullabaloo of the Law, sin, death, and

the devil, and finds a hearing with God.

The Spirit cries in us because of our weakness. Because of our infirmity the

Holy Ghost is sent forth into our hearts to pray for us according to the will

of God and to assure us of the grace of God.

Let the Law, sin, and the devil cry out against us until their outcry fills

heaven and earth. The Spirit of God outcries them all. Our feeble groans,

"Abba, Father," will be heard of God sooner than the combined racket of hell,

sin, and the Law.

We do not think of our groanings as a crying. It is so faint we do not know we

are groaning. "But he," says Paul, "that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is

the mind of the Spirit." (Romans 8:27.) To this Searcher of hearts our feeble

groaning, as it seems to us, is a loud shout for help in comparison with which

the howls of hell, the din of the devil, the yells of the Law, the shouts of

sin are like so many whispers.

In the fourteenth chapter of Exodus the Lord addresses Moses at the Red Sea:

"Wherefore criest thou unto me?" Moses had not cried unto the Lord. He

trembled so he could hardly talk. His faith was at low ebb. He saw the people

of Israel wedged between the Sea and the approaching armies of Pharaoh.

How were they to escape? Moses did not know what to say. How then could

God say that Moses was crying to Him? God heard the groaning heart of Moses

and the groans to Him sounded like loud shouts for help. God is quick to catch

the sigh of the heart.

Some have claimed that the saints are without infirmities. But Paul says:

"The Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us with

groanings which cannot be uttered." We need the help of the Holy Spirit

because we are weak and infirm. And the Holy Spirit never disappoints us.

Confronted by the armies of Pharaoh, retreat cut off by the waters of the Red

Sea, Moses was in a bad spot. He felt himself to blame. The devil accused him:

"These people will all perish, for they cannot escape. And you are to blame

because you led the people out of Egypt. You started all this." And then the

people started in on Moses. "Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou

taken us away to die in the wilderness? For it had been better for us to serve

the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness." (Ex. 14:11, 12.) But

the Holy Ghost was in Moses and made intercession for him with unutterable

groanings, sighings unto the Lord: "O Lord, at Thy commandment have I led

forth this people. So help me now."

The Spirit intercedes for us not in many words or long prayers, but with

groanings, with little sounds like "Abba." Small as this word is, it says ever

so much. It says: "My Father, I am in great trouble and you seem so far away.

But I know I am your child, because you are my Father for Christ's sake. I am

loved by you because of the Beloved." This one little word "Abba" surpasses

the eloquence of a Demosthenes and a Cicero.

I have spent much time on this verse in order to combat the cruel teaching of

the Roman church, that a person ought to be kept in a state of uncertainty

concerning his status with God. The monasteries recruit the youth on the plea

that their "holy" orders will assuredly recruit them for heaven. But once

inside the monastery the recruits are told to doubt the promises of God.

In support of their error the papists quote the saying of Solomon: "The

righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man

knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them." (Eccles. 9:1.) They

take this hatred to mean the wrath of God to come. Others take it to mean

God's present anger. None of them seem to understand this passage from

Solomon. On every page the Scriptures urge us to believe that God is

merciful, loving, and patient; that He is faithful and true, and that He keeps

His promises. All the promises of God were fulfilled in the gift of His only-

begotten Son, that "whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have

everlasting life." The Gospel is reassurance for sinners. Yet this one saying

from Solomon, misinterpreted at that, is made to count for more than all the

many promises of all the Scriptures.

If our opponents are so uncertain about their status with God, and even go so

far as to say that the conscience ought to be kept in a state of doubt, why is

it that they persecute us as vile heretics? When it comes to persecuting us

they do not seem to be in doubt and uncertainty one minute.

Let us not fail to thank God for delivering us from the doctrine of doubt. The

Gospel commands us to look away from our own good works to the promises

of God in Christ, the Mediator. The pope commands us to look away from the

promises of God in Christ to our own merit. No wonder they are the eternal

prey of doubt and despair. We depend upon God for salvation. No wonder that

our doctrine is certified, because it does not rest in our own strength, our

own conscience, our own feelings, our own person, our own works. It is built

on a better foundation. It is built on the promises and truth of God.

Besides, the passage from Solomon does not treat of the hatred and love of

God towards men. It merely rebukes the ingratitude of men. The more

deserving a person is, the less he is appreciated. Often those who should be

his best friends, are his worst enemies. Those who least deserve the praise

of the world, get most. David was a holy man and a good king. Nevertheless he

was chased from his own country. The prophets, Christ, the apostles, were

slain. Solomon in this passage does not speak of the love and hatred of God,

but of love and hatred among men. As though Solomon wanted to say: "There

are many good and wise men whom God uses for the advancement of mankind.

Seldom, if ever, are their efforts crowned with gratitude. They are usually

repaid with hatred and ingratitude."

We are being treated that way. We thought we would find favor with men for

bringing them the Gospel of peace, life, and eternal salvation. Instead of

favor, we found fury. At first, yes, many were delighted with our doctrine

and received it gladly. We counted them as our friends and brethren, and were

happy to think that they would help us in sowing the seed of the Gospel. But

they revealed themselves as false brethren and deadly enemies of the Gospel.

If you experience the ingratitude of men, don't let it get you down. Say with

Christ: "They hated me without cause." And, "For my love they are my

adversaries; but I give myself unto prayer." (Ps. 109:4.)

Let us never doubt the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, but make up our minds

that God is pleased with us, that He looks after us, and that we have the Holy

Spirit who prays for us.

As the children of God we are the heirs of His eternal heaven. What a

wonderful gift heaven is, man's heart cannot conceive, much less describe.

Until we enter upon our heavenly inheritance we are only to have our little

faith to go by. To man's reason our faith looks rather forlorn. But because our

faith rests on the promises of the infinite God, His promises are also

infinite, so much so that nothing can accuse or condemn us.

We are not the heirs of some rich and mighty man, but heirs of God, the

almighty Creator of all things. If a person could fully appreciate what it

means to be a son and heir of God, he would rate the might and wealth of

nations small change in comparison with his heavenly inheritance. What is

the world to him who has heaven? No wonder Paul greatly desired to depart

and to be with Christ. Nothing would be more welcome to us than early death,

knowing that it would spell the end of all our miseries and the beginning of

all our happiness. Yes, if a person could perfectly believe this he would not

long remain alive. The anticipation of his joy would kill him.

But the law of the members strives against the law of the mind, and makes

perfect joy and faith impossible. We need the continued help and comfort of

the Holy Spirit. We need His prayers. Paul himself cried out: "O wretched man

that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" The body of this

death spoiled the joy of his spirit. He did not always entertain the sweet and

glad expectation of his heavenly inheritance. He often felt miserable.

This goes to show how hard it is to believe. Faith is feeble, because the flesh

wars against the spirit. If we could have perfect faith, our loathing for this

life in the world would be complete. We would not be so careful about this

life. We would not be so attached to the world and the things of the world. We

would not feel so good when we have them; we would not feel so bad when we

lose them. We would be far more humble and patient and kind. But our faith is

weak, because our spirit is weak. In this life we can have only the first-

fruits of the Spirit, as Paul says.

The example of the Galatians, of Anabaptists, and other sectarians in our day

bears testimony to the ease with which faith may be lost. We take great

pains in setting forth the doctrine of faith by preaching and by writing. We

are careful to apply the Gospel and the Law in their proper turn. Yet we make

little headway because the devil seduces people into misbelief by taking

Christ out of their sight and focusing their eyes upon the Law.

But why does Paul accuse the Galatians of reverting to the weak and beggarly

elements of the Law when they never had the Law? Why does he not say to

them: "At one time you Galatians did not know God. You then served idols that

were no gods. But now that you have come to know the true God, why do you

go back to the worship of idols?" Paul seems to identify their defection from

the Gospel to the Law with their former idolatry. Indeed he does. Whoever

gives up the article of justification does not know the true God. It is one and

the same thing whether a person reverts to the Law or to the worship of

idols. When the article of justification is lost, nothing remains except error,

hypocrisy, godlessness, and idolatry.

God will and can be known in no other way than in and through Christ

according to the statement of John 1:18, "The only begotten Son, which is in

the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Christ is the only means

whereby we can know God and His will. In Christ we perceive that God is not

a cruel judge, but a most loving and merciful Father who to bless and to save

us "spared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all." This is truly to know

God.

Those who do not know God in Christ arrive at this erroneous conclusion: "I

will serve God in such and such a way. I will join this or that order. I will

be active in this or that charitable endeavor. God will sanction my good

intentions and reward me with everlasting life. For is He not a merciful and

generous Father who gives good things even to the unworthy and ungrateful? How

much more will He grant unto me everlasting life as a due payment in return

for my many good deeds and merits." This is the religion of reason. This is

the natural religion of the world. "The natural man receiveth not the things

of the Spirit of God. (I Cor. 2:14.) "There is none that understandeth, there

is none that seeketh after God." (Romans 3:11.) Hence, there is really no

difference between a Jew, a Mohammedan, and any other old or new heretic.

There may be a difference of persons, places, rites, religions, ceremonies,

but as far as their fundamental beliefs are concerned they are all alike.

Is it therefore not extreme folly for Rome and the Mohammedans to fight

each other about religion? How about the monks? Why should one monk want

to be accounted more holy than another monk because of some silly ceremony,

when all the time their basic beliefs are asmuch alike as one egg is like the

other? They all imagine, if we do this or that work, God will have mercy on

us; if not, God will be angry.

God never promised to save anybody for his religious observance of

ceremonies and ordinances. Those who rely upon such things do serve a god,

but it is their own invention of a god, and not the true God. The true God has

this to say: No religion pleases Me whereby the Father is not glorified

through His Son Jesus. All who give their faith to this Son of Mine, to them I

am God and Father. I accept, justify, and save them. All others abide under My

curse because they worship creatures instead of Me.

Without the doctrine of justification there can be only ignorance of God.

Those who refuse to be justified by Christ are idolaters. They remain under

the Law, sin, death, and the power of the devil. Everything they do is wrong.

Nowadays there are many such idolaters who want to be counted among the

true confessors of the Gospel. They may even teach that men are delivered

from their sins by the death of Christ. But because they attach more

importance to charity than to faith in Christ they dishonor Him and pervert

His Word. They do not serve the true God, but an idol of their own invention.

The true God has never yet smiled upon a person for his charity or virtues,

but only for the sake of Christ's merits.

The objection is frequently raised that the Bible commands that we should

love God with all our heart. True enough. But because God commands it, it

does not follow that we do it. If we could love God with all our heart we

should undoubtedly be justified by our obedience, for it is written, "Which if

a man do, he shall live in them." (Lev. 18:5.) But now comes the Gospel and

says: "Because you do not do these things, you cannot live in them." The

words, "Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God," require perfect obedience, perfect

fear, perfect trust, and perfect love. But where are the people who can render

perfection? Hence, this commandment, instead of justifying men, only

accuses and condemns them. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness

to every one that believeth" (Romans 10:1.)

How may these two contradictory statements of the Apostle, "Ye knew not

God," and "Ye worshipped God," be reconciled? I answer: By nature all men

know that there is a God, "because that which may be known of God is

manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things

of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen." (Romans 1:19, 20.)

Furthermore, the different religions to be found among all nations at all

times bear witness to the fact that all men have a certain intuitive

knowledge of God.

If all men know God how can Paul say that the Galatians did not know God

prior to the hearing of the Gospel? I answer: There is a twofold knowledge of

God, general and particular. All men have the general and instinctive

recognition that there is a God who created heaven and earth, who is just and

holy, and who punishes the wicked. How God feels about us, what His

intentions are, what He will do for us, or how He will save us, that men

cannot know instinctively. It must be revealed to them. I may know a person

by sight, and still not know him, because I do not know how he feels about

me. Men know instinctively that there is a God. But what His will is toward

them, they do not know. It is written: "There is none that understandeth God."

(Romans 3:11.) Again, "No man hath seen God." (John 1:18.) Now, what good

does it do you if you know that there is a God, if you do not know how He

feels about you, or what He wants of you? People have done a good deal of

guessing. The Jew imagines he is doing the will of God if he concentrates on

the Law of Moses. The Mohammedan thinks his Koran is the will of God. The

monk fancies he is doing the will of God if he performs his vows. But they

deceive themselves and become "vain in their imaginations," as Paul says,

Romans 1:21. Instead of worshipping the true God, they worship the vain

imaginations of their foolish hearts.

What Paul means by saying to the Galatians, "When ye knew not God," is

simply this: "There was a time when you did not know the will of God in

Christ, but you worshipped gods of your own invention, thinking that you had

to perform this or that labor."

Whether you understand the "elements of the world" to mean the Law of

Moses, or the religions of the heathen nations, it makes no difference. Those

who lapse from the Gospel to the Law are no better off than those who lapse

from grace into idolatry. Without Christ all religion is idolatry. Without

Christ men will entertain false ideas about God, call their ideas what you

like, the laws of Moses, the ordinances of the Pope, the Koran of the

Mohammedans, or what have you.

The Apostle frankly expresses his surprise to the Galatians that they who

had known God intimately through the Gospel, should so easily be persuaded

by the false apostles to return to the weak and beggarly elements of the Law.

I would not be surprised to see my church perverted by some fanatic through

one or two sermons. We are no better than the apostles who had to witness

the subversion of the churches which they had planted with their own hands.

Nevertheless, Christ will reign to the end of the world, and that

miraculously, as He did during the Dark Ages.

Paul seems to think rather ill of the Law. He calls it the elements of the

world, the weak and beggarly elements of the world. Was it not irreverent for

him to speak that way about the holy Law of God? The Law ought to prepare

the way of Christ into the hearts of men. That is the true purpose and

function of the Law. But if the Law presumes to usurp the place and function

of the Gospel, it is no longer the holy Law of God, but a pseudo-Gospel.

If you care to amplify this matter you may add the observation that the Law

is a weak and beggarly element because it makes people weak and beggarly.

The Law has no power and affluence to make men strong and rich before God.

To seek to be justified by the Law amounts to the same thing as if a person

who is already weak and feeble should try to find strength in weakness, or as

if a person with the dropsy should seek a cure by exposing himself to the

pestilence, or as if a leper should go to a leper, and a beggar to a beggar to

find health and wealth.

Those who seek to be justified by the Law grow weaker and more destitute

right along. They are weak and bankrupt to begin with. They are by nature the

children of wrath. Yet for salvation they grasp at the straw of the Law. The

Law can only aggravate their weakness and poverty. The Law makes them ten

times weaker and poorer than they were before.

I and many others have experienced the truth of this. I have known monks who

zealously labored to please God for salvation, but the more they labored the

more impatient, miserable, uncertain, and fearful they became. What else can

you expect? You cannot grow strong through weakness and rich through

poverty. People who prefer the Law to the Gospel are like Aesop's dog who let

go of the meat to snatch at the shadow of the water. There is no satisfaction

in the Law. What satisfaction can there be in collecting laws with which to

torment oneself and others? One law breeds ten more until their number is

legion.

Who would have thought it possible that the Galatians, taught as they were

by that efficient apostle and teacher, Paul, could so quickly be led astray by

the false apostles? To fall away from the Gospel is an easy matter because

few people appreciate what an excellent treasure the knowledge of Christ

really is. People are not sufficiently exercised in their faith by afflictions.

They do not wrestle against sin. They live in security without conflict.

Because they have never been tried in the furnace of affliction they are not

properly equipped with the armor of God and know not how to use the sword

of the Spirit. As long as they are being shepherded by faithful pastors, all is

well. But when their faithful shepherds are gone and wolves disguised as

sheep break into the fold, back they go to the weak and beggarly elements of

the Law.

Whoever goes back to the Law loses the knowledge of the truth, fails in the

recognition of his sinfulness, does not know God, nor the devil, nor himself,

and does not understand the meaning and purpose of the Law. Without the

knowledge of Christ a man will always argue that the Law is necessary for

salvation, that it will strengthen the weak and enrich the poor. Wherever this

opinion holds sway the promises of God are denied, Christ is demoted,

hypocrisy and idolatry are established.

Like Paul, all pastors and ministers ought to have much sympathy for their

poor straying sheep, and instruct them in the spirit of meekness. They

cannot be straightened out in any other way. Oversharp criticism provokes

anger and despair, but no repentance. And here let us note, by the way, that

true doctrine always produces concord. When men embrace errors, the tie

of Christian love is broken.

At the beginning of the Reformation we were honored as the true ministers

of Christ. Suddenly certain false brethren began to hate us. We had given

them no offense, no occasion to hate us. They knew then as they know

now that ours is the singular desire to publish the Gospel of Christ

everywhere. What changed their attitude toward us? False doctrine.

Seduced into error by the false apostles, the Galatians refused to

acknowledge St. Paul as their pastor. The name and doctrine of Paul

became obnoxious to them. I fear this Epistle recalled very few from their

error.

Paul knew that the false apostles would misconstrue his censure of the

Galatians to their own advantage and say: "So this is your Paul whom you

praise so much. What sweet names he is calling you in his letter. When he

was with you he acted like a father, but now he acts like a dictator." Paul

knew what to expect of the false apostles and therefore he is worried. He

does not know what to say. It is hard for a man to defend his cause at a

distance, especially when he has reason to think that he personally has

fallen into disfavor.

We request the same consideration for ourselves. Our way of writing is

incisive and straightforward. But there is no bitterness in our heart. We

seek the honor of Christ and the welfare of men. We do not hate the Pope

as to wish him ill. We do not desire the death of our false brethren. We

desire that they may turn from their evil ways to Christ and be saved with

us. A teacher chastises the pupil to reform him. The rod hurts, but

correction is necessary. A father punishes his son because he loves his son.

If he did not love the lad he would not punish him but let him have his

own way in everything until he comes to harm. Paul beseeches the

Galatians to look upon his correction as a sign that he really cared for them.

"Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous;

nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto

them which are exercised thereby." (Heb. 12:11.)

Although Paul seeks to soften the effect of his reproachful words, he does

not take them back. When a physician administers a bitter potion to a

patient, he does it to cure the patient. The fact that the medicine is bitter

is no fault of the physician. The malady calls for a bitter medicine. Paul

wants the Galatians to judge his words according to the situation that made

them necessary.

To this the Galatians reply: "Why, then, do you say that we are perverted,

that we have forsaken the true doctrine, that we are foolish, bewitched, etc.,

if you are not angry? We must have offended you somehow."

Paul answers: "You Galatians have not injured me. You have injured

yourselves. I chide you not because I wish you ill. I have no reason to wish

you ill. God is my witness, you have done me no wrong. On the contrary,

you have been very good to me. The reason I write to you is because I love

you."

The bitter potion must be sweetened with honey and sugar to make it

palatable. When parents have punished their children they give them

apples, pears, and other good things to show them that they mean well.

Indeed, the Galatians are to be commended for receiving the Gospel from a

man as unimposing and afflicted all around as Paul was. Wherever he

preached the Gospel, Jews and Gentiles raved against him. All the

influential and religious people of his day denounced him. But the

Galatians did not mind it. That was greatly to their honor. And Paul does

not neglect to praise them for it. This praise Paul bestows on none of the

other churches to which he wrote.

St. Jerome and others of the ancient fathers allege this infirmity of Paul's to

have been some physical defect, or concupiscence. Jerome and the other

diagnosticians lived at a time when the Church enjoyed peace and

prosperity, when the bishops increased in wealth and standing, when

pastors and bishops no longer sat over the Word of God. No wonder they

failed to understand Paul.

When Paul speaks of the infirmity of his flesh he does not mean some

physical defect or carnal lust, but the sufferings and afflictions which he

endured in his body. What these infirmities were he himself explains in

II Corinthians 12:9, 10: "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my

infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take

pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in

distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." And in

the eleventh chapter of the same Epistle the Apostle writes: "In labors

more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in

deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice

was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck," etc.

(II Cor. 11:23-25.) By the infirmity of his flesh Paul meant these afflictions

and not some chronic disease. He reminds the Galatians how he was

always in peril at the hands of the Jews, Gentiles, and false brethren, how

he suffered hunger and want.

Now, the afflictions of the believers always offend people. Paul knew it and

therefore has high praise for the Galatians because they over looked his

afflictions and received him like an angel. Christ forewarned the faithful

against the offense of the Cross, saying: "Blessed is he, whosoever shall not

be offended in me." (Matt. 11:6.) Surely it is no easy thing to confess Him

Lord of all and Savior of the world who was a reproach of men, and

despised of the people, and the laughing stock of the world. (Ps. 22:7.) I say,

to value this poor Christ, so spitefully scorned, spit upon, scourged, and

crucified, more than the riches of the richest, the strength of the strongest,

the wisdom of the wisest, is something. It is worth being called blessed.

Paul not only had outward afflictions but also inner, spiritual afflictions.

He refers to these in II Corinthians 7:6, "Without were fightings, within

were fears." In his letter to the Philippians Paul makes mention of the

restoration of Epaphroditus as a special act of mercy on the part of God,

"lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow."

Considering the many afflictions of Paul, we are not surprised to hear him

loudly praising the Galatians for not being offended at him as others were.

The world thinks us mad because we go about to comfort, to help, to save

others while we ourselves are in distress. People tell us: "Physician, heal

thyself." (Luke 4:23.)

The Apostle tells the Galatians that he will keep their kindness in

perpetual remembrance. Indirectly, he also reminds them how much they

had loved him before the invasion of the false apostles, and gives them a

hint that they should return to their first love for him.

Nowadays the name of Luther carries the same stigma. Whoever praises

Luther is a worse sinner than an idolater, perjurer, or thief.

A true friend will admonish his erring brother, and if the erring brother

has any sense at all he will thank his friend. In the world truth produces

hatred. Whoever speaks the truth is counted an enemy. But among friends

it is not so, much less among Christians. The Apostle wants his Galatians

to know that just because he had told them the truth they are not to think

that he dislikes them. "I told you the truth because I love you."

They tell me that by my stubbornness in this doctrine of the Sacrament I

am destroying the harmony of the church. They say it would be better if we

would make some slight concession rather than cause such commotion

and controversy in the Church regarding an article which is not even one

of the fundamental doctrines. My reply is, cursed be any love or harmony

which demands for its preservation that we place the Word of God in

jeopardy!

Paul was considerably disturbed by the commissions and changes that

followed in the wake of his preaching. He was accused of being "a pestilent

fellow, a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world."

(Acts 24:5.) In Philippi the townspeople cried that he troubled their city and

taught customs which were not lawful for them to receive. (Acts 16:20, 21.)

All troubles, calamities, famines, wars were laid to the charge of the Gospel

of the apostles. However, the apostles were not deterred by such calumnies

from preaching the Gospel. They knew that they "ought to obey God rather

than men," and that it was better for the world to be upset than to be

ignorant of Christ.

Do you think for a moment that these reactions did not worry the apostles?

They were not made of iron. They foresaw the revolutionary character of

the Gospel. They also foresaw the dissensions that would creep into the

Church. It was bad news for Paul when he heard that the Corinthians were

denying the resurrection of the dead, that the churches he had planted

were experiencing all kinds of difficulties, and that the Gospel was being

supplanted by false doctrines.

But Paul also knew that the Gospel was not to blame. He did not resign his

office because he knew that the Gospel he preached was the power of God

unto salvation to every one that believes.

The same criticism which was leveled at the apostles is leveled at us. The

doctrine of the Gospel, we are told, is the cause of all the present unrest in

the world. There is no wrong that is not laid to our charge. But why? We

do not spread wicked lies. We preach the glad tidings of Christ. Our

opponents will bear us out when we say that we never fail to urge respect

for the constituted authorities, because that is the will of God.

All of these vilifications cannot discourage us. We know that there is

nothing the devil hates worse than the Gospel. It is one of his little tricks

to blame the Gospel for every evil in the world. Formerly, when the

traditions of the fathers were taught in the Church, the devil was not

excited as he is now. It goes to show that our doctrine is of God, else

"behemoth would lie under shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and

fens." The fact that he is again walking about as a roaring lion to stir up

riots and disorders is a sure sign that he has begun to feel the effect of our

preaching.

At the same time Paul indicts the false apostles. He says: "I have begotten

you Galatians through the Gospel, giving you the form of Christ. But these

false apostles are giving you a new form, the form of Moses." Note the

Apostle does not say, "Of whom I travail in birth again until I be formed in

you," but "until Christ be formed in you." The false apostles had torn the

form of Christ out of the hearts of the Galatians and substituted their own

form. Paul endeavors to reform them, or rather reform Christ in them.

Paul is an expert at allegories. They are dangerous things. Unless a person

has a thorough knowledge of Christian doctrine he had better leave

allegories alone.

The allegory which Paul is about to bring is taken from the Book of Genesis

which he calls the Law. True, that book contains no mention of the Law.

Paul simply follows the custom of the Jews who included the first book of

Moses in the collective term, "Law." Jesus even included the Psalms.

With the permission of Sarah, Abraham took Hagar, Sarah's bondwoman,

to wife. Sarah knew that God had promised to make her husband Abraham

the father of a nation, and she hoped that she would be the mother of this

promised nation. But with the passage of the years her hope died out. In

order that the promise of God should not be annulled by her barrenness

this holy woman resigned her right and honor to her maid. This was no

easy thing for her to do. She abased herself. She thought: "God is no liar.

What He has promised He will perform. But perhaps God does not want

me to be the mother of Abraham's posterity. Perhaps He prefers Hagar for

the honor."

Ishmael was thus born without a special word or promise of God, at the

mere request of Sarah. God did not command Abraham to take Hagar, nor

did God promise to bless the coalition. It is evident that Ishmael was the

son of Abraham after the flesh, and not after the promise.

In the ninth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans St. Paul advances the

same argument which he amplifies into an allegory in writing to the

Galatians. There he argues that all the children of Abraham are not the

children of God. For Abraham had two kinds of children, children born of

the promise, like Isaac, and other children born without the promise, as

Ishmael. With this argument Paul squelched the proud Jews who gloried

that they were the children of God because they were the seed and the

children of Abraham. Paul makes it clear enough that it takes more than

an Abrahamic pedigree to be a child of God. To be a child of God requires

faith in Christ.

The Jews regarded the conditional promises of the Law as if they were

unconditional. When the prophets foretold the destruction of Jerusalem,

the Jews stoned them as blasphemers of God. They never gave it any

thought that there was a condition attached to the Law which reads: "If you

keep the commandments it shall be well with thee."

I would have been tempted to call Jerusalem, Sarah, or the New

Testament. I would have been pleased with this turn of the allegory. It goes

to show that not everybody has the gift of allegory. Would you not think it

perfectly proper to call Sinai Hagar and Jerusalem Sarah? True, Paul does

call Sarah Jerusalem. But he has the spiritual and heavenly Jerusalem in

mind, not the earthly Jerusalem. Sarah represents that spiritual Jerusalem

where there is no Law but only the promise, and where the inhabitants are

free.

To show that the Law has been quite abolished, the earthly Jerusalem was

completely destroyed with all her ornaments, temples, and ceremonies.

Do not mistake this one word "above" to refer to the triumphant Church

in heaven, but to the militant Church on earth. In Philippians 3:20, the

Apostle uses the phrase: "Our conversation is in heaven," not locally in

heaven, but in spirit. When a believer accepts the heavenly gifts of the

Gospel he is in heaven. So also in Ephesians 1:3, "Who hath blessed us

with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Jerusalem here

means the universal Christian Church on earth.

Sarah, the Church, as the bride of Christ bears free children who are not

subject to the Law.

Although the Law has many children, they are not free. They are slaves. As

servants they cannot have a share in the inheritance, but are driven from

the house as Ishmael was cast out of the house of Abraham. In fact the

servants of the Law are even now barred from the kingdom of light and

liberty, for "he that believeth not, is condemned already." (John 3:18.) As

the servants of the Law they remain under the curse of the Law, under sin

and death, under the power of the devil, and under the wrath and

judgment of God.

On the other hand, Sarah, the free Church, seems barren. The Gospel of the

Cross which the Church proclaims does not have the appeal that the Law

has for men, and therefore it does not find many adherents. The Church

does not look prosperous. Unbelievers have always predicted the death of

the Church. The Jews were quite certain that the Church would not long

endure. They said to Paul: "As concerning this sect, we know that

everywhere it is spoken against." (Acts 28:22.) No matter how barren and

forsaken, how weak and desolate the Church may seem, she alone is really

fruitful before God. By the Gospel she procreates an infinite number of

children that are free heirs of everlasting life.

The Law, "the old husband," is really dead. But not all people know it, or

want to know it. They labor and bear the burden and the heat of the day,

and bring forth many children, children that are bastards like themselves,

children born to be put out of the house like Ishmael to perish forever.

Accursed be that doctrine, life, and religion which endeavors to obtain

righteousness before God by the Law and its creeds.

The scholastics think that the judicial and ceremonial laws of Moses were

abolished by the coming of Christ, but not the moral law. They are blind.

When Paul declares that we are delivered from the curse of the Law he

means the whole Law, particularly the moral law which more than the

other laws accuses, curses, and condemns the conscience. The Ten

Commandments have no right to condemn that conscience in which Jesus

dwells, for Jesus has taken from the Ten Commandments the right and

power to curse us.

Not as if the conscience is now insensitive to the terrors of the Law, but the

Law cannot drive the conscience to despair. "There is now no

condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1.) "If the

Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36.)

You will complain: "But I am not doing anything." That is right. You cannot

do a thing to be delivered from the tyranny of the Law. But listen to the

glad tidings which the Holy Ghost brings to you in the words of the

prophet: "Rejoice, thou barren." As Christ is greater than the Law, so much

more excellent is the righteousness of Christ than the righteousness of the

Law.

In one more respect the Law has been abolished. The civil laws of Moses do

not concern us, and should not be put back in force. That does not mean

that we are exempt from obedience to the civil laws under which we live.

On the contrary, the Gospel commands Christians to obey government

"not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake." (Romans 13:5.)

Neither do the ordinances of Moses or those of the Pope concern us. But

because life cannot go on without some ordinances, the Gospel permits

regulations to be made in the Church in regard to special days, times,

places, etc., in order that the people may know upon what day, at what

hour, and in what place to assemble for the Word of God. Such directions

are desirable that "all things be done decently and in order." (I Cor. 14:40.)

These directions may be changed or omitted altogether, as long as no

offense is given to the weak.

Paul, however, refers particularly to the abolition of the moral law. If faith

alone in Christ justifies, then the whole Law is abolished without

exception. And this the Apostle proves by the testimony of Isaiah, who bids

the barren to rejoice because she will have many children, whereas she that

has a husband and many children will be forsaken.

Isaiah calls the Church barren because her children are born without effort

by the Word of faith through the Spirit of God. It is a matter of birth, not of

exertion. The believer too works, but not in an effort to become a son and

an heir of God. He is that before he goes to work. He is born a son and an

heir. He works for the glory of God and the welfare of his fellowmen.

We are not like these Jews, the children of the bondwoman, the Law, who

were cast out of the house by Jesus. We are children of the promise like

Isaac, born of grace and faith unto an everlasting inheritance.

We invite our opponents to tell us what good things attended the

preaching of the Gospel by the apostles. Did not the destruction of

Jerusalem follow on the heels of the Gospel? And how about the

overthrow of the Roman Empire? Did not the whole world seethe with

unrest as the Gospel was preached in the whole world? We do not say that

the Gospel instigated these upheavals. The iniquity of man did it.

Our opponents blame our doctrine for the present turmoil. But ours is a

doctrine of grace and peace. It does not stir up trouble. Trouble starts when

the people, the nations and their rulers of the earth rage and take counsel

together against the Lord, and against His anointed. (Psalm 2.) But all their

counsels shall be brought to naught. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall

laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." (Psalm 2:4.) Let them cry out

against us as much as they like. We know that they are the cause of all their

own troubles.

As long as we preach Christ and confess Him to be our Savior, we must be

content to be called vicious trouble makers. "These that have turned the

world upside down are come hither also; and these all do contrary to the

decrees of Caesar," so said the Jews of Paul and Silas. (Acts 17:6, 7.) Of Paul

they said: "We have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of

sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the

sect of the Nazarenes." The Gentiles uttered similar complaints: "These

men do exceedingly trouble our city."

This man Luther is also accused of being a pestilent fellow who troubles

the papacy and the Roman empire. If I would keep silent, all would be well,

and the Pope would no more persecute me. The moment I open my mouth

the Pope begins to fume and to rage. It seems we must choose between

Christ and the Pope. Let the Pope perish.

Christ foresaw the reaction of the world to the Gospel. He said: "I am come

to send fire on the earth, and what will I, if it be already kindled?"

(Luke 12:49.)

Do not take the statement of our opponents seriously, that no good can

come of the preaching of the Gospel. What do they know? They would not

recognize the fruits of the Gospel if they saw them.

At any rate, our opponents cannot accuse us of adultery, murder, theft, and

such crimes. The worst they can say about us is that we have the Gospel.

What is wrong with the Gospel? We teach that Christ, the Son of God, has

redeemed us from sin and everlasting death. This is not our doctrine. It

belongs to Christ. If there is anything wrong with it, it is not our fault. If

they want to condemn Christ for being our Savior and Redeemer, that is

their lookout. We are mere onlookers, watching to see who will win the

victory, Christ or His opponents.

On one occasion Jesus remarked: "If ye were of the world, the world would

love his own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you

out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19.) In

otherwords: "I am the cause of all your troubles. I am the one for whose

sake you are killed. If you did not confess my name, the world would not

hate you. The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted

me, they will also persecute you."

Christ takes all the blame. He says: "You have not incurred the hatred and

persecutions of the world. I have. But be of good cheer; I have overcome

the world."

The Holy Ghost contemptuously calls the admirers of the Law the children

of the bondwoman. "If you do not know your mother, I will tell you what

kind of a woman she is. She is a slave. And you are slaves. You are slaves

of the Law and therefore slaves of sin, death, and everlasting damnation.

You are not fit to be heirs. You are put out of the house."

This is the sentence which God pronounces upon the Ishmaelites, the

papists, and all others who trust in their own merits, and persecute the

Church of Christ. Because they are slaves and persecutors of the children of

the free woman, they shall be cast out of the house of God forever. They

shall have no inheritance with the children of the promise. This sentence

stands forever.

This sentence affects not only those popes, cardinals bishops, and monks

who were notoriously wicked and made their bellies their Gods. It strikes,

also, those who lived in all sincerity to please God and to merit the

forgiveness of their sins through a life of self-denial. Even these will be

cast out, because they are children of the bondwoman.

Our opponents do not defend their own moral delinquency. The better

ones deplore and abhor it. But they defend and uphold their doctrine of

works which is of the devil. Our quarrel is not with those who live in

manifest sins. Our quarrel is with those among them who think they live

like angels, claiming that they do not only perform the Ten

Commandments of God, but also the sayings of Christ, and many good

works that God does not expect of them. We quarrel with them because

they refuse to have Jesus' merit count alone for righteousness.

St. Bernard was one of the best of the medieval saints. He lived a chaste

and holy life. But when it came to dying he did not trust in his chaste life

for salvation. He prayed: "I have lived a wicked life. But Thou, Lord Jesus,

hast a heaven to give unto me. First, because Thou art the Son of God.

Secondly, because Thou hast purchased heaven for me by Thy suffering

and death. Thou givest heaven to me, not because I earned it, but because

Thou hast earned it for me." If any of the Romanists are saved it is because

they forget their good deeds and merits and feel like Paul: "Not having

mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the

faith of Christ." (Phil. 3:9.)