Sermon for 9/11/22: Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity

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The Law and Righteousness

Galatians 3:15-22

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen. 

 

 

Paul had brought the Gospel to the Galatians on the first of his three missionary journeys through the Mediterranean area. He had preached grace and peace through Jesus Christ, who had given Himself into death for the sins of the world. This Gospel had created faith in the hearts of many in that place, and they had rejoiced in the grace of God. But sinful human nature being what it is, they had wavered. They had been “bewitched,” according to St. Paul, by those who had come after Paul with the message that righteousness was something to be earned by performing the works of the Law. And now, Paul had some reclaiming work to do.

The Law, at least in written form, was given over 400 years after the promise of a Savior had been given to Abraham, and then confirmed to Isaac and Jacob. And that Law was not to be a substitute for the Gospel promises, nor did it replace those promises. The Law, Paul says here, was “...added because of transgressions.” Its purpose was not to reveal a new and different way of salvation, but to show the need for salvation. To be sure, our conscience, if we will listen to it, will convince us that our conduct is imperfect, marred by endless faults and failings. And as we continue to sin, our conscience becomes more and more dulled and darkened to sin’s dreadful consequences.

From all of this, it is evident that the Law cannot give life, and is not the way to salvation. Rather, the Law locks us up under sin. There is no liberation from sin, no forgiveness of sin, no salvation but through Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of the Law, and “...the end of the Law for righteousness to all who believe.” Just previous to our text, St. Paul had said, “For all who rely on works of the Law”— that is, all who want to earn or merit salvation by their own deeds, their own efforts—“are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, and do them.’”

But instead, the apostle proves from the origin of the Gospel in the Old Testament that righteousness before God is the free gift of God’s grace in Christ. It was freely given to Abraham by promise, and the promises of God are as sure and certain and inviolate as a man’s last will and testament. When a man’s will is properly executed, it cannot be set aside nor can changes be made. If that is true of a man’s testament, then God’s testament, His promise of grace in Christ, is even less subject to change or annulment!

And when God gave His promise of grace to Abraham, He set no conditions that Abraham had to meet; He demanded no service that Abraham had to render; He set no time limit after which the validity of the promise would lapse. God’s promise of salvation is not contingent on a number of things, or on a number of persons, but on one only; on the eternal Son of the Father, the seed of Abraham, the promised Messiah, who, in the fullness of time appeared in the person of Jesus Christ, the God Man.

Righteousness, then, is the gift of God, bestowed not on the deserving; not on those who have achieved some merit; not as a reward or as wages for services performed. God bestows the gift freely for Christ’s sake, through grace and mercy that is undeserved. And this gift is for all; no one is excluded. God said to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that in their offspring—which is Christ—all nations and all families of the earth would be blessed. Just as God’s Law has put all people under sin—“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”—even so, the promises of God grant righteousness to all, all “...being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” For this reason, then, the apostle declares: God’s good and gracious will is “...that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” God’s promise is indeed like a will and testament.

Yes, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not counting their trespasses against them...” The truth is, all men are the “missing heirs” of God’s promise. They are all the heirs of salvation, though they do not know it. And so, all believers, the whole Church, have the solemn duty and privilege to tell those “missing heirs” that the promise is God is for them, as well, and for their children, and for all who are near and all who are far off. “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” That is the promise of the Lord. And so to them, and to you, and to all is the encouragement of St. Paul: “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” In the name of the Father and of the Son (†) and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

The peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always.  Amen.