Galatians 5:2–3

Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. [ESV]

This is outside most of our experience. It’s hard for us to fathom that becoming a male Jew meant having the foreskin of your penis cut off—as an adult if you converted. It was a religious event that stated in ritual that you were tied to the Jewish view of life—that the rule of Law is the supreme good given by God to live your life.

No wonder they were so upset that Paul had completely stepped outside of that by saying that it was no longer required. In fact, that this legalism was actually bondage. Once you accept the Law as the rule of your life you have left to possibility of grace behind you forever. You are tied to the Law.

But what about this?

“Don’t suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I came not to destroy them, but to fulfill them… I promise that not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom. You must obey God’s commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don’t, I promise you that you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 5:17]

Jesus said that.

You break any law and you are a sinner. If you are a sinner you must pay the penalty. The penalty is death. There is no probation or parole—no way to skirt the penalty. You break the law and you die PERIOD

“You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ…” [Galatians 5:4]

This is a radical statement. Not only are we free from the law, but by looking there to make our relationship right with God we are cutting ourselves off from Jesus the Messiah—fallen from grace.

But we who live by the Spirit eagerly await the righteousness received by faith which God has promised to us. [Galatians 5:5]

The question is not that we are looking for righteousness. Both legalists and we walking in the Spirit are seeking the same goal. As Christians, however, we know that the only hope for righteousness comes from a free gift from God. As it says at the end of the first chapter of I Corinthians, Jesus is our righteousness (and wisdom).

We begin to see why the Jews were so upset by all of this. Seemingly, righteousness comes from faith instead of obedience. But as you see in the quote from Jesus in Matthew, it’s really not that clear cut.

 The fact is: walking in the spirit is our only hope of living righteously.