If God’s in such a good mood, why does he give commands? Some people have been very negative about this statement: “God is in a good mood with you! And you see that when you look at Jesus!” I have even heard that some people think that is heresy. They claim that I, and our church, deny the Law, or do not preach the Law, or are careless about God’s commands.
Paul faced a similar criticism when false teachers went to Galatia. They attacked him for preaching grace so clearly that people heard it as a denial of the Law. Paul told them that all God’s promises are found in Jesus alone. And none of God’s promises depend on the Law.
God gives commands and promises. God’s commands are his Law. God’s promises are his Gospel.
God’s Law—his commands—declares God’s wrath: that all the selfishness of every human being is condemned. God’s Gospel—his promises—declares God’s grace: that in Christ alone God has a positive attitude toward every selfish person, no matter how evil they are. In Christ you have been forgiven, you have been made perfect, God is unconditionally good and loving toward you.
Now, many people in Galatia and today struggle with this, because it doesn’t make logical sense. How can God’s wrath condemn all sin? And yet in Christ God be positive toward all sinners?
This is why some people criticise us today:
From the beginning of our church, I have not allowed people to receive communion who are committed to cohabiting outside of marriage. Because by refusing to repent they are resisting God’s forgiveness in Christ. Because of that, some have accused us of denying God’s grace. On the other hand, our key message is that whoever you are, whether you’re cohabiting, Christian, Muslim, atheist, God is in a good mood with you purely because of Jesus. Because of that, some have accused us of denying God’s wrath.
People throw similar accusations at Paul. In Galatians 2:11, when Peter acts in a way contrary to the Gospel, Paul says: I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. Because of that, some have accused Paul of being harsh, divisive or unloving. On the other hand, in Galatians 3:8 Paul explicitly teaches the universal nature of God’s promises: “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” Because of that, Paul had to write to the Galatians, and explicitly answer the question “Why then the Law?”.
But Paul is neither legalistic, nor does he deny the Law. Rather, he simply understands that the Law and the Gospel both need to be used correctly, for the purposes that each was given. To do this, we need to understand why God gave the Law. Or in other words: If God’s in such a good mood, why does he give commands? Now in Galatians 3:15–22, Paul gives us three answers: First, God’s promises are made to Christ, not people who obey. Second, God’s Law comes because of our nature, not his. And third, God’s Law drives you to Jesus, not yourself.
So, first: God’s promises are made to Christ, not to people who obey God’s promise is a legal covenant.
Paul explains the terms of that covenant in vv. 15-18:
15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
On the surface, what Paul’s saying here may seem very strange. Because the issue in the church in Galatia was not really about the Law given to Moses 430 after Abraham. It was whether Israelite and later Jewish men had to be circumcised if they were to inherit the promises of God.
And this confusion was perfectly understandable, because God gave circumcision to Abraham, not to Moses. The command to Abraham to circumcise all males was a command to have faith in God’s promises. In Deuteronomy 10:16, Moses talks about circumcision as a synonym of faith in God’s promises:
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.
But Paul connects this sign of faith to the Law 430 years later, because the Law is what God commands: so even the command to have faith is itself Law. But God’s promises are not given to people who obey the Law. God’s promises are not given to men who get circumcised. God’s promises are not given to you because your faith makes you worthy to be given them. Because God’s promises are given to Jesus, and through faith in him we receive everything that is his. That is exactly Paul’s point in v. 16:
Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
So, in the Old Testament, Israelite men only benefitted from God’s promises when the Holy Spirit gave them faith in the coming messiah, which they expressed by getting circumcised. If you didn’t get circumcised —you refused to confess faith in the messiah— you were cut off from God’s people.
Similarly, today, you and I only benefit from God’s promises, when the Holy Spirit gives us faith that trusts in Jesus; which we express by confessing Jesus. If we don’t have faith in Jesus —we refuse to confess faith in Jesus— we will be cut off from God’s people.
But God’s promises are not made to people who get circumcised. God’s promises are not made to people who have faith in Jesus. Paul says God’s promises are made to Jesus. So, Paul warns the Galatians that if they trust in anything other than Jesus, they are severed from Christ.
That even includes trusting in your own faith, because: God’s promises are made to Christ, not to people who obey
Which leads us to Paul’s second point—the purpose of the Law: 2) God’s Law comes because of our nature, not his Please look at vv. 19-20:
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
Paul says the Law is one step removed from God. It was installed through angels, by an intermediary. Whereas the promise comes directly from the one God. The Law is no less God’s Word than the Gospel, but even God doesn’t treat the Law and the Gospel in the same way.
This idea isn’t unique to Paul. In the Old Testament, God himself distances himself from the work of the Law. Ezekiel 33:11 tells us God takes no pleasure in the work of the Law:
As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
And in Isaiah 28:21 God describes acting out the judgment of the Law as alien to himself:
to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work!
Instead, Romans 5:8 tells us that it is the Gospel that reflects God’s heart:
God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
So, God did not give the Law because Law and Gospel are two competing ideas or feelings within God. God is not loving but also annoyed—and so internally conflicted. God is love. But while God must work wrath, God is not wrath. Paul says the Law was added, not because of God’s nature, but because of our nature: because of our transgressions.
The first commandment of the Law tells us to fear, love and trust God above all things. But all of us are naturally inclined to transgress that. We are all naturally inclined to fear, love and trust ourselves.
God really is in a good mood with you: —but his attitude toward you, his forgiveness, his mercy is found in Jesus alone; —and you and I by nature don’t look at Jesus, we look at ourselves.
Even when the Holy Spirit gives us trust in Jesus, we still find ways to pervert and twist that into being about ourselves, rather than about Jesus.
On the last day, when asked “Why should I let you into heaven” The answer is not “Because I have faith in Jesus.” —That answer is about yourself. The true answer is “Because Jesus died for me.” —That answer is about Jesus.
This why Paul says the Law was added: God’s Law comes because of our nature, not his
God didn’t need to add the Law because of some conflict within himself. God added the Law because we naturally trust ourselves. But the promises are given to Jesus.
And so Paul’s third point is about what the Law does:
3) God’s Law drives you to Jesus, not yourself Please look at vv. 21-22:
21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
God is on your side. He wants you to receive the promises he’s given to Christ. And so, his Law imprisons everything under sin, to drive you to trust in Christ alone. The Law serves the promise.
Are you worried your faith isn’t strong enough? It isn’t. But Jesus trusted God perfectly for you. Are you worried you don’t pray enough? You don’t. But Jesus prayed constantly, even through extreme stress for you. Are you worried you don’t listen to God’s Word enough? You don’t. But Jesus perfectly obeyed God’s Word for you.
Are you in constant conflict with your parents? Jesus submitted his life to unjust authorities for you. Do you find anger and frustration dogs you every single day? Jesus prayed for those who crucified him, and received their hatred and anger for you. Do you struggle with internet misuse, with lack of generosity, with gossip, anxiety and envy?
Not one of God’s promises was given to people who defeat these things. His promises were given to Jesus, and so in him they belong to you.
So… If God’s in such a good mood, why does he give commands? God doesn’t give commands because his promises depend on your obedience to them.
God’s promises are made to Christ, not people who obey. So—nothing depends on you, everything is in Christ alone.
And so, God added his Law, not because he needs something from you, or because he needs to vent his anger. But because he wants you to benefit from these promises and enjoy them by looking at and trusting in Christ alone. So he gave us his Law because we naturally trust ourselves.
This Law drives you to Jesus, not yourself. That is what these commands are for: God gives you every command primarily to show you that you can’t obey his commands. So that you’ll look at Jesus and see there that God’s in a good mood with you because of him. He’s given you no commands to use them to try and win his favour towards you.
Because everything God does—even giving commands— he does because he is positive toward you in Christ. We fear. We feel ashamed. We know that we make mistakes.
But from God’s side, in Christ, there is no reluctance, no hidden condition, no coldness toward you: only love, forgiveness, and mercy.