Galatians 3:21

Galatians 3:21 says, Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.  Paul continues to compare the law to faith in Christ.  He asked if the law, given to the Jews, was against the promise of God to Abraham, which applied to all people.  He answers with an emphatic no, saying God forbid.  Paul adds that if there had been a law that could give everlasting life, then righteousness with God would come through the law and not faith.  Salvation by the law would be based on the ability of people to follow that law completely, not only in actions but in their very thoughts.  Verse twenty-two adds, But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.  Paul tells us that we are all guilty under the law.  Paul was speaking to Jews who felt it was necessary for Gentiles, once they accepted Christ, to be placed under the rules of the law.  Paul said that since the law could only prove our inability to be restored to God by keeping that law, Christ came to make restoration to God available through our faith in Him as Savior and Lord.  There is no checklist of things we must do in order to be saved.  There is only one thing necessary, and that is accepting Christ by faith.  Verse twenty-three continues, But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  Paul said that before the coming of Christ that people were kept under the law, shut up to the coming of Christ and salvation by faith in Him.  Since Christ had now come, people were kept by simply putting their faith in Him.  Verse twenty-four states, Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  The law was given to teach people about God and to help keep them in line until they could be justified by faith in Christ.  Just as a schoolmaster cannot guarantee success in life for the pupil, neither can the law guarantee success in our relationship to God.  Relying totally on the law brings just the opposite result, guaranteeing that we will fail by our own efforts.  We must rely on God with faith that He will deliver us in spite of our failure to keep the law.  Faith in God's deliverance through the Messiah, or Christ, was always the key to salvation and always will be.  Verse twenty-five adds, But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  Paul said that after Christ came then we were under faith in Him and not the law.  We are to be guided by the Holy Spirit, Who will lead us to live consistent with God's law, but our faith in Christ is the only way to or requirement for salvation.  Verse twenty-six continues, For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  Paul states the only way to become children of God, and that is through faith in Christ.  We cannot be saved by the law, and we cannot add requirements to faith in Christ for salvation.  Verse twenty-seven says, For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  Paul said that when we are baptized in Christ that we live for Him.  I believe that to be baptized in Christ does not mean to be physically baptized by water, but to be spiritually baptized by faith.  Verse twenty-eight adds, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  Paul was still writing about the Jews claim that once a Gentile was saved that they needed to follow Jewish law and traditions.  Paul declared that all people were equal under salvation through Christ.  There are no divisions in salvation through Christ.  Verse twenty-nine continues, And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  The Jewish people felt that they were special to God because of being physical descendants of Abraham, but Paul said that all who were Christ's were the seed of Abraham by faith and heirs to the promise God made to Abraham.  Salvation comes through faith in Christ alone.