Again and again, Paul explains that he is discussing works of “law.” In Romans and Galatians, the specific legal system Paul has in mind is the law of Moses. If you have any doubt about this, please read these references: Romans 2:17-18; 3:21; 5:13-14, 20; 7:7; 9:4; 10:5; Galatians 3:10, 17, 19, 23-24; 4:4-5, 24.
- Under law the person who does everything right gets to live with God (Romans 2:13; 10:5).
- Under law the person who fails in any point must be condemned as a lawbreaker (Romans 3:19; Galatians 3:10-11).
The law of Moses embodies these two legal principles. They amount to earning the right to live with God. Anyone earning such a magnificent right is also entitled to boast about it (Romans 4:2, 4; 9:32). The law acts as an impartial, perfectly accurate scorekeeper and judge. It is God’s measure for holding His people accountable.
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God (Romans 3:19 like Romans 7:13-24).
When the commandment came… I died (Romans 7:9).
“Held accountable” is literally “become under judgment.” And what is the judgment? Since humans do not live perfectly, the judgment is invariably the same: “You failed; you are guilty of breaking the law.”
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin…. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:20, 23).
Instead of making us look good, law points the accusing finger at us. As a strictly legal system, it has no room for leniency or mercy. The penalty for breaking spiritual law is spiritual death (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). Thus, instead of helping us, law ends up condemning and killing us (Romans 4:15; 7:5, 9; Galatians 3:10-11; 1 Corinthians 15:56; 2 Corinthians 3:6-7).
No wonder Paul was concerned! His converts—especially in Galatia—were returning to the law. That path led to dependence on the flesh rather than on Christ. Dependence on fleshly effort for salvation invited disaster.
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them” (Galatians 3:10 quoting Deuteronomy 27:26).
In terms of our earlier parables, the Judaizers were fooling Christians into turning around and evacuating the tunnel of Christ. They were directing believers to return to their side of the wall and to climb the ladder and scaffolding of the law of Moses. This was the problem. Now we can turn to a closer look at Paul’s terms. What does Paul mean by these “works”? What does he mean by “faith”?