Comments on: Book Review – The Message of Galatians (John Stott)

By: My Commentary Recommendations

My Commentary Recommendations — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:00:02 +0000

[...] Galatians – John Stott (BST) [...]

By: Commentary Series Review – Bible Speaks Today « wordandspirit

Commentary Series Review – Bible Speaks Today « wordandspirit — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:51:12 +0000

[...] Galatians (John Stott) [...]

By: Mark Heath

Mark Heath — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:14:30 +0000

Hi Richard,

I think what Stott is driving at is that Paul expects believers to fulfil the law of Christ (see Gal 6:2) which involves the commandment to love one another. This does not mean we are bound to obey ceremonial aspects of the law of Moses such as circumcision. And of course this does not mean in any way that we are attempted to be justified by the law. I think Stott would agree with you that we are also not “sanctified” by the law.

Or perhaps another way of putting it is that we are not given freedom to sin, but we are set free from the guilt for those sins which we have committed.

Anyway its been a while since I read the book, so I should probably dig it out and re-read it to make sure I understood him correctly.

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:38:20 +0000

I found the following comment breath-taking !
“But freedom from law does not mean freedom from keeping the law – our sanctification involves us fulfilling the law”
This suggests that freedom from the law entails us fulfilling the law (something which Christ said He would do). I cannot see how it can be argued that this is what Paul is advocating for in Galatians. Surely Paul was arguing the exact opposite – that an attempt to be sanctified by/according to the law effectively undid one’s justification by the law.
Richard