Works of the Law

DEFENSE

Paul says that we are justified by faith apart from “works of the law.” That’s not the same thing.

Works of the law refer to acts undertaken to obey the Law of Moses, the fundamental law of Judaism. Thus, after saying we are justified apart from works of the law, Paul asks, “Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also?” (Rom. 3:29). He then refers to circumcision—the most famous requirement of the Law of Moses—saying God “will justify the circumcised on the ground of their faith and the uncircumcised through their faith” (Rom. 3:30).

Elsewhere, Paul raises the question of Jews and Gentiles and says that “a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal. 2:16). Just before this, he referred to the Jerusalem council and noted his companion Titus was not required to undergo circumcision, though he was Greek (Gal. 2:1–10).

This event is described in Acts. It occurred when “some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved’” (Acts 15:1). The resulting council reiterated that Gentile Christians did not need to be circumcised and become Jews.

That’s what Paul is talking about in Romans and Galatians. He is stressing that you don’t have to be circumcised, become a Jew, and obey the Mosaic Law to be saved.

Thus he says: “I testify again to every man who receives circum- cision that he is bound to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love” (Gal. 5:3–6).

TIP

This challenge commits the fallacy of hasty generalization. It’s like saying that because you need flour and not cement to make a cake, you only need flour (not eggs, water, sugar, and so on).