Galatians 2 “21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!””

Why is most of the Bible about the Law of works?

But then suddenly change on the cross?

It is because righteousness/salvation cannot be earned by the works of the law.

When Abraham believed God he was righteous by faith and not works.

But then why did God command Abraham to be circumcised and Israel to keep the Law in order to receive the promised land?

Why have a distinction between Jews who were supposed to be righteous under the law and Gentile sinners outside the Law?

It is because the Law was pointing to Jesus Christ – the One who fulfilled the Law.

It pointed to the Righteous Jesus and the sinful mankind.

The Law said that Jews are righteous if they obey the law and that Gentiles are sinners because they are uncircumcised.

But Israel themselves never kept the Law and Gentiles were dead in sin outside the law.

Romans 2 “12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. “

There was no point in being a Jew because they had the law – they could only become righteous if they kept the law.

But nobody obeyed the law – so both Jew and Gentile were sinners, and nobody is righteous.

Romans 3 “9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;”

The Law was not given to save anyone.

It was given to show that everyone is guilty.

Romans 3 “19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.”

The Law said that those who broke the commandments are under a curse. That curse was to die on a cross.

The Law required the shedding of blood to forgive sins.

It was not Israel who kept the law.

It was only Jesus Christ, who kept the Law.

He is the true Jew who kept the Law.

But He also died on the cross, becoming a curse to redeem us from the curse of the law.

He ended the Law on the cross so that Gentile believers can be saved without works.

Galatians 3 “10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit……19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed (JESUS) to whom the promise referred had come.”

The reason God gave the law was to show the world that no human being is righteous and that all people deserve judgment/curses/hell.

But thanks be to God, that Jesus fulfilled and ended the law to bring salvation to all who believe.

Romans 10 “4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”

Now that Jesus has died on the cross and rose from the dead, the Law has been abolished and removed.

Galatians 3 ” 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

We are saved by faith in Jesus and not by works of the Law.

The purpose of the Law has been fulfilled.

There is no Jew or Gentile anymore.

There is no command to do works.

The only command is to believe in Jesus.

Everyone who believes in Jesus is saved and righteous without works. We are saved by grace.

Everyone who rejects Christ is condemned because they die in their sins and refuse the free gift.