The Purpose of the Law -- By: J. Dwight Pentecost

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 128:511 (Jul 1971)
Article: The Purpose of the Law
Author: J. Dwight Pentecost


The Purpose of the Law

J. Dwight Pentecost

[J. Dwight Pentecost, Professor of Bible Exposition, Dallas Theological Seminary.]

What is the purpose of the Law? Such is the question the Apostle Paul faced with his readers in the third chapter of Galatians as he taught them the doctrine of sanctification by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul is dealing with the problem as to how a person is sanctified, made perfect, or how he attains experientially the promises and blessings that are his in Christ. The Galatians had been led to believe that sanctification is by the Law and that through keeping of the Law believers obtain the promises that were given to them by God. In order to show the fallacy of this interpretation, the apostle has cited the experience of Abraham. Abraham was given promises by God (Gen 12) which were repeated (Gen 13) and ratified by a blood covenant (Gen 15). All that Abraham obtained he obtained by faith in the promise of God. Such teaching would be incontrovertable by virtue of the fact that no Law had been given in Abraham’s time. Therefore, all that Abraham realized he had to realize by faith in the promise of God.

The error that had been propagated among the Galatians was that although Abraham attained by faith alone, the giving of the Law altered the basic plan by which God dealt with men, so that Abraham’s children subsequent to the giving of the Law must attain by keeping the Law rather than by faith in the promise of God. In order to dispel this error, Paul shows in verse 17 of the third chapter of Galatians that “the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” Paul adds in verse 19 that rather than disallowing the Law or nullifying the Law, the Law was added, or better added

alongside the existing promise, in order to serve a specific function. He further shows in verse 21 that there is no basic conflict between the Law and the promises of God and that the two can coexist. Anticipating certain objections or questions in the minds of his readers, Paul faces the question specifically. “Wherefore, then, serveth the law?” (v. 19). It is this specific question that must be considered now.

It should be observed that many who lived under the Law had the deepest reverence, respect, and love for the Law. David writing in You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
Click here to subscribe

visitor : : uid: ()