Lord’s Library editors offer this Galatians 2:16 meaning and commentary with supporting Scriptures for your edification.
To obtain a Galatians 2:16 meaning, see the verse in Scripture: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” This verse is a direct refutation of the popular notion that salvation can be attained through works of righteousness. The Bible tells us that justification comes only through faith in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ.
Justification refers to the act of being declared righteous before a Holy and Just God. Many in Paul’s day (when Galatians was written), particularly among the Jews, believed that obedience to the Mosaic Law could help them earn salvation. However, Paul makes it clear that “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Galatians 2:16 Meaning
This echoes what the Scriptures say in Romans 3:20: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The law was never meant to save but to reveal man’s sinfulness and need for a Savior, who God sent in the form of His Son Jesus Christ. See Romans 7:7: “What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”
Faith in Jesus Christ is the only means of justification. This message is consistent throughout the Scriptures, like in Romans 5:1: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Paul contrasts faith with the law because salvation is a gift of grace and requires imputation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 illustrates: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Therefore, no amount of law-keeping, religious ritual, or moral effort can contribute to salvation.
Paul states that he and his fellow Jewish believers had to trust in Christ alone for justification. This highlights that no one—Jew or Gentile—has a special claim to righteousness apart from faith in Jesus. See Acts 13:39: “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
As such, the righteousness that justifies a believer is not their own but is imputed to them by Christ. See 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Any attempt to mix works with faith undermines the Gospel of grace, as Paul warns in Galatians 5:4: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” The believer is fully justified by faith in the Blood Atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross, ensuring salvation that is complete.
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