Is there a tension between law and faith in Catholicism?

[josephback]

And for that matter, what do Catholics get out of the epistle to the Galatians? Does faith exclude the law? Thanks in advance

 

[Barbkw]

To specify - the “law” to a Jewish person meant adhering to 613 commands:

jewfaq.org/613.htm

Matthew 19:16 still applies as does the binding and loosing and reconciliation process:

USCCB Bible Matthew Chapter 19

The Rich Young Man

"If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18* i He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; 19honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Obedient people come to know that faith means understanding God’s will, following the Commandments, the Beattitudes, living the Gospel, following Church precepts and obtaining Grace through the Sacraments.

 

[Barbkw]

usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=Galatians&ch=

Introduction to Galatians

In any case, the new Christians whom Paul is addressing were converts from paganism (Gal 4:8–9) who were now being enticed by other missionaries to add the observances of the Jewish law, including the rite of circumcision, to the cross of Christ as a means of salvation.

For, since Paul’s visit, some other interpretation of Christianity had been brought to these neophytes, probably by converts from Judaism (the name “Judaizers” is sometimes applied to them); it has specifically been suggested that they were Jewish Christians who had come from the austere Essene sect.

These interlopers insisted on the necessity of following certain precepts of the Mosaic law along with faith in Christ.

They were undermining Paul’s authority also, asserting that he had not been trained by Jesus himself, that his gospel did not agree with that of the original and true apostles in Jerusalem, that he had kept from his converts in Galatia the necessity of accepting circumcision and other key obligations of the Jewish law, in order more easily to win them to Christ, and that his gospel was thus not the full and authentic one held by “those of repute” in Jerusalem (Gal 2:2).

Some scholars also see in Galatians 5; 6 another set of opponents against whom Paul writes, people who in their emphasis on the Spirit set aside all norms for conduct and became libertines in practice.

When Paul learned of the situation, he wrote this defense of his apostolic authority and of the correct understanding of the faith.

He set forth the unique importance of Christ and his redemptive sacrifice on the cross, the freedom that Christians enjoy from the old burdens of the law, the total sufficiency of Christ and of faith in Christ as the way to God and to eternal life, and the beauty of the new life of the Spirit.

Galatians is thus a summary of basic Pauline theology. Its themes were more fully and less polemically developed in the Letter to the Romans.

Autobiographically, the letter gives us Paul’s own accounts of how he came to faith (Gal 1:15–24), the agreement in “the truth of the gospel” (Gal 2:5, 14) that he shared with the Jewish Christian leaders in Jerusalem, James, Cephas, and John (Gal 2:1–10), and the rebuke he had to deliver to Cephas in Antioch for inconsistency, contrary to the gospel, on the issue of table fellowship in the racially mixed church of Jewish and Gentile Christians in Antioch (Gal 2:11–14; cf. Gal 2:15–21). At the conclusion of the letter (Gal 6:11–18), Paul wrote in his own hand (cf. 2 Thes 3:17–18) a vivid summary of the message to the Galatians.

In his vigorous emphasis on the absolute preeminence of Christ and his cross as God’s way to salvation and holiness, Paul stresses Christian freedom and the ineffectiveness of the Mosaic law for gaining divine favor and blessings (Gal 3:19–29).

The pious Jew saw in the law a way established by God to win divine approval by a life of meticulous observance of ritual, social, and moral regulations.

But Paul’s profound insight into the higher designs of God in Christ led him to understand and welcome the priority of promise and faith (shown in the experience of Abraham, Gal 3:6–18) and the supernatural gifts of the Spirit (Gal 3:2–5; 5:16–6:10).

His enthusiasm for this new vision of the life of grace in Christ and of the uniquely salvific role of Christ’s redemptive death on the cross shines through this whole letter.

The principal divisions of the Letter to the Galatians are the following:

1.Address (1:1–5)
2.Loyalty to the Gospel (1:6–10)
3.Paul’s Defense of His Gospel and His Authority (1:11–2:21)
4.Faith and Liberty (3:1–4:31)
5.Exhortation to Christian Living (5:1–6:10)
6.Conclusion (6:11–18)
I. Address

 

[PJM]

=josephback;8573755]And for that matter, what do Catholics get out of the epistle to the Galatians? Does faith exclude the law? Thanks in advance

Gal. 3:22-28
“But the scripture consigned all things to sin, that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; [meaning the OLD LAWS of Judism]
for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

No faith completes and fulfills the law. BUT one need to know that the bible speaks of “the law” in two seperated manners. One now replaced [the OT laws] by the other New Testament Laws. The Commandments are in Both sets.

One takes a great risk is culling a unclear, or incomplete teaching. when in doubt always refer to what the CC teaches. In this case “the law” Paul speaks about are the HUNDREDS of added mandates to the commanments. These largely part of the Jewish traditions, and are now replaced by the New Covenant and New Laws that Christ teaches.

An example is circumission, now replaced by the sacrament of Baptism. Paul seems to be teaching here that salvation comes through “Faith Alone.” NOT!

Faith is impossible to acquire without GRACE; a free gift from God. Even Grace AND Faith togeather are insufficient by themselves to gain ones salvation. Christian Baptism, Obedience to ALL of the Commandments and ALL that the CC Teaches, Charity AND good works, are also required. [ALL biblically supported].

**Rom.1: 5 **“through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,” Rom.3: 24 “they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus”

The Bible can only be rightly understood when it matches completely what the CC teaches.

Eph.3: 9 to 12 “And to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; that through the church SINGULAR: meaning THE CATHOLIC Church] the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him"

2nd. Peter 1: 16-21 “we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

Matt.13:9-12 “He who has ears, let him hear." Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. “

** 2nd. Tim. 3:16 **“All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”

CHECK OUT MY BLOG THERE ARE OVER 60 DETAILED TEACHING DOUCMENTS ABOUT OUR CATHOLIC FAITH.

Let me know if you have any further questions,
God Bless you,
Pat

 

[josephback]

Gal. 3:22-28

No faith completes and fulfills the law. BUT one need to know that the bible speaks of “the law” in two seperated manners. One now replaced [the OT laws] by the other New Testament Laws. The Commandments are in Both sets.

So the new laws replace the old, and faith works in harmony with the law? Interesting.

 

[fhansen]

And for that matter, what do Catholics get out of the epistle to the Galatians? Does faith exclude the law? Thanks in advance

Jesus sums up the Law and the Prophets with the greatest commandments in Matt 22, and the golden rule in Luke 6. In Catholicism there is no tension between the law and faith because faith must lead to love which leads to obedience, i.e.“love fulfills the Law”. Romans 13:8-10. And so Love according to the greatest commandments, is what makes a man just-what justifies him, and love always includes faith while faith can exist without love.