Faith or Works? (4): Justification Is Not of Works (Galatians 3:10-12) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. The Argument From Deuteronomy 27
II. The Argument From Habakkuk 2
III. The Argument From Leviticus 18
Psalm singing: 122:1-9; 41:7-13; 109:14-19; 143:1-7a
Scripture reading: Deuteronomy 27:11-26; Galatians 3:1-12
Martin Luther on Galatians 3:10: “Whoever seeks righteousness by works denies God and makes himself God. He is an Antichrist because he ascribes to his own works the omnipotent capability of conquering sin, death, devil, hell, and the wrath of God. An Antichrist lays claim to the honor of Christ. He is an idolater of himself. The law-righteous person is the worst kind of infidel.”
Prof. Hanko on Galatians 3:12: “Faith is exactly the opposite of law. Faith does not operate on the principle of ‘doing’ or ‘working.’ Faith is exactly not a matter of working. There are those who claim that faith is a work of man, an activity of man’s own free will. In a subtle way they change the correct statement ‘Man is saved by faith alone’ to mean ‘Man is saved by the work of believing.’ This is an inexcusable corruption of biblical truth” (Justified Unto Liberty, p. 209).

Psalm 122:1-9
1 I JOY’D when to the house of God,
Go up, they said to me.
2 Jerusalem, within thy gates
our feet shall standing be.
3 Jerus’lem, as a city, is
compactly built together:
4 Unto that place the tribes go up,
the tribes of God go thither:
To Isr’el’s testimony, there
to God’s name thanks to pay.
5 For thrones of judgment, ev’n the thrones
of David’s house, there stay.
6 Pray that Jerusalem may have
peace and felicity:
Let them that love thee and thy peace
have still prosperity.
7 Therefore I wish that peace may still
within thy walls remain,
And ever may thy palaces
prosperity retain.
8 Now, for my friends’ and brethren's sakes,
Peace be in thee, I’ll say.
9 And for the house of God our Lord,
I’ll seek thy good alway.

Psalm 41:7-13
7 My haters jointly whispering,
’gainst me my hurt devise.
8 Mischief, say they, cleaves fast to him;
he li’th, and shall not rise.
9 Yea, ev’n mine own familiar friend,
on whom I did rely,
Who ate my bread, ev’n he his heel
against me lifted high.
10 But, Lord, be merciful to me,
and up again me raise,
That I may justly them requite
according to their ways.
11 By this I know that certainly
I favour’d am by thee;
Because my hateful enemy
triumphs not over me.
12 But as for me, thou me uphold’st
in mine integrity;
And me before thy countenance
thou sett’st continually.
13 The Lord, the God of Israel,
be bless’d for ever then,
From age to age eternally.
Amen, yea, and amen.

Psalm 109:14-19
14 Let God his father’s wickedness
still to remembrance call;
And never let his mother’s sin
be blotted out at all.
15 But let them all before the Lord
appear continually,
That he may wholly from the earth
cut off their memory.
16 Because he mercy minded not,
but persecuted still
The poor and needy, that he might
the broken-hearted kill.
17 As he in cursing pleasure took,
so let it to him fall;
As he delighted not to bless,
so bless him not at all.
18 As cursing he like clothes put on,
into his bowels so,
Like water, and into his bones,
like oil, down let it go.
19 Like to the garment let it be
which doth himself array,
And for a girdle, wherewith he
is girt about alway.

Psalm 143:1-7a
1 LORD, hear my pray’r, attend my suits
and in thy faithfulness
Give thou an answer unto me,
and in thy righteousness.
2 Thy servant also bring thou not
in judgment to be try’d:
Because no living man can be
in thy sight justify’d.
3 For th’ en’my hath pursu’d my soul,
my life to ground down tread:
In darkness he hath made me dwell,
as who have long been dead.
4 My sp’rit is therefore overwhelm’d
in me perplexedly;
Within me is my very heart
amazed wondrously.
5 I call to mind the days of old,
to meditate I use
On all thy works; upon the deeds
I of thy hands do muse.
6 My hands to thee I stretch; my soul
thirsts, as dry land, for thee.
7 Haste, Lord, to hear, my spirit fails:
hide not thy face from me;