Galatians 2
21 ...for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If righteousness EVER came by the law, then was it not vain for Christ to lay down his life?
Before Paul's message, righteousness did come by the Law!
Luke 1:5-6
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Notice that God says that John the Baptist's parents Zach and Elizabeth were right in His eyes because they kept the Law of Moses (not sinless perfection like our Lord, but they kept all the feast days, Sabbath days, and offered the proper sacrifices for their sins)!
Even our Apostle Paul, before He was saved by the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, was righteous according to the Law of Moses in time past!
Philippians 3:6
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
It was not until The Lord Jesus Christ gave Paul the Revelation of the Mystery, that God revealed to mankind that His righteousness is no longer in Law keeping, but it is now made manifest through the faith of Christ!
Romans 3:21,22, 26
But now the righteousness of God without [outside of] the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
This new righteousness was not made known until Christ, from Heaven's glory revealed it to our Apostle!
Now that this faith of Christ is manifest to mankind, mankind must rest in it by faith, and not our own works!
Romans 10:3-4
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
But this was a due time testimony, and was not revealed until Paul was saved. He was the first member of the Church, the Body of Christ (a term not found before Paul's epistles, nor after them....and found only in Paul's epistles!). Paul was God's example of how He would save a sinner in this present Dispensation of His Grace...by His grace, through the person's faith (believing God's Word of Paul's gospel, plus no works!
1 Timothy 1:15-16
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Notice Paul was the chief of sinners, which means he was the first in the line of many others! He was at the head of the line! Notice that he says that he was the pattern! Pattern of what? How God would save people in this dispensation of Grace! He was the first man to receive eternal life without works.
Romans 4:4-5
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
In fact, Saul/Paul was not even able to be saved under the former kingdom dispensation because he committed the "Unpardonable Sin" with the rest of the religious leaders of Israel, therefore, God said that they could not be saved!
Matthew 12:31-32
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Mark 3:29
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Saul was there, and leading the persecution of Stephen in Acts 7.
Acts 7:54-58
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
Paul calls himself a blasphemer...
1 Timothy 1:13
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
The member of the Godhead that works in the book of Acts and that was upon Stephen as he spoke to Saul and those leaders of Israel was the Holy Ghost!
So God had to start a mystery dispensation to save Saul...one not made known or spoke about in the Old Testament and the Prophetic program!
Romans 16:25-26
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
1 Corinthians 2:7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Colossians 1:26
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Ephesians 3:9
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Hopefully this helps...Maranatha!
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