* Lev. xviii. 5. Ezek. xviii. 4.

From the reasoning of the apostle, the false teachers at Galatia seem
not to have urged obedience to the whole law. Circumcision they taught
to be indispensible. St. Paul allures them, that if they were under
obligation to receive circumcision, they were equally obliged to keep
the whole law; and that they bound themselves to this by submitting to
be circumcised--that if they reverted to the law, and placed their
dependence on their obedience to it, they renounced the grace of
Christ, and would not be benefited by it.

"Behold, I Paul, say unto you, that if ye be circumcised. Christ
shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that it is
circumcised, that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. Christ is
become of none effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the
law, ye are fallen from grace,"

While such was the state of those who followed the judaizing teachers,
those who retained the gospel as taught by the apostle, had another
hope--a hope which would not make ashamed--a hope in divine grace
through faith in Christ--"We through the spirit wait for the hope of
righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by
love."

Such is every Christian's hope before God. He "counts all things to be
loss and dung that he win Christ; but the righteousness which is of
God by faith."