The law was the basic condition for the relationship between man and God in God's Old Testament economy (v. 23); faith is the unique way for God to carry out His New Testament economy with man (1 Tim. 1:4). The law is related to the flesh (Rom. 7:5) and depends on the effort of the flesh, the very flesh that is the expression of the "I." Faith is related to the Spirit and trusts in the operation of the Spirit, the very Spirit who is the realization of Christ. In the Old Testament the "I" and the flesh played an important role in the keeping of the law. In the New Testament Christ and the Spirit take over the position of the "I" and the flesh, and faith replaces the law, that we may live Christ by the Spirit. To keep the law by the flesh is man's natural way; it is in the darkness of man's concept and results in death and wretchedness (Rom. 7:10-11, 24). To receive the Spirit out of the hearing of faith is God's revealed way; it is in the light of God's revelation and issues in life and glory (Rom. 8:2, 6, 10-11, 30). Hence, we must treasure the hearing of faith, not the works of law. It is by the hearing of faith that we received the Spirit so that we might participate in God's promised blessing and live Christ. The faith mentioned in vv. 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 23, 24, 25 of this chapter is this faith. (See note Gal. 1:232b.)
