Sermons on Leviticus 18:5
The various sermons below converge on a robust interpretation of Leviticus 18:5 as a foundational statement about the law’s demand for perfect obedience and its role in justification by faith. They uniformly emphasize that the law’s promise—“the one who does them shall live by them”—is a genuine, covenantal offer rather than a mere theoretical ideal. However, all stress the futility of human attempts to attain righteousness through law-keeping, describing such efforts as “rubbish” or “dung,” and highlight that true righteousness comes only through the imputed obedience of Christ. A notable nuance in these sermons is the linguistic and theological unpacking of Paul’s use of the verse in Galatians 3:12, including distinctions between the law’s “narrow” Mosaic sense and its “broad” Pentateuchal context, as well as the Greek term katalamban? (“seized”) to describe union with Christ. This union is portrayed not as a mere legal declaration but as the believer’s participation in Christ’s perfect obedience, which alone justifies and transforms. The sermons also carefully differentiate the law’s “de facto” function—to expose sin and imprison under judgment—from any “de jure” or rightful claim to life, underscoring that the law’s ultimate purpose is to drive sinners to faith.
Where the sermons diverge is primarily in their theological emphasis and framing of the law’s role. One sermon uniquely highlights the law’s short-term divine purpose to “imprison everything under sin,” focusing on how the Mosaic law was designed to reveal human inability and provoke faith, while cautioning against legalism born from a narrow reading of the law. Another sermon stresses the realness of the law’s offer, insisting that if perfect obedience were possible, it would indeed result in life, and it uniquely insists that the “righteousness from God” is not merely a forensic status but the actual, lived obedience of Christ imputed to believers. This sermon also develops the theme that justification by faith alone is essential not only for acceptance before God but for genuine, fearless love within the church, warning against attempts to merge faith and works as the basis of justification. The third sermon closely mirrors the second in interpretation and theological themes but adds a slight emphasis on the logic of union with Christ, framing ongoing obedience as the fruit rather than the root of justification. However, this addition does not substantially depart from the others and serves more as a restatement than a new insight.
Leviticus 18:5 Interpretation:
Understanding the Law's Role in Justification by Faith (Desiring God) offers a nuanced and linguistically detailed interpretation of Leviticus 18:5, focusing on Paul's use of the verse in Galatians 3:12. The sermon distinguishes between the "narrow" and "broad" senses of "the law"—the narrow sense being the Mosaic commandments given at Sinai, and the broad sense encompassing the entire Pentateuch, including the faith of Abraham. The preacher argues that in its narrow sense, "the law is not of faith," meaning that when the law is isolated from the broader scriptural context and encountered by sinful human flesh, it becomes a system that people misuse for self-justification through works. The phrase "the one who does them shall live by them" is interpreted as expressing the law’s short-term, de facto function: to imprison people under sin by exposing their inability to achieve righteousness through works, rather than as a genuine path to life. The sermon uses careful linguistic distinctions (e.g., "de facto" vs. "de jure" function of the law) and emphasizes that Leviticus 18:5, in its Pauline usage, is not a call to legalism but a pointer to the futility of law-keeping for justification. This is a unique perspective, especially in its focus on the law’s intended and actual effects, and its use of the original context in both Leviticus and Paul’s argument in Galatians.
Fearless Unity in Love Through Justification by Faith (Desiring God) interprets Leviticus 18:5 as God’s statement of the principle of law-based righteousness: “the one who does them will live by them.” The sermon uniquely emphasizes that this is not merely a theoretical statement but a real, divine offer—if someone could perfectly keep the law, they would indeed have life. The preacher draws a sharp distinction between the “righteousness of my own that comes from law” and the “righteousness from God that depends on faith,” arguing that Paul’s own blamelessness under the law (referencing the original context of Leviticus) is ultimately “rubbish” for justification. The sermon uses the analogy of “rubbish” or “dung” to describe all human attempts at law-keeping, highlighting the futility of seeking life through the law. The preacher also explores the Greek term katalamban? (“seized”) to describe union with Christ, showing that righteousness is not achieved but received by being “found in him.” The sermon’s most notable interpretive move is to insist that the “righteousness from God” is not merely a verdict or status but the actual perfect obedience of Christ imputed to the believer, using the summary of Christ’s life as “obedience” (Philippians 2:8) as a key to understanding the passage.
Exalting God's Glory Through Justification by Faith (SermonIndex.net) offers a nearly identical interpretation, treating Leviticus 18:5 as the foundational statement of the law’s demand: “do them and you will live.” The sermon stresses that this is a real offer, not a hypothetical, and that Paul’s own law-keeping, though exemplary, is insufficient for justification. The preacher again uses the metaphor of “rubbish” for human righteousness and insists that the righteousness that justifies is not a new, Spirit-empowered obedience but the imputed obedience of Christ. The sermon also references the Greek katalamban? to describe being “seized” by Christ in union with him, and it highlights the summary of Christ’s life as “obedience” in Philippians 2:8 as the basis for the believer’s righteousness. The interpretive approach is virtually indistinguishable from the Desiring God sermon, with no significant new analogies or linguistic details.
Leviticus 18:5 Theological Themes:
Understanding the Law's Role in Justification by Faith (Desiring God) introduces the distinct theological theme that God’s short-term purpose for the Mosaic law (as exemplified in Leviticus 18:5) was to "imprison everything under sin"—that is, to expose and multiply transgressions, not to provide a viable path to life through works. The sermon argues that the law’s demand for perfect obedience was designed to reveal human inability and drive people to seek justification by faith in Christ. This theme is further nuanced by the assertion that, in the broader biblical context, every act of obedience is meant to flow from faith, but the law in its narrow, Mosaic sense was intentionally presented in a way that would be twisted by sinful flesh into a system of legalism, thus serving as a judgment until Christ came.
Fearless Unity in Love Through Justification by Faith (Desiring God) presents the distinct theological theme that Leviticus 18:5 is not just a theoretical standard but a real covenantal offer—if perfect obedience were possible, it would result in life. The sermon uniquely insists that the “righteousness from God” is not merely a legal status but the actual, lived obedience of Christ, imputed to the believer. It also develops the theme that justification by faith alone is the only possible basis for both acceptance with God and the transformation necessary for fearless, humble love within the church, arguing that attempts to merge faith and obedience as the ground of justification actually undermine true obedience.
Exalting God's Glory Through Justification by Faith (SermonIndex.net) reiterates the same theological themes, including the real offer of life through law-keeping in Leviticus 18:5, the futility of human righteousness, and the necessity of Christ’s imputed obedience. The only slight addition is a repeated emphasis on the logic of union with Christ: that pressing on in obedience is the fruit, not the root, of justification. However, this is not a substantially new theme but a restatement of the Desiring God sermon’s argument.
Leviticus 18:5 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Understanding the Law's Role in Justification by Faith (Desiring God) provides historical context by explaining that the law referenced in Leviticus 18:5 was given 430 years after the promise to Abraham, situating it at Sinai and distinguishing it from the earlier Abrahamic covenant. The sermon also notes the cultural and religious context in which the law was received: as a set of commandments meant to set Israel apart from Egypt and Canaan, but which, in practice, became a system that many Israelites (and later, some Christians) tried to use for self-justification. The preacher highlights the ancient Jewish and early Christian struggle to understand the law’s true purpose, emphasizing that the law’s function as a "prison" for sin was a divinely intended response to human transgression.
Fearless Unity in Love Through Justification by Faith (Desiring God) provides historical context by explaining that Leviticus 18:5 was given in a setting where God’s people were under the Mosaic covenant, which genuinely offered life for perfect obedience. The sermon situates Paul’s use of the verse in the context of first-century Jewish debates about law, circumcision, and righteousness, highlighting how Paul’s own “blamelessness” under the law would have been seen as exemplary in his culture. The preacher also references the ongoing controversy between Protestant and Roman Catholic views of justification, situating the discussion within the broader history of the Reformation and its aftermath.
Exalting God's Glory Through Justification by Faith (SermonIndex.net) repeats the same historical and contextual insights, including the Mosaic covenant context of Leviticus 18:5, the first-century Jewish understanding of law-keeping, and the Reformation-era debates about justification. There are no additional or distinct historical details beyond what is found in the Desiring God sermon.
Leviticus 18:5 Cross-References in the Bible:
Understanding the Law's Role in Justification by Faith (Desiring God) references several key biblical passages to expand on Leviticus 18:5: Galatians 3:10-14, where Paul quotes Leviticus 18:5 to contrast law and faith; Galatians 4, which discusses the law in both narrow and broad senses; Genesis 15:6, which is cited as the paradigm of justification by faith; Romans 5, which discusses the law’s role in increasing transgressions; Romans 7:10 and 8:3, which describe how the law, though holy, is rendered powerless by human sinfulness and thus cannot give life; and James 2:10-11, which is used to show that breaking even one part of the law results in total failure. Each of these references is used to support the argument that the law’s demand for perfect obedience (as in Leviticus 18:5) was never intended as a practical means of justification, but rather as a means to reveal sin and point to the necessity of faith in Christ.
Fearless Unity in Love Through Justification by Faith (Desiring God) references several key biblical passages to expand on Leviticus 18:5. Romans 10:5 and Galatians 3:12 are cited as places where Paul quotes Leviticus 18:5 to show the principle of law-based righteousness. Philippians 3:4-9 is used to illustrate Paul’s own experience of law-keeping and his rejection of it for the sake of Christ. Philippians 2:8 is referenced to summarize Christ’s life as “obedience,” which is then imputed to believers. Romans 5:19 is used to draw a parallel between Adam’s disobedience (imputed to humanity) and Christ’s obedience (imputed to believers), reinforcing the idea of imputed righteousness. 1 Corinthians 5 is cited to illustrate the logic of New Testament ethics: “cleanse out the old leaven as you really are unleavened,” showing that obedience flows from an already-secured status.
Exalting God's Glory Through Justification by Faith (SermonIndex.net) uses the same set of cross-references: Romans 10:5 and Galatians 3:12 for Paul’s use of Leviticus 18:5, Philippians 3:4-9 for Paul’s personal testimony, Philippians 2:8 for Christ’s obedience, Romans 5:19 for the imputation of Christ’s obedience, and 1 Corinthians 5 for the ethical implications of justification. The use and explanation of these passages are nearly identical to the Desiring God sermon.
Leviticus 18:5 Christian References outside the Bible:
Fearless Unity in Love Through Justification by Faith (Desiring God) explicitly references several non-biblical Christian sources in its discussion of Leviticus 18:5. John Owen is cited for his observation that every generation faces new attacks on the doctrine of justification by faith. The book “Is the Reformation Over?” by Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom is mentioned as an example of the blurring of lines between Protestant and Catholic views of justification, which the preacher critiques. Robert Gundry, a New Testament scholar, is referenced for his denial of the doctrine of imputation, which the preacher strongly opposes. N.T. Wright, E.P. Sanders, and James Dunn are named as proponents of the “New Perspective on Paul,” which the preacher finds confusing and ultimately unhelpful regarding justification. The preacher also references his own books, “Counted Righteous in Christ” and “The Future of Justification,” as responses to these debates. William Wilberforce is mentioned as an example of someone whose activism was grounded in justification by faith, and Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, and George Whitefield are cited as leaders whose preaching on justification sparked revival. The preacher also notes the ongoing significance of the Reformation and the need to preach justification by faith to Roman Catholics.
Exalting God's Glory Through Justification by Faith (SermonIndex.net) references the same set of non-biblical Christian sources: John Owen on the perennial controversy over justification, Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom’s “Is the Reformation Over?”, Robert Gundry’s denial of imputation, N.T. Wright, E.P. Sanders, and James Dunn on the New Perspective, the preacher’s own books, William Wilberforce’s “The Christian Life,” and the revivalist preaching of Jonathan Edwards, Wesley, and Whitefield. The references and explanations are essentially the same as in the Desiring God sermon.