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Look, we disagree. I don't see any need for you to demean me, or to pretend that I am not telling you the truth, or that I secretly "know" that you are right, but I must "pretend" otherwise. If you can't accept that I have a genuine belief in what I say here, then we have no further to go. I won't be called a liar. Words mean things. "The works of the law" means what it says. Those following the Old Covenant Law. Christians do not follow this Law. We are living in grace, not under the Law. I'm sorry you don't see what Paul is saying in this verse, having chose to overlay some other meaning than what is written. But that is your option. I believe you believe it. Which is more credit than you have given me. Good day. SD

How very Pious of you, Dave... claim that I have besmirched your honor, called you a Liar -- and then say in turn that I "chose to overlay some other meaning than what is written"??

Cute, very cute, I'll admit that much.

But the fact remains: you claim that "Christians do not follow this Law, We are living in grace, not under the Law"; and yet every time I present you specific examples of the Old Testament Law, you are both utterly unable to deny that these are Good Works for Christians, and also utterly unable to deny that the Old Testament Jews did practice these Laws by grace.

So you fly away now, SoothingDave; if unable to maintain your argument, I suppose self-pity over my alleged accusations against your honesty will serve you well enough (even as you level similar accusations against mine, but never mind that....)

Fly, fly, fly...

Fly, fly, fly....

How very Pious of you, Dave... claim that I have besmirched your honor, called you a Liar -- and then say in turn that I "chose to overlay some other meaning than what is written"??

That's not an accusation of lying or pretending. That's simply a description of your own misunderstanding.

If you can't tell the difference, that's your own problem.

But the fact remains: you claim that "Christians do not follow this Law, We are living in grace, not under the Law"; and yet every time I present you specific examples of the Old Testament Law, you are both utterly unable to deny that these are Good Works for Christians,

Just like you are unable, every time I bring it up, to look at what Paul means by "the works of the law" in the context of the book of Galatians? Fine, I'll play your little game.

Yes, every example you give is an example of what could be considered a "Good work." For a Christian today. (Nevermind the counter-examples that you claim do not apply today or to Gentiles. I'll let you cherry pick. I'm very gracious.) But they are not what Paul is talking about. They are not "works of the law."

they are works of the Spirit, works of grace. To put it another way, if I do not kill because it is God's law, I am also following the laws of this state. That doesn't mean I am refraining form killing because of my fear of the state.

It is irrelevant that the laws of the state happen to be the same as the laws of God. So is the case here. The acts of a Christian in doing good works happen to be described in the old Law. But the Christian is not doing "works of the Law." The Christian is not following the Law.

To continue my analogy, I refrain from murder not because it is a state law and not even because it is God's law. I do so because it is not in my nature as a spirit-filled Christian to do so. I appear to "follow" and do "good works" as defined by both man's and God's law.

But in reality I am doing neither. I am following the Spirit in grace.

As I said earlier, it is astonishing that a Catholic has to argue grace versus legalism to a Protestant.

and also utterly unable to deny that the Old Testament Jews did practice these Laws by grace.

I'm not sure why you think I would deny that Jews followed the Law. It must make some sense to you.