As Paul the apostle has been
explaining the relationship between the law of God and the promise of
God to the church members at Galatia, we have been learning that God
has a perfect design for people to have fellowship with Him. Because
we have a sin problem that keeps us separated from God, we must know
that we have a sin problem, and the law let's us know it. Once we
realize our problem of sin, we can acknowledge it, ask God to forgive
it, and He by His promise extends grace to us that was paid for in
full by Jesus Christ's substitutionary work on the cross. In chapter
three and verse twenty-four Paul gives us the conclusion to his
reasoning where he wrote:
Wherefore the law was
our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be
justified by faith.
As we
have learned before, whenever there is a “wherefore” or a
“therefore” in the Bible, we should always look in the
verses preceding them to know what the “wherefore” is
“there for”. In this case Paul has asked the question, “Is
the law then against the promises of God?” To which he answered
an emphatic, “God forbid!” or “Perish the thought!”
He showed his readers that the “scriptures concluded all under
sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them
that believe.”
And Paul
let us know that “before faith came, we were kept under the law,
shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.”
Now he adds, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us
unto Christ.”
Paul
likens the law to a “schoolmaster” or a “teacher, tutor,
instructor or guardian”. In other words, the law watched over us
until such time as revelation and maturity arrived, and the reason
and purpose of the law was “to bring us unto Christ.” The
law governed over us until we realized that we were in need of a
Savior. Those who dare read the law and the spirit of it will soon
find themselves lacking and coming up short for fulfilling its every
word. The law shows us our need for Jesus, and those who are exposed
to the law find themselves guilty and ashamed before God when they
consider its full implications.
This
brings about the rest of Paul's conclusion concerning the law when he
states, “that we might be justified by faith.” Now that we
have experienced the effect of the law and known its tutoring us
toward Jesus Christ, we may be justified (just as if I'd never
sinned) by faith in Him. This is the promise of God. They who trust
in Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross, which took away our sin
and paid the price for it, are now just as if they had never sinned
before God. The law serves its great purpose in showing us our need
for Jesus, and when we believe in, trust in, rely upon and cling to
Him, we receive the promise of the grace of God and are justified in
His site.
Once
again this verse should make anyone who thinks about it very long
desire to shout, “Glory to God! Glory to God! Great works He has
done!” It was God's plan all along to bring people into a
relationship with Him. Sin was the problem, and sin had to be
realized and recognized. The law of God exposed sin, and then when
guilt and shame enter a person for failure to keep the law, by
trusting in Jesus Christ's substitutionary sacrifice for sin on the
cross, anyone who believes may be justified. Again, our response
should be, “Glory be to God! Great works He has done!”
Next time we will
see when we are not under the schoolmaster, so read ahead, and let us
join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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