Galatians 3:24 - The Law Our Guardian

Galatians 3:24 - Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

Message: The Law Our Guardian

Time: Paul wrote to the churches in southern Galatia after having a hand in starting them on his first missionary journey to Asia Minor. This is Paul at his angriest, writing to make sure the church is on the path of truth, as the church had fallen into error. He wrote the book a few months before the Jerusalem council in AD 49. 

What the Lord is Saying:

This is a verse I tried to memorize several years ago as it was a verse I was encouraged by as I spent time studying the School of Biblical Evangelism. I loved the verse, but struggled with the memorization as I have struggled memorizing it seems once I've hit about 45 in age. 

In this study of the right use of God's law, I am seeing that at the core of each person is the fact that each of us is a sinner. This study must begin with that premise as we were sinners prior to the giving of the Law. It is an important reminder in this study that sin is already on the scene and is already stirred up in people's lives. I think that is a really important distinction because this means that man's rebirth or salvation answer must have occurred before the giving of the Law. I say this because I think in civilization there is a tendency in thinking that the Law is a saving tool, often providing a measuring tool of how we are living life with the idea that how we believe we are performing against that tool or measuring rod determines our acceptance by God. 

But rather these lessons are here to remind us that our salvation is apart from the law entirely and this law simply helps us see further our need for Christ and our own insufficiency. The Laws are important and represent our standard and remind us also what we need to be doing, but it is not a saving device. 

I think one reason that the Law has an attraction to man is it is ingrained in us. That can be a good thing and that can also be deceptive. A consequence of sinning is working (toiling the land) and yet we find joy in our toils and a sense of accomplishment and in that accomplishment a sense of justification that our work is producing something good. In contrary the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a simple message of "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." That salvation is not accomplished by me, but simply by my walking to Him and letting Him take care of the problem of sin; this is a re-training of our thinking. 

The law is not a tool of justifying me, but rather it is an instrument to bring me to Christ and show me my need for Him. And the Law is also a tool in helping us understanding that the atonement or the atoning sacrifice that occurred in Christ is the means to my salvation.  

Promise:  As John Calvin comments, "The law, in short, was nothing else than an immense variety of exercises, in which the worshippers were led by the hand to Christ."

Prayer: Lord, thank you for continuing to confirm truth into my life and continuing to show me the Story of Life and Your Story of Salvation. It is easy and that easiness is always under attack. Lord, help me know how to talk to people that are simply ingrained in the idea that righteousness comes about through man's obedience. Lord, I must admit that I get sidetracked by their thinking and with them I struggle in my conversations that seem to result in more division than greater adherence to your ways. You know me Lord, I want to keep peace and this I see at times is not good as it starts to have me be agreeable to people instead of leading them to You. I want to nourish and feed your sheep. Give me the strength to do this in the way you have called me to do this. I stay committed to You God and Love you God and am forever grateful of your forever mercy. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of July is about the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God.

The Restraint of the Law - the law is given for lawless, unholy, disobedient people, to restrain us from acting on our sinful thoughts. Restraint and Guilt - the law is meant to restrain Christians and non-Christians alike; so that others may see Christ. The Law's Revelation of Sin - The Law reveals sin, at times making it more desirable, and show the sin which people commit and the complete standard it expects. The Law and Our Powerlessness - We are powerless over the Law and Sin revealed. It is in Christ that we receive forgiveness and the power to resist sin.