Law Taught Us, Faith Bought Us

"24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3: 24)

In the Third chapter of Galatians, Paul explains to the Galatians, who were bewitched by Judaizers to bring back the law in order to grow in holiness, that the law, the Ten Commandments and all its ceremonials, was for the Israelites, for a set time.

Many Christians need to learn this truth today, because truth is always with grace, not the law:

"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)

John, whose name means "God is gracious", could not have put it more simply. There was the law, the "schoolmaster" which was given, yet Jesus came, and He not only comes to us, He comes to live in us and give us all things with Himself:

"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45)

Jesus was not playing word games or paradoxes. He comes to serve us. He comes for us.

The problem with man, from the first man to the present day, is that we do not believe that God is that good, and worse yet we think that we are not that bad, and that with a little effort, we can do well for ourselves in this life.

So, the law entered:

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"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

and then

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" (Titus 2: 11-12)

Grace is the teacher which leads us from death to life, which grants us wisdom to walk in His Spirit, in His life!

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:19-20)

When Paul refers to the law as a "school master", the word is actually more forceful, if not bullying. The law was a like a harsh tutor keeping the Israelites in line, so to speak, until the fullness of time:

"4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4: 4-5)

Because Jesus has come, has given us Himself, His righteousness, His life, His standing, and His power, we no longer need Ten Commandments to teach us how to live:

"11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." (Hebrews 8: 11)

He causes us to know Him, too!

The law teaches us that we are helpless, that we are dead in our trespasses in need of His life. With faith in all that Jesus has done, we are no longer in need of a tutor. Grace is the best teacher, which we receive by faith, His faith (Galatians 2: 20-21)