Day 3

“Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.” — Galatians 3:23-25 

Throughout the Old Testament, the law is held in the highest esteem. It remained fully affirmed through the ministry of Jesus, who said, “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18). But once we get to the writings of the Apostle Paul, there appears to be a remarkable change of attitude towards the law. It is now given negative connotations. 

For example, “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse” (Galatians 3:10). “We were held prisoners by the law” (Galatians 3:23). This turnabout is because in Galatians, Paul explains that the law is external to us - it imposes demands upon us from the outside - demands which we cannot keep. The law expresses the moral character of God, and therefore is eternally true, right and good, but it cannot produce what it demands. 

The Gospel, however, restores the life of God to human experience and makes possible an expression of the moral character of God in us, not by our keeping an external law, but by our availability to the internal Spirit of Christ.

Paul writes in Galatians 2:19, “For through the law, I died to the law so that I might live for God.” That is, I have stopped living under the demands of a law imposed upon me, and which I cannot keep myself, but have instead turned to God who alone is capable of producing the demands of the law. Paul follows it up with, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Therein lies the key to the Christian life. Under the New Covenant, Christ living in us imparts to us divine life and the moral character of God, and He is our empowering to live as the law requires. 

We will not understand the requirements of the Ten Commandments apart from the work of Jesus Christ. It is in relationship with Him, by faith in Him, active obedience to Him, and full dependence upon Him, we are enabled to express something of the character of God. The law does not impart righteousness and cannot impart life, but was given as our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ. The law exposes our need and drives us back to Christ. What the law demands, Christ alone can fulfill. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your presence in me, enabling me to live more and more as the law demands. empower me, Lord, to reflect deeply and richly what you are like, not only for my sake, but for those around me. thank you, Lord. 

To reflect upon: How often do I find myself struggling under my own steam to become the faithful Christian I want to be? In what areas of my life do I need to depend on Christ more in reflecting His likeness?