For you are all sons of God through
faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)
Patrick
Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death!” He recognized there is no life apart from
liberty. This is true spiritually as
well. Jesus came to give us life and
liberty. He said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” What is this truth? Our Lord responds, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus came to give us life through a personal
relationship with Him that sets us free from the shackles of sin and death. Paul explains further concerning the life of
liberty in Galatians 3:15-29.
This
liberty is a promise of God (v.15-18).
The word, “promise” is used eight times in Galatians 3:15-29. Specifically, this promise refers to God’s
covenant with Abraham. God chose Abraham in sovereign grace, Abraham responded
by faith, and God imputed righteousness (3:6).
Since the
covenant preceded the law, the false teachers in Galatia said that the law
replaced the covenant. Paul counters
this with an illustration from the secular world (v.15). A contract between two cannot be negated later
by someone not a party to the agreement. Neither could it be argued the covenant was
fulfilled when the law was given, because fulfillment was in Christ (v.16). Abraham didn’t make the covenant and
promises. God did—unilaterally and unconditionally.
What is
given by promise is not earned by obedience (v.17-18). Like oil and water, they don’t mix. The
Greeks had a word for agreement between partners. That is not the term used here. Salvation is based
on God’s faithfulness, not ours.
If the law
did not supersede the covenant of grace, then why was it given? That is
presented in verses 19-22. The law is a compass to show us how far we’ve
strayed. It is plumb line to show how
crooked we are. It is a thermometer to
show how sick we are. This is meant to
drive us in desperation to Christ. The expression,
“confined all under sin” (v.22) means
“lock up in jail.” The law sentences us
to death row, but that causes us to seek pardon. We can’t escape, so we must have someone
intervene. Like a mirror, the law shows
us we are dirty, but cannot cleanse us.
Children
need supervision and a restricted area. Baby-sitters and playpens set limits that are
good for them. We are put in protective custody (v.23). We are given a tutor (v.24-25). In the ancient world this was a slave in
charge of minor. He had moral
supervision and was a strict disciplinarian. This is what the law is to us. The tutor’s task was finished when the child
reached maturity. The word, “sons” (v.26) means “of full age.” Christians have outgrown the need of a playpen
and baby-sitter. Adulthood brings
freedom from that. Why would anyone want
to return to infancy?
Instead,
we are to “put on Christ”
(v.27). In Roman society, when youth
came of age, they were given a special toga. The child of God has laid aside the old garments
of sin and put on a robe of righteousness.
In Christ, there is no distinction of skin color, social class, or
sexual category (v.28). The ground is
level at the cross. The Jews thought
they were Abraham’s seed because of keeping the law. Paul says it is a
relationship to Christ by faith that makes us heirs of Abraham’s promises
(v.29).
Only
Christ can free us from sin and death.
Call out to Him today!
