THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW (Part 1)

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Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.” (Galatians 3:23 NLT)

    Jesus Christ and His teaching became “a stumbling block” to the Jews because they were bent on using the law God gave them through Moses for a purpose not intended. The Jews wrongly sought to use the law as a means of righteousness to attain a right standing with God and earn God’s love, acceptance, and blessings.

Paul exposes their ignorance in his epistle to the Christians in Rome.

Romans 9:30-33 – NKJV

 30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;

 31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.

 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

 33 As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

God offered the Jews His righteousness as a gift of grace in Jesus Christ. However, they vehemently rejected God’s gift of righteousness, seeking and striving in vain to establish their righteousness by the works of the law (Rom. 10:1-4).

  B Unfortunately, many religious folks today still seek and strive to use the law for the purpose it was not intended for.

Today, many people are zealously, religiously, or dutifully striving to adhere to, abide by, keep, or obey all or some of the laws God gave the Jews through Moses to attain right standing with God or earn God’s love, acceptance, favor, or blessing.

a). That is an abuse of the law!

b). That is misusing the law!

The Scripture teaches and reveals that God did not give men the law to serve as a basis or means of obtaining justification and salvation. No man can entirely and continuously keep the whole law without stumbling on one point (Jam. 2:10-11, Gal. 3:2-16). 

Only the Lord Jesus Christ has ever kept the whole law perfectly without stumbling at one point. No mortal man can attain such perfection (Gal. 3:10-11).

The law was not given or sent to be our savior but merely to be our tutor, custodian, guardian, or schoolmaster ordained by God to lead and bring us to the Saviour, Jesus Christ, that we might be justified and saved by faith in Him and His finished work of redemption.

Paul explains this truth in his epistle.

Romans 10:4 – AMP

4 For Christ is the end of the Law [the limit at which it ceases to be, for the Law leads up to Him Who is the fulfillment of its types, and in Him the purpose which it was designed to accomplish is fulfilled. 

That is, the purpose of the Law is fulfilled in Him] as the means of righteousness (right relationship to God) for everyone who trusts in and adheres to and relies on Him.

God does not intend for us to remain under the law after the complete revelation of God’s grace (Jesus Christ), which brings salvation to all humankind.

Galatians 3:23-25 – NLT

23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. Let me put it another way.

24 The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.

25 And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

Beloved, now that the way of faith has been revealed, you no longer need the law as your guardian, tutor, or schoolmaster. Through Christ’s perfect and finished work of redemption, you have been set free from bondage and servitude to the law (Rom. 7:4-6).

You are entirely free from the burdensome sacrifices and expensive rites of Jewish law. You are also forever free from the law’s condemnation, curse, and penalty. We have become dead to the law through the body of Christ. Hallelujah!

But why did God entrust men to the law as our tutor or guardian until Christ came? What purposes does God intend the law He gave Israel through Moses to serve?

Find out in the second part of this piece!

 Prayer:

I acknowledge my inherent weakness, inability, and failure to measure up to the standards and demands of the law. I trust Jesus Christ today and confess Him as my Saviour and Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Preserving the Faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

AWH, Blogs.

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