START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION
(KJV) Galatians 3:19
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
WHAT THEN WAS THE PUPOSE OF THE LAW? / GALATIANS 3:19
The word for “law” (Greek nomos; Hebrew torah) means “teaching” or “direction.” The law can refer to the Ten Commandments, the Pentateuch (the first five Old Testament books) or any commandment in the Old Testament. Paul’s use of law here would include the sacrificial system that was part of God’s Old Testament covenant with Israel as given to Moses. (The covenant was God’s “life agreement” with Israel based on His laws and promises to them and on their faithfulness and obedience to Him.) Concerning the law, Paul states several things:
- It was given by God “because of transgressions.” This means that it (a) defined offenses against God and exposed sin as the violation of God’s will (His purposes, standards and desires based on His perfect character and plans) and (b) awakened humanity’s sense of need for God’s mercy, grace and salvation through Christ (Galatians 3:24; Romans 5:20; 8:2).
- Although the Old Testament law was holy, good and righteous (Romans 7:12), it was incomplete in that it could not give people spiritual life or moral strength (Galatians 3:21; Romans 8:3; Hebrews 7:18-19). No form of rule keeping – even keeping and obeying God’s rules – can put us in a right relationship with God.
- The law acted as a temporary tutor, or instructional guide, for God’s people, protecting and pointing them in the right direction until complete spiritual salvation was revealed and became available through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:22-26).Up to that time, the law revealed God’s will and standard for His people’s behavior (Exodus 19:4-6; 20:1-17; 21:1-24:8). It also provided for blood sacrifices to cover the people’s sins (Leviticus 1:5; 16:33) and pointed prophetically to Christ’s sin-covering, forgiveness-providing death (Hebrews 9:14; 10:12-14).
- The law was given “to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). But now that Christ has come, the instructional role of the law has ended (Galatians 3:25). Though God’s law still serves to reveal God’s perfect standard and to expose our need for Christ, we no longer attempt to maintain a right relationship with God through the provisions of the Old Testament law, including the sacrificial system. Salvation is now based on a new covenant provision (God’s “life agreement” with people based on the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus). The main provision is Jesus’ atoning (sin-covering) death and miraculous resurrection, which sealed God’s new covenant and provided forgiveness and new life for those who surrender their lives to Christ (Galatians 3:27-29; Matthew 5:17).
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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter
- BLESSING GIVEN TO ABRAHAM / GALATIANS 3:14
- CHRIST REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE / GALATIANS 3:13
- THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH / GALATIANS 3:11
- UNDER A CURSE / GALATIANS 3:10
- HIS SPIRIT … WORKS MIRACLES / GALATIANS 3:5
- DID YOU RECEIVE THE SPIRIT BY BELIEVING / GALATIANS 3:2
- GRACE / RIGHTEOUSNESS / GALATIANS 2:21
- I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST / GALATIANS 2:20
- JUSTIFIED BY … FAITH / GALATIANS 2:15-16
- AFRAID OF … CIRCUMCISION GROUP / GALATIANS 2:12
- I OPPOSED HIM TO HIS FACE / GALATIANS 2:11
- REMEMBER THE POOR / GALATIANS 2:10
- GOD DOES NOT JUDGE BY EXTERNAL APPEARANCE / GALATIANS 2:6
- NOT GIVE IN TO THEM FOR A MOMENT / GALATIAN 2:5
- FALSE BROTHERS / GALATIANS 2:4
- GOD WHO SET ME APART / GALATIANS 1:15-16
- OR AM I TRYING TO PLEASE MEN? / GALATIANS 1:10
- LET HIM BE ETERNALLY CONDEMNED! / GALATIANS 1:9
- A DIFFERENT GOSPEL / GALATIANS 1:6-7
- RESCUE US FROM THE PRESENT EVIL AGE / GALATIANS 1:3-5
- NOT INHERIT THE KINDOM OF GOD /GALATIANS 5:21
- THE SPIRIT … THE SINFUL NATURE / GALATIANS 5:17
- GUIDED BY GRACE HOME
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace
