Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

One of my friends had his brother pass away about 15 years ago or so. He left two young teenage girls behind and some investment funds. Their mom had passed away earlier. My friend took them into his home, raised them as his own children, and kept the money (their inheritance) in a trust for them. He still thinks of them as his kids. It is one of things I love about this friend; he is incredibly resilient. He just takes life in stride with whatever is thrown at him and steps up to be responsible.

The analogy of a guardianship in regards to the relationship between the law and the promise is a good one. God made a promise to Abraham to make his descendants numerous through a seed. Paul already told us earlier in this passage that this seed was Jesus. We are, all of us who follow Jesus Christ, descendants of Abraham. Jesus came and opened up a way for us to have a personal relationship with God by paying the price for our sins. And the descendants of Abraham who were spiritual children of God expanded exponentially (to all people, instead of just the Jews)!

So in the time between when the promise was made to Abraham and when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, the law served as a reminder to the Jews that they were God’s people and he still cared about them even though they were sinners. It also helped them understand the need to repent of sin. The law was a placeholder until Jesus came and made us right again with God, if we would believe on his name. The law was the guardian of the people God loved, until fulfillment of the promise.

So we respect and keep the law, not because it is how we are justified or saved, but because it is of God and is good and we want to please God. But we get to go beyond keeping the law and we get to learn and understand the intent of a holy God. We get to act on his behalf in a broken world by the power of his Spirit!

Lord, thank you for allowing me to know your heart. What a privilege! I want to know you more and more!