|
||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||
Commentary on "The Road to Faith"
Day 5: Wednesday, November 9, 2011 - The Law as Our Schoolmaster
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
The Sabbath School Lesson points to the Greek word for “tutor”. We find that the tutor was a slave, and guided and discplined the children of their master, often through strict punishment.
Look again at verse 25.
But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
This teaches us that because of Christ, the harshness of the Law is fulfilled. This does not mean that there’s a skeleton of the Law left that is good for us. Rather, it means that since Christ came, there is no more need for the Law. The Law served it’s purpose: to give us the knowledge of sin.
The problem with the Law is that it only brings knowledge of sin. It is powerless to change us.
The beauty of grace and mercy is that since Jesus died and rose again, through the Holy Spirit we not only gain knowledge of sin, but He also has the power to change us.
Because the Holy Spirit is sufficient to both make us aware of sin, and to change our behavior, what role does the Law now serve? Again, Paul’s answer is resoundingly clear: NONE! Look again at Galatians 3:1-3.
1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Another role of the Law was to point out that regardless of how sanitized our world is, we will still sin. In other words, even Adam sinned in a pristine Garden. Even Lucifer sinned in the perfect heaven.
How much more will we sin in this sinful world? Even with God’s Law, David was a murder and Solomon was a mind-bending example of polygamy. Our goal is not to live as sinlessly as possible, but rather to understand that it is impossible for us without God, to be saved. The GOOD NEWS is that Christ DID live perfectly according to the Law. And He died our death: yours...mine.
...but He has also risen to new, physical life so that we can live. He stands in our place. The Law cannot offer us that. Justification, sanctification and glorification are three aspects of salvation. While we need to understand the difference, we can also know that Jesus has completed everything we need for each aspect. Jesus IS our salvation.
And Jesus has left His promised Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.
So, why would we want the Law knowing this? The only possible answer is that we don’t understand the grace afforded us because of who Jesus is and because of what He has done.
The last question asked in today’s lesson is:
When was the last time you compared your actions and words and thoughts to the law? Do it now, comparing them not just to the letter of the law but to the spirit, as well (Matt. 5:28, Rom. 7:6). How well do you fare? What does your answer tell you about Paul’s point in this epistle?
So, how DO you fare? Have you kept the Law well today?
If not, and you’re feeling like a victim, beat down, overwhelmed, despairing. Give Jesus’ finished work a try! He didn’t come to judge you, but to bring you new life.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised November 8, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.
Official Adventist Resources
Standard Edition Study Guide Week 7
Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 7
Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Wk 7
Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings
Please Support This Project
