Galatians 3:24
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
The Book of Galatians was written to address a rising issue in the churches of that day—the mixing of the law with grace. Many were attempting to combine good works and ordinances with the free gift of salvation. This unholy mixture stemmed from a misunderstanding of the law and its purpose. The Jews of that time believed that righteousness came through the law, and sadly, many Christians today fall into the same mindset. This belief inevitably leads to the same old problem—trying to mix our good works, traditions, and ordinances with the gospel, which alone is "the power of God unto salvation."
Paul resolved this issue by explaining the true function of the law. Our verse today beautifully encapsulates his argument by personifying the law as a schoolmaster. Imagine a teacher named Mr. Law. What does he teach? Some might say righteousness, but he offers no such course. Instead, he teaches only one subject: sin. Not how to sin, but what sin is and how to recognize it.
His first lesson is on love: "Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." A high standard indeed! His next lesson? "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." The Jews left Mr. Law’s class thinking, “All I have to do to be righteous is follow these commands.” But as reality set in, they realized Mr. Law had set the bar impossibly high.
What now? We have sinned! But fear not—Mr. Law has another class to teach. He points to the solution for sin: there must be a sacrificial lamb, a high priest to make the offering, and the sins of the people placed upon the substitute. This must happen every year. Through his moral law—"Thou shalt" and "Thou shalt not"—Mr. Law exposes sinfulness in our hearts. And through his ceremonial law, he points to the only solution: a sacrificial lamb who would take away sin.
Mr. Law is an excellent teacher. He faithfully points out our problem—sin—and directs us to the only solution, but he himself cannot provide that solution. Who is the answer? Jesus! The sacrificial lamb of Leviticus 16? That’s Jesus. The high priest making atonement for the people? That’s Jesus. The law paints countless portraits, and every one of them bears a striking resemblance to Christ. This is Mr. Law’s way of pointing us to Jesus. Christ Himself testified to this truth many times in the New Testament: "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses..." (Luke 24:44).
The law brings knowledge of sin and directs us to the solution—Jesus Christ. But it has never and will never make anyone righteous. Righteousness comes only by faith in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Perhaps you have begun to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage, laid upon you by misinformed brethren. This often comes from a misunderstanding of righteousness and its source. The Law of Moses, along with our own laws and traditions, is not the means of righteousness—Jesus Christ is! A wrong view here can turn you into a Pharisee of Pharisees, so be careful. Let the law do its job: to bring you guilty before Christ and show you that your only hope is in His shed blood. My good works are a product of my faith in Christ, not a precursor to it.
If you are struggling with sin today, a longer dress is not the answer. Plainer clothes are not the answer. Circumcision is not the answer. Baptism is not the answer. Jesus is the answer! Come to Him. Trust in His power over sin. If you truly desire righteousness in your life, then just as you came to Him for deliverance from sin’s penalty, now come to Him in childlike faith to be set free from sin’s power.
The law has shown me my sin, and it has pointed me to the solution. So let us learn our lesson and run to Jesus, "the end of the law."
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