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Daily Devotions

Galatians

Galatians 
Day 
Day 61

"Before faith came..."

Text: Galatians 3:23a

ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE OF THE LAW

Paul once again gives another highly significant perspective of the law. This perspective helps in the understanding and appreciation of the role of the law.

But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law,
kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.

Galatians 3:23

1. “But before faith came”

a) This does not mean that faith did not exist before.
b) This is a reference to “faith in Jesus Christ”.
c) It is a reference to the era when Jesus was sent to become the Saviour-Redeemer of the world.

2. “We were kept under guard by the law”

a) The law was given because of the problem of sin.
b) It served another special purpose – it kept guard.
c) The law restricted any unwarranted multiplication of sin.
d) The harsh penalty of the law deterred many from sin.
e) The law played an important role in this regard.
f) However the law was not able to give the promise of eternal life.

3. “Kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed”

a) This is a reference to the era when Christ Jesus came into the world.
b) Faith in the Lord Jesus was now the clear focus.
c) This was a revelation that came from God Himself.
d) The Lord Jesus urged all to have faith in Him.
e) The Spirit of God moved hearts to find faith in Jesus.
f) Many mighty miracles were performed by Jesus to prove that He was indeed the Son of God.
g) The apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed vigorously the gospel of Christ.
h) Faith in Christ was efficacious; it would result in the offer of eternal life in Christ.

A NEW LINE OF THOUGHT

This was a new line of thought for the tradition-bound Jews in the days of the apostle Paul. Many were so bound by what they had been taught that they found it hard to understand this line of reasoning. However, Paul’s reasoning was in fact flawless. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was certainly in view when God first gave the covenant-promise to Abraham. Paul appealed to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to obtain eternal life. He did not disparage the role of the law of Moses. Its function was to lead people to faith in Christ.