Galatians 18-Day Reading PlanSample

In Galatians 3:23-29, Paul describes the Law as a guard, or jailer who imprisons us before we place our faith in Jesus. Attempting to follow the Law leads to bondage, man-made rules, and even worse a culture of legalism that will lead to nothing but hopelessness and despair. This rule-following keeps us trapped when Christ has set us free. 

God did not leave us under bondage; He sent us a savior to rescue us. Jesus came to pay the price required by the Law so that mankind could be set free or “redeemed” (v. 5)  from the curse of the Law. In Jesus, we are no longer under the rule of the Law but sons and daughters of God. 

Just like the Galatian people, we can often find ourselves imposing our own rules and regulations on our lives trying to prove to God, ourselves, and others that we have “worked hard” or “earned” our freedom. Going back to living under the Law would be like jumping over the wall into the prison you were just released from, asking the jailer to slam the door shut to the prison cell, and serving out a life sentence even though your debt was erased. 

Paul’s “fear” (4:11) wasn’t that the Galatian people didn’t trust Jesus for salvation, but rather faith in Jesus wasn’t enough.  They believed Jesus-plus following rules was required. The good news of Jesus is by grace alone are we set free from the Law. Jesus plus anything else is religious bondage. Trying to earn God’s approval is rejecting what Jesus has done for us. But now as adopted sons and daughters of God, we are now no longer under the law, but inherit freedom.  

Question

Have you imposed rules on yourself to try to earn forgiveness? How does the message of Grace alone make you feel?