But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, Galatians 4:4 WEB

When Paul preached the gospel message to the Galatians, many received it with enthusiasm. However, after Paul left them, some confusion arose concerning the circumstances of salvation. Instead of accepting God’s grace and forgiveness through faith, the Galatian church fell under the influence of those who taught salvation through works rather than faith.

Believing in salvation through works, makes Jesus’ sacrifice unnecessary. Paul understood, if we could save ourselves from sin through works, then Christ’s death on the cross was in vain. As he writes in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. WEB” Only Jesus lived a sinless life. Our sinful, guilty blood could only be atoned for by the innocent blood of our Savior. That is why he took our place on the cross.

Worried that his work with the Galatians would come to nothing, Paul explains the principle that Jesus Christ, born under the law, fulfilled the law that no other man could fulfill. In addition, he reemphasized righteousness by faith rather than works reminding the group that Abraham’s faith was counted by God as righteousness.

By the Grace of God

He equates those who accept Christ as Savior with children raised to receive a great inheritance. While children, Paul says, children are like bondservants to their parents. But once the date of the inheritance arrives, these same children become free. The rules that restricted the child for their own good and instruction give way to a freedom unlike the bondage from which they came. This is the distinction between living under the law and living under the grace of God.

With Christ as our intercessor, we have a direct path to the Father. Our accountability is to him and not other men. Though obedience to the word of God is our standard, we live under God’s grace and not under the condemnation of the law and its earthly priests.

It Is Finished

Jesus says in Matthew 5:17, “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. WEB” Born under the law, Christ fulfilled the law. Dying on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.” From that moment, those who put faith in Jesus receive the new covenant promise of forgiveness of sin through the sacrificial blood of Christ. Through the grace of God, we live in forgiveness, not condemnation under the law.

Christ fulfilled the law that every other man in history violated. With his death, he paid our sin debt in full. Paul’s point to the Galatians is that believers no longer live under the condemnation of the law. Attempting to achieve salvation through works is destined to failure and denies the value of the cross. Instead, believers in Christ are justified by faith in Jesus and considered righteous by the mercy and grace given to us by the Father.

Yesterday’s Devotional: Mercy