What Does Galatians 3:25 Mean?

But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, described such a slave. This slave was not a teacher.

Galatians 3:25(HCSB)

Verse of the Day

The Law was given to Israel to help them recognise their need of a Saviour. The Law causes us to see that we are sinners and in desperate need of a Redeemer. The Law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, for only in Him is there forgiveness of sins, and only in Him can the free gift of eternal life be realised.

But sadly today, as in the days of the apostle Paul, there are many that consider that we should still be under the Law and in bondage to the Law, not recognising the glorious truth that after faith has come, we are no longer under the restrictions of a guardian. We need to realise that after faith has come, we are placed IN-Christ and are set free from the curse of the Law and its eternal consequences.

We are positioned IN Christ - in union with Him - accepted in the Beloved and one with our Saviour. His death became our death - death to the power of sin in our lives and death to the curse of the Law over our life.

A guardian teaches, a guardian protects, a guardian disciplines, and a guardian regulates, but a guardian cannot make his pupil good. Similarly, the Law teaches, the Law protects, the Law disciplines, and the Law regulates, but the Law cannot make a sinner righteous - it can only identify our sins and point us to the Source of our salvation.

The Law was perfect, but the Law was incapable of making us righteous. But the Law has now achieved its purpose which is to convict a sinner of his sin. The lesson for which the Law was implemented has been taught in Christ, its function has been met: that man is a sinner and in need of a Saviour. And Jesus is that Saviour to which the Law was pointing from the very beginning.

Before faith in Christ the nation of Israel (and humanity as a whole) was incarcerated by the demands of the Law and imprisoned by its devastating curse - a curse that could only be lifted by the ONE Who was made a curse on our account: "But since that faith had come, we are no longer under the guardianship of the Law." 

Let us praise God for His grace and favour and let us thank Him for setting us free - in Christ.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, how I praise and thank You that in Your wisdom, You planned that the Law would be used as a tool to bring me to faith in Christ. Thank You that His death and Resurrection have redeemed me from the curse of the Law and rescued me from its terrible consequences. Thank You that the Lord Jesus Christ was willing to become a curse on my account so that in Him, I might be made the righteousness of God. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

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