Today we continue our series entitled, “Grace and Truth” by continuing to look at The Law given under Moses vs. the Grace provided by Jesus. Our main scriptures are John 1:14 & 17. Let’s look at them again.
(John 1:14 NIV)
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John 1:17 NIV)
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
For the past few days we have been looking at Galatians chapter 3. So far we have covered verses 15-22. Today I will cover verses 23-29.
Paul said, “Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.” The Law was like a tutor, or a nanny, that protected God’s followers by warning them what NOT to do. But simply telling me what NOT to do does not really help me understand what I SHOULD be doing. That is the role of the Holy Spirit.
Paul continues, “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Paul called The Law of Moses a guardian or tutor. This guardian or tutor was designed to “protect” believers until Jesus came. It was not the ultimate solution.
2. The guardian of The Law protected God’s people by telling them what NOT to do. But it never empowered them to do what God wanted them to do, nor did it give Old Covenant believers access to the supernatural. It was okay, and it served its purpose, but it was not God’s best.
3. Once Jesus came, Paul said, “we no longer need the law as our guardian,” and we are now able to live a life of faith. Through faith in Jesus we have access to the supernatural. This is God’s best. Once we are Born-Again, the supernatural is now natural to us.
4. Jesus gave us access to the Holy Spirit. Like the Law, the Holy Spirit will tell us what NOT to do. But unlike the Law, the Holy Spirit will also tell us what TO DO in order to maximize our purpose and potential in life.
5. When we accepted Jesus as Lord we were baptized into Christ and Paul says it is like, “putting on new clothes.” While the Old Covenant was external and it could never really change you, on the inside, the New Covenant changes you from the inside-out. When you are in-Christ and Christ is in-you, you are Born-Again and all things are new.
6. The Old Covenant was limited to the descendants of Abraham and the culture favored men. Under the Old Covenant women and Gentiles were treated like second-class citizens. However, the New Covenant is open to all people, regardless of race or gender. Blacks and Whites, Hispanics and Asians, Catholics and Baptists, Pentecostals and Protestants, men and women, young and old, rich and poor, we are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus.
Once you are filled with God’s Spirit there is nothing you can’t do. Because there is nothing God can’t do and He is living inside of you. At this point your life is not about a set of rules that tell you what you should not do. Once you are filled with God’s Spirit you are to be led of the Holy Spirit in all things. He will tell you what to do and not to do. He will tell you where to go and what to do when you get there. He will give you wisdom that exceeds your education and experience. He will give you favor with men, so people will go out of their way to help you in ways you cannot help yourself. He will tell you who you are and what you were born to do. He will reveal to you what you are called to and also show you how to gain access to the resources required to make it happen.
Simply put, once you are Born-Again it’s a whole new world! All bets are off! All limits are gone! All things are new! Your life is not about a list of “thou shalt nots.” Instead, your life is about the reality that you can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives you the grace to do what you could never do without Him! Please open your heart to this reality. This is the power of the New Covenant Jesus died to usher you into!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank you for taking the time to teach me Your Word. Your Word changes the way I think, feel and make decisions. Your Word changes me from the inside-out. My mind is being renewed daily through Your Word. I learned today that the Law was given to be like a guardian, to protect Your Old Covenant followers, until Jesus came. The Law of Moses was limited, but the New Covenant of Grace is not. Under the New Covenant I have been Born-Again by Your Holy Spirit. Your Holy Spirit now lives in me 24x7x365. I don’t need an external set of rules to guide me, because Your Spirit, who lives in me, guides me in the way that I should go. I have access to Your Supernatural power, through Your Spirit, who lives in me. Additionally, I have put on Christ and it was like putting on new clothes. I am different. I have been changed. I have been made new. I am in Christ, Christ is in me, and I will never be the same! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
