The Unmistakable Value of God’s Law

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

With the law comes great guilt and shame, but at the same time, there is a greater helper that the law tells us of.

Today’s devotional reading: Galatians 3:19-27

While we no longer dwell under God’s law, but under His grace, we must not mistake what God’s law has done for us. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul addressed how those who believe in Christ are justified by Him. Yet, he also raised this important point: without the law, how would we know that we need Christ?

From Adam to Moses, mankind lived in ignorance of what was right in the eyes of God. Mankind chose to live however it wished, and because our nature is sinful, mankind lived sinfully. God gave His law as a way to tell ignorant man that these are the things one ought to do if one desires to live in a holy manner.

However, the law also showed mankind how incapable we are of meeting God’s standards of holiness. God’s law repeatedly pointed out our inadequacies, telling us of our sins over and over again. Such guilt and shame can weigh down the soul, as the last thing anyone wants to be told is that they are imperfect.

This is where God’s law points to Christ and tells us that we don’t have to be inadequate. This is where God’s law tells us that we have a helper who is willing to lift us from our shame and guilt. This is where God’s law points to the love of God. If God ever wanted mankind to remain lost in sin, He would not have given His law in the first place. If God ever wanted you to remain lost in your sin, He would not have ever given His only begotten Son for you.

As Paul said, God’s law was once our tutor, but the tutor told us we need greater help and brought us to Christ so that we may get the help that we truly need.