Thoughts About The Law And Grace

Galatians 1:1-3:23

I want to give some thoughts today about the scripture reference above.

First, Paul kind of comes across as arrogant to me. No doubt, God used Paul, but his communication of his authority and experience transmits an air of superiority at times (again, to me).

Some of what Paul discusses however in the first three chapters of his letter to the Galatians is amazing.

It occurred to me today that God always intended to claim the world (as in people) for Himself. Paul mentioned that God told Abraham that all the nations of the world would be blessed through him. The Jews were selected to carry the story of Christ (Who made God's reclamation of the world to Himself) to fruition.

The Law was an identifier. It certainly made the Jews stand out as different.

But the thing about the Law though is that is was a curse. Why do I say that? Because it brought death.

Grace, however, came through Jesus Christ (Who, by the way, commissioned His disciples to go into all the world).

Think about it, if the Law served no other purpose but to get Christ nailed to the cross, it was absolutely necessary!

Jesus was very clear that we are to live by a different standard than the Law. He was clear that our lives should be dictated by these two simple mandates: love God and love man. 

Jesus was furthermore very clear about reciprocity - in other words, He was very clear about doing unto others what we would desire to be done unto us. The Law was more for self-accomplishment. Grace was more external. Nothing more accurately described the role of grace than Jesus' teaching about forgiveness in the Model Prayer in Matthew 6: "Forgive us as we forgive others." Jesus was very clear that if we do not give forgiveness, we do not receive forgiveness.

The Law was all about compliance. Grace is about forgiveness.

I am not all hung up about the nation of Israel. No doubt, God used them to point to Christ. However, they are under that same requirement of faith now that the rest of the world is. When Jesus died on the cross, it truly was finished as far as Judaism and the Law were concerned.

Now, instead of "taking care of myself" by strict compliance to a set of rules and imposing those rules on others, it is now my duty to "take care of others" (forgiving as I have been forgiven) in order for care to be taken of me! It is no longer a "me first" mentality in making sure I am right, but very much an "others first" mentality in holding nothing against them. It is the picture of Christ on the cross!

Mankind needed the Law to see Jesus. Now, we have Jesus, the Law is done. But, we remain under obligation to the One Who redeemed us to live according to His life - His life, one of complete and thorough forgiveness.

Father, these thoughts today are somewhat overwhelming. Help us all to be mindful of the cross of Christ and what was accomplished there.