Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? – Galatians 4:21
Now Paul writes directly, both to those who promoted legalism and to those who succumbed to legalism. He writes to those who desire to be under the law, living under law keeping as the basis for their relationship with God.
There are many advantages to being under the law as your principle of relating to God. First, you always have the outward certainty of a list of rules to keep. Second, you can compliment yourself because you keep the rules better than others do. Finally, you can take the credit for your own salvation, because you earned it by keeping the list of rules.
The disadvantage is clear: WE CANNOT DO IT FULLY. Jesus came to fulfill the law. He made us perfect in the eyes of God because Jesus WAS PERFECT. I wonder if that is comforting to you after last night’s election results. The president of the United States is debatably one of the most influential people in the world. Yet, we cannot even get the votes counted. This is simply a microcosm of a broken system where the most basic duties of a government are neglected (think road conditions, energy infrastructure etc.). When you live under the law, you face the consequences of the law. Today that consequence is an election with no results.
We learn a lesson in verse 21 that is very important. The law will never provide the freedom that grace through Christ does. I said this yesterday and today I want to reiterate my stance. This election is not your world. The outcome of this election does not put you back under the law. The result of this election does not determine your eternal salvation either. When the decades pass this time in human history will be a chapter. The title of the book though is JESUS WINS! Jesus won our freedom on the cross. So do not be afraid and live free today!
Amen