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Monday Miscellany

Focus Text: Galatians 4.4-5

Justification could not and cannot come by means of the Law of Moses; this is Paul’s summary argument in Galatians 3. Regardless of what the Jews thought about the Law and the blessings that might come on them through the Law, Paul made no bones about the fact that justification was by faith in Christ and not through the Law. “For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.” (Galatians 3.21b).

Man had one major problem under the Law, and that problem was sin! In the context of the verse just cited, Paul made this statement: “But the Scripture has confined all under sin…” (Galatians 3.22a). This phrase is of great significance and should spark interest in all who believe God and His revelation regarding sin. Our devotional today will examine this phrase and indicate the impact that this statement has on the lives of each and every human being.

First, notice that the previous Holy Writings (here called Scripture) are personified; they are spoken of as if they are more than a mere collection of writings; they have life and purpose; “The Scripture has confined all under sin…” What Paul does here is assign to the Holy Writings divine intent, namely to cause men to see that he is confined under sin. The Law and the history of man connected with the keeping of the law should cause us to see that sin has especial sinister and eternal results. It was by means of The Law that God wanted us to see the heinous nature of sin, or as Paul phrased it to the Roman Christians, “…so that sin through the commandment [The Law] might become exceedingly sinful.” (Romans 7.13). God used The Law to demonstrate to man that his sinful situation was hopeless should it be his only means of righteousness!

We turn our attention to the phrase “…confined under sin.” To understand the import of this statement we go back a few years to the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He encountered a group of hapless fishermen and told them to “launch out into the deep and let down you nets for a catch.” (Luke 5.4). Simon, one of the fishermen, protested; “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5.5). “And when they had done this [lowered their nets as Jesus commanded], they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.” (Luke 5.6). The intent of this little biblical excursion is to mentally see the meaning of the word “confined” in Galatians 3.22; the word here is the same as “caught” in Luke 5.6. Literally (according to Thayer), it means, “to shut up together, enclose 1a) of a shoal of fishes in a net, 2) to shut up on all sides, shut up completely.” Hence, Paul affirms that the Scripture depicted man as completely encircled and surrounded by the power of sin apart for the salvation that is in Christ; salvation simply could not be of The Law; it only caused man to see his hopeless condition apart from a system other than The Law!

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4.4-5). Hopelessness turns to hope-filled through Christ and the Gospel system! We are not enclosed on all sides as if in a net; we are free from death through Him!

Questions:

1. What was one purpose of The Law according to Romans 7.13?

2. Was its purpose accomplished? If we look at the inspired history of Israel, do we find a people free from the penalties of sin, or a people plagued by its penalties?

3. What hope does man have through a system of Law apart from grace (such as in Christ)?

4. How did hopelessness turn to “hope-filled”?

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

Watching Your Dollars Fly Away