23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. (Galatians 3:23-25)
In today's text, we learn before "this" faith came we were arrested by the law, the law had us in handcuffs. The law functioned like a guardian of the family who was responsible to watch over the son, from his earliest days to his entrance into manhood.
A modern equivalent to the guardian could be a drill instructor at basic military training camp. He ensured that the young person in his control paid attention and learned his lessons. The law provides direction and self-control. It prescribes the way we "should" behave. But it could not give us a new heart nor could it give the inheritance which we have seen is the Holy Spirit.
"This faith" is the mark of maturity which the law prescribed, and so the law kept Israel under restraint until faith came. The law instructs us on how we are to live a life of faith, but our response has always been rebellion. And so, the law functioned to expose our sinfulness and control us until the day God began gave us a heart to trust him.
If we don't have a heart to trust God and rely on his mercy, the law will be offensive to us and will harden our hearts further toward God. This is why the law has to break us down, in order for the grace of God to build us back up through the gift of the perfection through Christ.
Once we have a heart to trust God and rely on his mercy, then the law will feel like a much-needed and desired prescription from a wise and loving father.
Once the process has happened, we will experience the freedom that we have in Christ, and the result will be gratitude giving birth to maturation in our relationship with God. When "this faith" comes, we will live a life of freedom and responsibility.
Freedom is the central theme in the movie, “The Shawshank Redemption.” While it is not obvious that most of us are locked up in some kind of a prison, we all could use more understanding of the fact that God loves us no matter what. Since we are not aware that we are imprisoned, we will not bother trying to escape.
Andre Gide once said, “To know how to free oneself is nothing; the arduous thing is to know what to do with one’s freedom.” This is a very applicable quote when we consider the teaching of Paul to the Galatians. It is also very instructive to us, as well.
There is another figure in "Shawshank Redemption" from whom we can learn. Brooks Hatlen had been at Shawshank prison for five decades. He was most secure within the confinements of prison. Then, the day came for him to be freed on parole. Life on the outside of the predictable and gray of Shawshank was too must, so he hangs himself.
Brooks is a picture of many Christians, yet the goal of God in our lives is freedom. And, this freedom that Christ offers us is so freeing. The freedom is tantamount to being defined by God. This freedom is the ability to respond to life without having the past or future interfere in our actions. This freedom provided the unshackling of the incessant voices which tell us we must measure up in some way.
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
Viktor E. Frankl
