In 3:19 Paul tells us that the law “was added because of transgressions.” The law was not an original part of God’s economy. It was added while God’s economy was proceeding because of man’s transgression, until the seed, Christ, should come, to whom God’s promise was made. Since it was added because of man’s transgressions, it should have been deducted when those transgressions were taken away. Because Christ, the seed, has come, the law must be terminated. Its function is to expose man’s fallen condition.
In 3:23 Paul says, “But before faith came we were guarded under law, being shut up unto the faith which was about to be revealed.” To be guarded is to be kept in custody, kept in ward. To be guarded under law, by being shut up there, can be compared to sheep being enclosed in a fold (John 10:1, 16). In God’s economy, the law was used as a fold to keep God’s chosen people until Christ came. Because Christ has come, God’s people should no longer be kept under the law.
The Greek word rendered “unto” in 3:23 can also be translated “with a view to.” This indicates that the shutting up has an objective or goal in view. It should result in bringing the guarded people to the faith.
In caring for their children, Christian parents need to preach the law to them. We should not first preach grace to the children. If we give them regulations according to the law, the law will keep them in custody for Christ. Thus, we should first give them the law in a strong way. The law will expose them, guard them, and keep them, serving as a custodian to keep them for Christ.
In 3:24 Paul continues, “So the law has become our child-conductor unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The Greek word for “child-conductor” can also be rendered escort, guardian, or custodian. It denotes one who cares for a child who is under age and conducts him to the schoolmaster. The law was used by God as a custodian, a guardian, a child-conductor, to watch over His chosen people before Christ came, and to escort and conduct them to Christ at the proper time.
Galatians 3:25 says, “But faith having come, we are no longer under a child-conductor.” Since faith in Christ has come, we do not need to be under the guarding law any longer.
As a child-conductor, the law brings us unto Christ that we may be justified by faith. When an Israelite came to the altar with a trespass offering, he was justified by faith in that offering. Because of the trespass offering, God forgave him of his sin. The Israelite was justified not by works of law, but by his faith in the trespass offering. In typology, this is to be justified by faith. The principle in the New Testament is the same. The law still condemns all those who have sinned. Those condemned under the law should come to Christ and exercise faith in Him as their trespass offering. In this way, sinners are justified by faith.
The law is related to the flesh. This is indicated in Romans 7:5, where Paul says, “For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were through the law, operated in our members to bear fruit to death. ” The works of the law are always related to the flesh. A believer’s efforts to keep the law are not of the Spirit, but are of the flesh. Even if someone has the intention to please God by fulfilling the requirements of the law, that intention will cause him to be involved with the flesh.
In Romans 7 Paul tells us that the law is good, even spiritual. Thus, we have no right to find fault with the law. Instead, we should blame our flesh. Whenever we try to keep the law, we exercise the flesh.
In Galatians 3:10 Paul says, “For as many as are of the works of law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the law to do them.” If we try to keep the law, we shall be in the flesh and automatically be under the curse, for the works of the law are under the curse. Instead of trying to keep the law, we should thank the law for exposing us and condemning us and then bid it farewell. We should not form a permanent relationship with the law. We should leave the law and go to Christ and to the cross. If we stay in the flesh with the law, we shall remain under the curse. But if we go to Christ and the cross, we shall be justified by faith.