Galatians 3:24-25. 24So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
The paidagogos or “guardian” was that household slave who was assigned to watch over the young children in the Greco-Roman family until they became trusted adults, ready to receive the inheritance. Paul says that is what the law is like – a temporary tutor, guardian, or custodian that keeps us in line until we are ready to live by faith in Christ. Trust me, there was no such thing as a slave leading a free adult around and telling him or her what to do. Now that Christ has come, and has come into our hearts, we no longer need the supervision of the law.
Does this mean that we are immune to failure and weakness? Not at all. Those who are free in Christ are free to try and fail. While the paidagogos guarded the children, failure was not an option. Slapping, pinching, and yelling would be employed to keep the child in line. The “child” must be controlled by the law, but the “free adult”? They are not guarded by the law; they are walking by faith in the Son of God who loves us (2:20).
In Christ, we venture and explore, and often we find ourselves lost. We weigh options and choose, and often we choose poorly. Failure is a natural part of walking by faith. The law allowed no room for failure, but faith thrives in failure. Why? Because only in trying and failing do we find the forgiveness and mercy of God.
Those who are justified by faith in Christ are not placed into a life of “successful Christian living.” Quite the opposite, really. They are placed into the life of faith—a life of learning to trust God even when we don’t have all the answers and the path is only illuminated one step at a time.
Consider Abraham, the man of faith. Think about what a failure he was with Pharaoh, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Abimelech. If Abraham had been living under a law, his failures would have destroyed him. But living under faith, his failures served only to strengthen his resolve to trust the promises of God, even to the giving of his son in sacrifice.
By letting us escape the tutelage of the law and live by faith, God is, in a sense, trusting us. Trusting us to trust Him and to return to Jesus over and over again when we fail. When we fail to listen and follow, fail to trust the Spirit’s leading, or fail to love and let ourselves be loved, faith WILL return to the cross of Christ.
You: How is living as a free adult different from your childhood under law?
You in Christ: Has Christ set you free? How do you know?
Christ in you: How would walking in the failures that faith allows look different than trying so hard to live the “successful Christian life”?
Pray: Father, as I walk by faith, I will fail. Let my failures drive me ever closer to Christ and His grace. Amen.
