"The Law Points Us To Jesus"

The Law Points Us to Jesus

“The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”
Galatians 3:24
When God was about to deliver the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel, the Almighty declared that He is “the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). In the original Hebrew, “your” is singular. Even while speaking to an entire nation, God was revealing something deeply personal: the God of the universe desires a relationship with each one of us.
At its heart, the Christian life is about relationship—a dynamic, life-giving, and personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Christianity is not simply a list of rules to follow or requirements to fulfill. It is knowing Jesus, trusting Him, walking with Him, and allowing His grace to transform our lives.
God gave the Ten Commandments fully knowing that none of us could perfectly keep them or all the other laws found in the Old Testament. Scripture tells us, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).
That can sound discouraging until we understand the purpose of the law.
The law was never meant to convince us that we could become righteous enough to save ourselves. Instead, it reveals just how much we need a Savior. It exposes the gap between God’s perfect holiness and our own human ability. Like a mirror reveals something on our face that we could not see before, the law reveals our sin—but the mirror cannot wash us clean.
That is why the law points us to Jesus.
We don’t come to Christ because we finally became good enough. We come to Christ because we finally realize we never could be.
Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves. He lived the perfect life we could not live, took upon Himself the punishment our sin deserved, and through His death and resurrection made a way for us to be made right with God. Our righteousness is not something we achieve; it is something we receive through faith in Him.
That changes the way we live. We no longer obey God in an attempt to earn His love, acceptance, or salvation. We obey Him because we have already received His love. Grace does not give us permission to live however we want; grace gives us a new heart that desires to live for the One who saved us.
So when you recognize an area where you have fallen short, don't run away from God in shame. Let it remind you of why Jesus came. The law shows us our need, but grace shows us our Savior.
It has always been about God’s grace and mercy.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for showing me that I cannot earn righteousness or salvation through my own efforts. Thank You for sending Jesus to accomplish what I could never accomplish on my own. Help me to stop trusting in my goodness and fully rely on Jesus, my Savior, and His mercy and grace. May my obedience flow from a heart that knows I am loved and saved by You. In Jesus’ name, amen.