Daily Devotional for Tuesday, January 7

The Law Helps To Prepare for Our Savior

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster;· Galatians 3:24, 25.

If youhave ever witnessed to someone, you have likely said something like, "I cannot pray the prayer of faith for you. It is something you have to do yourself." You may have shared some verses of Scripture with him. You probably gave your testimony of what Jesus did for you. You might have answered some questions that were asked. You hopefully prayed for the Holy Spirit to convict that person's heart. Hopefully, everything you did was to get that lost person to the point of praying for salvation. You pointed him in the direction of Jesus Christ and trusted God to take care of the rest. Despite our best intentions, you and I cannot save anyone (1 Corinthians 3:6).

The Old Testament Law served a similar purpose. It was never intended to save anyone. If someone tries to keep the Law perfectly, he will eventually realize that he cannot and that he is a sinner. The shadows and types found in the Law all pointed to Jesus Christ. Just as an ancient schoolmaster served as a tutor to help bring a young man to adulthood, the purpose of the Law was to bring people to Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself told us that He is the fulfillment of the Law, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil" (Matthew 5:17).

When Phillip found the Ethiopian eunuch reading from Isaiah, he asked the eunuch if he understood what he was reading (Acts 8:30). The eunuch responded that he did not, and Phillip took that opportunity to preach Jesus to him (verse 35). Shortly afterwards, the eunuch was saved (verse 36, 37). To me, this is a good illustration of how the Law leads to Jesus.

REFLECTION

The Law condemns us as sinners. Only Jesus saves.

Chris Floyd