The Law

Last night at our midweek service we had meetings as family groups. Our group is about 20 people or so and we meet at the house of someone in the group, and this week it was at the house of the couple who leads our church. We usually have great discussions when we meet like this, because there are some people in our group who have been disciples for a long time.

This week Dave used a paper he had written on Galatians for a master's theology course to guide our discussion. Being written for a master's level course it was wordy, but it was very well written and gets to the point of the law. One thing that really struck me was the idea of pedagogy. I had never heard of this before, and I am generally intrigued by contextual stuff about the times certain biblical texts were written. My wife usually says things like; 'how can I apply this to my life?" Her attitude is good because I usually can't see the forest for the trees. I get so caught in the details that I miss the big picture. But this point of pedagogy really caught me. I wanted to know more about this and how contextually it assists in making Paul's point. For although God intended Paul's letter to be read by us today, it is possible that Paul didn't know that it would be read 2000 years later.

I will try to briefly explain the idea of pedagogy. Essentially, wealthy Greeks would have a slave who would teach their sons. This slave would teach, discipline and practically raise the son, with full authority over the boy. But when the boy was grown, he would have the rights of the heir, with authority over the slave and then, the slave would be subject to the young man. In Galatians, Paul uses this idea to describe the law. God gave us the law to teach us, to discipline us and even to have authority over us for a time. But we are God's children. When we are grown, the law no longer has mastery or authority over us. We have been instructed and disciplined by the law, but at a certain point, we outgrow the law.

There is a harmony that a Christian must have in his/her life. This great 'balancing act' is more than finding balance, because if you are at balance, you are not moving. But harmony is in motion, moving to different places and coming back again. A disciple of Christ must always be in motion, moving in step with the Spirit. Many 'Mainstream' churches preach that you are saved by faith, and that deeds or acts don't save you. Others would say that you need to do A, B and C or you will not be saved. Both would be correct. God is after our heart! He has given us grace, and to God be the Glory! Amen! But if we do nothing with the gift He has given us, then what credit is that? If we feel justified by the things we have done; giving to the poor, helping children, sharing our faith with the lost, we should feel glad that we have done the things Jesus commanded us to do, yet that doesn't save us either.

We are not saved by our own actions. Neither are we saved merely by faith in Jesus. There is a harmony that leans towards faith. God's grace and our faith in Christ are what saves us (mostly), but because of this wonderful blessing, there is an action that is required (and should come without prompting). Jesus' brother James says it well, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." (James 2:18b) Jesus is the cure for what ails the world. If you call yourself a Christian, what are you doing to spread His message? Do not feel as if I am judging you, because truly as I write this, the three fingers are pointing back at me. As I attempt to peck the splinter out of your eye, I know there is a plank in my eye. I am writing this because I felt the Spirit move in me last night, and I wanted to share that on this crazy thing called the World Wide Web. God has a plan. God knows what it is. God knows how it works. I hope that I can do a better job to be a light to the world, and at the same time live more for Him because soon and very soon, I hope to be an heir!

What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:1-7)