Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.
Summary: Paul returns to his discussion about the law with an interesting metaphor. The law, like the Sheriff in an old Western, can lock people up. What does this mean?
Once again, Paul makes his points come alive by personifying them. The law has become the Lawman.* Under the watchful eye of the law … something happened.
Paul says “we” were held in custody by the law, but I still want to know, “Who is ‘we’?”
I question Paul’s intent because not everyone is held in custody by the law. People break the law all the time. Some break it accidentally, but many intentionally break the law, hoping to gain some personal advantage.
If we take a broad historical brush to Paul’s statement, he might mean something like this:
“Before the coming of this faith (in Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah),
we (meaning all God fearing people, but especially the Jews who observed the law)
were held in custody under the law.”
If we take a broader brush to Paul’s statement, he might mean:
“Before the coming of this faith (in Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah),
we (meaning all people)
were held in custody under the law.”
Is it possible he is thinking of “all people?”
This point is of interest because some people presume we can choose to believe in God or not. This view is almost like closing our eyes to keep out what we don’t want to see on the theory that what we can’t see can’t hurt us.
Looking at it this way, I might imagine that the law does not apply if I choose not to believe. This idea is what might be called the “Big Gamble.” The Big Gamble assumes that there is no afterlife. The Big Gamble pretends we can choose whether we want to be under the law or not. If we reject Jesus and pretend he is not real then the afterlife is when we discover the truth of Paul’s words. We are all held in custody under the law.
For those of us who believe in Jesus, the “the faith that was to come” has already been revealed. For the people who reject Christ, the first big surprise after dying will be the truth of the law. The second will be the consequence of disobedience.
Application: If you don’t know Jesus, invite him into your heart right now. If you do know him, get to know him better.
Food for Thought: How is it possible that we can be “locked up” and not know it?
*There was an old Western TV series by this name that ran from 1958 to 1962.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawman_(TV_series)
People who refuse the gospel message and deny the existence of God are still under the imprisonment of sin. The consequences still impact their lives. An alcoholic that does not believe they are an alcoholic is still an alcoholic. Just because they are in denial does not change the pain they experience.
The question is similar to the thought of an animal born in captivity. If all it has ever known was the zoo, it may not be aware of what it is missing. But even though it may not be aware of what is happening, it is still happening. The reality has not changed, just their knowledge of it. They are still in captivity.
Rich,
You make an important point: Our knowledge of reality does not define it. I’ve heard people claim that they have a “personal truth.” The validity of such a truth is like an apple cart without a horse. It will only go as far as you can push it.
In thinking about todays meditation I read a verse in Leviticus that I believe pertains to today’s meditation.
Leviticus 5:17 “If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity.
When I think of that verse in terms of “the gamble” of which you spoke, it drives home some realities of sin. That a person who does not accept Christ as their Savior will be condemned. That the law is merciless. Racking up a debt that cannot be repaid. That Christ came to free us from it, to live by faith, to grow in love. That Christ came to redeem us, give us the truth of the Word, the Holy Spirit will convict us, this is in itself another part of Gods grace. To me, it drives home that God offers mercy, or we can choose to live under that law, which offers no mercy.
John 8:31-38 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
1 John 1:8-10 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Everyone will realize their guilt, if not here on Earth, most definitely when they stand before God. I feel grateful this morning that in Gods grace He would not abandon us to die in iniquity, but to give us truth, free us from sin and the law, let faith bring us closer to Him.
Thank you, Chris.
Yes, the reality of the Law is a hard truth that cannot be ignored. We can close our eyes to it, but we cannot escape it without accepting the offer of salvation in Jesus.
All great comments. I’m unsure what to add at this point.
Tim,
I am grateful you are here with us, comments or not. 🙂
👍🏻
Hi Randy!!
How is it possible that we can be “locked up” and not know it?
Jesus explains the purpose of His leaving and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:7-11, But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
The natural person is born into, and adapts to an environment beyond their control. We are each shaped into the “locked up” beings we become as we respond to the physical/spiritual teachings we receive/accept early in life. During this shaping, the world calls to our physical shell which houses our spirit, and life in the Holy Spirit of God is calling/convicting each of our spirits of sin, righteousness and judgement. We each choose the path we see as the best choice for achieving the goals we have for our life.
We do not realize we are “locked up” until our eyes are fully opened by the Holy Spirit of God.
John 8:34, Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
Ephesians 4:19, Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
Those who one day respond to the call of the Holy Spirit who gives life, will experience this life coming into our spirits and is the reason we suddenly received an overwhelming peace, and joy as our eyes were opened and we could see the truths of God all around us. We came to know life in God was true life which calls to us daily.
1 Corinthians 15:22, For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
Believers have seen and rejected being “locked up” and been restored to God and will not exchange life in Christ for death in sin.
Ron
It sounds like we are born as spiritual kittens waiting for our spiritual eyes to open!
🙂
Yep, the eternal memory of this truth, our becoming friends with our God definitely has the power of life giving change. Absolutely not even a thought to go back.