24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.
The law had a job to do, but now the law’s job is finished. For believers in Jesus, we don’t need the law anymore. We have been led to Christ. That was the law’s purpose. In our lives, the law has no further purpose. We don’t need the law to lead us anymore. We now have the abiding presence of Christ in our lives. We have the Spirit who guides us into all truth. The law is written on our hearts and on our minds, rather than on tablets of stone. The law is an internal map now, not an external code. This is a very difficult concept for many believers. They think they still need to “keep” the law, that the 10 commandments are still on their required “do” list. But that shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the law’s purpose. The Lord never intended the law to become the means to a right relationship with Him. It was always an instrument which led us to acknowledge our need for His work in our lives. It was always about God’s grace. As a believer, we know it is about grace, the grace extended in the Cross and the empty tomb. If we know that already, we don’t need to fail at keeping the law to show us our need. We will draw close to the Lord and do what pleases Him, not out of obligation, but out of thankfulness. Our lives will be an offering pleasing to Him. The Holy Spirit has an individual spiritual development plan for each of us. If we follow it, our lives will reflect His character more and more each day. We will become more like Him in all areas of our life.
The Arnold Journey 