How does Galatians 3:23 connect to Romans 7:6 about being released from the law? Setting the Stage: Two Passages, One Theme “Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.” (Galatians 3:23) “But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the Law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” (Romans 7:6) The Law’s Temporary Custody • Galatians 3:23 pictures the Law as a guardhouse—keeping Israel “in custody,” preserving them from paganism, and exposing sin until the Messiah arrived (see also Galatians 3:24–25). • Romans 7:6 echoes that same imagery: the Law “bound” us like handcuffs, showing sin’s seriousness but never granting freedom. • Both verses affirm the Law’s divine purpose yet limit its jurisdiction to the pre-faith era (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:7–9). Released by Death and Resurrection • Romans 7:6 explains how release occurs: we “died” with Christ (Romans 6:3-4). Death severs legal contracts; our co-crucifixion ends the Law’s claim. • Galatians 2:20 parallels this: “I have been crucified with Christ…”—the same death that frees from Law now unites us to Christ. • In Galatians 3:23 the custody ends “when faith came”; Romans 7:6 clarifies that moment as our union with the crucified and risen Lord. Purpose Shift: From External Code to Indwelling Spirit • Romans 7:6: released “so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit.” • Galatians 3:14 foretells this gift: “so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” • Jeremiah 31:33 and Ezekiel 36:26-27 promised an internal law written on hearts; Romans 8:2 says “the law of the Spirit of life has set you free.” Freedom, Not Lawlessness • Release is not license; grace trains us to live righteously (Titus 2:11-12). • Romans 6:14: “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” • Galatians 5:13: “do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” Key Takeaways • Galatians 3:23 explains the Law’s role: a temporary imprisonment leading us to faith. • Romans 7:6 celebrates the outcome: by dying with Christ we are legally released. • The same God who gave the written code now empowers with the Spirit, enabling heartfelt obedience that the Law could diagnose but never produce. |
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