Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
There are usually two camps of Christians: those that focus on the Old Testament and those that focus on the New Testament. Both were given by Our Heavenly Father and both apply to us today. HIS Divine Intent reside in both. To set aside the Old Testament only provide an incomplete understanding of HIS character and ways.
22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Most people don’t want to expose a problem or mistake they made. They want you to give them a solution without fully understanding the problem. The Law confined or imprisoned everyone. It exposed the problem but did not provide a long-term solution. Each year the priest provided a temporary solution to show how man was unable to fulfill the Law. Year after year this temporary solution reflected man’s inability to become lawful by his own power.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
Until “faith” came, we were under guard by the Standard of the Law. No man could claim full maturity in righteousness.
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
The Law revealed our lawless state and established the need for Christ in our lives. Without the Law to point us to a solution to our lawlessness, we might remain blinded. It provided a standard of Truth and Love to assess our current state. How could you say all have sinned without the standard to compare our conduct and our path toward death and destruction? A tutor in an instructor toward enlightenment in a particular area requiring a greater understanding. Wisdom tells us we need a tutor in the first place. As Solomon was preparing to build the Temple (the dwelling place of HIS Presence):
1 Chronicles 22:12 “Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.
Back to Galatians 3:
25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
The Law held you accountable and is the basis for correction to those who remain lawless, even unto physical death. Correction will come to all. Wisdom demands change. Man starts out blind but then his eyes are opened when he sees the Standard.
Once we have accepted Christ by faith, the Law has done its job in that it directed us toward Christ. However there is a time of maturing into the fullness of our walk with Christ. The Law still applies to those who are immature and lawless in their immature state. HIS grace and mercy applies accordingly as we seek forgiveness of sins. The Law still operates today as a tutor. Those who have matured no longer need the Law to direct them to their destination, they are already in route to the fullness of Christ and HIS anointing in their lives.
Jesus effectively made it simple for all to understand when He said the Law is summed up by Love. If you don’t Love Our Heavenly Father or your neighbor OR your enemy, you are “lawless”. These three place the focus away from “self”. Isn’t that the intent of the Law? No matter how you look at it, Love defines our state- either lawless or righteous. Check the mirror. Which state are you in? Faith in Christ by itself is not enough:
1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.