Galatians 3:24 Why the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. A Christian Church, from the necessity of the case, 'is based on faith — that is, on principle; it represents by its existence the definitive triumph of believing principle over mere outward Jewish rule; it does not discard rule, far from it, but it provides for the good that is to be achieved by rule, by insisting always on the higher influence of principle; and thus the true direction of the Church's life would seem to be adherence to principle, combined with freedom as to all that touches mere outward rule. In modern language, Holy Scripture, the three great Creeds which guard it, the essential conditions of the means of grace — that is, the governing and informing principles of the Church's life, — should all of them be defended to the very last extremity; but as to matters of mere ceremonial and the like, there should be as much freedom as is compatible with the very elementary requirements of order. Where the faith is held sincerely, the rules of outward observance should be largely left to take care of themselves; the margin of liberty within which devotional feeling at very different stages of its growth finds its congenial expression, should be as wide as possible. (Canon Liddon.) Parallel Verses KJV: Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.WEB: So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. |
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