But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons.  (6) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” (7) Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.  

The letter to the Galatians was written by the Apostle Paul. He founded the church in Galatia and when he moved on the Judaizers (false teachers) moved in to alter the gospel Paul preached. They preached that faith in Christ was necessary for salvation BUT faith alone was inadequate and the Law was also necessary. Paul then wrote this letter to defend his gospel of salvation by faith alone in Christ Jesus.  Christ alone was without sin. The purpose of the Law was to make sin painfully obvious – the Law defined sin. It was never meant by God to be permanent and was set aside by Christ’s completed work – thus distinctions ceased between Jews and Gentiles.

Paul in chapter 3 of GALATIANS established the superiority of grace over the Law and then used the analogy of becoming sons of God through Christ compared to Roman law and their system of becoming heirs; an heir in Roman law cannot achieve his inheritance unless he was of age – he may be an heir but without inheritance he is like a slave. Under the Law of Moses a man trusting in their good works for salvation but salvation is of the Lord. Christ came and saved men from sin.

Fiddler on the Roof just closed on Broadway – the opening number in this great show was the song “Tradition” – the exploration of the Law and tradition was the theme of the Musical. Through faith we are born again and free from tradition.  We are to learn from the past and unlike the urging of the Judaizers we are told not to relive it. Legalism simplified life and can appear very attractive but it is through faith that we are becoming children of God. The gospel paul preached is simple and profound but not easy. Salvation through faith in Jesus is all there and it’s all true.