Tues., 3/17/15 Devotion (Gal. 3:24)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today's encouragement comes from Galatians 3:24, where we read these words, written by Paul:

"Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justi-fied by faith."

The law of God *does* have a role in believers' lives. Its purpose is to drive us to despair, with regard to the temptation to trust in our own alleged “right-eousness." The law utterly condemns us, and shuts out any and every ves-tige of hoped-for self-justification before an absolutely holy God.

But, thankfully, once the sinner is brought to the complete "end" of himself—he is graciously directed (by the law and gospel) toward the One (Christ) who actually *can* save him. By faith we take hold of *Jesus’* righteousness; and we are then placed into His body (the church). We then enjoy all Christ's per-fections as they are imputed to us by faith.

[Puritan quote of the day: "He who has ever been acquainted with God and seen the light of His pleased face would rather die a thousand deaths than forfeit His favor or incur His displeasure.” —Robert Harris, in, "The Way to True Happiness"]