The Schoolmaster

In Galatians 3:24, Paul writes:

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

This single verse contains a world of truth about the purpose of God’s law. Many today misunderstand the law as a set of arbitrary rules designed to restrict our freedom, but Paul presents it as a mirror, a loving guide, and a schoolmaster. Its ultimate purpose is to lead us to Christ, showing us that no one can earn righteousness on their own. Let’s examine how this works.

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First, every faculty of our being is corrupted by sin

What do we mean every faculty?

Romans 3:10–12 says:

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;

there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

Examining closely, this covers…

• The mind (“none that understandeth”),

• The will (“none that seeketh”),

• The moral action of the body (“none that doeth good”).

In Romans 3:13–18, Paul then moves through the tongue, lips, mouth, feet, and eyes, showing the corruption of every part of us:

• “Their throat is an open sepulchre…”

• “The poison of asps is under their lips…”

• “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness…”

• “Their feet are swift to shed blood…”

• “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Thankfully those covered by the Blood of Christ know “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” -1 Thessalonians 5:23

[Emphasis added]

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Next, The Law Reveals Our Sin

The first function of the law is to reveal the sinful nature of humanity. Romans 3:23 says,

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

No one—rich or poor, educated or ignorant, religious or secular—escapes this. God’s law shines a light on the deepest recesses of the human heart.

Consider the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17):

1. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

2. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.”

3. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.”

4. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

5. “Honour thy father and thy mother.”

6. “Thou shalt not kill.”

7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

8. “Thou shalt not steal.”

9. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

10. “Thou shalt not covet.”

At first glance, these may seem straightforward, almost commonsensical. But Jesus explains them in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) to expose the true depth of sin. Murder, for instance, is not only the act of killing but also hatred towards a brother without cause (Matt. 5:21-22). Adultery is not only physical infidelity but also lustful thoughts (Matt. 5:27-28).

By doing this, Christ shows that our problem is not merely outward behavior, but the corruption of our hearts. Every faculty of our being—our thoughts, desires, words, and actions—is tainted by sin. The law makes this clear.

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How serious is sin (transgression against God’s law)?

The severity of sin is most clearly revealed in the gruesome and horrifying death of the Righteous One, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus knew no sin, yet God laid upon Him the sins of many (Isaiah 53), and He suffered the just penalty on our behalf, satisfying the wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). The fact that our sins were placed upon Christ, the Son of God whom the Father loves, shows us the immeasurable greatness of His love for us.

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The Law Shows That We Can’t Save Ourselves

If the law is perfect (Psalm 19:7) and holy (Romans 7:12), why doesn’t obeying it save us? Because sin is universal, and human effort is insufficient. Even the most diligent moralist fails. James 2:10 reminds us:

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

The law exposes the impossibility of self-righteousness. Paul in Galatians 2:16 declares:

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

In other words, the law is like a mirror that shows us the dirt on our face (and hearts). No matter how much we scrub, we cannot cleanse ourselves. We need someone who has the power to do it for us.

If the law could save, then no sinner would ever reach heaven.

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The Law as Our Tutor

Here is the beauty of Galatians 3:24:

“The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.”

Paul compares the law to a pedagogue, a tutor in the ancient world who guided children to maturity. The law educates us about sin, righteousness, and our desperate need for salvation. It prepares the heart for grace, showing us that our only hope is in Christ Jesus.

Consider Romans 7:7, where Paul writes:

“I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”

The only solution for the removal of our sin (which separates us from God) is the God-man, Jesus Christ, who fulfills the law perfectly on behalf of His people (Matthew 5:17). He obeyed what we could not, and imputes (credits) His righteousness to all believers in Him.

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Faith, Not Works

The law alone cannot justify. It only condemns and instructs. But through Christ, justification (being legally declared righteous in the sight of God) comes by faith in the Christ. Galatians 3:13-14 explains:

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us… That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

Our good works are insufficient; only faith in the finished work of Christ can make us right with God. This does not nullify the law but fulfills it (Romans 8:4). Obedience now flows from gratitude and love (John 14:15).

As the Lord said in Matthew 22:37-40, the entire law is summed up in love—for God and neighbor. The law points us to this love, and Christ exemplifies it perfectly.

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Conclusion

The law is not the enemy of grace; it is its tutor. It reveals our sin, shows the impossibility of self-justification, and drives us to the Savior. Every faculty of our being—body, mind, and spirit—is implicated in sin, and the law lays it bare. But there is hope: Jesus Christ fulfills the law, takes our curse, and imputes His righteousness to all who believe.

Galatians 3:24 invites us to stop striving to obtain glory on our own merits and to trust wholly in Christ. The law points out our need, and repentance and faith in Christ gives us everlasting life.

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:…” -John 3:36a