But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5
In the fullness of time, Jesus came. The phrase “But when the fullness of the time had come” has nothing to do with man. The fullness of time comes when God calls it. God works with time because He works with man. He is working out everything. Just as the fullness of time came for Jesus, so to will our time come. Some of us have been waiting for our breakthrough but our fullness of time is coming. God has not forgotten the promises that He made. God made many promises concerning Jesus. He made a promise in Isaiah 7:14, 9:6 and Micah 5:2. Part of the prophesy in Isaiah 9 has been fulfilled because a son has been given to us but the government is not fully on His shoulders as yet. We cannot make God bring to pass His promises. Sometimes we try to figure it out but we can’t. There is time for us. Our time will come!!
When Jesus was born, the Romans had taken over Israel and the Jews were crying out for a deliverer. A decree was sent out that everyone should register in the city of their forefathers. It was for the father or the husband to register. It was God’s plan for Joseph to come from the tribe of Judah in Bethlehem. This was all in God’s plan so that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Why does Joseph and Mary travel so far just to register? Why at this time when she was pregnant? It was because it was in God’s plan. God is a right now, right time, all the time God.
Sometimes we think that in confusion, God has forgotten us but in this confusion, God is working it out. Some of the times when God gives us the most powerful prophesies, confusion comes. Through this, we recognize that we have to depend on God and let Him do His work.
God sent forth His Son born under the law. God had a purpose for sending His Son and this was to redeem us from under the law so that we could become the sons of God. Jesus had to be born under the law if we were to be redeemed from it. This was necessary. The law ruled men’s lives and commanded them to obey but they couldn’t. The law showed men God’s holiness. God had to give the law to show men their sin (Romans 3:20). Man cannot be made righteous by the law because by the law is the knowledge of sin. Jesus had to enter into that which had us in bondage. When setting someone free, you have to enter what they are going through. Jesus came into the law so that we could be free. He came not only for Himself but for us. He represented us and fulfilled the law. Even though the law was not perfect, it was still holy. It came from a holy God and man messed it up (Romans 7:12). Self-righteousness is where we are doing it right but under the law and not under grace (Isaiah 64:6).
The law could not purge our sins (Romans 10:1-4). God did not only forgive our sins but He also erased them. This exonerated us from our past. God does not remind us of the things that we have done. It is the devil who reminds us of our sins. We have been made free. God does not condemn us for something that was taken away. Our past no longer exists. Salvation brings us into a glorious future. We are a new creation, old things have passed away. All things have become new. We as Christians should never remind our brothers of what they did in the past.
For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Grace is a revelation of God’s love and truth is a revelation of God’s holiness and righteousness. If God was only a God of truth, we would still be condemned. God cannot overlook sin because He is full of truth. Truth shows ungodliness and grace loves the sinners (Galatians 6:1). Jesus had to come with grace so that man could be forgiven and made righteous. The law could only give demands and not life but Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly. Under the law, the sheep died for the shepherd but under grace, the Great Shepherd died for the sheep. Jesus came to offer grace and truth. He redeemed us so that we could become the sons of God. God had a purpose for sending Jesus into the world.
We are called to live like Jesus Christ. We have to live grace and truth. We cannot only accept the truth but we have to also live it. We have to able to speak out because we have truth and forgive others because we have grace. The church does not condemn. We have spoken truth and missed out on the grace factor. We are called to impact the earth with grace and truth. Out of a life of grace comes compassion and love.
