βBut when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that are under the lawβ¦β (Gal. 4:4,5).
Paul says Christ entered the world,Β ββ¦to redeem them that were under theΒ lawβΒ (the Jews). But what does all this have to do with us Gentiles? Much in every way! First and foremost, we learn from Paulβs gospel that Godβs plan of redemption wasnβt to be limited to Israel. Hence, Paul received aΒ newΒ revelation that βGod was in Christ reconciling theΒ worldΒ unto Himselfβ (2 Cor. 5:19). Christ gave Himself a ransom forΒ allΒ (1 Tim. 2:6). Moreover, the law, whichΒ condemnedΒ Israel, also pointed its finger into the face of the Gentiles declaring that we, too, were under theΒ sentence of condemnation. Consider these solemn words:
βNow we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: thatΒ every mouthΒ may be stopped, andΒ all the world may becomeΒ guilty before Godβ (Rom. 3:19).
If Godβs chosen people were unable to keep His righteous standard, should we suppose that we would have fared any better had the Gentiles, been placed under the law? Christ has redeemedΒ both, Jews and Gentiles, from the curse of the law. Today, then, we are saved by grace through faithΒ alone! We walk by graceΒ alone, and will one day be caught up together by graceΒ alone!
So then, while Godβs plan of redemption was gradually unfolded, Paul was given the secret of the gospel, which is Calvary. He is the first to reveal theΒ significanceΒ of what God was doing in Christ. In other words, PaulΒ explainsΒ why theΒ virginΒ birth was essential, that aΒ provisionΒ was made for all at Calvary, thatΒ forgivenessΒ is through the blood of Christ, how that we wereΒ redeemedΒ from the curse of the law, etc. Although dispensational distinctions are extremely important, may the Lord also give us an understanding as to the importance of theΒ connectionsΒ between the two programs of God. source
