No longer a minor

Galatians  3:19-29；10/19/2025；Brother Mike Lei

Good morning. My message today is “No longer a minor” from Galatians 3:19-29. Let me start with some questions to get us warmed up. What is the mathematician’s favorite book in the Bible? Numbers. Why did Moses cross the Red Sea? To get to the other side. Anyone here who is still a minor ?  Do you like being a minor? Why or why not? For those who are adults, can you think back to the time when you first feel like you are an adult? Was it the moment you turned 18 or later?

For me, it was when I graduated from college and got my first job and have to move to Texas to live by myself. I had only moved there a few weeks when I got into a car accident and totaled my car. My mom came with me the first two weeks to help me settle, but she had already gone back. After the accident, as I sat by myself in the apartment, being really sad about what happened, I realized that I’m now an adult and that I need to take full responsibility for my life.

When you are a minor, you needed parents or legal guardian to watch over you and provide for you. You need their permission to do activities. You need their signature on forms. You can’t just sign the form yourself. When you are an adult, you don’t need parental permission anymore to sign the forms. You can sign the form yourself. But, you are now responsible for yourself. Today, we will be looking at the purpose of the Law, and how in Christ, you are no longer a minor spiritually and what that means. Here are the 3 points today. 1) Reason for the guardian. 2) Job of the guardian. 3) New status in Christ .

Let’s pray before we start.

Reason for the guardian

Let’s read Galatians 3:19-20 together. 19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

According to these verses, what is the reason for the law? It was added because of transgressions. It was added because of the sinfulness of human beings. Without the law, without a guardian, people would not know what is sin and why God would punish them. Even though God gave humans personal consciences to help us know what is right and what is wrong, but human conscience can be corrupted so that people think they are doing the right thing even though they are not. Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. ” This tells us that we can’t rely on our human judgment to know what is right and what is wrong. Many times our judgment is corrupted by our sinful nature. We need the revelation from God, which is the Bible. The law spoken to Moses was to establish a covenant with the people of Israel. Exodus 19:5-6. 5 “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

However, we know the law can’t change hearts. Only God’s Spirit can. Even today, Christians think we can enact laws to change people’s thinking, but we are disappointed that despite all the efforts and hard fights, the morals of the society keep getting worse and worse. In the book Blinded By Might, the authors wrote: “So why are religious conservatives devoting so much time, effort, and money to reforming the “field” (the world) by trying to stop evil (the weeds, which are sown by the devil), instead of sowing more good seed (by bringing more sons and daughters into the greater kingdom)? ” They pointed out the success of the early movements to protect the life of the unborn was not from passing laws, but through the compassionate and righteous actions of Christians. They wrote: “Most Americans do not realize that in the middle of the nineteenth century the abortion rate per capita in America—in a smaller population—was almost what it is today. In 1860, based on per capita statistics, abortion was as large a moral crisis as it is more than a century later. Ads for abortions ran in reputable newspapers. The New York Times—clearly under different management from today—ran a headline in 1871 calling abortion “the evil of the age.” A committed, effective movement sprang up across America to protect the life of the unborn. By 1910, the abortion rate had been cut in half—remaining low until the 1960s. ” The nineteenth-century movement provided women in trouble with positive alternatives to abortion—practical help in times of crisis. The Salvation Army, the YWCA, and Florence Crittenton Homes concentrated their efforts on prostitutes and young, urban women abandoned by their child’s father. Between 1833 and 1933, Crittenton Homes helped 500,000 unmarried women. Evangelists like Dwight L. Moody always carried in their pockets the names and addresses of families who would provide a room in their homes to unmarried women who found themselves pregnant and without resources.” Also, these organizations “realistically warned young women to be skeptical about any promise from men that was not guaranteed by a marriage license.” We see the love in action to help those in need and the promotion of godly values by the Christians. However, I’m not saying we should not get involved in politics. Christians can make great positive impact in politics.

Today, we need to be reminded again the purpose of the Law of God is like the guardian to show humans our sins and warn us of the dangers and consequences of sins. We also see today that human laws, passed by human beings, reflect the hearts of the humans themselves. The laws can be either good or evil, but still can’t change people’s hearts. Only salvation in Jesus Christ, only the Holy Spirit can change people’s hearts. Amen?

 

Job of the guardian

21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

The Mosaic law was to serve as a guardian to the Israelites. The job of the guardian is to 1) show the people their duty to God and others, 2) remind them of their sins before God, 3) show them how far they have wandered from God’s will, 4) reveal to them the penalty of their disobedience,  and 5) show them that justification by the law is impossible because of their weaknesses.

That’s why in Psalm 19, a Psalm of David, he said in vs. 12 “Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.” David knows he can’t keep all of God’s commands because he knows his limitations as a sinful human being, that he is not able to even detect all of his errors. He needed God to deliver him and declare him innocent of his sins. This is only possible through justification by faith in the Messiah, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The law is like a pedagogue in Paul’s time, one who leads a child. The pedagogue in the first century was a slave employed by Greek and Roman families, to oversee a boy in the years from about six to sixteen, watching over his outward behavior and attending him. The law as a guardian serves as an instructor, custodian, and administer of discipline for God’s people until the time of Christ. The guardian will escort, supervise, and protect God’s people from evil influences and demand their obedience. So, the law was to guard and discipline the people of God until Christ. The people of God are like a minor under a guardian, which is temporary arrangement. The supervisory function of the law has been rendered obsolete in Christ, who fulfilled the law and brought about God’s promises.

Someone has said “”The Law is a mirror that helps us see our ‘dirty faces’ —but you do not wash your face with a mirror! It is grace that provides the cleansing through the blood of Jesus Christ.

The NASB 1995 version of Galatians 3:24 says: “24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”

So, the Law’s job is to lead us to Christ. When you read the Law, you will realize God’s holiness and your own sinfulness. It makes you long for the grace and forgiveness which only the Lord Jesus Christ can give to you. The Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, came down from heaven to earth, to show the way, to die on the cross for your sins, to fulfill the law of God, which you are not able to fulfill, and give you His righteousness and salvation, if you will place your trust in Him and receive Him as your Lord and Savior.

New status in Christ

25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. 

Now faith in Christ has come, we are no longer under a guardian. In Christ Jesus, we have become son of God through faith. What is the meaning of being sons of God? The Greek word for sons (huioi) is a legal term used in the adoption and inheritance laws of first-century Rome. This term refers to the status of all Christians, both men and women. Brothers and sisters, you have been adopted into God’s family and now enjoy all the privileges, obligations, and inheritance rights of God’s children. In Christ, you are considered as adult children. You have the Holy Spirit to guide you in living out your faith in Christ. Thus, in Christ, you don’t need the law as your “guardian” anymore. Not only do we have the inheritance rights as sons of God, but Hebrews 希伯來書12:23 says you have the inheritance of firstborn sons, because you are part of the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven!

When Paul says “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ”, he is not saying all distinctions between people have ceased. People are still either Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free, and male or female. He is saying that within the body of Christ, you all have the same relationship to God now. God does not treat us differently whether we are Jews or Gentles, whether we have the highest status in society or the lowest status in society, whether we are male or female. He treats all believers equally in Christ, as Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

No matter your age, whether you are 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, in Christ, God sees you as adult children, no longer a spiritual minor. Therefore, spiritually, you have all the rights of an adult children and all the responsibility of an adult children.  Let us put away spiritually childish things that hinder our walk with Christ. Let us fully take on the role of adult children in Christ. Are you acting like an adult in Christ? Are you still living like a minor, following legalism, and not living by faith in Christ and relying on the Holy Spirit to guide you in a community of Jesus following believers?

No matter how young or how old you are, God can use you. You can serve the Lord no matter your age! Charles H. Spurgeon was a great preacher in Britain in the mid 1800’s. He became a Christian at the age of 15. Several months later, at the age of 16, he was both a student and part-time teacher in a school. He started teaching at his church’s Sunday School as well. The man who oversees a lay preaching ministry heard Spurgeon teaching Sunday School and was highly impressed by his speaking ability and earnest Christian spirit. He invited Spurgeon to preach by a sneaky way.  He told Spurgeon a young man was to preach at a place and asked if he can keep the young man company. When they got to the place, Spurgeon wished the young man well in his preaching. The young man said, ‘I have never done such a thing in my life! You’re the one who is to preach! I’m here to keep you company.’ Spurgeon wasn’t prepared to preach, but the young man told him he can reuse one of the talks he gave for Sunday School. So that evening, Spurgeon spoke in a thatched-roof cottage to several simple farm laborers and their wives. He preached on the preciousness of Christ Jesus from 1 Peter 2:7, “Unto you therefore who believe He is precious.” At the close of the service, an elderly woman called out to him, “Bless your heart, how old are you?” Spurgeon replied good-naturedly, “I am under sixty”. She replied, “Yes, and under sixteen!” Spurgeon then said, “Never mind my age, think of the Lord Jesus Christ and His preciousness.”

To the young people here, will you rise up to serve the Lord today? Will you be like Spurgeon, when you serve the Lord, will you say, “Never mind my age”, but point people to the preciousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the worthiness of the Lord?

In October, 1851, Spurgeon was invited to preach at the Baptist church in the village of Waterbeach. This place was notorious for its drunkenness and related forms of degradation. After preaching there only twice and though he was only seventeen years of age at the time, he was asked to become the church’s regular pastor. Believing that God was calling him into the ministry, and knowing the village had a great need of a strong Gospel witness, Spurgeon accepted the call to be their pastor.

I don’t know what God is calling you to do. It doesn’t matter what is your age. Will you accept the great call of God in your life, to serve Him, to exalt His name, to make Christ known to the world? No matter your age today, young or old, you are never too young to attempt great things for God or too old to attempt great things for God. Don’t waste your life by believing you are too young to make a difference for God or you are too old to make a difference for God. If you don’t feel too young or too old, then don’t waste your life and make a difference for the Lord!

Brothers and sisters, through Christ, you are no longer a minor spiritually. You are now adult sons of God. Will you accept all the privileges, obligations, and inheritance rights of God’s children, and live out the abundant life as sons of God? You have Christ in you and the Holy Spirit will guide and lead you. No matter your age, be bold and courageous, be ready for the adventure with God, as long as you are willing by faith to listen to the Lord and obey Him! Amen? Let’s pray.