September 17 - Galatians 3:10-22 - Prison Break

Ever seen one of these? 

They’re called Chinese finger traps or Chinese handcuffs. They are clever little devices; toys really. You convince someone to stick their index fingers in both ends of the braided barrel. Then, for a little while, you snicker and giggle as you watch them pull harder and harder to get their fingers out. The more they pull, the stronger the handcuffs hold. Stretching the braided barrel only makes it narrower and tighter. The ‘prisoner’ finally understands the dynamics and does the counter-intuitive thing – to get your fingers out, you have to push your fingers in.

In today’s text, Paul writes, “… the whole world is a prisoner of sin …” Through the interplay of a broken world system, a cruel tempter, and our own selfish desires, we all eventually slip our fingers into the trap. But unlike our tiny braided toy, sin holds relentlessly fast. For those who aren’t so far imprisoned that they are willing to admit to sin, the natural inclination is to try to escape by doing good. Our intuition tells us that to overcome sin, I simply pull harder in a righteous direction. The only problem is… self-righteousness is not powerful enough to set us free.

Being justified, or being in right relationship with God, does not come through conforming oneself to a holy standard. This would be like telling a prisoner they could get out of jail by flattening themselves out, conforming to the space between the cell bars. "Just slide on out!" These are impossibilities.

We are only justified by faith in Jesus. Paul finished his statement like this – “… the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised [right relationship with God], being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.” Faith. Belief. Not more straining to be more holy; but relaxing in Him who is Holy.

There are a good number of prison breaks in the New Testament. Peter in a Jerusalem jail, walked out to Rhoda’s prayer meeting, and all were amazed. Paul in a Philippian jail, walked out and to the jailer’s home, and all were saved. John in the prison of exile, walked out into the eschaton where all was complete. And Jesus in the stony cell of death, walked out with everlasting life, for all who believe.

Go tell the good news to all the ‘prisoners.’ “Your cell door's about to fly open, and Jesus is the key!”

Pray: Liberator, help me be a messenger of the good news of great joy which is for all people. Pharisees tie heavy chains on people with their misguided insistence on perfect behavior. But no one earns their soul’s freedom with self-achieved holiness. Rather make me an instrument of grace and a prophet of peace, inspiring belief in Christ alone.