The Schoolmaster

Today’s Passages – Galatians 1 – 3; Proverbs 8

(Second Milers also read – Psalms 36 – 40)

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” – (Galatians 3:24)

If people cannot be saved by keeping the Law, then why was the Law given? I believe the Law was given for two reasons:

First, I believe the Law was given to man to show him what God says is right and wrong. I do not believe the Law covers every possible human scenario, but it established what God says that man should and should not do in his relationship with God, and in his dealings with other men. The Law also helped to govern a just society. Society needs to have rules if it is to function properly and peacefully. The Law helped the people of Israel to function as a nation, and to get along well with each other.

Secondly, the Law was given to prove to man that He needed God. Remember, the sinful nature of man preceded the Law. My preacher used to say that rules do not create rebellion, they merely expose rebellion. Therefore when God put down His laws in writing, man either submitted to it or rebelled against it; but no man was able to perfectly obey the Law. Every man fell short. So what was man to do? He was guilty before God, and “the wages of sin [was] death”? Since man could not be saved through his own righteousness in keeping the Law perfectly, He was forced to turn to Christ. Jesus is the only man that obeyed every tenet of the Law completely; and then died to pay the debt for those of us who couldn’t.

Go ahead and try to get to Heaven by keeping the Law if you must; but you will soon find that it is an impossibility. Sin, which is the transgression of the Law, is part of who we are. The Law cannot save us, it only condemns us. Only Jesus can save us.

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Phil Erickson

Pastor Phil Erickson has been the pastor of Jersey Shore Baptist Church since January of 2002. Having grown up in Ocean County, Pastor Phil has always had a burden for the south Jersey area. After graduating from Bible College in Longview, Texas, he and his family moved to Galloway Township with the vision of digging in and serving the Lord and the people of Atlantic County. Pastor Phil and Cindy Erickson have been married since 1985. They have four children and ten grandchildren. Their oldest son, Phil Jr. and his wife Katelyn are serving the Lord in Egg Harbor Twp., NJ. Their oldest daughter, Melissa, is married to Wesley Clayton who is in the Air Force and is currently stationed in New Mexico. Samantha, their third child, is married to Justin Mears and they are both serving the Lord at the church in Galloway. Hannah, the youngest, is married to Lucas McCollum, and they are also serving here in Galloway. In preparation for ministry, the Lord led him through a variety of educational experiences that have equipped him to serve the Lord and His people. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgian Court University, a Bachelor of Biblical Studies in Pastoral Theology from Texas Independent Baptist Seminary (formerly Texas Baptist College), a Master of Religious Education in Bible from West Coast Baptist College, and a Master of Biblical Studies from The Crown College. More recently, he completed a Graduate Certificate in Biblical Counseling and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Veritas Baptist College. He is thankful for these opportunities to study God’s Word more deeply, and counts it a privilege to use whatever knowledge the Lord has given him for the building up of His church. In addition to pastoring, the Lord has given Phil the wonderful privilege of teaching as an adjunct professor at Vision Baptist College in Berlin, NJ and Veritas Baptist College.