What does the apostle Paul mean when he writes about being “kept under a tutor”?

The key to this text is in its first four words: “But before faith came.” Paul is talking about his condition of condemnation before he exercised faith in Christ. Being “under the law” is defined in Romans 3:19: “We know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

The law reveals to us our true condition before God—guilty and under the sentence of death. During those years of sin, Paul was “kept under the law,” held in the prison house of disobedience. He explained, “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (Romans 7:23).

But even when Paul was outside of Christ, without faith, the law was operating on his conscience, magnifying his misery and condemnation and leading him step by step, like a schoolmaster, to the Savior. After being directed to Christ by the law, Paul says we are “justified by faith.” This is what the law could not do. It could not justify; it could only condemn. Christ freely forgives and delivers.

When we live by faith, we exercise trust in Christ to not only forgive us of our sins, but to put the law within our hearts. We don’t just move away from being “condemned” by the law, but also from attempts to justify ourselves apart from Christ (Romans 10:4). Many people try to keep the law in their own power to prove to God they are worth loving and saving. It’s a losing proposition. Even our best efforts without the power of the Holy Spirit amount to filthy rags.

Key Bible Texts

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. (Galatians 3:23 KJV)