Did your mother ever keep you from snacking so you would be appreciative of the meal she had prepared? Mine did!
Before the incarnation of Christ Jesus, the lost were kept (protected) under the law with its many drawbacks, such as no flesh was justified by the law. That made people look forward to the coming Messiah, and the New Covenant with its superior promises.
Just what verses say or suggest how believers and unbelievers were "kept" before Christ inaugurated the New Covenant in His blood?
The bolded "shut up" and "confined" translates the Greek word "sygkleiō" (G4788) and means to "enclose" for the purpose of delivering the "enclosed" for some purpose.
The bolded "kept in custody" translates the Greek word "phroureō" (G5432) and means protect for a future blessing.
Thus, when understood, the "Prison" of Unbelief found in Galatians becomes the "Protection of Believers!" And that leaves Romans 11:32 for consideration.
Disobedience is of course sin so we can easily see we were all made sinners so we can be shown mercy. As "made sinners" we were conceived in a sinful state, separated from God and corrupted spiritually so we were prone to sin. God's mercy provides access to God's saving grace. So rather than a prison, our dead in sin state provides our incentive to repent and turn to God's grace. Just like the absence of something makes us appreciate it even more. God bless
Before the incarnation of Christ Jesus, the lost were kept (protected) under the law with its many drawbacks, such as no flesh was justified by the law. That made people look forward to the coming Messiah, and the New Covenant with its superior promises.
Just what verses say or suggest how believers and unbelievers were "kept" before Christ inaugurated the New Covenant in His blood?
Romans 11:32 NASB
For God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all.
Galatians 3:22
But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Galatians 3:23
But before faith came, believers in God were kept in custody under the Law, being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed.
The bolded "shut up" and "confined" translates the Greek word "sygkleiō" (G4788) and means to "enclose" for the purpose of delivering the "enclosed" for some purpose.
The bolded "kept in custody" translates the Greek word "phroureō" (G5432) and means protect for a future blessing.
Thus, when understood, the "Prison" of Unbelief found in Galatians becomes the "Protection of Believers!" And that leaves Romans 11:32 for consideration.
Disobedience is of course sin so we can easily see we were all made sinners so we can be shown mercy. As "made sinners" we were conceived in a sinful state, separated from God and corrupted spiritually so we were prone to sin. God's mercy provides access to God's saving grace. So rather than a prison, our dead in sin state provides our incentive to repent and turn to God's grace. Just like the absence of something makes us appreciate it even more. God bless