Study 6 – What's The Use Of The Law?

Since we are no longer under the law, we might be forgiven for wondering if it accomplishes anything. Where does it fit into God's plan?

It reveals sin. Society tends to live by its own standards of right and wrong. Each individual simply acts as far as his particular conscience will allow. By contrast, God's law provides us with absolute standards about what is acceptable and what is not. Paul says, 'I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet"' (Rom. 7:7).

It provokes sin. You are walking through some public gardens and admiring the beautiful flowers. Then suddenly you spot a notice which reads, 'Keep off the grass.' Until you saw it you may have had no intention of walking on the grass, but immediately you knew about the rule, you found yourself wanting to disobey it. This is the sense behind the words, 'But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire' (Rom. 7:8).

It leads us to Christ. In the Greek culture there was a slave who collected the children and took them to school. Using this analogy, Paul tells us that 'the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ' (Gal. 3:24). The law fulfils this role towards unbelievers to drive them to Christ who will save them and cause them to reign in life.

Paul says that the 'the law is not laid down for the just, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners …' (1 Tim. 1:9). God's law will drive people to Christ – which is why we must keep preaching it in our evangelistic endeavours.

Believers are not under law. When Paul was discussing sexual immorality, he did not point to the Ten Commandments. He argued not from law but from grace and the new standing of Christians as temples of the Holy Spirit, rather than sinners under law. 'The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body' (1 Core. 6:13). He was consistent. We must be consistent too.

To Meditate On

Jesus wants you to live by faith in Him.

'Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness' (1 John 3:4).

'But Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works' (Rom. 9:31, 32).

To Consider

Like the Pharisees, many people emphasise obvious sins. But Jesus tells us that sin is not necessarily visible to others (Matt. 5:28).

Are there secret sins in your life? Divisive spirit? Lack of love? Selfish ambition? If you are indulging in any secret sins, turn your back on them now.

Food For Thought

READ EXODUS 20:1-17.
Now take each of the Commandments and give it a 'grace feel'. For example:

1. I will not have any other gods because I love the one true living God.
2. Since I love God, I don't want anything or anyone to come between us.
3. I wouldn't dishonour the name of the person I loved.

Don't worry if you repeat yourself. The exercise is to help you to think from the standpoint of grace rather than law.

Be Inspired

Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfil Thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears for ever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLADY
'Rock of Ages'

'Through the law we become conscious of sin' (Rom. 3:20).

'Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died' (Rom. 7:9).

'Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law'
(Gal. 3:25).

'The law came to rub it in. Jesus came to rub it out!'
R. T. KENDALL