What is the Purpose of the Law?

Verse of the Week:

Romans 6:14 "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."

What is the Purpose of the Law?

Everyone is a slave to something.  A lot of people have the misconception that they can conquer anything, that nothing in this world has any power over them.   Having trouble losing weight? You can conquer it!  Addicted to alcohol?  You have the power within yourself to defeat your addiction!  Trouble with porn? You have the ability to overcome it! But the truth and reality is that we are all slaves to something.  In fact the Bible talks about us being slaves to two things, sin or righteousness. Romans 6:16 says,  "Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?"  Prior to grace, everyone was a slave to sin, whether we liked it or not.  No matter how hard we try, we just can't overcome, defeat, or conquer sin ourselves. I remember driving myself nuts trying to conquer sin in my own strength. I would think that after months of working on it, I had mastered the command of not worrying, when the very next day something would happen and I would go right back and do exactly what I thought I had conquered.  I would work on my anger problems, just when I thought I had self control with my anger, someone would say something that hit a raw nerve in my body and I would lash out in anger.  I couldn't ever imagine not forgiving someone, after all, God forgave everyone; then someone would do something that hurt so bad and I would  swim in a sea of bitterness and hate.  I desperately wanted to be a slave to righteousness, but it was impossible for me to stop sinning.  God even gave the Jews a chance to defeat sin and become righteous by giving them laws to follow.  Do this, do that, don't do this, don't do that, the list goes on and on to the point that God gave the Jews 613 laws to follow! Perfectionism could only be obtained if they followed ALL 613 laws. Thank goodness for GRACE!!!  Because of Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin but righteousness.  Jesus himself lived under the law and followed it to the core. Through his death and resurrection we now have a life of freedom from sin.  Romans 6:14 says, "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."

So why do we keep being slaves to sin?  Why do we always go back to the law? The law does nothing but make us feel like a failure. Dr. Andrew Farely in his book The Naked Gospel points out:

Being under the law is like being in prison.  You're constantly reminded that you're guilty and awaiting your sentence.  The law doesn't encourage us, nor does it build us up.  With its perfect standard, it only tears down our pride.  It shows us that we'll never succeed." Refer to Galatians 3:23-24

 People say that once we are saved, we are free from the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament, but the moral laws still need to be followed as guidelines for the Christian life.  Therefore even though our intentions are pure and we just want some guidelines to follow, we go right back to being slaves to sin because we keep trying to follow the law to become righteous (when in fact righteousness comes from faith in Jesus, not  by following the law). Tithe 10%, do not covet, do not have other idols, do not lust, do not be jealous, do not lie, honor your parents, do not worry, do not get angry, do not commit adultery, do forgive, and the list keeps going on and on.  If there is something we struggle with, we try so hard to conquer it only to be disappointed that we couldn't overcome it.  Here is where we mess up, we keep putting the law back into our lives because we think it is what we need to be Christ-like and go right back to being slaves to sin.  Here is what James says about the law and following it.   For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10)  James is talking about the whole law, not just the moral law. I believe he is including ceremonial law as well.   That means if we have eaten bacon for breakfast, we have broken the law (Leviticus 11:2b)!  If we have not brought a goat in its first year as an offering for unintentional sins, we have broken the law (Numbers 15:27). If a women doesn't isolate herself during her menstrual cycle for 7 days, she has broken the law (Leviticus 15:17-20). If you work on the Sabbath  you should be put to death (Numbers 15:32-33).  For those of you that insist I am going overboard and that James is only talking about the moral law, consider what Paul himself said, "Mark my words!  I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.  Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law." (Galatians 5:2-3) Circumcision was another law to be followed, and Paul was simply saying that if you are going to follow one law, then you are obligated to follow all of it!

Thank goodness for grace, and that through Christ we are free from the written code of the law. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6). 

So if through faith in Christ we are free from the law, then WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW? 

The law is a beautiful thing because it helps non-Christians to know that they need a Savior. It is designed to guide or lead people to Christ.  People are always saying that they are good enough to get to heaven.   You will catch many non-Christians saying, "I am a good person, and have done a lot of good in my life.  I deserve to go to heaven."  The law however is designed to quiet such sayings. Romans 3:19-20 says, "19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin."  The law points to us that we are sinners.  

I am not saying the law is all bad. The law is good because it was made for the unbelievers and points them to Christ.  1 Timothy 1:8-9 says, 8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers,  

So if the law no longer plays a part in the Christian's life then what standard and guidelines should Christians follow since they no longer follow the law? When you accept Jesus as your personal Savior, you receive a new Spirit.  "so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." (Galatians 3:14b)  The spirit of God dwells within us (Romans 8:8-9).  We are changed inwardly and you begin to see some of the good works come out of our lives because of that change.  Andre van der Merwe in his book, Grace the Forbidden Gospel ,points out:

" [...]  under the New Covenant God changed our hearts, and when our hearts are changed, the good works will automatically follow."

Some of the fruits of the Spirit that is now in a Christian's spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Apart from these there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23).  

I am not saying that because of grace we now have the license to sin, but our focus should not be on our sin or the law but rather on Christ.  His spirit is displayed in us. When we truly understand grace and the freedom we receive from the law and when we grasp God's amazing love in it all, we can't help but want to display the fruits of the Spirit.  Will we display the fruits of the spirit perfectly?  No, not all the time, but that is the beauty of Grace, we are no longer bound by the law but are forgiven and loved by God anyway!  He no longer condemns us but is pleased with us.  "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)

Thank you, Lord, that through Grace I am now a slave to righteousness and not sin.  Jesus paid it all, and in Him I am declared righteous!

For more information on this topic, read my blog entry entitled, Christian Behavior.