Law and Grace
Summary: The preceding lessons should be sufficient to illustrate how the Church applies the Old Testament laws. It considers the Hebrew Bible very much a part of God’s Word. It is not considered secondary to the New Testament nor in any way inferior to it. Yet it is superseded in the sense that the New Testament has made some specific changes to deal with spiritual Israel.
In a number of cases on which the New Testament throws little direct light, the Church has had to make decisions on the basis of the Old Testament. Time may yet show the need for modification or change of some of these decisions. Nevertheless, the Church of God is exercising the power and authority given to it by God. If such decisions could not be made, each person would drift into doing what seemed right in his or her own eyes and confusion would quickly result. Therefore, the Church assumes its God-ordained prerogatives to step in and make decisions where it deems them necessary and helpful, always remaining aware that each individual has to serve God according to the best of his own knowledge and conscience.
The Law has to be adapted as society and culture both change. Sometimes the Bible is not perfectly understood and mistakes are made. But this is inevitable as long as the Church is made up of human beings and as long as God continues to work through human instruments. The important thing is that there always be the proper respect for the Bible, and the desire to understand God’s mind and to fulfill His wishes. This requires a continual searching for the mind of God and a continual making of decisions to keep the Church in line with that mind. Since the Old Testament also represents the mind of God, it cannot be neglected in this process. Progressive revelation of God’s will cannot be logically inconsistent with previous revelation.
Conclusion: Law in the Life of a Christian
The law is very important in the life of a Christian. Of course, he knows that he cannot earn salvation by it. He knows it is not an end in itself but only the road by which he draws closer and closer to the mind of God and hence to God Himself. The law leads him to godly love. No written law can fully or completely express the depths of love. The “letter of the law” is always an inadequate means of expressing what love is. This is why Christians must keep the law in the spirit. Keeping the letter of the law alone may not be a complete expression of love; it is only when one looks behind the letter to the spirit, the true understanding, that he can see how to correctly apply the letter to show godly love.
For example, a Christian recognizes that killing another individual is hardly likely to be showing love for him. But just keeping the literal letter of the law which says, “Thou shalt not kill,” is still not sufficient. One must also not hate the other individual, and go yet further and demonstrate a positive outgoing concern for that individual. Yet true concern for another person’s welfare does not usually come naturally (cf. Rom. 8:7), it has to be learned. It is a concept which must be captured and internalized. No amount of explanation can force a person to capture the true spirit of love; no amount of legal wording in a decree can bypass human nature. One can only grasp the concept when guided by the Holy Spirit.
The law of God, properly understood in its spiritual intent, enables one to express both love toward God and love toward one’s fellow human beings. It defines the relationship with God which shall encourage and stimulate one’s spiritual growth. Furthermore, the law of God defines relationships between human beings that foster the development of genuine concern for one’s neighbor. In so doing, the law of God also defines the spiritual parameters which, if observed, would maximize the genuine welfare of both individuals within a society and of society as a whole.
The law of God, properly conceived of in its spiritual intent, in no way restricts the flow of godly love. On the contrary, the law instructs man how to love. The law is inherently a law of love.
On the other hand, it is the love of God that enables a Christian to fulfill the law (Rom. 13:10). It is through godly love that the full meaning and intent of the law is expressed.
Hence, God’s love and God’s law mutually envelop one another in a symbiotic relationship, with the one supporting the other.
The eternal and holy law of God kept in its spiritual intent provides the essential instructional framework that a Christian needs for his godly life. As one grows in understanding and in personal application of God’s law, he nurtures within himself the qualities of holiness, justice and goodness (Rom. 7:12).
A Christian will make mistakes. If he is wholehearted and desirous of doing all he can to serve God, he may end up making more mistakes –– sinning more –– than the one who concentrates on his inward state and holds back from positive action for fear of error. God is concerned about the mind and attitude. He does not need us, and in that sense, our service to God is really no service, since He could do it all much better without us. But our service is a means of building character and proving our devotion to God. It is that devotion and that love towards Him that He most wants for our ultimate good. Mistakes can be corrected and sins can be forgiven, but character is either present or lacking.
Therefore, the Christian learns to put his life in perspective.
There are sins which weigh one down and continually dog one’s steps so that little can be accomplished. These sins must be overcome. But there are also the inevitable sins which occur as a consequence of the frailties of our human nature. These are also important, but one should not allow them to so dominate his thoughts that he turns away from life. There is more to a Christian life than just avoiding trouble.
The one who has been forgiven much is also the one who is grateful for much. He may not be as likely to take God’s mercy for granted as the one who thinks that he has never really sinned all that much. The one who has been close to death appreciates life more than the one who has always had health and safety. Self-righteousness is perhaps the worst spiritual malady, and it tends to be bred in an environment of constant attention to outward forms of righteousness.
The true Christian knows that the law is good, not solely because biblical writers say it is, but because he has experienced its blessings in his own life. This does not mean that conforming to this spiritual guide is necessarily easy. On the contrary, it can be very difficult, even with the help of the Holy Spirit. Yet the end result is worth the toil, because God’s law produces spiritual character and the natural blessings which result from expressing godly love.
Neither is it always easy to know what to do in any given situation. Comprehension of God’s law is something which requires effort, study, time and practice. However, when the law is understood, the reasons for it become obvious and the beneficial results that accrue from following it stand out. Ultimately, the law can be understood, as well as followed, only by the aid of the Holy Spirit. Those who have made the effort to understand and to obey can testify that it makes perfect sense. The Christian grows, develops and builds character as he contemplates the law, meditates on it and sees its purpose and judgment.
A Christian realizes his need to live by faith. Faith is directed toward the future. It aims at a promise which has only been fulfilled in part by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Yet faith is not just a passive state or a vague form of wishful thinking. Faith implies action; faith requires works (James 2:14-26). Works can never earn salvation but works are necessary for the Christian life. A person who is following God will produce good works –– fulfillment of the law –– as a natural consequence of his conversion and his possession of the Holy Spirit. These works are not an end in themselves. The ultimate goal is the Kingdom and family of God. But even though keeping the law does not produce the Kingdom, one shall never reach God’s Kingdom without it. For one who does not have good works also does not have the Holy Spirit, the essential condition of salvation. Love –– fulfilling the law –– is the natural product of the Holy Spirit.
Ultimately, the goal of the Christian is to attain the mind of God. When that perfection comes, at the resurrection, there shall be no further need for guidelines. Perfect love shall have become internalized, fully expressible without external law, with the result that the need for law codes shall be no more. But love cannot be comprehended without the law. It requires an understanding of love to truly appreciate the law. But one cannot come to that understanding unless he first starts to obey the law. That is the beginning, and love is its end.
To the Christian, God’s law is the way to happiness, peace of mind and, ultimately, salvation. To follow God’s law is the way one can become more like God so that God can give him eternal spiritual life in His family.
True freedom comes only under perfect law. Human government recognizes that freedom does not encroach upon the freedom of his fellow citizens. There are limits to freedom in order for freedom to exist; the greatest enslaver is anarchy. Perfect freedom comes from the perfect law of God, which is the law of love. When perfect love is expressed, perfect freedom exists. The law, therefore, is a summary of what constitutes love and how it is best expressed.
James was inspired to call God’s law “the perfect law of liberty” and the “royal law” (James 1:25; 2:8). It is indeed a perfect and royal law, because it was given by a perfect and royal King –– our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Summary: Read these scriptures in your own Bible:
2 Timothy 3:16 – All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
Exodus 20 – The 10 commandments.
1 John 2:4 – He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.
1 John 3:4 – Sin is the transgression of the law.
Ephesians 6:1-3 – Paul tells the Gentiles to keep the commandments.
Isaiah 42:21 – The Lord will magnify the law and make it honorable.
Luke 24:44 – Jesus accepts the authenticity and inspiration of the entire Old Testament.
Romans 3:21-24 – Salvation is by grace alone (see also Romans 5:15-16).
Romans 6:23 – The wages of sin is death.
Romans 6:1-2 – Do not continue in sin.
Romans 7:12 – Law is Holy, just and good.
Romans 8:7 – The carnal mind is enmity against God.
Galatians 3:11 – The just shall live by faith.
Questions (Answers Below):
1) God’s law teaches man how to:
a. properly love God
b. love his fellowman
c. live life abundantly
d. prepare for eternal spiritual life in the Family of God
e. all of the above
2) The term “Law of Moses” and “Law of God” are used interchangeably in the Bible. True or False?
3) Ultimately, the love of God can only be discerned through His Spirit. True or False?
4) The law of God is only found in the Old Testament. True or False?
5) What does our church use as the foundation of its doctrines and teachings?
a. Old Testament
b. New Testament
c. both
6) New Testament writers express a [positive, neutral, negative] attitude towards God’s law.
7) Since it was Jesus Christ who established the law in the Old Testament, He would never have discarded it in the New Testament church. True or False?
8) According to Galatians 3:11, justification must be by _____ [what?]
9) If we rely on the works of the law –– the keeping of the law we…
a. will fail
b. are justified
c. are saved
d. all of the above
10) Grace means…
a. forgiveness of past sins
b. release from having to keep the commandments
c. the unmerited, freely-given gift of eternal life.
Lesson Sixteen –– Answers:
1. (e)
2. (true)
3. (true)
4. (false)
5. (c)
6. (positive)
7. (true)
8. (faith)
9. (a)
10. (a & c)
