The Role of Law in the Life of a Believer Let it be understood right from the beginning that we are NOT talking here about things that have to do with salvation or the action of being saved. I think we are all agreed that the Scripture clearly teaches that salvation is totally, completely, absolutely, 100% impossible to attain by keeping the law in any way, and, further, that this has always been the case (see section III below). Our question, though, is what about after a person has been truly saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Does the law have any role in that person's life? Does their sanctification (that is, their growing in holiness or godliness) come about by keeping the law or any part of it? I. THE ETERNALITY OF THE LAW (Matthew 5:17-18) 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Romans 3:31) Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. NIV says this: Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:31) II. THE INDIVISIBILITY (unity) OF THE LAW (Romans 2:21-23, 25) 21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? . . . 25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. (Galatians 3:12) And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. (Galatians 5:3) For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. III. THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW (Galatians 3:24) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Romans 3:19-20) 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. (Romans 5:20) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Romans 7:5, 7-9) 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. NIV says "For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law, were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. (Romans 7:5) 7 What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin [was] dead. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (1 Timothy 1:8-10) 8 But we know that the law [is] good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; IV. THE INABILITY OF THE LAW (Acts 13:39) And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Romans 3:20) Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. (Galatians 2:16) Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:21) I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 3:3) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:11) But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, [it is] evident: for, The just shall live by faith. V. THE TEMPORARINESS OF THE LAW - the teaching of Jesus and Paul (Matthew 11:13) For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. (Luke 16:16) The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. (Galatians 3:19) Wherefore then [serveth] the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. VI. THE END OF THE LAW (Romans 3:21) But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (Romans 6:14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 7:1, 4, 6a) 1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?... 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. . . . 6a But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter. (Romans 10:4) For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Galatians 2:19) For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. (Galatians 3:13-14) 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:23-25) 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (Galatians 4:21 - 5:1) 21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, [thou] barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Ephesians 2:15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; VII. THE NEW "LAW" OF THE SPIRIT (or of love, or of faith, or of grace, or of liberty) (Romans 2:28-29) 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God. (Romans 5:21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 8:1-5) 1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (Galatians 5:16-18) 16 [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (Hebrews 10:28-29) 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? VIII. HOW DOES THIS WORK IN REAL LIFE? (Romans 8:12-13) 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Romans 12:1-2) 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 14:1-4, 7, 13-15, 20-23, 15:1-2) 1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in [his] brother's way. 14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that [there is] nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him [it is] unclean. 15 But if thy brother be grieved with [thy] meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed [are] pure; but [it is] evil for that man who eateth with offence. 21 [It is] good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [any thing] whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 22 Hast thou faith? have [it] to thyself before God. Happy [is] he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin. 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please [his] neighbour for [his] good to edification. (1 Corinthians 8:9) But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. (1 Corinthians 10:23-33) 23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. 24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's [wealth]. 25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, [that] eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 26 For the earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. 27 If any of them that believe not bid you [to a feast], and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: 29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another [man's] conscience? 30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Even as I please all [men] in all [things], not seeking mine own profit, but the [profit] of many, that they may be saved. (Galatians 5:13-14) 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. IX. SO THEN, IS THERE NO DEFINITE STANDARD? (Romans 6:1-2) 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:13-14) 13 Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (1 Peter 2:15-17) 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using [your] liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17 Honour all [men]. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Conclusion: PRINCIPLES, NOT CODES I think Paul was very deliberate in the choosing of his words to conclude the letter to the Galatian churches. He, by the Holy Spirit, said in Galatians 6:18, "Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with your spirit. Amen." Laws are external standards or codes of conduct. As such, they are not easily transferred across cultural boundaries. We are now given the Spirit of God, and He does the work of changing us and writing His law on our hearts. The law that He writes on our hearts, though, is a set of principles by which we can then determine our behavior in any given situation. Principles do not define behavior; the give reasons for it. Principles are transferable to any situation, laws are not. As I understand this issue, we are not called by God to work at conforming ourselves to moral or ceremonial law (if that kind of distinction can even be made). (The one possible exception to that might be Rom. 8:29, but there the verse is talking about something that is done to us, rather than we doing it.) What He wants is for us to be transformed so that our righteousness is an outward expression of a ongoing inward change. That righteousness is first given by the indwelling Holy Spirit and then expressed out of obedience to Him. What we need to do is ask God to continue to write His "laws" - His principles - on our hearts and then give us the wisdom to apply them to our life and the strength to act accordingly. By following the law, even if not for salvation, we are trying to attain or acquire righteousness by our actions. One more question remains to be answered: how do external standards come to be accepted (and later even expected) as the normal expressions of God's righteousness in a person's life? The answer, I think, is because we have been taught - and now teach others - the external standards instead of the internal principles. We teach believers that they shouldn't smoke (an external standard) rather than really teaching them that their body is the temple of the Almighty God and then let them and the Holy Spirit make the applications to their life. Our task as believers is to draw people (both believers and unbelievers) closer to the living God. It is NOT to teach or tell people what their behavior must look like when they have drawn closer to Him. Or worse yet, our task certainly is not to teach or tell people that they must do - or stop doing - anything in order to draw closer to God. Let our task be defined as emphasizing above everything else these three things: first, who God is; second, what He has done for us, and; third, who we are in Him. If we can effectively teach the principles of God, we have disciples who are like Jesus on the inside and the outside. If we teach people external standards, then they may meet our behavioral criteria but not necessarily be close to God. Standards are essential in any society, and that includes the church. But as disciples of Christ, it is not those standards that we need to teach. The ought to come about as the result of effectively teaching the heart-changing principles of God.