The Proper Use of the Law

It is easy to get tripped up by the belief that Christians must submit themselves to the Mosaic Law. However, when the proposition arises that there are upwards of 613 laws found in the first five books of the Bible, people will hedge their bet and say, "We must obey the Ten Commandments." I guess, ten is easier to obey than 613 until you realize that the Bible says, "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20)." If we sin, we violate the law regardless of how many laws exist. And if we always sin, we can never fully obey the law. Jesus Christ said, "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24;12)." It is easier to think that lawlessness must apply to unbelievers who are engaged in sin. That is one way to look at this verse. However, lawlessness can also apply to believers who subject themselves to the law but never fully obey it. Remember, it was the people of Israel who told God, "We will do everything the LORD has said (Exodus 19:8)." Yet, a short time later after the people grew impatient with the return of Moses, they made an idol of gold, a cast metal calf, which led Aaron to exclaim, "This is your god, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt (Exodus 32:4).” Within a short period of time, they had not only gone back on their promise to do everything the Lord had said, but they were also worshiping a false god in His place. Here we are three thousand years later believing we are going to do what the Jews couldn't do and with a law that was never given to Christians. 

Unfortunately, this is not a problem that is solved with people who believe in law and those who believe in grace throwing scriptures at each other. It becomes a war where the goal seems to be to win the argument at the cost of losing your brother or sister in Christ. Furthermore, there are scriptures that when taken in isolation give the impression that we are to live a life of managing our flesh through the use of commandments. This is why it is important to read all the Bible, in general, and all the letters or epistles, in particular. Ultimately, you have to know the Gospel and the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Otherwise, you will get lost in the weeds not knowing what is true, how to live, or what your relationship status is with the Lord. When it comes to the subject of law and grace the easiest way to get a grasp on it is to be familiar with the clear reading of scripture and allow that to guide you when you encounter more difficult scriptures to decipher. For example, Jesus said, "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 (Matthew 5:18)." Since the law will not pass away until heaven and earth pass, and heaven and earth have not passed, then it is surmised that the law applies to Christians. Until you read what the Lord said through Paul. Paul wrote, "But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully,  realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers ... (1 Timothy 1:8-9)" The proper use of the law is to recognize that it is for those who do not believe in Jesus Christ. But, if you take what Jesus said in isolation, then you are trapped believing that you have to subject yourself to the Law.

In an effort to help Christians sort through the confusion with the law, here is a partial list of scriptures that detail what is the law's purpose and how it applies to believers.

God's law is for unbelievers, not Christians

"We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine .." 1 Timothy 1:8-10

Christians are not under God's law

"So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian." Galatians 3:24-25

Jesus Christ is the end of the law

"For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Romans 10:4

The law is a curse for those under it

"For all who are of works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them.” - Galatians 3:13

The Law cannot justify us

"...knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified." Galatians 2:16

The Law cannot make us righteous

"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” Galatians 2:21

The Law cannot give us life

"... and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me ..." Romans 7:10

The Law stirs up sin

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law." 1 Corinthians 15:56

The Law is based on Man's self-effort

"What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, but the righteousness that is by faith; however, Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though they could by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone ..." Romans 9:30-32

The Law is a ministry of condemnation and death

"But if the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, came with glory so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness excel in glory." 2 Corinthians 3:7-9

The Law has been fulfilled in us

"For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Romans 8:3-4

Under the Law sin is your master

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

You cannot mix Law and Grace

"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" Galatians 3:1-3

Once we come to Jesus Christ by faith, the law has done its work. We can now live in a trusting and dependent relationship on the indwelling Holy Spirit instead of trusting and depending on laws designed to manage our flesh.