How to use the commandments to bear fruit for God

The question that asks for an answer after Romans 7 is how Christians should use God's law revealed in the Old Testament. The reason this question asks for an answer is that Paul said things about the law that show his weakness and powerlessness in justifying and sanctifying us. Romans 8: 3, "What the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh ..."

Respect for the law cannot justify you

I have argued that observance of the law cannot justify us in God's courtroom: if his verdict changes from guilty to not guilty, it will be because we trust in Christ's righteousness and death, not in our observance of the law. And if our hearts change from rebellious to submissive, it will not be due to the law, but to the Spirit of Christ working in our hearts. I have always turned your attention to Romans 7: 4, “Therefore, my brothers, you too were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you could be united with another, with the One who was raised from the dead. , so that we could bear fruit for God. ”In other words, if we want to bear the fruit of love in our life - and we will bear this fruit, if we are children of God - then we must pursue it in a way that does not regard the law as our first or major or decisive means of change.

What shall we do with the law then?

But this constant reference of death to the law has raised the question for many of you: what will we do with the law then? Should we read the books of Moses? Should we read the Ten Commandments and other Old Testament laws? What are we to do with the Old Testament saints who said things like, "But his joy is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1: 2). “The law of the Lord is perfect, it refreshes the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, it makes the simple wise ... They are more desirable than gold, yes, much fine gold; even sweeter than honey and the dripping of the comb "(Psalm 19: 7, 10). “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all day ”(Psalm 119: 97).

And even here in Romans we have the same spirit. In Romans 7:22 Paul says, "For I gladly agree with the law of God in the heart of man." And in Romans 7:25 it says, "I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin." This delight in the law and this "serving the law of God" does not sound as absolute as "death to the law".

Not only that, look with me Romans 3: 20-22. Paul first makes it clear (in v. 20) that “by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin ”. In other words, "compliance with the law" will never change our verdict from guilty to not guilty and will not be the reason for our acceptance in the final judgment. My only plea from time to time for God's acceptance is that I have not trusted in my observance of the law or my imperfect sanctification wrought by the Spirit, purchased by blood, but in the blood and righteousness of Christ. This is my one perfect prayer in the hall of heaven now and forever. "By the works of the law no flesh will be justified."

This is Paul's conclusion so far: there is no right, there is no one. But what is our hope now? Where does it come from? He says in verse 21: “But now, apart from the Law, the righteousness of God has manifested itself, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, (22) also the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe ". The hope of unrighteous people like us and all our friends and enemies is that God has worked a righteousness that is possible for us to have that is not based on the works of the law, but based on Jesus Christ. He calls it "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ." We can be considered righteous because of Christ's life and death if we trust him as our Savior, Lord and Treasure.

The testimony of the law

But notice a crucial phrase at the end of verse 21: "to be witnessed by the Law and the Prophets." This other justice which is not the work of the law is witnessed by the law. The law testifies to this. This is a clear reason why Paul can dabble in the law and why we don't want to throw the law away. The law itself told us that observance of the law cannot justify and pointed to another "justice" that would one day be revealed.

So, when Paul goes down to Romans 3:28, he says, “For we hold that a man is justified by faith regardless of the works of the Law,” just like verse 20. But then again in verse 31 he asks, “We then undo the Law by faith? "And he replies:" May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law ”. So the law itself indicated a goal that it could not achieve for us or in us, but when we achieved this goal (of justification and sanctification!) Through faith in Christ, the law itself would be fulfilled and established. "The goal of the law is Christ for righteousness for all who believe" (Romans 10: 4, proper translation).

So it's clear we don't die to the law in every conceivable way. We rejoice in the law in some way (Romans 7:22) and in the law we see a testimony of "the righteousness of God by faith in Christ" (Romans 3:21), and we establish the law by faith in Christ (Romans 3: 31); the objective of the law is Christ.

So, to clarify how we should legally use the law, let's go to another passage in one of Paul's letters where he directly addresses this question, 1 Timothy 1: 5-11.

1 Timothy 1: 5-11: The legal and illegal uses of the law

First notice the key phrase in verse 8: "But we know the Law is good if it is used legally." So here Paul warns us that you can use the law legally or illegally. My guess is that failure to comply with the law will result in illegal use of the law. But let's see what the context says here.

In verses 5-7 Paul says what his goal is in all of his preaching and ministry and why some people have failed to achieve this in the way they use the law. It says, starting from verse 5: "The goal of our education is love from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith." There is the goal and how to get there. Note that the path to love is not a work of law. In other words, the way to pursue love is to focus on transforming the heart and conscience and awakening and strengthening faith. Love is not pursued first or decisively by focusing on a list of behavioral commandments and striving to conform to them. This is what we must die for.

Law teachers who do not legally enforce the law

Then Paul introduces us to some men who are making a mess with the law, and do not even reach the goal of love! Verse 6: “For some men, turning away from these things [that is," a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith "], have turned to fruitless arguments, (7) wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand nor what they say nor the topics on which they make sure statements “.

These "teachers of law" do not understand that the purpose of the law, which is love, is not pursued by the "works of the law", but by the inner spiritual transformation that the law itself cannot bring about. They don't understand it. Paul says they don't know what they're talking about. They are trying to teach the law, but they are moving away from matters of the heart, conscience and faith. And that means they're not using the law. And that's why they're not getting to the goal of love.

Oh, how careful we must be here! There are hundreds of people today who propose themselves in America as teachers of law: marriage law, child rearing law, financial planning law, church growth law, leadership law, evangelization law, mission law , law on racial justice. But here's the key question: Do they understand the dynamic of the Gospel to bring about the change they seek? I'm just saying this to warn you.

Are the radio shows you are learning from and the articles and books you are reading permeated by a legal use of the law? Do speakers and writers understand the dynamic of dying to the law and belonging to Christ by faith alone as the essential means of becoming the loving people we should be? With whom today would Paul say these words: “[They want] to be teachers of the Law, even if they understand neither what they are saying nor the matters about which they make confident statements”? In other words, they just don't get it. They don't understand the gospel way humans have changed in a way that glorifies Christ. We must be prepared and able to evaluate these things. That's why Paul wrote this to Timothy.

Legal use of the law: Realize that it is not for the righteous

Well, what then is the licit use of the law in this text? Follow his thought from verse 8: "But we know the Law is good, if you use it legally." What is that? Verse 9 explains. First of all, it implies “realizing that the law is not meant for a just person, but for those who are illegal and rebellious…”. etc. List fourteen examples of violation of the law (following the scheme of the ten commandments, the first three couples summarize the first table of the Decalogue and the rest summarize the second table).

So the law, says Paul, is not made for a just person, but for the illegal and rebellious. This sounds a lot like Galatians 3:19. Paul asks: "Then why the Law?" Why was it added 430 years after Abraham was justified by faith? He replies, "It was added because of the transgressions." It doesn't say it was added due to justice. It was added because of this kind of thing we read in this list in 1 Timothy 1: 9-10. The law had a special role to play in establishing a rigorous and detailed standard of conduct that worked, Paul said, to keep people imprisoned (Galatians 3:22) or under a tutor or guardian (Galatians 3:24) until the coming of Christ and justification by faith could be centered on him. The law commanded and condemned and indicated a Redeemer who was to come. So Paul says, in Galatians 3:25, "But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor."

This, it seems to me, is what Paul says in 1 Timothy 1: 9, the "law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are illegal." In other words, if the law has done its work of condemnation and condemnation to bring you to Christ for justification and transformation, then it is no longer for you - in that sense. There may be other uses you can make of it, but that's not what this text is about. The main point here is that the law has a condemnation, condemnation and restraining work to do for unjust people.

But for the righteous - for people who have come to Christ for justification and come to Christ for the inner spiritual power to love, this role of the law has passed. From now on, the place where we seek the power to love is not the law of the commandments but the gospel of Christ.

I think we see this strongly in verses 10b-11. Notice how Paul sums up all that the law must be against and represses: "all that is contrary to wholesome teaching, according to the glorious gospel of blessed God." So where does behavior come from that is not "contrary to sound teaching," and is "in accord with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God?" Answer: it comes from that gospel. It comes from the pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith that this gospel calls into being. The law does not produce a life of love that accords with the gospel. The gospel produces a life of love that accords with the gospel.

Justification by faith alone, apart from works of the law, and sanctification by faith by the power of the Spirit, produce a life of love that accords with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. And woe to those who try to fix your personality or your marriage or your children or your finances or your vocation or your church or your mission or your commitment to righteousness but do not understand this dynamic of the gospel and they transform the councils into a new law.

What then will those who are justified by the law of Moses do?

Read it and ponder it as those who died to him as the foundation of your justification and the power of your sanctification. Read it and meditate on it as those for whom Christ is your righteousness and Christ is your sanctification. Which means reading and mediating on it in order to know Christ better and to treasure him more. Christ and the Father are one (John 10:30; 14: 9). So to know the God of the Old Testament is to know Christ. The more you see his glory and treasure his worth, the more you will be transformed into his likeness (2 Corinthians 3: 17-18) and you will love the way he loved, which is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10).

I repeat. What will you do with the law, you who are justified by faith alone without the works of the law? Read it and ponder it to know more deeply than you have ever known, the righteousness and mercy of God in Christ, your righteousness and your life.