There seems today to be a great deal of confusion today over
the principle of the Law. Many
Christians believe that following the Law, as given to Moses and the nation of
Hopefully, everyone reading this knows that following the Law cannot get you to heaven. But many now believe that once you are a Christian, you are obligated to follow all the Old Testament Commandments (including the “Top Ten”) to live a life that is pleasing to God. In the book of Galatians, Paul addressed this very issue:
Galatians 3:1-5
1 You foolish
Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly
portrayed as crucified?
2 This is the only
thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of
the Law, or by hearing with faith?
Hopefully, this is a rhetorical question! Did you receive salvation by following the Law, or by that simple act of faith? Of course, it is simply by faith alone in Christ alone.
3 Are you so
foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the
flesh?
As historical background for this book, Paul had preached the gospel to them, and then when he left, the Judaizers had come in. They were telling these Galatian believers that now that they were saved, they had to follow all the Jewish Law (including circumcision, but that’s another subject altogether!) So this letter from Paul was written in response to that issue. If you have been saved by grace through faith, why do you think that you will be perfected (or matured) by following the law?
So what was the purpose of giving us the law? It’s powerless to do anything for us:
Romans 8:3-4
3 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, (Law doesn’t give us
salvation, the Cross of Jesus Christ does!)
4
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. (Faith
in Jesus Christ makes us perfectly righteous, not following the Law!)
We can’t even follow it!
Romans 8:7
7 because the mind
set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the
law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
So why the Law?
Romans 5:20
20 The Law came in
so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace
abounded all the more,
When we realize that we cannot follow the entire Law, and measure up to the perfect righteousness that God demands, we have to look for another solution. Where does this realization lead us?
Galatians 3:24
24 Therefore the Law
has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by
faith.
Going back to the Law to try to live the Christian way of life is a very dangerous thing. It can’t save you; it can’t grow your relationship with God. When you look back to the Law, you will fail! That’s just what our enemy (Satan) wants us to do – fail, get frustrated, and quit!
Instead of looking to the Law, where our failure is
inevitable, we should look to the solution, the Cross of Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:2
2 For the law of the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and
of death.
I’m not saying that
it’s okay to commit murder, or coveting, or adultery! I’m simply saying that following these
commandments is NOT the means to a better relationship with God.