Episode 02: The Law

Christ for Us

Part one of two episodes on the Law and Gospel. In this episode, we explore what the Bible teaches about the Law. You can follow along to the outline and read all the Bible references on Christforus.org.

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The Bible can be divided into two main teachings: the Law and the Gospel. The Law is the love that God commands of us, summarized in the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments can be summarized further into two commandments. In Matthew 22, Jesus answers a lawyer’s question of what the great commandment in the Law is by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 And St. Paul writes in Romans 13, “Love is the fulfilling of the Law.” (vs. 10) So, the Law is good. The problem is, we are not good. St. Paul writes in Romans 3:20, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” So, although the Law tells us what is good, we don’t do the good, so the Law condemns us.

The Gospel, on the other hand, is the good news that Christ Jesus died on the cross for sinners, so that we are saved by grace through faith. Romans 1:16-17 states, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” And Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” St. Paul succinctly summarizes the work of the Law and Gospel in Romans 3:23-25, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”

So, the Law commands works, and they are never done. The Gospel commands no works, but only faith, and the work has already been done by Christ. The Law accuses, convicts, and condemns. The Gospel forgives and saves. The Law is all about your work. The Gospel is all about Christ’s work.

If you do not understand the distinction between Law and Gospel, then the Bible will be a very confusing book. St. Paul wrote to St. Timothy about this important distinction in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Last week, I talked of five principles of biblical interpretation, which are taught in the Bible. The second principle of interpretation is the material principle, that is, that the chief doctrine of the Bible is the Gospel that a sinner is justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone apart from his works. And I said that all passages must be interpreted in light of this material principle, and that if a passage seems to be teaching that you are saved by works, then you must interpret that passage in light of the Gospel, which is the chief doctrine. Now, I’m not just choosing one teaching over another, because I like the Gospel more than the Law. Both the Law and the Gospel are God’s Word, but they have very different functions. The Law and the Gospel do not contradict each other, rather, when put in their proper place, they complement each other. St. Paul makes this clear in Galatians 3, “Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

So, the chief function of the Law is not so that you can earn your salvation by it, but rather to imprison you as an offender against God’s Law, so that the Gospel can grant you salvation as a gift through faith.

This distinction is very helpful when reading the Scriptures, so that you know what God intends by those passages, which insist on your works, so that you do not think that they are contradicting those other passages, which insist on His grace. However, there is more to the Law than simply showing us our sins. And the word “Law” in Holy Scripture is used in several different ways, which I would like to clarify.

The Law in the Broad Sense (As Scripture)

First, not every time Scripture uses the word Law is it referring simply to the commandments of God.

• Often, the word Law is used to translate the Hebrew word Torah תּוֹרָה, which has a broader meaning of instruction. The Torah refers to Moses’ five books, but often is used to include the entire Old Testament.
  • Open my eyes, that I may behold
    wondrous things out of your law. Psalm 119:18
  • Oh how I love your law!
    It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97
  • I long for your salvation, O Lord,
    and your law is my delight. Psalm 119:174
• This means that often when the Bible uses the word law, it is referring to both the teaching of the Law and the Gospel!
• How can you make a distinction between the Law in the broad sense as Holy Scripture and the Law in the narrow sense, as God’s commandments?
  • The Law in the broad sense as Holy Scripture is often paired with the prophets and the Psalms.
    • Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17 (7:12)
    • For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. Matthew 11:13-14 (Luke 16:16)
    • Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for[c] the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Luke 24:44-47
    • Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” John 1:45
    • After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” Acts 13:15
    • But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, Acts 24:14
    • When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. Acts 28:23
      • Sometimes Scripture uses the word Moses to refer to the Law.
        • And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:27
        • But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them. Luke 16:29
    • The Law in the broad sense shows the way of salvation.
      • I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight. Psalm 119:174
  • The Law in the narrow sense as God’s commandments is often paired with works.
    • For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20
    • For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Romans 3:28
    • yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. Galatians 2:16
    • Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:5
    • For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Galatians 3:10
  • The Law in the narrow sense shows us our sin and condemns us.
    • What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” Romans 7:7
    • For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20
  • Paul uses the word Law in both the broad and the narrow sense in a single verse.
    • But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it… Romans 3:21

The Old Testament divides the commandments of the Law into three parts.

• The civil law, which applies only to the nation of Israel.
• The ceremonial law, which were patterns and shadows of Christ, and were fulfilled in Christ, and do not apply to Christians of the New Testament.
  • Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Colossians 2:16-17
• The moral law, that is, what is intrinsically right and wrong, such as what is taught in the Ten Commandments. The moral law is summarized in one word: love. It is the moral law, which we are concerned about in the Christian Church. We are not concerned with the civil law, because it no longer applies to us. We are not concerned with the ceremonial law, except in how it found its fulfillment in Christ. We are concerned with the moral law, because that is what accuses and condemns us to hell.

The Three Uses of the Law.

• The Curb
  • Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 1 Timothy 1:8-10
• The Mirror
  • For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20
  • What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. Romans 7:7-8
  • If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:10
  • For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Romans 1:32
  • But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Galatians 3:22
• The Guide or Rule
  • “Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.” Psalm 119:35
  • “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

The Chief use of the Law is the mirror, because it shows you your sin and your need for a Savior.

• And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13 see also Luke 5:32 (adds “to repentance.”)
• Ezekiel 33: God made Ezekiel a watchman to warn the wicked to turn from his ways. See Jonah. The people of Nineveh repented when they were threatened. See 2 Samuel 12, David repents when Nathan exposes his sin to him.

Conclusion

• There are two main teachings in the Bible: the Law and the Gospel.
• The Law is what God commands of us.
• The Gospel is the good news that Jesus saves us from our sins.
• The word Law can be used in a broad sense, referring to the Old Testament Scriptures and in a narrow sense, referring to God’s commandments.
• In the Old Testament, the commandments of the Law are divided into civil, ceremonial, and moral law. The moral law is the only one that concerns us today.
• The moral law is summed up in the commandment to love.
• There are three uses of the Law: The curb, the mirror, and the guide.
• The chief use of the Law is the mirror, because it shows us our sin and our need to repent. The mirror prepares us for the Gospel, by creating terror in our hearts and showing our need for a Savior.