THE USE OF THE LAW OF GOD

The mention of the Law of God evokes a wide variety of reactionsamong Christians and non-Christians. Many a non-Christian is heard saying,"I do not want to be a Christian because Christianity has too many do’sand don’ts." Three things are revealed by this statement. Firstly, by thisstatement, the unbeliever is in fact enunciating his hatred for God and Hislaws; secondly, in all probability, he is not referring to the law of God, butto rules that churches have made (though they may be derived from the Law ofGod), e.g., thou shalt not smoke, thou shalt not drink, thou shalt not go tothe movies, etc.; and thirdly, the unbeliever fails to realise that the childof God does not find the commandments of God grievous as he keeps them out oflove and gratitude to Him (1 Jn 5:3). On the other hand, there are Christianswho say, "We are under Grace, not Law. We are freed from the Law and haveno obligation to keep it. Preach the Gospel, not the Law." To supporttheir assertions, these will quote Romans 6:14b—"ye are not under the law,but under grace"; and Galatians 5:18—"But if ye be led of the Spirit,ye are not under the law."

Paul is clearly talking about the condemnation of the Law and thebondage of sin. Those who have been justified in Christ would not be condemnedon account of the impurities attending their works. This becomes clearer if wequote the whole of Romans 6:14—"For sin shall not have dominion over you:for ye are not under the law, but under grace." The Apostle Paul does notmean at all to say that the Christian is freed from any obligation to keep theLaw; otherwise, He would be contradicting the teaching of the Lord JesusChrist:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I amnot come to destroy, but to fulfil [(plêroô), i.e., ‘make full’ or‘complete’]. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot orone tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoevertherefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so,he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall doand teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Mt5:17–19).

Having said this, however, we must realise that the laws given inthe Scripture may be classified broadly into three categories: Firstly, thereare the Judicial Laws,—whichwere given to Israelas a "body politick" under the Old Covenant and so are not directlyapplicable to Christians under the New Covenant. Secondly, there are the Ceremonial Laws,—whichwere given to Israelas the Church under-age to regulate the ordinances of types and shadows whichpointed to Christ. With the coming of Christ, these laws have served theirpurposes, i.e., have been fulfilled (cf. Mt 5:17), and are therefore abrogated.But thirdly, there is the MoralLaw.

The Moral Law reflects the glorious and holy character of God. It,alone, was in the summary form of the Ten Commandments, proclaimed audibly byGod to His covenant people. It alone was written on tables of stone byGod—twice. It is a form of it that is inscribed in the heart of man, he beingcreated in the image of God (Rom 2:14–15). It is the Moral Law that gives man aconscience and a sense of morality that differentiates him from animals. TheMoral Law is no doubt perpetually and universally binding.

This is confirmed in the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, forHe summarises the Ten Commandments with the words: "Thou shalt love theLord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind.This is the first and the great commandment. And the second is like unto it,Thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang allthe law and the prophets" (Mt 22:37–40). This being the case, to deny thatChristians are obligated to keep the Ten Commandments would be to contradictChrist, and to deny that Christians are to love God and their neighbours.

Christian liberty does not mean freedom from the Moral Law of Godas a rule and standard of life. In fact, our liberty from the bondage of sin isapplied to our souls individually by an act of regeneration, in which we aregiven a new desire and will to obey the Law of God. This is why both Ezekieland Jeremiah emphasise a new ability and will to obey the Law when they spokeabout regeneration as a benefit of the New Covenant (Ezk 36:27; Jer 31:33).This is why James calls the Moral Law, the "perfect law of liberty"(Jas 1:25). Since sin is lawlessness (1 Jn 3:4; ‘transgression’ is the Greek [anomia],which is ‘lawlessness’), true liberty from sin must involve an ability to obeythe Law.

Having seen that the Moral Law is still applicable to us, it isstill necessary for us to ask: in what ways is it applicable? The Apostle Paulsays, "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully" (1Tim 1:8). How are we to use the law lawfully? We know that we may not be"under the law" as a means of attaining salvation (cf. 1 Cor 9:20;Gal 4:21; Gal 3:10; Rom 3:20a). But if that is so, what are the purposes anduses of the Law?

One of the most useful summaries of the uses of the Law is givenby John Calvin in his Institutesof Christian Religion (§2.7.6–12). Calvin lists three principle uses:

Theological Use

Firstly, the Law shows God’s righteousness or the righteousnessalone that is acceptable to God. In so doing, it warns, informs, convicts, andlastly condemns, every man of his own unrighteousness (see ICR 2.7.6). Calvin calls this the theological use of the Law (Last Books of Moses,3.197). The Law as such is like a portrait,picturing our Creator and His righteousness; and a mirror, displaying ourunrighteousness.

Man, created in the image of God, has by nature the knowledge ofgood and evil imprinted in his heart so that he is inexcusable (Rom 2:14). However,sin has so blinded his eyes and hardened his heart that, left to himself, manwill always judge himself to be right or to be not as evil as he really is. Thenatural man, for example, does not generally know that lust or covetousness issin. The Apostle Paul expresses this fact from experience: "I had notknown sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said,Thou shalt not covet" (Rom 7:7b). When he was an unconverted Jew who knewthe Law, Paul was deluded into thinking that as long as he had kept the letterof the Law, he would attain salvation. But if that be so, then, one who doesnot know even the letter of the Law, would practically be blinded to what istruly good in God’s eyes. The Law, therefore, paints a portrait to show man thenature of God; and so to reveal,—in clear, indisputable terms,—what is good andwhat is evil.

But once the righteousness of our Creator is known, then the Lawacts as a mirror showing us how far we fall short of the glory of God: for"by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom 3:20b). James must have hadthis metaphor of the law in his mind when he exhorts: "For if any be ahearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his naturalface in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightwayforgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law ofliberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer ofthe work, this man shall be blessed in his deed" (Jas 1:23–25).

If those who do not have the letter of the Law are inexcusable,how much more inexcusable are we who have the Law and know, through it, what isour duty towards God. If we fail to apply the Law into our lives or fail to seehow it should be kept in our culture and time, it is no failure on the part ofGod or His law, but wholly a failure on our part, not only on account of sinbut aggravating our sin.

Pedagogical Use

Secondly, the Law serves particularly to restrain the unregenerateby its dire threats and compel them to Christ (see ICR 2.7.10–11). This may be known as the pedagogical use of the Law. As such, the Law is like abridle restraining sin and a tutor’s rod compelling the unregenerate to seekChrist.

The restraining function of the Law appears firstly in theconscience which is, by nature, informed by the Law written in the heart (Rom2:14–15); and secondly, in the response to the explicit revelation of the Law.The Apostle Paul seems to have this function in view when he instructed Timothyon the lawful use of the Law, by saying that "the law is not made for arighteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and forsinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers ofmothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves withmankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be anyother thing that is contrary to sound doctrine" (1 Tim 1:9–10). By this hesuggests that the Law acts as a restraint on unruly lusts that might otherwiseburst all bonds. It is this function of the Law that society makes use of forthe maintenance of peace when it publishes its laws. But in the Church, thisfunction is particularly useful, through preaching, to restrain theunregenerate until they are visited by the Lord with a change of heart by whichthey would observe the Law out of love. Calvin explains this use of the Lawvery beautifully:

Those, therefore, whom he has destined to the inheritance of hiskingdom, if he does not immediately regenerate, he, through the works of thelaw, preserves in fear, against the time of his visitation, not, indeed, thatpure and chaste fear which his children ought to have, but a fear useful to theextent of instructing them in true piety according to their capacity (ICR2.7.11).

Through the same preaching of the Law, the unregenerate is made tosee the absolute demands of the Law of God and the terror of having to face aperfectly righteous Judge for transgressions against Him. He is also made tosee the depth of his depravity, and his utter inability to please a holy God,and so driven to despair of himself, and shut up to Christ as his only hope forsalvation. This is what Paul means when he announces: "Wherefore the lawwas our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified byfaith" (Gal 3:24).

The Gospel is meaningless apart from the fact that the Law slays.Therefore, any preaching of the Gospel without reference to the Law, is likepersuading someone who is happily living in an apartment to move to a bungalowwith better amenities free of charge. In reality, Gospel preaching is more likerescuing someone who is perishing in a burning house (cf. Jude 23). It may bethat, in our modern generation when men and women hate to be offended, thebungalow soft-sell approach brings more to a decision. But, how many who comethis way are in fact still in the burning house, and yet was given the illusionthat they are dwelling in the bungalow paradise?

Moral Use

Thirdly, the Law shows believers the nature of the Lord’s will,confirms in them the understanding of it, and urges them on in well-doing (ICR2.7.12).We may call this the moral use of the Law. In this regard, it is likea lamp unto our feet and a light unto ourpath (Ps 119:105), showing us where to plant our next step; as well as, a goad to prod us on in our Christian walk(cf. Eccl 12:11); or as Calvin says, "like a whip to the flesh [i.e.,remnant of the sin nature], urging it on as men do a lazy sluggish ass."

It is true that the Law is written and engraven in the hearts ofthe regenerate (Jer 31:33, Isa 51:7) in that they are given,—by the HolySpirit,—a clearer view of the law of nature imprinted in their hearts, and anew desire to obey God. But no believer can claim to even come close to aperfect knowledge of the Law or to have no need of reminders as to the dutiesrequired in the Law. In so far as the Law is expounded in all of Scripture,which teaches us our duty towards God and man, we ought to read and meditate onthe Scripture daily. And as the Law is most effective as a goad or whip whenpreached, let us also faithfully attend to the preaching of it that we maythereby not only be instructed of our Master’s will but be spurred to serve Himwith greater zeal and love.

Though the moral use of the Lord is a very important function ofthe Law, it is, nevertheless, necessary for us to be warned against the abuseof it; for any preaching or meditation of the Law of God without theologicaland pedagogical elements will result in pharisaical or liberal moralism, i.e.,Christ-less moralistic instructions. A godless secular institution, forexample, may teach the second table of the Ten Commandments, to inculcate somedesirable behaviour in the students. But such instructions may, at best, makethe students ‘good’ citizens of a society; while at worst, they give thestudents the deadly impression, that because they are moral in their behaviour,they are good in the sight of God. This caveat must be borne in mind not onlyin ecclesiastical instructions, but also when we instruct our children.

Conclusion

"The law is good, if a man use it lawfully" (1 Tim 1:8).May the Lord grant us that we may not only say with the Psalmist: "O howlove I thy law! it is my meditation all the day" (Ps 119:97); but that wemay use the law lawfully and think of it according to its threefold function..