THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW (Part 2)

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What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.” (Galatians 3:19 NKJV)

Like the Jews of old, many religious folks today are misusing the law for a purpose it was not intended for. The Jews stumbled because they were bent on using the law as a means of righteousness and earning or obtaining salvation from God (Romans. 9:30-32, 10:1-4).

  

  According to the Jewish community or culture,  there are threefold us of the law. The law serves the purpose of Restraining sin and promoting righteousness Timothy 1:8.

 The law is broken down into three phase. Which includes 

A) Moral law (10 commandments).

B). Civil law ( deals with dispute between individuals or case law use by the old testament).

C). Ceremonial law. Accomplished by Jesus Christ as the sacrifices of the priest. Or fulfilling by the priestly work of Christ.( Matthew 3:15)

The Scripture teaches that the law was given primarily to serve as our tutor, guardian, or schoolmaster until the coming of Jesus Christ, the Saviour. 

The law was not designed to be our savior, justifier, or deliverer.  However, God does not intend for us to remain under the custody, tutorship, or guardianship of the law He gave Israel through Moses after giving us grace and truth through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:17, Gal. 3:23-25).

 

The purpose or ministry of the law as our tutor, guardian, or schoolmaster ended at the cross of Jesus Christ.  There are three use of the law, which includes.

A).  A Restraints.

B). A Reflection.

C). A Rule for living.

A Restraints:  the word Restraint means to curb behaviour in the culture. Much like a seat belt. The law restraint our behaviour protecting us and other around us. This is also know as the civil use of the law. Though the law change the heart, it can to some extent inhibit lawlessness (Sin) by it threats of judgement, especially when backed by a civil code that administer punishment for proven offense ( Deuteronomy 13:6-11, 9:16-2, Romans 13:3-4).

 Thus it secure civil order and serves to protect the righteous from the unjust. The law helps bring God common Grace to man and limits mans sinfulness in society which in turn display Gods Goodliness to all mankind.

As A Reflection:  As a Reflection of mirror for the sinners that continually drives him to Christ. Law is to be a mirror reflection to use both the prefect righteousness of God and our own sinfulness and Short coming. 

  The law is meant to give knowledge of sin( Romans 3:20, 14:15, 5:13,7:7) and by showing us our need of pardon and our danger of damnation to lead us into repentance and faith towards Christ Genesis 3:19 - 24). 

The law is reflects to us the depth of our sin and simultaneously the depth of Gods love for us in the Gospel. Though our sin is deep, very deep, it is not as deep as God love for us through Jesus who would sacrifice himself.

As a Rule  for life.

 As a Rule for life is to lead lead us and propel us into good work. Its the third function to guide the regenerate into the good work that God has planned for them.( Ephesians 2:10, Matthew 28:20, John 14:15).

    The Christian is free from the law as a system of salvation ( Romans 6:14, 7:4, 6:1,1 Corinthians 9:20). But is under the law of Christ as a rule of life.( 1 Corinthians 9:21).

God does not intend for the born-again believers, the new creations in Christ, to live under the burden of the Jewish laws, sacrifices, ceremonies, or rites (Rom. 10:4).

The believers in Christ are not expected to serve God in the oldness of the letter of the law but in the newness of the Spirit of grace. Why? Because we have become dead to the law through the body of Christ and thus delivered from the law (Rom. 7:4-6)!

A). Why did God entrust men to the law as our tutor or guardian until Christ came?

B).  What purposes does God intend the law He gave Israel through Moses to serve?

First, the law is intended by God to show us His moral values and standards of holiness.

Like a measuring tape or rod, the law reveals God’s standards and demands that the fallen men can never attain or measure up to. It also shows us how we have fallen short of God’s moral standards.

While the law, as our tutor, teaches or shows us what God expects of us, it does not furnish or supply us with the divine ability or capacity to meet God’s expectations. Although the law demands perfection, it cannot make us perfect.

Hebrews 7:19 – NLT

19 For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

Our failure to keep the standards and demands of the law results in fear, shame, guilt, condemnation, and death. Therefore, anyone living under the law is under curse, condemnation, and death (Gal. 3:10). Apostle Paul rightly referred to the Mosaic Law as “the ministry of condemnation and death” (2 Cor. 3:7-9).

Second, the law is intended to reveal to us our utter bankruptcy, sinfulness, or wretchedness.

God’s intended purpose of the law as our tutor is to expose the sin embedded in our fallen nature. While the law itself did not bring sin, it brings us the knowledge or consciousness of sin (Rom. 3:20, 7:7).

Before God gave the law to the Jews through Moses, sin was already at work, but they were completely blinded to their sins. It was the law that exposed their sins. It was through the law that sin became exceedingly sinful.

Romans 7:13 – NKJV

13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

Although sin has already beaten, enslaved, and killed us, we didn’t realize it. We never knew how depraved, sinful, wretched, or bankrupt we were from birth until the law was given. It was the law that exposed the sin that was embedded in our fallen nature from the womb.

The Scripture states that the law was added because of transgressions and that the strength or power of sin is the law. Without the law, sin has no power to exert over us!

Galatians 3:19 – NKJV

19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.

1 Corinthians 15:56 – NKJV

56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

Lastly, the law is intended by God to humble us, shut our mouths, and make us plead guilty before Him.

Before God gave men the law, men were proud, thinking they could merit, earn, or deserve God’s love, acceptance, favor, or blessing through their self-righteousness, performance, or good works.

But when God gave us the law, and none of us could keep God’s law perfectly, completely, and constantly without stumbling at one point, we all became guilty before God. The law humbled us before God and placed us at God’s mercy.

Romans 3:19 – NKJV

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 

We were given the law to stop boasting about our self-righteousness, performance, or good works before God. The law made all men guilty before God, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23 NKJV).

    The law was not given to help us struggle against sin but to give sin an occasion, opportunity, or advantage over us. The law gives sin strength over us and brings all men under guilt, condemnation, and death. You can never obtain justification by the works of the law!

Paul reveals this truth in his epistles.

Romans 7:11 – TCN

11 Sin took advantage of the Commandment to deceive me, and used it to bring about my Death.

1 Corinthians 15:56 – TCNT

56 It is sin that gives death its sting, and it is the Law that gives sin its power.

Beloved, the law was not given to help you overcome sin but to strengthen sin against you so that you may realize your utter sinfulness, wretchedness, and helplessness and then cry out to God, saying, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:24 NKJV).

The law is intended to show you God’s demands and standards of holiness, to expose your inherent inability to meet God’s demands and standards and to condemn you for failing to fulfill God’s demands and standards so that you may humbly cry out to God for mercy and wholly put your trust in the Saviour, Jesus Christ, whom God has sent to save you.

Has the law fulfilled its intended purposes in your life?

Or are you still striving to use the law for the purpose it was not intended for?

        

         Prayer:

My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending the law as my tutor to reveal my depravity and show me my dire need for a Saviour. Today, I put my whole trust in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ. I confess Jesus Christ today as my Saviour and Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Preserving the Faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis O.

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