Law Versus Grace.

Romans 5:12-21

God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. – Romans 5:20 NLT

Over and over again in his letter, Paul has made it painfully clear that the Law of Moses can't save anybody. "So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law" (Romans 3:28 NLT). But that fact does not diminish the importance of the law or in any way provide us with an excuse to ignore it. "Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law" (Romans 3:31 NLT). But all of this raises the question, "What is the purpose of the law?" It makes us reconsider God's reasoning for giving the law in the first place. After all, if God knew that man could never live up to the standards of the law, why did He give it to us in the first place? Paul answers this important question in verse 20: "God's law was given to that all people could see how sinful they were."

Michael Horton, in his book, The Law & The Gospel, puts it this way: "The Law leads us to Christ in the Gospel by condemning us and causing us to despair of our own 'righteousness.'" The law can't save us, it can only convict us. The law gives us the requirements, but without any assistance to meet them. The law gives us the expectations of God, but without any ability to fulfill them. But that was never its purpose. "The law comes, not to reform the sinner nor to show him or her the "narrow way" to life, but to crush the sinner's hopes of escaping God's wrath through personal effort or even cooperation. All of our righteousness must come from someone else – someone who has fulfilled the law's demands. Only after we have been stripped of our 'filthy rags' of righteousness (Isa. 64:6) – our fig leaves through which we try in vain to hide our guilt and shame – can we be clothed with Christ's righteousness. First comes the law to proclaim judgment and death, then the gospel to proclaim justification and life. (Modern Reformation, Good News: The Gospel for Christians, May/June 2003).

When Adam (and Eve) sinned, sin entered the world. It took up residence in the lives of Adam and Eve's descendants, resulting in generations of men and women who inherited not only their propensity for sin, but the guilt and condemnation that accompanies it. The law was given to reveal just how sinful we really are. Later on in this letter, Paul gives a personal testimony regarding the law and its role in his own life: "…it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet” (Romans 7:7 NLT). Like a speed limit sign on the side of the road, the law simply revealed man's transgression of God's righteous standard. Paul goes on to say, "But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died." (Romans 7:8-10 NLT). The law simply shows us our sin. It reveals to us our unrighteousness. It is God's holy standard made clear – in black and white. No excuses allowed. I love the way Martin Luther said it. "The Law is a mirror to show a person what he is like, a sinner who is guilty of death, and worthy of everlasting punishment. What is this bruising and beating by the hand of the Law to accomplish? This, that we may find the way to grace. The Law is an usher to lead the way to grace.…The fatuous idea that a person can be holy by himself denies God the pleasure of saving sinners. God must therefore first take the sledge-hammer of the Law in His fists and smash the beast of self-righteousness and its brood of self-confidence, self-wisdom, self-righteousness, and self-help. When the conscience has been thoroughly frightened by the Law it welcomes the Gospel of grace with its message of a Savior…." (Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians).

Rather than living under the exacting standards and condemnation of the law, we live within the wonderful grace of God. We have received the righteousness of Christ and the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit. That does not mean the law has become null and void though. Jesus did not come to do away with the law, but to fulfill it. And Paul gives us ample exhortations that we are to live lives that are in keeping with God's standard of righteousness. "And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward to the hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed" (Titus 2:11-13 NLT). "For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time – to show us his grace through Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 1:9 NLT). Those who walk in the Spirit don't break the law, but fulfill it. They have a power and capacity to do what they could never have done before. We can live holy lives, not out of our own self-effort, but according to the power of the Spirit who lives within us. Paul paints the vivid difference between trying to live according to the law in the flesh, and fulfilling the law in the power of the Spirit. "But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:18-23).

Father, I am so grateful that I do not have to keep the law to maintain a right standing with You. But I am also grateful that Your law is a constant reminder of just how holy You are and just how unholy I can be without You. May Your divine, holy, righteous law constantly remind me of my need for Christ. May it make me ever more dependent upon the Holy Spirit's power and not my own. Thank You for providing me with the righteousness of Christ and the life-transforming power of the Spirit in my life. I have the capacity to live a life worthy of the Gospel and as a citizen of heaven. Amen.

The Ramifications of Justification.

Romans 5:1-11

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. – Romans 5:1-2 NLT

We have been justified, or made right with God. And Paul has spent the last four chapters establishing that this amazing reality was accomplished through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and accessed only through faith. We are not made right through any effort of our own. And our justification is a done deal, not something we continue to work on through our lifetime. As soon as we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we are made right with God, completely and permanently. Paul describes it as a place of "undeserved privilege." Not only that, he says that our justified state should bring us confidence and joy as we look forward to our future glorification, when Christ returns for us, or God calls us home.

In the meantime, there is the reality of pain and suffering in this world. Yes, we have been made right with God. Yes, we will someday be glorified and spend eternity with Him. But in the meantime, we must go on living in this world and wrestling with our own sin nature. That is the process of sanctification that every one of us must go through. Just because we have been justified with God does not mean that there are things we must work on in our lives. We have the constant need to put to death the deeds of the flesh and to learn to live in the power of the Spirit. But Paul tells us, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance" (Romans 5:3 NLT). Our justification makes it possible for us to see our problems and trials as opportunities for growth, rather than as set backs in our relationship with God. We are already right with Him, so they are not punishments from His hand. Instead, they are divine appointments for us to allow Him to refine and perfect us. The problems and trials of life develop in us endurance. That endurance strengthens our character, and as we see our character strengthened, we grow in confidence and hope. We realize that our justification has ramifications. It produces results. God is at work in us, doing what only He can do – transforming us into the image of His Son. Paul told the Philippian believers, "Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him" (Philippians 2:12-13 NLT). Our salvation results in our justification, or right standing with God. But it doesn't stop there. God continues to work in us, giving us the power to live in obedience to Him, doing those things that please Him.

The reality is, as long as we live on this earth, we will continue to struggle with sin. We will battle with our own flesh and wage war with the enemy. But if we truly believe we have been made right with God through Christ's death on the cross, we must also believe that He has the power to transform and literally "save" us from the effects of sin in our daily lives. Paul puts it this way: "For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son" (Romans 5:10 NLT). Christ's death made us right with God. We have been justified. But we are in the process of being sanctified or set apart for God's service, by daily being cleansed and purified from our sin nature. Christ's resurrection reminds us that there is a power available to us that is greater than any power in this world. In a real sense, Jesus is still saving us today. His resurrection assures us that we have a power available to us that is constantly saving us from the assaults of the enemy and the ever-present reality of sin in our own lives. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote, "So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world" (Colossians 3:5 NLT). Later in this letter, he will write, "if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live" (Romans 8:13 NLT). Our justification has ramifications. We have the Spirit of God within us. We have the capacity to live for God in such a way that it reflects our righteous standing with Him. We can live as what we have been declared – righteous sons and daughters of God.

Father, thank You that Your work in my life is an ongoing reality. You didn't just save me, but are constantly saving me from the power of sin and the ongoing assault of the enemy. You are transforming me and have given me Your Spirit to provide the power I need to live the life You've called me to live. None of this is done in my own strength. It never ends up being about my ability to live up to Your standards. Whether we're talking about salvation, sanctification or glorification, it is all Your work. I am just the undeserving beneficiary. Amen.