What was the point of God's law?

-
Oil painting of a young John Calvin.
Oil painting of a young John Calvin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good (Romans 7:12).

What is the usefulness of the law for the Christian? The best discussion of this that I have found is in John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, book 2, chapter 7. Here Calvin sets out the three uses of God’s law. I require all of my students to read this short chapter, and I highly recommend it to you. Let me summarize Calvin’s remarks for you today.

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE LAW
The first benefit of the law for the believer is that it reveals to us what righteousness is. If we hold up the law and look into it, as into a mirror, it will reveal to us how hopelessly unrighteous we are. Thus it shows us our need of the Savior and drives us to the foot of the cross. It humbles us, and that is a great benefit for us.

This seems to contradict what we have been seeing in Romans 7. Paul has been arguing that the more the sinner sees of the law, the more he rebels against it. Thus, the law seems rather to incite evil than to restrain it. But though this is true, there is also a sense in which the law restrains evil. The threat of punishment does restrain many people from evil acts, and this second function is a real benefit to society.

The third function of the law is the most important. The tremendous value of the law is its revelatory function. The law of God reveals the character of God and also what is pleasing to God. The daily instruction of the law advances us to a purer knowledge of the divine will. Thus, the law incites the spiritual man not to rebellion but to obedience and faithfulness.

If the law is holy, just, and good, and we want to be holy, just, and good, we must diligently study it. How much do you know of God’s law? Do you know the major places it is found in Scripture? Do you know how to read the Old Testament laws and how to sort them out in terms of their relevance? As you continue your daily Bible reading, learn to recognize that which is positively enjoined as a commandment. Begin marking them in your Bible, and you will soon be amazed at how many you find, particularly in the New Testament.

Related articles

Enhanced by Zemanta

Popular posts from this blog

Speaking in tongues for today - Charles Stanley

-
Image
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. … But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. … And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. … Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way - 1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 28, 30—31 The Lord Jesus Christ had come and gone. The church—newly birthed—was in a transition time. The new covenant was seen as a threat to the Jewish leaders; therefore, there was persecution for those who had chosen to follow Christ. The new religion, in its infant stages, had no Bible, few leaders, and absolutely no support from the government. Astounding that it survived, isn’t it?  How in the world did it survive with so little going for it? Power. Not just a force, but mighty, visible power. Th...
Read more

What is the glory (kabod) of God?

-
Image
2 CORINTHIANS 4:17 "This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." Scripture places a high value on God 's glory, and it is not hard to figure out why. Since the inherent glory of the Lord is something that He will not share with others (Isa. 42:8), we know that His glory is something that He prizes highly; indeed, He prizes it more highly than anything else. We should, therefore, set the glory of God as the goal and overarching emphasis of our lives. Whatever we lose for the sake of making the Lord's glory known will be worth it when we see the dazzling light and beauty of; the divine glory (28:5; Rev. 21:23). Glory has to do with light and beauty, but those aspects do not sum up what the Bible means when it speaks of the glory of God. Interestingly, the Hebrew word kabod , which is translated into English as "glory," has the root meaning of "weight" or "heaviness....
Read more

The Holy Spirit causes us to cry out: Abba, Father

-
Image
Pentecostés. Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm. Madrid, Museo del Prado. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) To bring out the same truth in another way, Paul says God sent Jesus (as a Man) to live under the Law in order “to redeem those under law, that we [Jews and Gentiles ] might receive the full rights [adoption] of sons” ( Galatians 4:5).  By “full rights” or “adoption” he means entering into the privileges and responsibilities of sonship. He uses it also of the sonship of Israel (Romans 9:4). Galatians 4:1, 2 indicate that the son and heir of a wealthy family in Paul’s day would be treated as a slave until he became of age.  Then he would receive the adoption, that is, all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that belonged to an adult member of that family. Adoption was also used in the modern sense, so that Gentiles who were not sons of Abraham became true heirs, true sons of God , by faith.  Jesus died, not just to save us from the fires of hell, bu...
Read more