‘Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, 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).
Sin is aroused to further rebellion by God’s law. Does this mean that God’s law is itself sinful? Certainly not! If a mother tells her toddler not to touch the hot stove, she has given the child her law. Yet, the sin nature within the child is immediately activated to do the very thing she was commanded by her mother not to do. She feels the overwhelming urge to touch it! So, the mother’s law was good, but it did not have the power to affect the child’s desire.
If God’s law cannot save us from our sinful nature, what good is it? There are at least three good purposes for God’s law. Paul named its first good purpose by mentioning the tenth commandment, “Thou shalt not covet.” He explained that he would not have known that coveting was wrong without God’s law. So it was the law that acted as a kind of mirror, showing his guilt.
What are the three purposes of the law? They might be summarized like this:
THREE “R”s OF THE LAW: (OR THREE “P”s)
1) Reflects our guilty condition (Like a Perfect mirror).
2) Restrains our sinful behavior (Like a Prison guard)
3) Reveals our need for a Savior (Like a Pedagogue).
The law is good and useful, but it cannot save. Only faith in Christ saves and empowers us to produce a harvest of righteousness in His name. For only Christ has fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law, so that we might be saved by faith in Him. Now we are no longer under the law, but under grace. For now we serve God in the new way of living in the Spirit.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we love Your law for it is perfect. Yet we are not perfect. We are sinful apart from Christ. Thank You for Christ’s perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Fill us afresh today with Your Spirit that we might live for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.