Growing Closer to God Pt11

Today’s verse seems to contradict Jesus’ words. tells us that Christ came to fulfill the Law and not to abolish it. Yet today’s verse tell us that we are apart from the law and that we died to the law so that we may live in Christ.

I love the way Charles Spurgeon explains:

The law shows us that we are sinners. To adopt the law is to be slave to a legalist mentality—thinking you have to earn your way to Heaven. Christ didn’t come to do away with the law, but rather fulfill it. Meaning we must see all the OT promises and laws through the blood of Christ. With that in mind lets turn to

Romans 7:7–8 ESV

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.

Romans 7:

The law shows us where we fall short.

Galatio

Galatians 3:23–24 ESV

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

The word guardian here is the Greek word: Padagogas meaning teacher, educator, guardian. This is where we must understand cultural norms to truly understand what Paul was talking about. In those days the wealthy would have their most trusted slave walk around and have a certain amount of authority over the child.

It’s where we get our term Parent/guardian—someone responsible for. In those days the slave would walk around wherever the child wanted to go school, our with friends, and the such and then immediately discipline them when the child stepped out of line.

Likewise the law followed us, guide us, and discipline us, but although we still have the law we currently have grace which produces live.

As Spurgeon stated we must view the law through Christ. Now the Law reveals our sin, shows us that apart from Christ we cannot live up to the law, and it points us to our need of Christ.

James says be doers of the Word. It’s the same root word used when John spoke in his first verse of his first chapter that Word was with God—meaning Christ. The serves it’s purpose to show where we fall short and where we can become more like Christ.

But I also find it interesting that Paul uses the last of the 10 Commandments, Coveting, to make his point. Coveting is different from the 10 commandments such as murder, stealing, giving false witness, or dishonering their parents. All the other fruit of those commandments are external, but coveting is internal. It’s a sin only known to you and God.

The rich young ruler is one of the best illustrations of the use of the law to reveal his sin and it uses the law of coveting. The Rich Young Ruler addressed his outward appreance: He didn’t lie, steal, defy his parents. But then Jesus takes it from the external to the internal. You outwardly obey me, but what about your heart. Sell everything you have and give it to the poor. He the Rich Young Rulers goes away sad. Why? Because to covet is to desire things. In this heart of hearts he desired things about God.

It can be likened to a husband who does all the right things: washes dishes, provides for his family, listens to his wife’s inner most thoughts and yearnings, but after everyone else is fast asleep lusts after another women. By all appearances he’s bound to his wife, but in his heart he couldn’t be further from her.

I truly believe in my heart of hearts this is what God meant by grieving the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit yearns to be one with us. People even believe we carry the Spirit inside of us, but low and behold the Spirit stands at the door and knocks—while being refused entrance into our lives.

There is nothing more grievous than someone who begins to fool himself with how lost he is, yet believes he is found. The Rich Young Ruler truly believed Jesus would say one day you will be with me in Heaven. He came in cocky thinking he had everything figured out. He didn’t want a true answer he wanted Jesus to check all the boxes he knew were already checked. He maintained a good outside appearance, but inside he was rotting to death.

Another great example of the law addressing the outside is the command:

Do not Murder

It allowed all the rage on the inside, but kept the outside man in check. In the OT there were consequences to murdering, but seeing the OT law through Jesus He said:

Matthew 5:21–22 ESV

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Through Christ the outside is addressed by making the inside submissive to the word of God. You cannot clean up the outside without first cleaning the inside.

Romans 7:9 ESV

I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.

This is a warning about legalism. He wasn’t stating that his arrogance kept him alive, but rather like a child who is told not to touch something we tend to stray to where we are told not to go.

The law arouses our sin nature. The law doesn’t put the sin nature in us, but rather it shows us where God wants to change us. Without the law we would still be condemned to death without ever knowing the law was pointing to Jesus.

Here’s Paul’s warning though. Legalism leads to death. When we try to live by the rules alone we will die.

Galatians 5:15 ESV

But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Galatians 5:14 ESV

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Gala

The term bite and devour means to Mutiliate one’s character. In other words it means to constantly berate or bombard them.

When we stick to legalism we use it as a measuring stick never knowing the heart of the person we judge. God is very explicit when he tells us that

Matthew 7:2 ESV

For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

Judging on the outside alone we all fail. It’s easy for someone who has never had kids to judge a parent who seems to mess up. I have heard people say: well I babysit. I work with kids, but even as a youth pastor I didn’t know what it was to raise a child until I had one and I dealt with many children. It’s easy to look at someone with a disability and state: Why don’t they do this—but you have no idea the struggles they face in completing such an easy task.

Judgement will get you killed

Legalism will destroy you. That’s what the law shows us and that is what Paul is stating. We might figure “we know” when you can be farthest from the truth. That’s why I don’t like the once saved always saved philosophy. Many people will tell you that if you walk away from God you were never saved to begin with—I tel them I’m not prepared to be judged with that measuring stick.

Take away:

1) You can only view the OT and it’s promises through the blood of Jesus.

2) Judgement is like a boomerang waiting to hit you in the head

3) The law wasn’t meant to show us perfect---it’s meant to show us that we are in desperate need of a savior.