The Nature of the Law

 

So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. Romans 7:12

There are a number of aspects that are bound within the nature of the law. These refer to judgment, a way of living, God’s holiness and a reflection upon the self. It is important that Christians know and understand the ‘engineering’ aspect of the law, how it works and the nature of its purpose. By this we will have a greater understanding of what it means to be under a law of grace (Romans 6:14) and a greater appreciation for all that Christ has achieved.

 The Law Reflects God’s Nature

As Moses wrote down the 10 commandments, a statement by God was made that provided reason for the law. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery” (Exodus 20:2) This statement alone reflects the character of God, one who has the capacity to deliver a people out of slavery, revealing His attributes of grace and mercy. This is also the premise for the law, in other words the Lord does not want the Israelites to forget their deliverance from Egypt. We can see from the law itself, God is a jealous God, which is explained in verses 3 – 4 of how we ought not to have any other gods nor worship idols.

 We can also conclude that the law itself is good as it is provided by God and reflects the character of God’s holiness. The Apostle Paul explains this in Romans 7

 What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.^{[d] 8} And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead. ⁹ Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life ¹⁰ and I died. The commandment that was meant for life resulted in death for me. ¹¹ For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. ¹² So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. Romans 7:7-14

The law than reflects back what is sin as measured by God Himself. The unit of measurement isn’t anything but God; therefore God demands holiness, perfection, purity, an honest heart etc. The unity of man and God bound together united before sin entered the world is found in the book of Genesis. Everything that Adam did prior to eating the forbidden fruit was perfect in the Lord’s sight! From what we consider simple things like naming animals and working the garden of Eden was actually a perfect union between God and man, no law was present and thus no sin was present (at least until Genesis 3).

The Law Condemns

The law cannot offer grace, it cannot save nor can anyone work to achieve the law’s requirements. Since the law is the perfect requirement of God, none can achieve the law’s required standard of perfection, which is reflected in the above passage of Romans 7:7-14. The purpose of the law is simply put, to reflect the holiness of God upon that which is sinful. Thus since we have broken all of God’s laws, it is right that we ought to be condemned by the law. This condemnation is deserved, since we don’t know the full extent of our sin, we must humbly conclude that condemnation under the law is good.

And so how does the law and the nature of Christ’ grace and mercy fit into this picture? Praise God for verses like Romans 7:4!

Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to death in relation to the law through the crucified body of the Messiah, so that you may belong to another—to Him who was raised from the dead—that we may bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4

This is the established union of how grace, mercy and the law are perfect and how we as God’s elect are saved through the death of Christ! Our old self was crucified by the law; Christ offers Himself as propitiation upon the cross and died the death we deserve.  The law was perfectly fulfilled through the life of Christ, thus we have a separation between the old self and the new self. We can conclude that our old self has no part with the new self, since we were judged by the law but now we are under a law of grace and mercy. Christ has established what was impossible for all of mankind to achieve! Thus it is right to confess that Christ is Lord, king and deliverer. He has reconciled a people for Himself for the purpose of glorifying the Father.

And so knowing this should reflect how we ought to have a greater appreciation for the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. What Christ achieved upon that cross is greater than what can be said or demonstrated. He reigns supreme as one who has victory over death and thus our lives should be aligned more with following Christ and less of our own desires. As we are being sanctified we still fall back into sin, but there should be a fight against it. The reason is honouring all that Christ has done! If Christ’ work upon the cross isn’t precious to us, than Christ Himself isn’t precious to us. We must have right affections that give glory to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!