Law Is Good When Used Lawfully

The proper interpretation and use of the Law is imperative. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul said: “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus, in order that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted” (I Tim. 1:3-11 NASB).

The goodness of the Law is experienced only as it is put to its proper use. When it is misused, it becomes a burden too heavy to bear. Christ has delivered chosen sinners by His death at Calvary, not from spiritual obligations of the Holy Law, but from the evil they have brought upon themselves by their misuse of the Law. Unregenerate men have the habit of turning every good gift of God to wrong purposes. Therefore, it requires Christians to study the Law in order to see its true purpose in progressive sanctification. Mixing law with grace for salvation nullifies grace. Paul said, “I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly” (Gal. 2:21 NASB).

The characteristic feature of Sinai is the Law. It is important to observe that it is not law as a means of salvation, but law as a sequel of salvation. To whom was the Law given? It was given to a redeemed people.

There are two distinct periods in the Book of Exodus. The first begins with the Passover (Ex. 12), and the second begins with the setting up of the tabernacle (Ex. 40). Passover has a threefold significance: (1) A bloodless gospel is lifeless. Sin deserves death, and Jesus Christ is the Divine substitute for the elect. (2) Christ’s blood was the finished sacrifice that assures, because it is accepted by the Father. (3) The chosen Jews recognized those great types under their God-appointed leader, Moses. Great thoughts are connected with the Passover and the tabernacle. Many lambs were offered, but God the Father saw them as One. The Lamb was without blemish (typifying impeccability), set apart in purpose and promise, and the blood was applied with hyssop (representing the lowliness of Christ).

No person can be assured of his own salvation by simply believing what is objectively contained in the Scriptures. There must be a subjective experience of objective truth. A subjective experience of “I believe,” apart from the Holy Spirit to mediate the objective and subjective elements to the conscience, will not give assurance. That is why the Apostle Paul said to the Thessalonians, “For our gospel did not come to you in word only [objectively], but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction [subjectively]” (I Thess. 1:5 NASB).

When we speak of faith giving assurance, we are not saying that this assurance is never affected by doubt. When we speak of faith that gives certainty of relationship, we are not talking about a security in which anxiety never assails. If that isn’t true, why did the disciples have to be rebuked (Mark 16:14)? Faith is not contented with an obscure and ill-defined confidence, and from confidence, boldness. Paul said, “This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory” (Eph. 3:11-13 NASB). It is not the strength of one’s conviction which proves the validity of his assurance, but the character of his conviction.

The faith that gives victory over the world does not indicate that it will be victorious in a single fight. John said, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (I John 5:4, 5 NASB).

Faith and assurance are not one and the same thing. (1) Faith is the root; assurance is the fruit. (2) Faith is the woman touching the hem of Christ’s garment (Mark 5:28); assurance is Peter and John saying, “For we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20 NASB). (3) Faith is the thief crying, “Jesus, remember me…” (Luke 23:42 NASB); assurance is Job’s isolations which brought forth the greatest testimony of his time—“…I know that my Redeemer lives…” (Job 19:25 NASB). (4) Faith is the anxious voice saying, “…I do believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24 NASB); assurance is Paul’s confident challenge: “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, FOR THY SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG: WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED. But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us form the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:33-39 NASB).

The second distinct point of time in Exodus is the tabernacle. The Divine glory of the Priest is equal to the Divine glory of the ark and the mercy seat. The same Person who is the ark and mercy seat on God’s side—manward—is the Priest on man’s side—Godward. It is a great spiritual gain to the believer to have a clear view of the glory of Christ as the chosen ones’ High Priest. Only the spiritual mind can apprehend what is characteristic of Christ as Priest and the assembly viewed as the antitype of Aaron’s sons.

Many religionists talk about essentials and non-essentials, but every detail of the Divine mind is essential to the glory of God in Christ. The different spiritual features and elements which make up the true tabernacle are now taking form by the Spirit in the saints; and under the ordering of Christ as Son over God’s house, those elements are rightly put together. He alone can put every board, curtain, and peg in its proper place.

The tabernacle was God’s dwelling place on earth. It has its spiritual lesson for the redeemed now (Heb. 10:25). There are three important points about the tabernacle: (1) its pattern (Ex. 25:9), (2) its inventory (Ex. 38:21), and (3) the presence of God (Ex. 40:34). A great lesson is revealed in Exodus 39:42 for the assembly today: “So the sons of Israel did all the work according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses” (NASB).

There were no arguments about essentials and nonessentials. We must remember that every detail of the Divine mind is essential to the glory of God in Jesus Christ. The whole tabernacle would suffer if one vessel, one board, one curtain, or even one peg was missing. God is the God of order. God is highly displeased with persons who do not perform duties after His Divine order (I Chr. 15:13). The same God of order spoke in the New Testament: “But let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner” (I Cor. 14:40 NASB). God’s blessings cannot be experienced unless they are sought according to His preordained order. Therefore, the believer who does God’s will rightly does it uprightly. Command rather than comfort is the ground of Christian duty. What about Abraham’s command from God to offer up his son (Gen. 22)? The story of the cross is as old as the sin of man. In the offering of Isaac, we have one of the most perfect pictures of the sacrifice of Christ found in all the Old Testament Scriptures.

In bringing our first lesson to a conclusion, let us look carefully at a few closing statements, plus a few questions to whet our spiritual appetite for another important doctrinal study. Having been born at a time in history when there was a greater sense of God-consciousness than what we experience today in public life, let us consider the following things:

• God’s Law consists of three principle divisions: (1) moral (Ex. 20), (2) judicial (Ex. 21-24), and (3) ceremonial (Ex. 25-40). This Law was given to a redeemed people.

• It is not legalism to use the Law lawfully (Rom. 13:9).

• A justified person’s sin cannot bring him into condemnation.

• The Christian is not lawless because he is saved.

• Paul did not argue against the law in one place, and plead for it when used in another sense.

• To obey God because one loves Him is not legalism.

• The Law has a shadow of good things to come (Heb. 10:1).

• An antinomian said, “A man under grace has no more to do with the Law than an Englishman does with the laws of Spain.”

The moral rule of God is the same everywhere regardless of the circumstances. The Jews have their moral, judicial, and ceremonial laws, and the non-Jews have their moral and religious laws. The Gentiles have such references as “written in their hearts,” “things of the law,” “Gentiles who do not have the law,” “…these, not having the law, are a law to themselves,” etc. (Rom. 2:1-16 NASB).

There is nothing incompatible between love and obedience. The truly justified person wants to please his Sovereign God. “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119:97 NASB). There can be no perseverance in things which are not loved. (1) The object of love is God’s [Thy] love. (2) The degree of love is “O how I love.” (3) The evidence of that love is “my meditation.”