8.100 The law is not made for a righteous person but for sinners
Is Paul against the law of God? Is Paul promoting antinomianism? Sometimes, the same charge is leveled against those who teach the Word as Paul does. Without the law, will it promote lawlessness?
Let us answer the first question. Is Paul against the law of God? He is not. The law of God is meant for sinners in order to bring them to Christ. But when they come to Christ, they receive the gift of righteousness, and they start to walk with Christ. So the law is valid for sinners in the world. But it is not for the righteous in Christ who walk by the Spirit. 1 Timothy 1:9 says that the law is not made for a righteous person but for sinners.
It is important to remember that Christians are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:21). We have received righteousness as a gift (Romans 5:17). So to those who accuse Paul of being anti-law, Paul explains that the law has its place for sinners, but not for Christians in Christ. He is not against the law. He understands that Christ has fulfilled the law for believers. Therefore, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to all who believes. To those who haven’t believed in Him yet, the law has not ended.
Let us go to the second question. Without law, will it promote lawlessness? Some have that misconception because of the lack of revelation of the new birth. For the sinner, without the law, it will promote lawlessness. For the person who lives as a new creation in Christ, Christ will establish true holiness from within. We depend on His transforming power from within instead of trusting our own ability in the flesh.
Grace is a person. Grace is Jesus. When Jesus came to this earth, John 1:17 says that Grace came. When Grace comes to live in our hearts, He becomes our teacher. He transforms us and teaches us to be like Him. We will end up denying lawlessness, and we will live righteously. We will end up doing good works of faith. This is what the following verse says:
(Titus 2:11-14)
For the GRACE of God that brings SALVATION has appeared to all men, TEACHING us that, DENYING UNGODLINESS and worldly lusts, we should LIVE soberly, RIGHTEOUSLY, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every LAWLESS DEED and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for GOOD WORKS.
Isn’t it amazing what many of the things we have learnt in the past are opposite of what the Bible actually says. But with the revelation of the truth, we are then able to start experiencing the reality of Christ in us, and the transforming power of His grace.
Let us answer the first question. Is Paul against the law of God? He is not. The law of God is meant for sinners in order to bring them to Christ. But when they come to Christ, they receive the gift of righteousness, and they start to walk with Christ. So the law is valid for sinners in the world. But it is not for the righteous in Christ who walk by the Spirit. 1 Timothy 1:9 says that the law is not made for a righteous person but for sinners.
It is important to remember that Christians are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:21). We have received righteousness as a gift (Romans 5:17). So to those who accuse Paul of being anti-law, Paul explains that the law has its place for sinners, but not for Christians in Christ. He is not against the law. He understands that Christ has fulfilled the law for believers. Therefore, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to all who believes. To those who haven’t believed in Him yet, the law has not ended.
Let us go to the second question. Without law, will it promote lawlessness? Some have that misconception because of the lack of revelation of the new birth. For the sinner, without the law, it will promote lawlessness. For the person who lives as a new creation in Christ, Christ will establish true holiness from within. We depend on His transforming power from within instead of trusting our own ability in the flesh.
Grace is a person. Grace is Jesus. When Jesus came to this earth, John 1:17 says that Grace came. When Grace comes to live in our hearts, He becomes our teacher. He transforms us and teaches us to be like Him. We will end up denying lawlessness, and we will live righteously. We will end up doing good works of faith. This is what the following verse says:
(Titus 2:11-14)
For the GRACE of God that brings SALVATION has appeared to all men, TEACHING us that, DENYING UNGODLINESS and worldly lusts, we should LIVE soberly, RIGHTEOUSLY, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every LAWLESS DEED and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for GOOD WORKS.
Isn’t it amazing what many of the things we have learnt in the past are opposite of what the Bible actually says. But with the revelation of the truth, we are then able to start experiencing the reality of Christ in us, and the transforming power of His grace.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 12:07 AM
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