LAW, FAITH AND GRACE (By Mike Hein)

This is a paper written by my father, Mike Hein, for our fellowship discussion last Sabbath.  Hope it can provoke some good thought and delve you into scripture to discover more from the words of our LORD.
 

    



                                              LAW, FAITH AND GRACE


     Since the fall of man in the garden the main thrust of God’s actions seems to be geared toward the redemption of His creation and the elimination of sin and evil.  The giving of the law and the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus must be view from this perspective if they are to be understood.  We must therefore understand  the purpose of the law and what sin is in order to understand how they relate to the actions of Jesus and the relationship between the law, faith and grace and in turn how we are then to live.
    The purpose of the law is, at least, two fold.  First it was introduced that we may know sin and know that we are therefore sinners.  In Romans 5:13, Paul states that sin was in the world but it was not taken into account until the law was given and in Rom. 7:7, “… I had not known sin, but by the law, …”.  Before the law was given man had no measuring stick against which to measure his behavior.  This is not to say that they had no concept of right or wrong but there was no legal code to which man could be held accountable.  In addition before the law man did not know the requirements of God.  If man wanted to live a life pleasing to Him it would be difficult to know what the standard was that they had to meet.
    The second purpose of the law is to bring us to Christ.  It is clear that redemption can only come through faith in Christ but one must first come to the point of recognizing the need of redemption, which is the first purpose of the law.  In Gal. 3:24, Paul equates the law to a schoolmaster that leads us to Christ.  Then when we come to Christ, (v. 25) we are no longer “under” the schoolmaster.  Now when we are “under” the law it means that we are “in an inferior position or condition” to the law.  When we come to Christ through faith we are then “under” grace.  The position of the law has not changed but our position has.  In Rom. 10:4, it says, “For Christ is the end of the law…”.  This “end” does not mean that the law is no more or done away with,  This “end” is “the point aimed at as a limit, a goal that is set out for.”.  In other words Christ is the destination and the law is the road we must take to get there. 
    Another issue that must be understood is the issue of “what is sin?”.  Paul said, “…I had not known sin, but for the law…” (Rom. 7:7)   In other words the law, by telling us what God requires, shows us that sin is an action contrary to the law.  In 1 John 3:4 John tells us, “…sin is transgression of the law.”  So sin is not disobedience to church doctrine or a preachers advice, sin is always tied to disobedience to God’s law.  At this point those who preach that the law has been done away with have a problem, without the law man cannot know he is a sinner and in need of a Savior. 
    So what did Jesus do to the law when he came?  So many people say that he fulfilled it which means He did away with it.  But what does the word fulfill actually mean.  The 1961 edition of Webster’s New Collegiate dictionary defines it this way, “fulfill”--To carry into effect, as an intention;  to bring to pass, as a design;  to realize or manifest completely;   These definitions do not line up with the idea that Jesus did away with the law.  When we consider Paul’s testimony that Jesus is the destination (i.e. end) of the law, if Jesus had done away with it He would have done away with the only path that leads man to Himself.  If we understand the definition of the word ”fulfill” we will understand that the law, faith in Christ and grace are not at all at odds but all part of one flawless plan put together by God to accomplish His purpose.  God did not “try” the law to see if it would work and when it didn’t, go to plan B.  Salvation through works of the law was never the goal, but does that mean we can transgress the law when we are under grace?  Paul asks this question in different places and his answer is always the same, “God forbid”.
    There are many who preach that the new covenant has new laws, and that these new laws primarily revolve around loving ones neighbor as oneself.  Those with this message insist that no flesh shall be justified by works of the law, referring to the old covenant.  But they insist that we follow the new covenant law.  Can one law be death and one law be life?  It is clear that life is by the Spirit not the letter.  Another thing that is clear is that the law of love in the new covenant is the same that is in the old.  Jesus said that all the law and prophets hang on two commands, love God totally and love your neighbor as yourself.  This is the same message in the new covenant.  Paul ties the old and new together in Rom. 13:8-10, “Owe no man anything but to love…,  then lists some of the 10 commandments, then says, … love thy neighbor as thy self…and ends with … love is the fulfilling of the law.”.  Love then, in fulfilling the law is the intended effect of the old covenant law, the design of the law that Jesus brought to pass.
    So now what is our relationship to the law?  Paul asks, shall we sin (transgress the law) that grace may abound?  God forbid.  Through out the book of Romans Paul contrasts “sin and obedience” but obedience to what?  Since the entire book is a dissertation on the relationship between the old covenant law, faith and grace it should be clear that we are to continue in the standard set forth in the old covenant.  Another way to look at it is this, since loving God and loving our neighbor is the fulfillment of the law does that mean I can make up my own ways of expressing that love?  If my neighbor has too much stuff to take care of can I steal some of it so he has less to worry about?  Can I invent my own way to worship God because it pleases me or use pagan rituals because I like them and they make me feel good?
    From the beginning man has shown his inability to do the right thing and when left to his own devices has shown an amazing bent to do evil.  So God in His love devised a plan that would show what is acceptable behavior both toward Himself and our neighbor thus teaching us how to love and at the same time showing us our short comings and the only One Who can redeem us from them.  So when we look at the law from this perspective it is no longer a set of unrelated do’s and don’ts but a set of instruction on how to love both God and our neighbor.