Hebrews 7:19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on
the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
The apostle Paul was
accused of being antinomian (Romans 3:8) by those described in Galatians
6:12-13.
So how does the Law apply
in God’s plan of salvation in and through Christ alone?
First and foremost, salvation is given solely to those whom God has chosen
(election) in Christ before creation.
Ephesians 1:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places,
4 even as he chose us in him before
the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
In love
5 he predestined us for adoption as
sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with
which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
We are chosen in Him that
we should be holy and blameless. This is one of the facets of the “free gift”.
We are holy and blameless as he has sanctified us once for all. (Hebrews
10:5-14)
Therefore the Law was not
given to justify or sanctify the saints.(1 Timothy 1:8-11)
Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will
be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:
27 Then what becomes of our
boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by
the law of faith.
28 For we hold that one is justified by faith
apart from works of the law.
Romans 7:
5 For while we were living in the
flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to
bear fruit for death.
6 But now we are released from the
law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way
of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
7 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."
8 But sin, seizing an opportunity
through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart
from the law, sin lies dead.
9 I was once alive apart from the
law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.
10 The very commandment that
promised life proved to be death to me.
11 For sin, seizing an opportunity
through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
12 So the law is holy, and the
commandment is holy and righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then,
bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what
is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the
commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I
am of the flesh, sold under sin.
1Cor 15:
56 The sting of death is sin, and
the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to everyone who believes.
Romans 3:
28 For we hold that one is
justified by faith apart from works of the law.
29 Or is God the God of Jews only?
Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30 since God is one--who will
justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Do we then overthrow the law by
this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
The law was never given
to save, nor sanctify, as no one (save Christ), is able to keep it before or
after coming to saving faith. If one confesses Christ, then one is
acknowledging the fact that he/she is a sinner and falls short of the glory of
God, and always will. If one is able to sanctify himself by keeping the Law
after his/her conversion, then why should Christ’s death stand once for all and
all time? He died for all the sins of the elect, past, present and those we
will commit down the road, else his death is worthless.
The law makes the elect
man aware of his sinful condition, reveals his need for salvation, and drives
Him to Christ and the good news. (2 Cor 5:17-21)
So many misinterpret Romans 3:31 as Paul stating that he advocates both
law-keeping and teaching as the means of
righteousness and sanctification. In fact, Paul upholds the Law, i.e.
establishes the Law in its purpose established by God in the beginning.
Christ satisfies God’s
demand for justice through the law on our behalf. (Romans 8:1-4)
He is the only “son of man” ever to keep the law perfectly, not to give us a
good example to follow, but to give evidence to the fact that it is the
Shepherd, who became one of the flock, that is the lamb without spot or
blemish, the only one worthy to suffer and die to save His own. (1 Peter
1:17-21). Selah!
He is the giver of mercy and grace, not the giver of ability to be “holy”
Hebrews 4:
15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet
without sin.
16 Let us then with confidence draw
near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help
in time of need.
Romans 5:
20 Now the law came in to increase
the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
21 so that, as sin reigned in
death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Solus Christus
Soli Deo Gloria
