THE LAW IS GOOD IF USED PROPERLY
(I Timothy 1:7-8)
“They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly” (I Tim. 1:7-8).
Question: Of the following words, which do you prefer to use in describing the contents of the Bible: decrees, commands, promises, statutes, precepts, words, laws, ways?
1. Emphasis and influence of false teachers.
a. They were teaching false doctrines; some so serious that Paul said they were guilty of blasphemy (1:20).
b. The teaching included an emphasis on myths and genealogies (1:4).
c. This emphasis detracted the community of believers from their chief focus which was to be:
i. “God’s work – which is by faith” … the Gospel message (4)
ii. “The goal of this command is love” … the key Christian ethic (5).
d. These false teachers also considered themselves teachers of the law (7).
i. There were several of these teachers in Ephesus
ii. They probably came out of the synagogue and were probably Jewish in background with a few Greek god-fearers.
iii. They were visiting and teaching in numerous small house churches.
iv. They were misinterpreting and misusing the Law.
v. Paul said that they did not know what they were talking about (7).
THE PROPER USE OF THE LAW
QUESTION: What is the proper use of the law?
Martin Luther emphasized that the law had two purposes: political, to restrain the uncivilized, and spiritual, to drive us to Christ and salvation. The “Formula of Concord” (1577) systematizing the theology of the Lutheran church after the death of Luther said that the law had three purposes: To restrain evil (usus politicus), to lead to Christ (usus pedagogues) and to determine the conduct of believers (usus normativus). Calvin summed up the purpose of the law thus: The law is first punitive and thus drives us to Christ, secondly it is an external deterrent that restrains evil doers and finally, its proper purpose is God’s instrument to teach us how to live an authentic Christian life.
1. THE LAW AS A DETERRENT TO EVIL
a. Remember that much of the civil law is biblically based, e.g. theft, murder ….
b. “We also know that the law is not made for the righteous but for lawbreakers” (1:9).
c. This is the political or civil use of the law, to bridle the wicked for the preservation of human society.
d. Laws act as an external deterrent while leaving the heart unchanged.
QUESTION: What two human emotions does the law use to deter evil from overwhelming human society?
i. Fear – Who wants to be fined, jailed?
ii. Shame – Embarrassment dissuades some people from evil
iii. When shame no long deters people from evil only fear is left.
“Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay. They were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: Therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, says the LORD (Jer. 8:12).
2. THE LAW AS PUNITIVE – DRIVING PEOPLE TO CHRIST
a. Luther: The law “is a mighty ‘hammer’ to crush the self-righteousness of human beings. It shows them their sin, so that by recognition of sin they may be humbled, frightened, and wore down, and so may long for grace and for Christ.”
b. Calvin: The law “renders us inexcusable and so drives us to despair. Then, ‘naked and empty-handed,’ we ‘flee to God for mercy … seize upon it entirely for righteousness and merit’.”
c. When God’s law is preached it agrees with the law in our conscience, written in our hearts (Romans 2:15) and makes us feel guilty. God’s Spirit awakens our spirit. To deal with our guilt we come to Christ.
d. “By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20).
e. “I would not have known what sin was except through the law” (Romans 7:7).
f. “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).
i. ILLUSTRATION: Greek household slave, a paidagogos, responsible to teach ethics to child, to take him to and from school.
ii. Other translations of paidagogos: tutor, guardian, custodian, child conductor, pedagogue.
g. ILLUSTRATION: Ivor Davies, Missionary to Zaire (Congo). Breakthrough in ministry came after he quit beginning his messages with the love of God and started focusing on the law of God.
3. THE LAW AS EDUCATIVE – A GUIDE TO GODLY LIVING.
a. Is the law only for the “law-breaker” and not for the righteous?
i. John Stott: “The key antithesis, that the law is not for the righteous but for lawbreakers (9) cannot refer to those who are righteous in the sense of ‘justified’, since Paul insists elsewhere that the justified do still need the law for their sanctification.”
1. “And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us …” (Rom 8:4).
2. “…he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law” (Rom 13:8).
3. All the law and the prophets hands on two commandments, loving God with all our being and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
b. Calvin: The Law is the best instrument both to teach us the Lord’s will and to exhort us to do it. For by frequent medication upon it believers will be aroused to obedience, be strengthened in it and be drawn back from the slipper path of transgression.”
c. Rich’s message of a few weeks ago: “His divine power has given us everything we need … for this reason make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness etc. …” (II Peter 1:3-5).
d. David extols the educative purpose of the law in Psalm 119
i. “This Psalm is called the Alphabet of Divine love, the Paradise of all the Doctrines, the Storehouse of the Holy Spirit, the School of Truth, the deep mystery of the Scriptures where the whole moral discipline of all the virtues shines brightly. READ: Page 132 from Treasury of David concerning Psalm 119.
ii. Synonyms used to describe the contents of the first five books of the Bible: law (45), Word (28), Commands (22), statutes (22) decrees (22), precepts (20), promise (13), ways (1).
iii. He writes that the law keeps us pure (9) and helps us avoid sin (11), shame (80) and being cursed (21). It counsels us (24) teaches us to hate evil (128). From God’s law we receive insight (99), understanding (13), guidance (105), strength (28), hope (49), comfort (52) and peace (165). But it we are sustained (175) and our life preserved (93).
iv. According to Psalm 119, how does David feel about the law?
My soul breaks for the longing that it has unto thy judgments at all times (20)
Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors (24).
Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage (54)
At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments (62).
The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver (72).
O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day (97)
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (103).
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law (136).
Thy word [is] very pure: therefore thy servant loves it (140).
Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy word (148).
I rejoice at thy word, as one that finds great spoil (162).
Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments (164).
I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight (174).
QUESTION: Do we as a church use the law “properly?” Does the law have its proper place in our lives? Do we have the same passion for the law as David?
QUESTION: How can we develop a new and profound passion for the law so that it can function as a deterrent to sin, a pedagogue to bring us to Christ and an instructor in godly living?