When Being Good Isn't Good Enough: 21 Days of GraceSample

The Law: God’s Gateway to Freedom

“Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).

The Bible is filled with clear admonishments about morality, ethics, and the law. Over and over again we are told how we should act, what we should say, and what we should think. Not only that, some very harsh things are said about those who ignore the law, who turn away from God and disregard God’s standards. 

What about freedom? How can we be free and obedient at the same time?

Evidently Jesus had been criticized or had anticipated some criticism about His teaching regarding law and freedom. Speaking to the issue that had been (or would be) raised He said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:17-19).

First, please note that unless Jesus was giving the impression that He was going to destroy the law, He would never have spoken these words. If Jesus had said nothing to imply that He was going to destroy the law, He would never have needed to address the issue.

Paul had the same problem. If he had not been saying something very close to antinomianism, he would never have written the letter to the Galatians. Similarly, if Jesus had not said something very close to suggesting that the law should be destroyed, He would never have had to say anything about the subject at all.

And so Jesus was, of course, not trying to destroy the law. He may have been afraid that this was the impression people were getting. But nothing could have been further from the truth. He was not destroying the law, but—and here is the important point—He was saying something that could be taken that way. 

What is the purpose of the law then? Read on.