Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.
Summary: Paul talks about the Law as if it were a thing of the past, and for the believer it is. Yet, for everyone who does not yet believe, the Law still exists and is still in force.
Before we move on from this passage, I want to add a postscript to our last meditation.
Paul asks the question, “Why … was the law given at all?” His answer concerns “transgressions” and the arrival of “the Seed.”
The word “transgress” means to step across a line. In the case of a property line, the transgressor is like a trespasser. The word “transgress” is generally applied to legal lines. If the Law says you shall not move somebody’s property line and you move it anyway, you have transgressed both the law and the property line.
In the days of Noah, “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” (Genesis 6:5) This was before the Law had been given through Moses.
When God gave the Law (the Ten Commandments), he provided both spiritual and social guidance.
Spiritually, people need to recognize God’s presence and authority. Noah did (Genesis 6:9), which set him apart from all the other people. This is covered in the first four Commandments (Exodus 20:2-11). Socially, people need to respect other people and their property. This is covered in the last six Commandments (Exodus 12-17).
“The Seed” refers to the coming of Jesus Christ. When Jesus finally arrives, mankind has something new to put their faith in. Before Jesus, people put their faith in an impersonal God and trusted in his Law to guide their daily lives. After Jesus arrives, people can worship a personal God, someone they can touch, see, and relate to. After Jesus ascends into heaven, he sends his Holy Spirit to give us new life.
This new life in Jesus replaces the Law. We no longer need the cold, hard, unyielding boundary of the Law. Instead, we have a personal relationship with the Law-giver.
Here is the postscript:
This transition from being under the Law to having a relationship with the Law-giver is personal. It happens at different times for each of us.
This means that all of us are born under the Law, even today. Only when we accept Jesus as our Lord, and dedicate our lives to him, do we transition from being under the Law to being a brother or sister of the Law-giver.
The Law will always be with us, and for those who do not know Jesus, the Law is always in force.
Application: Trust Jesus … completely.
Food for Thought: How can we tell if we are living under the Law or living by faith?
How can we tell if we are living under the Law or living by faith?
John 16:13, When the Holy Spirit, who is truth, comes, he shall guide you into all truth, for he will not be presenting his own ideas, but will be passing on to you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
The Holy Spirit convicts all of sin, righteous and judgement to come, John 16:8. It is this conviction that brings us into the reality of who and what we really are. He continues to remain in the hearts of all believers and is the transforming power of God revealing and empowering all believers as we become more Christlike.
Our work is to recognize His revelations, submit to His power over our own as we grow in faith and allow Jesus Christ to minister to those around us as He has determined before the foundation or this world.
Thank you, Ron!
I love the idea of being “transformed” by God. The transforming power of God, as you put it, is what changes us. Being changed is a sign that we are living by faith! 🙂