The Law, the Gospel, & the Christian

 
 
 

In Romans 3:19-30 the Apostle Paul delivers one of the greatest expositions of the gospel in all of Scripture. He teaches us that salvation for sinners is a gift of God's grace, received by faith in Christ alone, and not grounded in any works of our own. But do you know what he goes on to say next? It is a truth almost forgotten (or perhaps willfully neglected?) by modern Christendom. Paul says,

"Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law," (Rom. 3:31).

The Spirit of God, speaking through the Apostle Paul says, "we"—those trusting in Christ—"uphold"—or strive to conform to and obey—"the law".

It is true that the first major function of the law in the Christian's salvation is articulated in Romans 3:20:

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in [God's] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin."

“…comes knowledge of sin” means that the law's first ministry is to expose our guilt and reveal our need; it rightfully condemns us as sinful in the sight of the holy God. But the gracious ministry of the law for the sinner is not completely summed up in this work alone. For the Christian who is resting in the perfect law-keeping of Christ as their saving righteousness, that same law which formerly condemned us and plead for our repentance, now guides us as we walk by the Spirit in our sanctification.

What makes Christian salvation such an amazing and glorious gift is not merely that God forgives undeserving sinners, but also that he promises to restore them from their sinful corruptions. His grace not only spares his people from wrath, but also sanctifies his people from their sinful inclinations. The very Spirit who authored the law, now graciously applies its continuing ministry to the hearts, minds, and lives of the redeemed as he completes his promised work of making them more and more like Christ, (Col. 3:10).

Beloved, we are justified by faith in Christ's perfect law-keeping & atoning sacrifice, and without this there is no hope of redemption! But as the redeemed of God, we do not "overthrow the law by this ‘faith’...on the contrary, we uphold the law," (Rom. 3:31). Grace never means lawlessness; neither does it mean loose affiliation to generalities about moral goodness. To be like Christ means to keep the moral law of God from the heart; Christlikeness is law-likeness. Jesus alone is the law’s perfect embodiment and fulfillment; he said so himself, (Matt. 5:17).

The law could never save, but then again, it was never meant to, (Gal. 3:21-22). Rather, the law holds the righteousness of God next to the wretchedness of fallen man, and thereby shows fallen man who he truly is, beckoning him to repent and turn to Christ for salvation. But what standard should a fallen man seek to live by once the Spirit has graciously wrought redemption upon his soul? Should he aim for something other than, or less than God’s perfect standard of moral righteousness as it has been published in the law? Maybe such a question helps us begin to resonate more deeply with the middle phrase of Paul’s statement from Romans 3:31, “By no means!" The law which once condemned the sinner, now guides the Christian. All those who truly trust in and follow the saving law-keeper, Jesus Christ, will likewise learn more and more to keep the good law of the one they have come to love, (Jn. 14:15, 21).

 
31-60Rev. Tom Brown