I guess I haven’t fully processed all of these ideas, but sometimes the Bible jumps out and grabs me. In this letter, Paul talks quite a bit about the concept of the Law. His basic point is this: the Law cannot save us; Christ sets us free from the Law.
2:16 – yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Wow.
5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Wow. Living under the Law is a yoke of slavery… that doesn’t sound too good to me. Even though this concept is roughly 1900 years old, I feel like nobody gets it. I get the feeling that everybody in the church is actually trying to keep the Law. “We gotta do the right thing, or we’ll be screwed! God’s gonna be pissed if we don’t behave!” Here in this letter, Paul makes it pretty clear that relationship with God doesn’t work that way. For one thing, nobody can keep the whole Law. Keeping most of the Law doesn’t mean jack, and nobody can be perfect. Not only that, but Christ has set us free from needing to strive and strive at the law. I don’t need to spend my life striving to keep the Law; I am free to be in relationship with God as his beloved son and heir. Here’s the problem: If I don’t spend my life striving with the law… what shall I do with myself? How shall I choose my behaviors? I think this is why most Christians actually submit themselves again to Legalism (the Law). It’s because we don’t have any idea what to do with Freedom. It’s because God never intended to give us a formula for exactly how to live and behave with our Freedom. He says you are my son, I love you, you are completely free, and have fun exploring; I’ll be with you. That’s dangerous! What am I now going to do?
That's all for now,
Lee
1 comment:
yet Christ said he didn't come to abolish the law… but to fulfill it.
while i think legalism is awfully dangerous, the law was initially given so that we would be holy and set apart.
what's the big deal about being set apart? God wanted us to look different.
i guess in a world with Christ, as believers, we are now following Him. and as a sinless and blameless man, if we are truly following and not just going through the motions, we're "keeping the law" but really that living love letter pointing the way to God.
i probably didn't say that quite right, but i do still feel that "the law" is an important cog in the machine, but also recognize that this is not the element that offers you eternal life. only Christ does.
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