“What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died, and the very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. Did what is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.” Romans 7:7-13

Paul and the Law. Like all Jews, Paul believed that the law was “holy and just and good.” But Paul also saw a negative side to Torah (law). Paul knew that the Law causes sin to be known, and even incites sin, thus bringing G-d’s wrath. His road to Damascus revelation taught him that, despite his adherence to the law, his persecution of Jesus and followers of “the way” opposed G-d and also taught him that a relationship with G-d is grounded in grace, not law. As seen in the example of Abraham, law and circumcision are not the means to righteousness with God, but this is only found in faith alone. For the Christian, the only remaining use of the law is as a norm for behavior pleasing to God, made possible by the indwelling Spirit of G-d (Luther’s Third Use of the Law). (New Interpreter’s Study Bible, p. 2020)

This “Third Use of the Law” is not something to consider lightly — we still need laws that help us to find true boundaries to our living — laws that come from the commonwealth, and laws that come from the common understanding of right and righteous living.

Pastor Dave