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Of what use, really, is the Law of God?
1 Timothy 1.5, 6
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered assay into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law…
We might suppose that the goal of using the Law of God is that we should become good.
We might try teaching the Law of God to our children, so that we might make them obey and be good. We might hold the Law and its threats before our congregations, so that they will be good.
But if by “being good” we mean only securing some outward conformityto a standard of goodness somehow based on the Law of God, we are not using the Law in a lawful manner.
The goal of our instruction in the Law is not goodness. The goal is love (1 Tim. 1.5; cf. Matt. 22.34-40). “Goodness” without love may as well be a clanging cymbal. Where love is present, goodness will show forth. If we use the Law to teach or require anything other than love for God and neighbor, then we are not using the Law in a lawful manner.
This is not to suggest that keeping the Law “for goodness’ sake”, or working for laws reflective of the goodness of the Law, are not goals to be pursued. They are. But the purpose of the Law is to promote love for God and neighbor. If all we ever seek from using the Law is some form of outward conformity, as good and important as that might be, we will not accomplish the reasons for which God gave it (as we shall see).
Thus we fall short of the Law’s purpose, and we use the Law in an unlawful manner, when, by making mere outward goodness our objective, we fail to use the Law serves as God intends, to promote love.
Sound teaching includes the Law and always seeks love as its ultimate outcome.
For a fuller discussion of the uses of the Law, and why it remains useful today, order a copy of T. M.’s book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store. And while you’re at the website, be sure to read T. M.’s weekly comments on worldviewand to subscribe to our thrice-weekly newsletter, Crosfigell.