Of what use, really, is the Law of God.

The aim of our charge is love… 1 Timothy 1.5
 

Jesus taught that all the Law and the Prophets find their proper expression in the two-fold commandment of love for God and neighbor (Matt. 22.34-30). Thus, is it inconceivable that we could study the Law of God, read it through the filter of the Prophets and our Lord Jesus Christ, and expect that the Apostles would come to any other applications of the Law than these.

At the same time, we should also be able to see that it will not be possible to fulfill the “aim of our charge” apart from careful reading and study of the Law of God. After all, we recall that the first fruit of the Spirit, Who teaches us the deep things of God, is love (Gal. 5.22).

Sound doctrine is not just a matter of abstract theology reduced to arcane definitions and mind-boggling terms. Doctrine is only sound when it issues in love on the part of those who are learning it. And such doctrine, to be sound, must come to expression in the form of good works as set forth, in the first instance, in the Law of God. The Law thus contributes to our understanding of sound doctrine by providing an abundance of concrete examples to guide our thinking concerning how we should love God and our neighbor.

We shall return to this theme on Sunday. Sound doctrine is, as Paul explains it, is a jewel with four facets. The first facet consists of achieving a right understanding of the teaching of God’s Word. We must have our minds rightly grounded in the Word of God if we are to be able to keep from swerving away from sound doctrine. The Law of God, as we have seen, provides the intellectual cornerstone for the rest of Scripture. We will not have a mind for sound doctrine if we neglect the study of God’s Law. And if our minds are not properly grounded and engaged, then we will not be able to love or to fulfill the aim of our charge.

T. M. Moore

For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the life of faith, get The Ground for Christian Ethicsfrom our online store.