The Law of Liberty (4)

…for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves theirthoughts accusing or else excusing them…  Romans 2.14, 15

Gotta be me!
In our age of increasing narcissism, self-fulfillment and self-actualization are big business.

Whether it’s the fitness craze, the latest in cars or fashion, the addiction to social media or fantasy sports, people are desperate to find something of fulfillment for their lives.

Films, literature, and television programs provide many examples of people who are trying to get in touch with themselves, to discover who they really are, what’s inside them trying to get out. This is a very human activity, of course. We know of no animals that fret and fuss and carry on about getting in touch with their hearts.

And truly it does seem to be an elusive objective. Psychologists and psychiatrists, as well as drug companies, make a living trying to help people through the confusion of life so that they can get in touch with their inner person or their true self.

But this doesn’t have to be that big of a struggle. The problem is that too many people are not really interested in knowing what’s in their hearts; they’re interested in having in their hearts, as well as in their lives, whatever it is they think will make them happy.

And here is yet another way in which the Law of God shows itself to be the law of liberty to which James refers in his epistle.

The Law and the New Covenant
The Bible teaches that, in their heart of hearts, people are bent toward knowing and doing the works of God’s Law. It is written on the spiritual fabric of their souls to carry out the commandments of God.

Only when they refuse to do so do they begin to run into trouble, because then they’re trying to be something they aren’t. They’re trying to live as Law-ignorers when, in fact, as the image-bearers of God, they’re meant to be Law-keepers, as we have seen.

The Law of God is crucial to our becoming what God has created and saves us to be. Indeed, one of the primary features of the New Covenant is that God writes the Law – not just the works of the Law, but the Law itself – on the hearts of those who believe (Jer. 31.33). Once a person comes to saving faith, what he “knew” instinctively, but probably suppressed and ignored – the works of the Law – now comes stunningly to light – the Law itself. Coming to salvation a person understands he or she is made, and has been redeemed, to live out the good works of the Law of God.

The Law of God gets us in touch with our hearts because it lays over our inherent sense of the works of the Law both the righteousness of Jesus Christ – Who fulfilled all the Law of God (Matt. 5.17-19) – and the holiness, righteousness, and goodness of the substance of God’s Law as well (Rom. 7.12).

But if we remain indifferent to the Law, or choose to ignore it, the law of sin, still putting up a struggle within us, will deceive us in our hearts, so that we believe that we know better than God what it means to have full faith, and how we must find happiness and meaning in life.

But as you take up the Law of God, under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit, and as you continue meditating daily in the Law (Ps. 1), you will begin to sense, “Yes, this is what I was made for. This is right and true and good. This is me!”

By reading and meditating in the Law of God we get in touch with our hearts, and we are liberated from confusion, doubt, and anxiety into the glorious light and liberty of the sons and daughters of God.

This is the work of God’s Spirit, as He sculpts and transforms us into the image of Jesus Christ, according the teaching of God’s Law.

For reflection or discussion
1.      The soul consists of three components – mind, heart, and conscience. How well do you understand the role of each of these?

2.      The heart has to do with our affections – what we desire and love. Why would God’s Spirit write His Law there, as opposed to our minds?

3.      What is the law of sin? How can it keep us from knowing the freedom God intends for us in the Law of liberty?

Next steps: Set a schedule to begin daily reading and meditating in the Law of God. How might you incorporate the Ten Commandments into your time of prayer?

T. M. Moore

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This week’s ReVision study is Part 8 of a 10-part series, “Full Faith.” You can download “The Law of Liberty” as a free PDF, prepared for personal or group study. Simply click here.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.