“But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.”
(1 Timothy 1:8)
Weak Christians, as well as those who wish to appear Christian without having a true relationship with God, often misuse Scripture to excuse their sin. Romans 6:14 is one such passage frequently twisted: “You are not under the law, but under grace.”
If we isolate this verse from its context and give it a slight twist, we might wrongly conclude that since we are under grace, the law no longer matters. If that were true, then lying would not matter. Stealing would not matter. Adultery, idolatry, and every sin would be inconsequential. But is this what Paul meant? Did he suggest that since we are under grace, we are free to sin without restraint?
Paul answered this argument in the very next verse with a resounding “God forbid!” (Romans 6:15). He affirmed that the law remains good when used lawfully (1 Timothy 1:8).
Robert Shaw explains, “Christians are under the obligation of the Law as a rule of life, not to be justified by it through their works, but to live by it after they are justified. Paul further shows that the Law of God is of manifold use to the Christian, as well as to others, ‘The law is good,’ he says, ‘if a man use it lawfully,’ (1 Tim. 1:8). This means that the Law is good if he uses it in a suitable way to the state in which he lives, either as a believer or an unbeliever.”[1]
Believers are fully delivered from the condemning power of the law as a covenant of works because Christ, our representative and surety, kept the law to its fullest extent and bore its curse in His sufferings and death. In doing so, He set His people free from its judgment (Galatians 3:13; Romans 8:1).
And yet, though believers are not under the law for justification (Romans 7:4, 10:4, 6:14), we are bound to it as a rule of life as the moral law is a reflection of God’s perfect holiness, commanding obedience from His children so they may grow in sanctification.
Thus, the law serves multiple purposes for both unbelievers and believers.
The Law’s Use to the Unbeliever
- It restrains sin – The law serves as a deterrent, restraining mankind from greater evil (1 Timothy 1:9).
- It convicts of sin – The law reveals man’s guilt and his utter helplessness before God (Romans 3:20, 7:9).
- It leads to Christ – The law acts as a schoolmaster to draw sinners to the Savior (Galatians 3:24).
- It renders men inexcusable – Those who reject the law and the Savior it points to are left without excuse before God (Romans 1:20, 2:15; John 3:18, 36).
The Law’s Use to the Believer
- It magnifies Christ’s work – The law deepens our gratitude for Christ, who both fulfilled its demands and suffered its penalty in our place (Galatians 3:13, 4:4-5).
- It reveals God’s will – The law serves as the believer’s guide to living in a way that pleases God (Micah 6:8).
- It leads to holiness – Through the law, we examine ourselves, depend more on Christ, and strive for greater sanctification (Philippians 3:10-14).
- It assures believers – Delight in God’s law serves as evidence of genuine salvation (1 John 3:19; Romans 7:22, 25; 2 Corinthians 1:12).
As a believer, do you love the law of God? Or do you find yourself disregarding the passages that convict while clinging only to those that bring comfort? If we desire God’s best, we must embrace all of His Word. “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)
Contemplations
- Loving God’s Law. Lord, Your law is holy, just, and good. Yet how often do I bristle against its commands, preferring my own way? Teach me to love Your law, not as a burden, but as the beautiful standard of holiness that reflects Your perfect character. Let me delight in Your commands and treasure them in my heart.
- The Law as My Teacher. Father, Your law is a schoolmaster that leads me to Christ. It shows me my sin, convicts me of my unworthiness, and points me to the only righteousness that saves—Christ’s righteousness. Soften my heart that I may submit to Your instruction.
- The Law and the Gospel. Lord, I know that the law cannot save, but only the gospel. The law reveals my need for salvation, and the gospel provides it in Christ. Help me rest fully in the finished work of Jesus, knowing that He alone has satisfied the law’s demands on my behalf.
- Obedience from the Heart. Father, You command me to be holy as You are holy. Your law is not a list of restrictions meant to hinder me but a guide to lead me in the path of righteousness. But I wonder… do I obey out of duty or out of love? Transform my heart so that I desire holiness, not to earn Your favor but because I already have it in Christ.
- The Law’s Power to Convict. Lord, Your law reveals the sinfulness of my sin. Yet, how often do I minimize my guilt or excuse my failures? Let me see my sin rightly, not to drive me to despair but to draw me to the cross. Help me grasp the depth of my need so that I might better adore the sufficiency of my Savior.
Prayer
Righteous and holy Lord, You are the unchangeable God whose law is perfect, whose Word is truth, and whose ways are just. Your law is not a burden to be cast aside, but a treasure to be cherished, a light to guide my steps, and a mirror to reveal my heart. Teach me to love Your commandments, to meditate upon them, and to delight in their wisdom.
God, I acknowledge that Your law condemns me, for in my flesh I am guilty, deserving of wrath. Yet, in Christ I am set free from the curse of the law, for He has borne its penalty in my place. He fulfilled its righteous demands on my behalf so that I might be clothed in His righteousness. How great is Your mercy! How boundless is Your grace!
Father, guard me from the deception of lawlessness and from any thought that grace excuses sin. Let me never trample upon the blood of Christ by willful disobedience. Instead, write Your law upon my heart that I may walk in the paths of righteousness. May my obedience be a joyful response to Your grace, an act of love toward my Redeemer, and a testimony of the Spirit’s work within me.
Lord, lead me to adore You more deeply as I meditate upon Your holy law. Let it shape my mind, convict my conscience, and transform my life. Let me live in such a way that my delight in Your law draws others to the beauty of holiness and the glory of Your name.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further References for 1 Timothy 1:8
Romans 7:12; Psalm 19:7; Romans 7:14-16; Psalm 93:5; Romans 12:2.
[1] Robert Shaw, The Reformed Faith : An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Updated and Revised, (Coconut Creek, FL: Puritan Publications, 2011) eBook, Chapter 19, exposition.
