Unfortunately, the law of God seems to have fallen on hard times. When some hear the words, “law” or “commands” the words, “legalism” and “moralism” immediately come to mind. Yes, we should be on guard as we teach our children. In the past several decades, children’s Sunday school curricula and other Bible resources tended to promote a kind of Gospel-less moralism. But God’s holy, righteous, and good law and commands were not to blame. Rather, it was a misunderstanding of these in the context of the whole counsel of God, and in light of the Gospel. When asked about the role of the law, the Gospel, and the Christian, R.C. Sproul gave this wonderful summation:
“O how I love your law!” (Ps 119:97). What a strange statement of affection. Why would anyone direct his love toward the law of God? The law limits our choices, restricts our freedom, torments our consciences, and pushes us down with a mighty weight that cannot be overcome, and yet the psalmist declares his affection for the law in passionate terms. He calls the law sweeter than honey to his mouth (Ps 119:3).
What is it about the law of God that can provoke such affection? In the first place, the law is not an abstract set of rules and regulations. The law reflects the will of the Lawgiver, and in that regard it is intensely personal. The law reflects to the creature the perfect will of the Creator and at the same time reveals the character of that Being whose law it is.
When the psalmist speaks of his affection for the law, he makes no division between the law of God and the Word of God. Just as the Christian loves the Word of God, so we ought to love the law of God, for the Word of God is indeed the law of God.
The second reason why the psalmist has such a positive view of the law is that the law, by revealing God’s character, exposes our fallenness. It is the mirror that reflects our own images—warts and all—and becomes the pedagogue, the schoolmaster that drives us to Christ. The law does not drive us out of the kingdom but rather ushers us into the kingdom by directing us to the One who alone is able to fulfill its demands.
The most wonderful function of the law, however, is that it shows us what is pleasing to God. The godly man is the one who meditates on the law day and night (Ps 1:2), and he does so because he finds his delight therein. By delighting in the precepts of God, he becomes like a tree planted by rivers of living water, bringing forth its fruit in its season (Ps 1:3). Our Lord said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15), but we cannot show that love for Him unless we know what the commandments are. A knowledge of the law of God gives to us the pattern of loving obedience. If we love the Lord, we must also love His law. To love God and despise His law is a contradiction that must never be the profile of the Christian.
God gives us His law not to take away our joy, but rather that our joy may be full. His law is never given in a context of meanness, but in the context of His love. We love the law of God because God loves His law and because that law is altogether lovely.
(www.ligonier.org, “Getting the Gospel Right: Interview,” originally published in Expositor magazine, a publication of OnePassion Ministries)
Here is an opportunity for your family this summer: Discover the above truths about God’s law through our interactive family devotional guide, The Righteous Shall Live by Faith. Find out more about this resource here.(Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)
