Bible Reading: 2 Chro.28; 1 Tim.1:1-10..
“But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;” – 1 Timothy 1:8 (KJV)
God’s law can be compared to a mirror. The purpose of a mirror is not to clean your face, but rather to show you the state of your face and this will drive you to clean it. This is the purpose of the Law; to convict you of your sin and drive you to Christ for cleansing. That’s why 1 Timothy 1:8 (KJV) says: “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully”. The law is not for salvation; keeping the law can’t save you because no one is able to keep it perfectly. Only Christ can save.
This is why Paul said the law is not made for a righteous man (1Tim.1:9). A righteous man is no longer expected to commit sins and all he had committed in the past have been forgiven by Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) says: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Nonetheless, Apostle Paul said in Romans 7:4 (KJV): “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Because those who have accepted Jesus Christ are expected to live a life above sin by the power of the Holy Spirit, it is not expected that they would be involved in idolatry, adultery, murder, stealing, lies and such like stated in 1 Tim. 1:9-10.
The law is for conviction of sin, and a righteous man has already been convicted and has obtained salvation. He should not have anything to do with such sins anymore. The law is now written in his heart by the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit and will be convicted of any sin by that power. Romans 2:15 (KJV) says: “Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.”
The law actually reflects the character and holiness of God and so cannot change. All believers should therefore obey the law by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. That’s why Jesus says in Matthew 5:17 (KJV): “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” That fulfillment is by the leading of the Spirit. This is stated again by our Lord Jesus in John 14:21 (KJV): “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
Prayer point: Lord Jesus, help me to keep your commandments as a show of my true love for you and manifest yourself in me in Jesus name.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero