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Free from the Law
(Law is for lawless, unbelievers)
by Rene Brown
I. Law not for Believers!
The Israelites never understood the purpose of the law which was to show them it was impossible
for them to obtain righteousness by keeping the law - simply because keeping it was impossible -
and is still impossible apart from Christ who kept it for us.
A. 1 Timothy 1:8-10 (RSV) "Now we know that the law is good, if any one uses it lawfully,
9understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and
disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers
and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10immoral persons, sodomites, kidnapers, liars,
perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,"
Now this scripture implies that the law is not good if we use it unlawfully or wrongly!
That is, it will not be helpful.
B. Who are the just?
Believers in Christ are the just.
1. Rom 3:24 (RSV) "they [believers] are justified by his grace as a gift, through the
redemption which is in Christ Jesus,"
2. 2Cor 5:21 (RSV) "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we
might become the righteousness of God."
3. Holy and beloved
Colossians 3:12 (RSV) "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion,
kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience,"
C. Gal 3:25 RSV) "But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian;"
Again we say, Christians are not under the law! Christ has fulfilled it for us.
II. Why the law was given
To make men aware of sin - it was never to establish righteousness!
A. Rom 3:19 (RSV) "Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under
the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to
God."
B. Gal 3:19 (RSV) "Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the offspring
should come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained by angels through an
intermediary."
C. Gal 3:23-24 (RSV) "Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under
restraint until faith should be revealed. 24So that the law was our custodian until Christ came,
that we might be justified by faith."
III. Law brings death, not life
Let us believe God’s word - the law can only bring death, not life.
A. Rom 7:9-11 (RSV) "I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came,
sin revived and I died; 10the very commandment which promised life proved to be death to me.
11For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it killed me."
B. Gal 3:21 (RSV) "Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not; for if a law had
been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law."
(Law is for lawless, unbelievers)
by Rene Brown
I. Law not for Believers!
The Israelites never understood the purpose of the law which was to show them it was impossible
for them to obtain righteousness by keeping the law - simply because keeping it was impossible -
and is still impossible apart from Christ who kept it for us.
A. 1 Timothy 1:8-10 (RSV) "Now we know that the law is good, if any one uses it lawfully,
9understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and
disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers
and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10immoral persons, sodomites, kidnapers, liars,
perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,"
Now this scripture implies that the law is not good if we use it unlawfully or wrongly!
That is, it will not be helpful.
B. Who are the just?
Believers in Christ are the just.
1. Rom 3:24 (RSV) "they [believers] are justified by his grace as a gift, through the
redemption which is in Christ Jesus,"
2. 2Cor 5:21 (RSV) "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we
might become the righteousness of God."
3. Holy and beloved
Colossians 3:12 (RSV) "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion,
kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience,"
C. Gal 3:25 RSV) "But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian;"
Again we say, Christians are not under the law! Christ has fulfilled it for us.
II. Why the law was given
To make men aware of sin - it was never to establish righteousness!
A. Rom 3:19 (RSV) "Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under
the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to
God."
B. Gal 3:19 (RSV) "Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the offspring
should come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained by angels through an
intermediary."
C. Gal 3:23-24 (RSV) "Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under
restraint until faith should be revealed. 24So that the law was our custodian until Christ came,
that we might be justified by faith."
III. Law brings death, not life
Let us believe God’s word - the law can only bring death, not life.
A. Rom 7:9-11 (RSV) "I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came,
sin revived and I died; 10the very commandment which promised life proved to be death to me.
11For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it killed me."
B. Gal 3:21 (RSV) "Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not; for if a law had
been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law."
