What About the Law?

Original Version (Marshall and Linden)

1. Introduction
2. The benefit of the law
   1. Psalm 119: “1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. 3 They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. 4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.”
      1. God’s law shows the way to blessings, and those who keep it need not be ashamed
   2. Proverbs 3: “1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.”
      1. Clearly, the law is for our own best good
      2. See also Mark 2: “27 Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’”
   3. James 1: “22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Those who listen to the word but do not do what it says are like people who look at their faces in a mirror 24 and, after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like. 25 But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
      1. The law gives freedom—freedom from the ill effects of sin
      2. The fact that there are civil laws and police to enforce them gives me freedom from fear
      3. See Romans 6:19-23 for more
3. The role of the law
   1. Romans 7:7-10, 13—the law defines right and wrong
   2. Note verse 12—the law describes God (holy)
   3. Verse 13: It demonstrates our status as sinners
4. The deficiency of the law
   1. Romans 7: “14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”
      1. The law tells us what sin is, but doesn’t free us from sin
      2. This is how the law can be condemning
   2. Romans 7: “24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
      1. It comes down to Jesus’ grace and the salvation that enables us to experience the freedom and benefits of the law

Revised Version (Valentine and Springview)

1. Introduction
2. The benefit of the law
   1. Psalm 119: “1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. 3 They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. 4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.”
      1. God’s law shows the way to blessings, and those who keep it need not be ashamed
   2. Proverbs 3: “1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.”
      1. Clearly, the law is for our own best good
      2. See also Mark 2: “27 Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’”
   3. James 1: “22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Those who listen to the word but do not do what it says are like people who look at their faces in a mirror 24 and, after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like. 25 But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
      1. The law gives freedom—freedom from the ill effects of sin
      2. The fact that there are civil laws and police to enforce them gives me freedom from fear
      3. See Romans 6:19-23 for more
3. The role of the law
   1. Romans 7:7-10, 13—the law defines right and wrong
   2. Note verse 12—the law describes God (holy)
   3. Verse 13: It demonstrates our status as sinners
4. The deficiency of the law
   1. Romans 7: “14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”
      1. The law tells us what sin is, but doesn’t free us from sin
      2. This is how the law can be condemning
   2. Romans 7: “24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
      1. It comes down to Jesus’ grace and the salvation that enables us to experience the freedom and benefits of the law
   3. So, what is salvation?
      1. 1 Timothy 1:15—Who qualifies for salvation?
      2. Romans 3: “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
      3. 1 John 1:9—Jesus cleanses us
      4. It’s a choice
      5. The Sinner’s Prayer
         1. Heavenly Father, I accept Jesus as my personal Savior. I accept you dear God as my Daddy in Heaven.
         2. I give you my hopes, dreams and desires. I give you the good, the bad and the ugly in my life. I am guilty Lord. I give you my guilt right now. Thank you for taking it. I confess that I am a sinner; please forgive me.
         3. I surrender my will to you. I ask that you fill me with your Holy Spirit. I ask that your Spirit direct my will.
         4. Thank you for giving me eternal life right now. In the lovely name of Jesus, amen.