Works of the law
Works Of The Law?
What does Paul mean by "works of the law?"
Ro 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; Ga 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Ga 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Ga 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Your essential question goes back to the old discussion of faith and works.
Essentially, we were created to do good works: Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
But because we haven't done them, no amount of working overtime will make up for lost works. The option is to have someone else make up lost works for us (which they can't because they are lacking themselves) or to die, or have someone else die for us.
We trust Christ has done this for us. The fact that we trust Christ has died for us to pay the penalty of not having the works we were created for, doesn't change the fact we were created for good works and should continue in them.
Jesus summarized all the law, saying that if you comply with the spirit of His summary, you have complied with the letter of the law. His summary is to love God and love you neighbor. In this He shows that the law could only imperfectly reveal the character of God.
Now that we have His spirit within us, we are able to love as He directed us to and do not need the law to tell us what not to do when we are following His Spirit in what to do.
I do not need a commandment to not commit adultery, because I love my wife. I do not need a commandment to tell me not to steal, because I love God for what He has provided. Reply With Quote -- Works Of The Law? Good post. Thanks. I have never read any Sungenis. But I will now look for him.
But, ya know...no matter how well it's explained, someone always comes back and says. "That means I can willfully sin."
And the answer always has to be, nope. You were not created to sin. You were created to do good works, and that purpose predates any law.
