Comparison of Law and Grace
Our
Sunday School lessons have been on Romans.
I
would like to pass on an illustration that may help
with
the understanding of the
difference
between law and grace.
When
a person visits a museum there are usually
many
warning signs around that say,
"DO
NOT TOUCH" or "HANDS OFF".
This
like the law.
The things you cannot do to
are named and you must follow the rules
or
suffer the consequences.
The
sign/law tells us what we should not do,
but
does not change our desire to do
the things that are wrong.
In
fact it may increase our desire to try it.
Wherefore
the law was our schoolmaster
to
bring us unto Christ,
Galatians
3:24
But
if the museum is owned by a very close friend,
that
you love,
there
doesn't have to be signs.
You
respect the property and want to preserve it,
so
you do nothing that will cause it to be harmed.
Even
without a signs,
because
you know and love the owner,
you
show respect and follow the rules.
So
it is that the law taught us what was wrong,
but
did not have the capability to make us obey
or change our wanting to do wrong
other than to escape punishment.
But, as Christians,
we
do what the Lord wants,
because
we love Him and
want to please Him.
Wherefore
the law was our schoolmaster
to
bring us unto Christ,
that
we might be justified by faith.
But
after that faith is come,
we
are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Galatians
3:24-25
We
obey Him, because we love Him,
not just to avoid the consequences.
Jesus condensed all the law into two commandments:
Jesus
said unto him,
Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This
is the first and great commandment.
And
the second is like unto it,
Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On
these two commandments
hang
all the law and the prophets.
Matthew
22:37-40
and then
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:15
Have a wonderful week.
