May 16 – Freedom From The Law

“¹ Since I am speaking to those who know the law, brothers and sisters, don’t you know that the law rules over someone as long as he lives? ² For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband. ³ So then, if she is married to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she is married to another man, she is not an adulteress. ⁴ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death in relation to the law through the body of Christ so that you may belong to another. You belong to him who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.”

In the previous devotional, Paul began to explain how it is that Christians are freed from their condemnation for sin under the Law of God. Today, we’ll see that Paul uses a relatable example to help illustrate his point: Marriage. In the same way that a wife is free from the binding law of marriage when her husband dies, so we are free in regards to the law when we ourselves were put to death in Christ Jesus. What does it mean to be free from the law? Why do we need to be free from the law? If Jesus had come only to add more rules to the law, or provide a different means of sacrificial atonement, Paul equates this to adultery, since Jews were bound to the Old Testament law. It was important that Jesus came to die for sinners. Many of the Jews thought that Jesus was going to restore Israel, bringing a new kingdom where He would rule over all. We should be glad that this was not the case. If that was what Jesus came to earth to do, then we would still be dead in our trespasses and sins. The Old Testament sacrificial system was never meant to atone for sin. It was simply a picture that pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus would make. The blood of bulls and goats cannot cover sin, only the blood of a sinless savior. 

“Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the reality itself of those things, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year. Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, purified once and for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in the sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”  — ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭4‬

This, however, did not indicate that a new system for atonement was needed. Jesus did not come to abolish the law and replace it with something different. Rather, Jesus came to fulfill the law, which was always its purpose. The law exists to show us our sin and point us to our need for salvation in Christ Jesus. 

“‘Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.’” — ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬-‭20‬

When Jesus died on the cross, condemnation under the law for sin was removed for all those who believe in Him, and the wrath of God was satisfied by His perfect sacrifice. In this way, Christians have died to the law. 

“For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  — ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭20

Now that we are dead to the law, we may belong to another. We are slaves of Christ now. And not only that. Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to us, so now we are able to bear fruit for God, meaning, through the process of sanctification, our true heart condition can be known. Through our bearing of righteous fruit, God will be honored and glorified.