Deeper… Law/Gospel

The Law and The Gospel The Bible, the world’s biggest rule book? Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:27-28 Lust Matthew 5:31 Divorce Is the Bible just a bunch of rules?

Law/Gospel How we read the Bible… How do we read the rules? If they can be boiled down what’s the point? If we can’t keep them, what’s the point? Why would God make us with desires and then tell us not to act on them? Most people who claim to boil down the Bible’s morality to the 10 commandments pay no attention to their content. And they ignore the two great commandments.

(Mis)Reading the Bible Principles for Holy Living Rules and principles for fixing the mess we make of our lives. Softening Hard Commands i.e. the 2 Commandments Picking and Choosing The real meaning of “Judge not lest ye be judged…” Matthew 7:1-2

Law/Gospel What is the Law? “The Word by which God teaches us what we should do.” Martin Luther Not just the Old Testament; Part of the New Testament I.e. The Ten Commandments

The Law, huh, What is it good for? Restraining the Flesh Convicting of Sin Showing how to love God

Restraining the Flesh Matthew 5:21-26 (New International Version) Murder  "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Jesus What does this say about our hearts?

Restraining our Hearts What would happen without the commands? How often have you not done what you wanted to do because it’s wrong? “Just as an immoral person, if you should ask him why he commits adultery, can answer only that he is doing it for the sake of the carnal pleaseure he finds in it. For he does not do it for reward or punishment, he expects no gain from it, nor does he hope to escape from the evil of it. Such willingness the law requires in us… Not for the sake of heaven or hell, honor or disgrace, but for the sole reason that he considers it honorable, and that it pleases him exceedingly even if it were not commanded.” Martin Luther

Weakness of the Law The Law restrains our hearts in the same way that a cage restrains a lion. While the cage is there, the lion won’t eat you. Remove the cage, and you’re dinner. While the law is in place, we may not sin (as bad as we want to), but our hearts remain unchanged. We don’t need better rules, we need new hearts.

The Law for Murderous Hearts What’s the point? Gal 2:21 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” “For the law gives and helps us in no way whatever; it only demands and drives and shows us our misery and depravity.” Martin Luther

Conviction of Sin Romans 7:7-8 “What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘Do not covet.’ But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead.” What has the Law produced here? How?

Conviction of Sin Romans 7:13-14 “Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.” Why does the Law do this? What’s the point? Roms 7:15-25 The right response to the Law! “Thanks be to God!”

Conviction of Sin What do we do now? What’s next after repentance? Repentance! Galatians 3:1-6 “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?” The whole of the Christian life is summed up in this “repent and believe the good news.”

What’s the Use? Third Use of the Law “Although those who believe in Christ are truly motivated by the Spirit of God and do the will of God according to their inward person from a free spirit, nevertheless the Holy Spirit uses the written law on them to teach them, so that through it believers in Christ learn to serve God not according to their own ideas but according to his written law and Word, which is a certain rule and guiding principle for directing the godly life and behaviour according to the eternal and unchanging will of God” Book of Concord Protestant Controversy!

Growing as a Christian Sanctified through repentance and belief Downward growth Why this isn’t a bummer: Proverbs 3:34 “God mocks proud mockers, but gives grace to the humble.”

How to Read the Bible Law Gospel How to Read Matthew 7! It’s about how our hearts respond Grow defensive Make excuses Grow Proud Despair Repent and Receive grace! How to Read Matthew 7!