Some people—including some Christians—might think that interpreting the law too carefully is legalistic. We have enough trouble keeping the easy commandments; so what is the point of looking at God’s law in exhaustive detail? Isn’t that legalistic?
On the contrary, it is when we have a limited understanding of the law that we are most tempted to legalism, because then we think that we can keep it. If all God commanded us to do was to avoid murdering someone, we might be able to obey him. But we need to interpret the sixth commandment in the context of the whole Bible, with everything it says about murderous intentions. Since the law is spiritual, it condemns unrighteous anger as well as murder. Since it is positive as well as negative, it requires the active preservation of life. And since it represents a whole category of sins, we are forbidden to harm people in any way or to allow others to do so.
Is this a legalistic way of thinking? Not at all. This kind of Biblical reasoning rescues us from legalism by preventing us from lowering God’s standard. God’s standard is only maintained when we recognize what his righteousness truly requires. And when we know what God requires, in all its fullness, we also see the full extent of our sin. It is only a full understanding of God’s law that reveals our full need for the gospel. In the words of J. Gresham Machen, “A low view of law always brings legalism in religion; a high view of law makes a man a seeker after grace.”
Here we need to recall how to use God’s law. As we have seen, the Ten Commandments are a multi-use item. One of their primary purposes is to show us our sin, so that we will see our need for a Savior. The law points us to Jesus Christ, whom the Scriptures identify as “the end of the law” (Rom. 10:4), meaning that he is the goal or true purpose of the law. The more clearly and thoroughly we understand what God’s law requires, the more clearly and thoroughly we understand the grace that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ.
The moral law also reveals the full extent of Christ’s atonement. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. If we have a narrow understanding of God’s law, we might imagine that we did not have very many sins to die for. But a full interpretation of the Ten Commandments reveals the full extent of our sin, and thus it reveals the full extent of the atonement. Christ died for all our sins. He died for our sins against God and our sins against humanity. He died for our idolatry, profanity, and adultery. He died for our lying, stealing, and murder. He died for our sins both inside and out. He died for all the sins we commit in every category of God’s command. He even died for all the sins we committed by sharing in the sins of others. Christ died for all our sins, suffering the full penalty that our guilt deserved. The more thoroughly we understand the implications of God’s law, the more truly grateful we are for the grace of God in the atoning death of Jesus Christ. When we know what the law requires, we can understand the cross.
Finally, for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, the moral law reveals the full duty of the Christian life. This is another use of God’s law. It shows God’s redeemed people how to live for God’s glory. When we give the law its full interpretation, we gain a better grasp of God’s righteous standard in all its perfection, and thus we have a better idea of how to please him. To put this in theological terms, when we know what the law requires, we can understand the doctrine of sanctification. This is why we study God’s law: to understand our great need for Christ and his gospel and to learn how many ways we can glorify God for his grace.
On the contrary, it is when we have a limited understanding of the law that we are most tempted to legalism, because then we think that we can keep it. If all God commanded us to do was to avoid murdering someone, we might be able to obey him. But we need to interpret the sixth commandment in the context of the whole Bible, with everything it says about murderous intentions. Since the law is spiritual, it condemns unrighteous anger as well as murder. Since it is positive as well as negative, it requires the active preservation of life. And since it represents a whole category of sins, we are forbidden to harm people in any way or to allow others to do so.
Is this a legalistic way of thinking? Not at all. This kind of Biblical reasoning rescues us from legalism by preventing us from lowering God’s standard. God’s standard is only maintained when we recognize what his righteousness truly requires. And when we know what God requires, in all its fullness, we also see the full extent of our sin. It is only a full understanding of God’s law that reveals our full need for the gospel. In the words of J. Gresham Machen, “A low view of law always brings legalism in religion; a high view of law makes a man a seeker after grace.”
Here we need to recall how to use God’s law. As we have seen, the Ten Commandments are a multi-use item. One of their primary purposes is to show us our sin, so that we will see our need for a Savior. The law points us to Jesus Christ, whom the Scriptures identify as “the end of the law” (Rom. 10:4), meaning that he is the goal or true purpose of the law. The more clearly and thoroughly we understand what God’s law requires, the more clearly and thoroughly we understand the grace that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ.
Christ and the Moral Law
What does the moral law, summarized in the Ten Commandments and rightly interpreted, reveal about the person and work of Jesus Christ? It reveals the full extent of his perfect obedience. The Bible assures us that although Jesus was “born under law” (Gal. 4:4), he “fulfill[ed] all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15) and “committed no sin” (1 Pet. 2:22). This was no small accomplishment! The law of God searches to the very soul. It is utterly exhaustive in the righteousness it requires. We are not capable of keeping even a single commandment with perfect integrity. But Jesus kept them all, down to the last detail, and he did it on our behalf. If we are joined to him by faith, then God regards us as if we had kept his whole law perfectly. Christ was crucified “in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us” (Rom. 8:4a). Therefore, the law shows us what perfect righteousness we have in Christ. To put this in more technical terms, when we know what the law requires, we can understand the doctrine of justification.The moral law also reveals the full extent of Christ’s atonement. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. If we have a narrow understanding of God’s law, we might imagine that we did not have very many sins to die for. But a full interpretation of the Ten Commandments reveals the full extent of our sin, and thus it reveals the full extent of the atonement. Christ died for all our sins. He died for our sins against God and our sins against humanity. He died for our idolatry, profanity, and adultery. He died for our lying, stealing, and murder. He died for our sins both inside and out. He died for all the sins we commit in every category of God’s command. He even died for all the sins we committed by sharing in the sins of others. Christ died for all our sins, suffering the full penalty that our guilt deserved. The more thoroughly we understand the implications of God’s law, the more truly grateful we are for the grace of God in the atoning death of Jesus Christ. When we know what the law requires, we can understand the cross.
Finally, for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, the moral law reveals the full duty of the Christian life. This is another use of God’s law. It shows God’s redeemed people how to live for God’s glory. When we give the law its full interpretation, we gain a better grasp of God’s righteous standard in all its perfection, and thus we have a better idea of how to please him. To put this in theological terms, when we know what the law requires, we can understand the doctrine of sanctification. This is why we study God’s law: to understand our great need for Christ and his gospel and to learn how many ways we can glorify God for his grace.
