In Psalm 119:97, David cries out, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” But Paul wrote to the Romans, “You are not under law but under grace,” (6:14) and to the Galatians, “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (5:18). So, for Christians, which is it? Are we called to live free from the Law or devoted to the Law? How we answer this question makes a radical difference in how we live. The biblical answer is not as difficult as it appears. Yet confusion about keeping the law causes millions of believers to have a fuzzy view of their mission. So, let’s dig into our study.
As we continue our study of I Timothy we realize that the question of the place of the law for Christians was an issue that Timothy and other church leaders at Ephesus were wrestling with. We’ll get to his instructions to Timothy in a moment but first let’s observe two overview truths concerning the NT teaching about the law.
1). In every instance in which Paul says, “we are not under the law,” the context was how we are justified, i.e. declared legally righteous before the judge of the universe. Although Paul points to the example of Abraham “who believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” to prove that Old Covenant believers always were saved by faith and NOT by keeping the law, human pride had corrupted many of Israel’s scribes and Pharisees who believed they were saved by keeping the law. And they had become shockingly legalistic. This strain of thought was making its way into the church and Paul steadfastly fought it, especially in the books of Romans and Ephesians. As Paul had written to this Ephesian church, By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph 2:8-9). So, “not being under the law” refers to how Christians are saved, not how they live.
2). Theologians have identified three different categories of Biblical law.
- Civil. These had to do with governing the nation of Israel. They focus on the way civil society functions, for example what happens when your ox gores someone, land ownership is disputed, or witnesses give conflicting testimony in court. NT Era Application. Although the giving of the Law in Leviticus and Deuteronomy shows all three categories of law interwoven, Biblical scholars agree that the civil laws of Scripture provide general equity to guide civil society formation and that to whatever degree these laws function as guidelines for a society, that society will be blessed. For example, the civil law of Deuteronomy 9 establishes cities of refuge for the protection of those who accidentally killed someone from revenge-seeking relatives. But intentional murderers were to be executed. This same general distinction between manslaughter, which is unintentional and murder that is premeditated is a pattern followed by US Law.
- Ceremonial. The OT ceremonial laws had to do with the priesthood, sacrifices, rituals, the temple, and religious holidays. NT Era Application. The book of Hebrews is written to show that these were all types and foreshadows pointing to and fulfilled in the coming of Christ our Great High Priest. Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins… by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Heb 10:11-14).
- Moral. The purpose of the moral law is to spell out what true righteousness looks like in everyday practice. That behavior is summarized in the Ten Commandments given by Moses in Exodus 20 and repeated forty years later in Deuteronomy 5. The first four commandments (first table of the law) describe what loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength look like. 1) Give me first place in your affections. 2) Worship me for who I really am not your own image of me. 3) Respect my name. 4) Set apart a day a week for special time to enjoy me. The second table of the law reveals what loving our neighbor as ourselves looks like. Honor your father and mother. Don’t commit murder, adultery, theft, deceit, or coveting. NT Era Application. The moral law is an eternal expression of the holy nature of God. It is what true righteousness looks like. So, the binding nature of the moral law not only comes fully into the NT, devoting ourselves to keeping the moral law is the mark of true Christians, especially teachers who teach sound doctrine. That is Paul’s point to Timothy.
TIMOTHY 1:5-15
A. The true gospel produces righteous living. The only gospel there is in Scripture is the gospel of the kingdom—the good news that the Second Adam has come into Kingdom Earth to overthrow the reign of sin, take back Adam’s throne, and spread the rule of righteousness throughout the earth. Therefore, any charge to valid church leaders or teachers will be connected to producing the fruit of righteousness. Thus, Paul explains that the aim of his charge to church leaders is producing the first spiritual fruit of righteousness, love. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions (v 5-7).
The ESV Study Notes explain the chief theme of I Timothy: “The gospel produces holiness in the lives of believers, and there is no legitimate separation between belief and behavior.” Paul jumps right to this issue in verse 5 saying that any charge to a legitimate spiritual leader or teacher in the church is a charge to demonstrate the highest of all godly virtues, love for those under their care. He then demonstrates that you can never separate the moral law of God from the gospel. Both the moral law of God and the gospel are given to stop evil and bring about righteousness. That is why he argues that true gospel preachers exhibit love, which is at the core of the two greatest commandments.
B. Furthermore, true gospel teaching of the moral law exposes evil. The moral law explains what true righteousness looks like and what falling short, (which is called “sin”) looks like. Because the moral law exposes sin, it has the power to restrain evil as well, if responded to properly. This restraining purpose of the law is not needed by the righteous, but by the lawless. As Paul explains,
Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the righteous but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted (1:8-11).
Paul is saying that valid gospel teaching is never antinomian, a word that means, “anti-law-ism.” The moral law of God is good. Not only does it show what true righteousness looks like, it both exposes evil and restrains evil. Notice that in this text Paul is going through the Ten Commandments. “Any teaching that minimizes the moral law of God,” says Paul, “is contrary to ‘sound doctrine.’” The word sound used here means “health-giving.” Teaching that undermines the moral law is NOT “health giving.” Why? Because the moral law always points us to the path of life. To counter antinomianism, Paul wrote to the Galatians. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap life forevermore (Gal 6:7-8). The true gospel never undermines the moral law.
C. The same message, that the true gospel never undermines the moral law is restated by Paul a few verses later. Verse 15: The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of course! How could the true gospel ever minimize the moral law of God when Jesus’ whole purpose in coming into the world was to rescue us from sin, not just its punishment but its power to enslave us. The truth is that the gospel always leads to a love for God’s moral law and devotion to it.
THE PURSUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
What is your gut response to the word, righteous? What comes to mind when you hear, Ryan is consumed with being righteous, or Lauren is focused on her own righteousness?” This word does not appeal to us at all. The reason is that it has many very unfortunate, very mistaken connotations. Let’s try to distinguish, the rich biblical meaning of this word from our sadly mistaken, default ideas.
A. First, the biblical concept of righteousness does not at all imply self-righteousness. It is not the salvation by works that all other religions teach. The Greek word, DIKAIOSUNE means, that which conforms to the moral will of God. This word does not carry with it, in any way the idea that this righteousness is earned, that it reflects an over-estimation of one’s own righteousness, or that this righteousness is in any way a basis for self-justification.
B. Second, although the Bible does use DIKAIOSUNE, the word for righteousness, to describe the imputed righteousness of Christ to us, its more common use in the NT is a call to righteousness of character. Christ has declared us legally righteous. The law has no claim against us to condemn us for our sin. But the term, righteousness has a much richer meaning in Scripture than just justification, a one-time act. Notice that Hebrews 10:15, which we just read, distinguishes between the one-time act of justification (being declared legally perfect) and the Christ-follower’s ongoing growth into righteous character, sanctification: For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
C. Pursuing biblical righteousness is NOT moralism. Moralism is using obedience as a bargaining chip with God. Moralists might trust Christ for salvation, but they aren’t sure God will love them if they don’t behave. Instead of the freedom to bask in God’s unconditional love, a moralist must be good, so God loves him back and God will give him what he wants. Moralist’s obedience to God earns them the right to demand that God bless them in the ways they expect blessing. When God doesn’t do that, their faith is shattered. The moral law oppresses them because they must keep it for God to love them. The reality, however, as Steve Brown points out, is that only those who know God will love them even if they never get better, will ever get any better (DMin Lectures). When they understand God’s unconditional love, they will love the moral law not hate it and pursue true righteousness with all their hearts. It is God’s path to life and to pleasing him!
D. A focus on biblical righteousness is NOT legalism. Legalism’s focus is on outward rule-keeping. It loads its proponents down with extreme applications of the law, which its advocates make binding on everyone “How could any Christian put his kids in public school,” “Everyone should keep the Sabbath the way we do.” “You watched an R-rated movie?” Jesus explained that the legalism of the scribes and Pharisees was the opposite of true righteousness. He said, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness (Matt 23:23).
THE CHRIST-FOLLOWER’S MISSION: PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS
Despite the common misconception that pursuing righteousness is legalistic, there is an overwhelming case in Scripture that, in fact, the mission of Christ-followers is to pursue righteous attitudes and behavior in their own lives and over the earth.
A. Pursuing righteousness is not legalistic; it trusts what Jesus said about the law.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:17-19).
After these verses, Jesus expanded the meaning of the ten pillars of the moral law to include far more than outward behavior. Not murdering means not harming through words or anger. Not committing adultery means not lusting. Not bearing false witness means always keeping your word. Not stealing means giving generously. Jesus did not deny the validity of the moral law; he expanded it.
B. Pursuing righteousness is not legalistic; it’s our calling from The Master. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus expressly tells his followers that their top priority, above caring about what they will eat or drink or wear is to seek first the rule of Christ’s kingdom of righteousness. The phrase, “the kingdom of God and his righteousness” is a grammatic structure, which shows that the kingdom of God and righteousness are being used as synonyms. The kingdom of God is the sphere where Christ’s agenda of righteousness and restoration is being accomplished.
C. Pursuing righteousness is not legalistic; it images God to the world. The Apostle Peter wrote, As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:14-16). Interestingly, Peter quotes here from Leviticus 11:45, which gives two reasons for being holy: because that is the proper response of one who has been saved from slavery—in the case of Israel slavery to Egypt, in the case of Christians slavery to sin. Secondly because we are to image God. For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
D. Pursuing righteousness is not legalistic; it is God’s plan of redemption. Jesus launched his ministry in his hometown of Nazareth quoting the great Messianic passage of Isaiah 61:1-3 which says that God’s purpose was to turn his people into oaks of righteousness. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, …that they may be called OAKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. As the firstfruits of the new order of humanity, we show the world what restoration to wholeness looks like.
E. Pursuing righteousness is not legalistic; it is expressing gratefulness to God for his mercy. In his letter to the Romans, after devoting eleven chapters to explaining the mercy of God in his glorious plan of salvation, Paul challenges believers with the only logical response: With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity (12:1-2).
F. Pursuing righteousness is not legalistic; it is what all Christians do. Paul commands the Ephesian Christians, Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and…put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (4:22-24).
G. Pursuing righteousness is not legalistic; it is loving Jesus in HIS love language.
Jesus said, If you love me, you will keep my commandments (Jn 14:16).
H. Pursuing righteousness is not legalistic; it is what Christ-followers transformed hearts CRAVE. Jesus’ clearest portrait of human living when his kingdom invades our heart attitudes is known as a series of Beatitudes. The fourth is Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Of course! The most satisfying, fulfilling way to live is to be restored to God’s unfallen design. The moral law shows us what that design, true righteousness, looks like.
Notice that this Beatitude is not just focused on outward behavior that is right; our inner hearts are to crave the spread of righteousness. When Jesus says we are to hunger and thirst for such righteousness, the power of that metaphor misses modern day believers, who know very little about being really hungry or really thirsty. But in Jesus’ day, a working man ate meat only once per week and many beggars would have to go two days before eating. Severe thirst was even more common in a world where there was no plumbing, a hot, scorching sun, and dust storms that could fill the throat and nostrils nearly to the point of suffocation. Jesus is saying, "My followers are those whose longing for righteousness is as strong as a starving beggar’s hunger for food, whose passion for righteousness is as intense as the thirst of a weary, parched-throated traveler."
In closing, Scripture overwhelmingly teaches that pursuing righteousness is NOT being legalistic. In fact, that pursuit is to consume us. John Macarthur writes, “The fourth beatitude speaks of strong desire, of driving pursuit, of a passionate force inside the soul. It has to do with ambition—ambition of the right sort—whose object is to honor, obey, and glorify God by partaking of his righteousness. (The MacArthur New Testament Commentary). May our hunger and thirst for righteousness—for everything broken by sin to be fixed—lead us to say with David to the Lord, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”
For Further Prayerful Thought:
- How would try to explain to a new believer that when Paul said that Christians don’t live “under the law” he was referring to how we are SAVED, not how we are TO LIVE.
- What stood out to you about the three categories of biblical law?
- Look back at the 8 texts and reasons that pursuing righteousness is NOT legalism. Which ones seemed most persuasive to you.
- In David’s Psalm 119 cry, “O how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” why might he associate loving God’s law with meditating on it?
