What is the LAW in the context of Romans?

What is the LAW in the context of Romans?

When we read Romans, the foundation book of our Christian faith, Paul speaks a lot about the law. For example, here are three verses that refer to ‘law’.

• 3:20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
• 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
• 7:6  But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

If we had context of what the law refers to, we will be able to understand these verses better. I have had people ask, is it the Mosaic law? Is it the 10-commandments? Is it Israel’s 613 laws? Is it state or country laws? Is it church laws? Is it secular business rules and regulations? Is it my own personal rules I follow to be a good person and serve God?

Well, it is actually all of the above, and anything else I have missed. Let me define what Paul means, for the majority of the time, when he refers to the law in his writings.

The law is any set of external rules or regulations that are enforced upon us in expectation of obedience, conduct and performance. It is something we DO in our own strength to appease a governing power.

In a Biblical context, when we place ourselves under the letter of the law, serving God is a work. It is an obligation. It is a mechanical process of right and wrong which appears righteous on the outside but has no capacity to change the heart on the inside. Because of our sin nature, the law is weak to change us, Rom.8:3, yet in contrast, it increases sin in us, Rom.5:20. Being under the law results in condemnation and death, Rom.7:9, 2 Cor.3:6.

So, when Paul refers to the law in the letter of Romans, and his other epistles, in most cases it is in the context described above.  I will get into more details later, but first, let me speak about our relationship with ‘law’, as humans.

Humans rely on the law for justice and peace. The law is engrafted within us from birth. We have all had spankings from our parents or guardians when we were young and disobeyed them. The law is what people know and understand. If law is violated (or if there is no law), then there is evil and chaos. With the law, peace and righteousness reigns. For us humans, the law represents all that is good, acceptable, and moral. By nature, when you do what the law requires, you have peace, and you are immune to judgement and punishment, whether from parents or church or country or God. So, we are in tune with the law. We understand the law and we try to live by the law.

I mention this explicitly, because it is of great importance to note that Paul tells us that we are NOT justified, or made right with God, by the law! Paul says that we are NOT under the law, and through our trust in Christ we have been delivered from it. Now this goes against all we as humans know. This does not gel with our understanding. Isn’t the law good? Does it not bring order and peace? How can God say that we must give up the law, abandon the law, and even die to the law? To complicate matters, why does Paul tell us to die to the law, but Jesus taught, “If you love me, obey my commandments”. Are Paul and Jesus opposed to each other? How do we consolidate all of this?

If you stay with me in this study, all these questions will be answered.

We will continue in the next post…