Understanding The Law Of God

In the last couple of studies, we introduced the concept of the law. We discussed what sin is: sin is a breaking of the law. We covered the Ten Commandments and mentioned the 613 laws that fall under them. We also briefly touched on the hierarchy of the law. Now, we will go deeper into the proper use of the law.

There is a right way to understand the law, and there is a wrong way. All of the law hinges on the greatest commandment: love. You cannot break the law by acting in love, and you cannot love while breaking the law. This is the proper way to understand the law.

Jesus criticized the Pharisees for attempting to follow the letter of the law while neglecting its spirit. They focused on ritual practices without considering their true meaning. In short, they missed the point!

This is often how legalism and superstition manifest in Christianity. For example, we read about practices like baptism and then perform them ritualistically without grasping their actual meaning and purpose.

As a result, many false teachings arise because the true meaning is hidden from us. We end up believing all kinds of misconceptions because we miss the point.

Using the Law Unlawfully

There are two ways to interpret these verses. The first is how a Pharisee might view them. To them, verses 10 and 11 would mean that if you break even one of the commandments in law, you have broken all of them. Circumstances would not matter.

For instance, if you were to heal someone on the Sabbath day, this could be considered “work.” Since the law states that no work shall be done on the Sabbath, it would be seen as a violation. This idea focuses on adhering strictly to the letter of the law without understanding its purpose.

Jesus showed us that interpreting these types of laws in such a way is incorrect. It is an ignorant approach to understanding the law. He made it clear that there is a hierarchy to the law, with love being the highest commandment. All of the law flows down from love.

In their attempt to obey the letter of the law, many missed the point entirely. Because of this, they used the law unlawfully. Ironically, they were the ones breaking the law by failing to understand its true meaning and proper use.

The Correct Way to Use the Law

The correct way to view the law is to understand that mercy (a quality of love) overrules the lower law of the Sabbath. Thus, no law was actually broken. Jesus demonstrated that when there is a conflict between two laws, it is not a sin to prioritize the higher of the two.

This is why the Bible contains instances that may seem strange. For example, Rahab was honored and rewarded for telling a lie. People in Scripture did things that might appear evil at first glance, but when you understand the reality of the law, you see why those actions were justified.

Let me address this here as well. I am sure some may slander me because of this. But like Paul, I am not saying we should do evil for the sake of the good that may come! The ends do not always justify the means.

For example, can you save someone’s life without telling a lie? If so, then it would be a sin to lie when other options are available. But if there are no other options, which law takes precedence? Would it not be the law to protect life?

This is why Rahab was blessed for telling the lie she did in Joshua 2. So no, I am not saying we should sin just for the good that may come. I am saying we need to understand that when we must “choose the lesser of two evils,” there is a higher and a lower law.

Condemning the Innocent

How often do we condemn the guiltless because we fail to understand the real meaning behind things? This is the danger of trying to follow the Scriptures without following Jesus. This is why many horrible things have been done in the name of Christianity.

People have been put on trial for things they didn’t do, sentenced to death, or labeled as heretics and killed for teaching what the Scriptures actually say. All of this happened because people mishandled the Word of God.

Some may believe something to be a sin that others do not. If it is not clearly spoken of in the Bible, then it is what we call doubtful because it isn’t clear to us.

But what if you know the Scriptures actually teach something to be a sin? You may have no doubt about it. But what about others? Do they know?

Perhaps they don’t know what you know. Perhaps they are like children, too weak in the faith to understand. You have no doubt about it, but they do.

As Christians, we have a duty to help each other understand the Scriptures. We should help each other live righteous lives, so we share what we know.

But not everyone is able to grasp what the Bible says right away. Sometimes they need to take what you say and let that seed have time to grow. Until then, what does the Bible say about them? It may be clearly a sin to you, but they don’t know yet.

Will you also condemn them to death as those in the past would? Will you also disown them as brothers and sisters? Because little do you know, it may be you that is wrong.

If Jesus can ask the Father to forgive these pagan men in the middle of crucifying Him without knowing what they were really doing would He not also forgive His children that sin unknowingly?

In the book of Leviticus God says many times that a person may sin without knowing it is a sin. There are many sacrifices that God commanded for when that sin is made known to the man. Today we have one for all sin, known and unknown. His name is Jesus.

But for the brother that doesn’t know something to be a sin consider this passage. Without knowing the law sin was dead. In other words it had no effect. It was as if it were not a sin. But when it became known to him he realized he was guilty.

This is what happens when we bring things to the attention of other Christians. They are made aware and then they have to admit it is sin. They also need to acknowledge that this too is covered by the blood of Jesus and they should repent.

Therefore have mercy on the ignorant brothers and sisters knowing that God too has mercy on your ignorance. Do not cast them aside and disown them. Teach them and let them learn.

Remember that it takes time for a seed to grow. Don’t say there is no tree just because it hasn’t yet come into its fullness. Have mercy and patience.

Not All That Is Called Love Is Love

There are also those who claim they are not guilty of sin because they follow the greatest commandment: love. However, not all that is called love is truly love. Sometimes, we trick ourselves into believing we are acting in love when we are really acting selfishly.

Just as we may misuse Scripture for legalistic purposes (calling something a sin that really isn’t), we can also misuse it for lawless purposes (claiming something is not a sin when it truly is).

Many evils hide behind a mask that looks like love. I’m sure you’ve found this to be true. Growing up in the South, I’m reminded of the phrase, “Bless your heart.” If you’re not familiar with it, it’s often not a kind phrase. It’s frequently an insult disguised with politeness.

There are those who disguise lust by calling it love. Some mask gossip as prayer requests. Others may even disguise murder under the guise of “righteous indignation.” In short, not everything labeled as love truly is love.

The word “charity” in the KJV refers to love. Notice that love “does not rejoice in iniquity”? Remember, iniquity is a twisting of truth. Therefore, nothing twisted or deceitful can be called love.

For example, an abuser claiming they beat their spouse out of love is lying. Similarly, anyone who rejoices in what God has clearly called sin and calls it love is also lying.

Now we can see how the law operates and how not everything is as it seems. Some things labeled as sin may not truly be sin, while other actions not commonly recognized as sin may, in fact, be sinful. To discern the difference, we must understand the hierarchy of the law and be able to see the boundaries between right and wrong.

In truth, there is no “gray area” in these matters. There is a distinct line between right and wrong, black and white. If it seems blurred, the issue lies with our ability to see the standard, not the standard itself.

We Are Not the Standard

Have you ever seen someone confronted about their sin, only to deflect by pointing out the faults of others? It’s a common response: a Christian highlights sin in someone’s life, and that person immediately counters by pointing out the Christian’s sins.

Let’s consider this honestly. If I am in sin, does that make your sin disappear? Of course not. Does the sin of another person negate the reality of your own? It does not. Every individual will answer to God for their actions. Pointing out someone else’s sin does nothing to erase your own.

This tactic is often used to shift focus and avoid accountability. People think that by making someone else seem worse, they are somehow excused.

This is one reason why scandals involving pastors or other Christians make headline news. The world seizes these opportunities to justify its own sin, thinking, “At least I’m not like those hypocritical Christians.” But in truth, we all sin. No one is exempt.

Ironically, this shared reality of sinfulness can become a powerful tool in evangelism. When someone responds to me in this way, pointing out either sins I haven’t addressed or accusing me of sins I may or may not have committed, I don’t try to defend myself. Instead, I agree that I need Jesus just as much as they do.

This creates common ground. I don’t hide my sin or make excuses for it. Even when the accusations are false, I don’t argue. I simply acknowledge that we both need Jesus—and that’s the heart of the matter.

We are all guilty of sin, and no amount of pointing fingers can change that. Knowing the law and its hierarchy does not prevent us from breaking it. This reality doesn’t mean sin doesn’t matter, but it does mean we need help.

The Bible teaches that sin results in judgment, but it also offers forgiveness. The next sections will explore these truths in greater depth.

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