“If God does exist, I don’t want to know him,” he retorted with anger “He creates these petty laws we have to keep and then sends us to hell if we don’t keep them. Well I am not interested in a God like that!”
Have you heard that argument before? Perhaps you’ve even used it.
It makes a lot of sense. If God is just creating petty laws and judging us by them then he’s no use to anyone.
What should our attitude be to the law of God? Is it unjust? What law is it that we’re held to exactly? And why does he need to punish them. Read on to find out more.
What Law Are We Held To?
Our society (on the whole) is without the written Law of God (the Old Testament). This means we are judged by the law that is written on our hearts instead (see Romans 2:12-16).
Each of our hearts testifies to certain basic rules (i.e. it is wrong to murder, say unkind words to each other etc.). It is against this law we are judged.
Why Has God Established This Law?
Why has God established a law in the first place?
Teaching
Imagine a country without any laws. Without them, nothing could protect us. We could be robbed, raped and murdered and unless we had the strength to fight back we would be powerless to stop it. Laws exist for protection, especially the protection of the weak.
In the same way, God has given us laws to protect us from evil.
Enforcing
But why is God enforcing the law, isn’t it enough to teach it?
Our country’s law tells us its wrong to copy CDs. Why do most people still do it? The reason is because the law is not enforced. If we expected copyright police to crash through our doors, we wouldn’t copy CDs.
God must uphold the law if it is going to be kept. He must punish for the laws to be taken seriously.
Can We Keep The Law?
We can’t keep the law on our hearts.
Make a list of deeds you consider to be wrong. Lying, pride, gossip, stealing. Almost all of them you’ll have already broken and many you’ll break by the end of the week.
Why is that? Scripture tells us our hearts are deceitful. They keep the law in our hearts hidden, persuading us our immediate gratification is much better. We push the law we know is right to one side, thinking we are the exception to the rule.
Is the Law Fair?
If we can’t keep this law is it fair? Yes. We knew the law. We decided to hide it and not obey it.
If a man came to a court of law having killed his wife and kids, but said “My heart deceived me, I thought this was better for me to do”, we wouldn’t let him off. He is in charge of his heart! He is responsible!
Besides, what fairness can we judge this law by? God created everything, including the law on our hearts. He is satisfied that his law is just. Where else can we take our claim?
Can We Be Declared Innocent?
It seems like life is pretty hopeless then. We’re just heading straight for judgement, right?
Hold on. Just because we can never be perfect doesn’t mean we can’t get out of this mess.
The verdict on us is God’s judgement, but here’s the deal: Jesus is willing to pay the price on our behalf. He will take God’s judgement and we will take his perfect righteousness. How about that?
This is what Jesus did on the cross.
What must we do? Only repent of our evil ways and have faith in him to do it. That is all that is required.
Is God fair to call us unjust? Yes, he is. But God has something better than justice: mercy.
Why don’t you accept that offer today or at least consider the claims of Jesus more?
This Series:
If Christ Was Real… Answering four arguments that Christ cannot exist (Originally discussed at BridgingSchisms.org).
1. If Christ was real…he wouldn’t have such awful followers.
2. If Christ was real…he wouldn’t send people to hell.
3. If Christ was Real…he wouldn’t judge us according to an unjust law (this post)
4. If Christ was real…he wouldn’t call me “sinner”. (coming soon)
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Tim Wilson is a primary school teacher in the North East of England. A Bible-believing Christian, he's committed to putting Jesus at the centre of everything he does.
15 comments
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February 18, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Demian Farnworth
I think the best analogy I’ve heard of the law is actually by a Jew, Saul Bellow, although he was referring to death when he said, “It’s like the concrete floor light bulbs crash into.” The law will break us. And it’s meant to. When it does, God says, I can work with that.
Great post.
February 20, 2009 at 8:36 am
Tim Wilson
Nice image, Demian!
If only we could all be broken before death.
February 19, 2009 at 1:56 am
Clark Bunch
I have two analogies that I like to use for the law; one is a mirror, the other a ruler. The Law is like a mirror in that is shows us what we really are. A mirror doesn’t lie, and the Law is like that. It doesn’t judge us, nor can it make us right again. We look into it and see that we are wrong.
As a ruler the Law shows us how far we fall short. What God requires is perfection. He is perfect in His holiness, and to enter God’s presence we must be equally perfect. It is not possible (on our own), and the Law shows us exactly how far from perfect we fall.
The Law must be kept perfectly, and Jesus did that. That is the gospel. The Law is about what we do, and it will never be enough. Grace is about what Jesus did. He is our Law, and we get the credit for his righteousness. God’s wrath toward sin was carried out, but on the back of Jesus, not ours. It would be fair for God to send every one of us to hell, but that is not his desire. Jesus took our place, and our judgement. So many people miss that and say really stupid things about God.
Keep up the good work Tim.
February 20, 2009 at 8:38 am
Tim Wilson
“So many people miss that and say really stupid things about God.”
So very sadly true. The worst place for legalism I’ve found is Sunday School material. Every time I teach a passage they’ve moralised it. We can’t keep the law and neither can those poor kids. We deserve to be punished!
Why do we feel the need to hold back on Jesus?
Thanks for the visit.
February 19, 2009 at 8:19 am
Eshu
Tim,
The trouble is that if God makes laws that are impossible to keep (which you admit), then the laws become irrelevant to us. What is the point of making rules which are impossible to keep. If you were a traffic policeman and your job description said that you had to prevent any road deaths or injuries anywhere in the country or you’d lose your job, that would be an utterly pointless target.
As this is an impossible standard, we might as well ignore it. All we are in effect being judged on is the morally irrelevant choice of deity. A “choice” which, by the way, is not open to all people.
Whether we “know the rules” or not is also highly dubious. There are plenty of things which Christians consider sins which are not obviously sinful outside of Abrahamic religions.
You saying “Yes it is just” doesn’t make it so. I’d like you to show your working. :-)
February 20, 2009 at 9:01 am
Tim Wilson
Eshu,
Your still working on the basis that you’re judged according to an Abrahamic morality system. Remember you, as a Gentile, are judged by the law in your heart – your conscience.
That law isn’t irrelevant to you. It makes youl feel bad when you’ve been angry to someone. It makes you hate it when someone lies to you. It makes you gasp when you hear of murder or rape.
Admittedly you will have covered over some of the laws on your heart, but all in all they haven’t lost their relevance to you.
I agree that we do not know all the laws of the Abrahamic religions. As I said above you are judged according to what you know.
You call this choice morally irrelevant. Is it?
Let me tell you the basis of the law (note: I’m not saying this is clear to people’s hearts, but this is an extra revelation as to God’s purpose in the law on your heart).
It’s first aim is to point people to God. I know you’re not going to like that, but put it like this: if there is a God and he is the source of everything good, surely it is right to point to him? Otherwise it’s like seeing a hungry man and not pointing him to free food.
The second is love towards your neighbour. A selfish morality never works. If you just serve yourself then morality goes utterly to pot. However if you put others before yourself then more good and kindness is done.
(It’s worth saying as well that love for God defines love for neighbour. If it is clear God is the best, then loving your neighbour is giving them God.)
I don’t think these are irrelevant statements. And you know the law isn’t irrelevant. The very reason you didn’t steal your milk this morning is because of these laws. You do not consider them irrelevant (at least the last part). You may question parts but you don’t question the whole idea.
Compare to how a human would base his/her choices. He would always choose something for his personal good. Perhaps she would be driven by making herself popular, or physical gratification (food, drink, sex), or perhaps he would be driven by a fierce nationalism or whatever. All these things lead to some morally reprehensible action.
God’s law would not if you follow it correctly. I know what you’re going to say “Oh it would lead us to kill non-Christians”. No it wouldn’t. God is in charge of the judging. And anyway if we did follow God’s law there would be no need for anyone to be judged.
If we go according to any different morality system then we would still have problems when our desires collide (i.e. if I want that apple and you want that apple and we are told “do what you want” we will have conflict).
As for me say it is just, that was the point of the whole post. I apologise if that wasn’t clear. In summary:
- We know the law (as it is only the law which we know)
- It does keep us away from some evil (as I explained in this comment above)
- It will lead to a better world (when it is enforced on the last day)
- The law is fair because we knew it and broke it
- God is a fair person to make these rules (something I’ve expanded on in this comment)
There’s tonnes here, and I’m sure I haven’t explained it very well. Feel free to come back where you’re confused or you disagree.
February 20, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Eshu
Tim,
First let me apologise. My comment was made in haste and I probably didn’t explain myself clearly. I should have expected some misunderstanding.
Firstly what I am not saying is that morality is irrelevant. Please please please do not characterise atheists as having no morals, or no basis for deciding what is moral. There is plenty to read on this subject; if you’re interested I can point you in the right direction.
To state my objection more clearly: If you create a law which is impossible to keep, that you know people cannot keep and then punish them for not keeping it, that is unreasonable. You might as well just automatically punish everyone merely for existing. It seems like it was always God’s plan to condemn everyone. From the point of view of God and salvation, it seems these impossible rules he has set are irrelevant because we don’t stand a chance of keeping them.
From a secular, human point of view there is a very good reason to have laws and morality. Simply, it makes life better for all of us.
That sounds more just… are you saying that those who have never encountered Christianity will be judged on whether they lived decent moral lives? Is it the case that those who are good and kind and do huge amounts to help those in need can be saved even if they haven’t encountered Christianity?
Of course, but that is a big “if”! Furthermore it would be right for him to point himself out to us. All of us.
I must be understanding you wrongly. You can’t mean this exactly. I’m sure you’re aware that people religious and not do many things not simply for their own good.
Incidentally, there’s no reason to assume that altruism or morality must have come from a higher power. Nor are they exclusive to humans. Every social animal (and all mammalian mothers) exhibit behaviour that is not purely self-interest. Morality has occurred (to varying degrees) by evolution. Note that this explains why we (i.e. all humans) do often behave morally, but not why we should.
February 25, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Vanessa
Hey Tim,
I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for your comments on my post. I wonder, are we bound by the law and freed by grace, or do both have a liberating effect on the soul?
March 1, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Tim Wilson
Dear all,
Sorry for my absence in recent days. I know I haven’t responded to you all on your sites or on mine. An explanation is forthcoming.
First to Vanessa, since it will take me less time to respond to you than Eshu.
That is an excellent question. The law binds us because it is by it we are condemned. We cannot keep it. If we did it would free us, but we can’t be saved by works for we have already failed. When we are set free by grace that condemnation no longer binds us.
However, the commands are also liberating, in the sense that they take us from sin. When we are saved we are taken away from sin. Sin ruins our lives, and knowing the command of God can take us away from them. This is because now we have the Spirit and he can empower us to leave sin, and leaving sin is a beautiful thing. This is what Paul is talking of in Romans 8:9-11.
So if we are not saved the law is a curse, if we are saved it is a blessing.
Does that get to the heart of your question?
March 1, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Tim Wilson
Eshu,
I am convinced you have morals, do not worry! I also understand within yourself you have a standard for morality. I just question whether it is actually in fitting with your views on God.
With what you said about a person’s morality save them, every human being has failed to keep their own moral standards. If they kept their morals I think the Scripture says they could be saved. But the fact is, they haven’t kept it so they won’t be saved.
Some have speculated that God may save people who have realised they have sinned against God (according to their conscience) and asked him to somehow atone for their sin. This is rather like what happened in the OT. They trusted animal sacrifices but the sacrifices really pointed to Jesus.
I am not sure what I think on this matter, I haven’t studied it thoroughly enough to comment. It seems to me if God is going to send his Spirit to renew that person he might as well send the Gospel nowadays. I would hazard a guess that Richard (who has chatted with you here) has thought this through, so it might be worth giving him a shout.
The fact is that we need to be repentant. Our consciences testify we have failed. We need to petition God for a sacrifice. You and I have been told it is Jesus. Will we accept our failures and ask our need for him?
P.S. Sorry this comment hasn’t answered all your points. I don’t have much time to answer them so please forgive me!
March 1, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Richard
Hi Eshu,
You wrote:
In Hosea 6:7 we read “But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.” What I wish to take from this is that God established a covenant with Adam.
This covenant has a number of names, some call it the covenant of creation others the covenant of works and I prefer the latter. The content of this covenant amounts to the phrase “Do this and live”. The Sum of Saving Knowledge teaches:
It continues:
Now because we are, by nature, unable to keep the law owing to the sin of Adam which has corrupted the human race, Jesus entered into a covenant with the Father to keep the law on behalf of the elect.
The law at the first was not impossible to keep, for Adam was created posse non peccare et posse peccare that is “able not to sin and the able to sin” but the Fall removed our ability not to sin hence “I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Ps. 51:5) and “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer. 17:9).
March 1, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Eshu
Tim, no need to apologise, I too lack time (right now I’m supposed to be putting a baked potato in the oven for when my wife gets home!).
You show a great deal of humility in admitting you don’t know all the answers. Einstein said something like the important thing is to keep asking questions.
March 1, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Eshu
Richard,
You speak of an alleged agreement between a historical or mythological character and a deity who has not seen fit to even make us all aware of His existence, let alone the terms of this agreement.
Even if it is true, this is not an agreement that I entered into, someone else did it on my behalf. Without my election. Before I was even born. Adam Lee’s essay, Sins of the father explores this in more detail.
This idea is not just or fair in any sense that we understand. I don’t know what else to say.
March 2, 2009 at 9:28 am
Richard
Eshu,
You write, this is not an agreement that I entered into. Well yes and no, Adam was acting as your federal head and this principle of federal headship is illustrated in Hebrews 7 by the fact that Levi payed tithes in Abraham.
I think that one problem to accepting this is the prevailing post-enlightenment idea of the individual &c. The point however is that mankind is a covenantal animal (to correct Aristotle) and God deals with mankind covenantally.
The last Adam is Jesus and “just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5:18, 19).
April 7, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Gobatt
Christ came to fulfill all the terms and conditions of the old covenant and God accepted His work on the cross as being on our behalf. He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets by living a sinless life, by teaching and practising sincere love and by paying the price for our redemption .
This fulfillment opened the way for the coming of the new covenant as predicted by Ezekiel and Jeremiah . Christians now live beyond the rule of the old covenant Law by freely submitting themselves to the love of God, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship and power of the Holy Spirit. This law of the new covenant is much higher, far better and more glorious than the first. It requires a higher standard of behaviour, as Jesus said, but it also provides the resources and strength needed.
Those who would have us go back to Moses are dumbing down the Christian life with toxic doctrines that leads to a sink situation.