The Law and the Flashlight

[gregoryfl]

That scripture in Psalm 119:105 is one which speaks of God's law (that is the context of the whole Psalm) as a source of light for guidance. However, for those of us who are believers, to use the law in that way would be as beneficial as trying to use a flashlight in broad daylight. In other words, it would not be needed.

This world is darkness, but we however, are the light of the world. We live and walk in the light. The law, fulfilled in the person of Jesus himself, dwells within us.

I think that perfectly illustrates again our relation to the law. The law is beneficial for those who are in darkness with no source of light themselves. Not so for us.

Ron

[Richard Amiel McGough]

That scripture in Psalm 119:105 is one which speaks of God's law (that is the context of the whole Psalm) as a source of light for guidance. However, for those of us who are believers, to use the law in that way would be as beneficial as trying to use a flashlight in broad daylight. In other words, it would not be needed.

This world is darkness, but we however, are the light of the world. We live and walk in the light. The law, fulfilled in the person of Jesus himself, dwells within us.

I think that perfectly illustrates again our relation to the law. The law is beneficial for those who are in darkness with no source of light themselves. Not so for us.

Ron
I think that is an excellent analogy. Your interpretation is confirmed by God's promise of what He would do in the New Covenant:


Hebrews 8:8-12 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
These prophecies and promises have been fulfilled in the Church, the Body of Christ.

Your analogy reminds me of a discussion we had (http://www.biblewheel.com/Forum/showthread.php?p=5076#post5076) last December in which I compared the relation between the Law and the Christian with training wheels on a racing bike:


Hi Don,

I agree that the Law continues in its power to expose sin, but I must disagree that it was not "replaced" because God does not have one "covenant" with the Jews and another covenant with the "Christians." When God made the New Covenant, He made it with the Jews, specifically the two houses of Judah and Israel. This was when He joined the "two sticks" of Ezek 37. And what happened to the Old Covenant of bloody sacrifices and Temple worship? God destroyed that whole system. It spiritually ended at the Cross in 30 AD and physically ended in 70 AD. The author of Hebrews predicted its soon destruction when he said that the Old Covenant "decayeth and waxeth old" and was "ready to vanish away" (Heb 8:13)

I appreciate the distinction between the Law (no mercy) and Gospel (Mercy) but I think there still is a very significant misunderstanding of the relation between Law and Gospel. As I see it, Christians should not try to obey the Ten Commandments! Can you believe that? Doesn't it sound radical and antinomian? What could I possibly mean?

Its simple. The Christian is called to a much higher standard than the Ten Commandments. It is a different law altogether. The Christian is called to obey the Law of Love through Faith. This fulfills the Ten Commandments by default, but the Ten Commandments are NOT the "guide" to our behaviour. A person obeying the Law of Love does not refrain from murder "in obedience" to the Sixth Commandment, but rather he never thinks to murder his neighbor because he loves him (or her)! Do you see the difference? And how are we able to obey the Law of Love? Through faith, and the working of God's Spirit. The Old Law was merely the form or shape of the good things that were to come in Christ. It was like "training wheels" that kept us from falling all the time until Christ came. Christians are not under bondage to anything like the Old Law. We are bondservants of Christ, and we obey through the Spirit.

A Christian trying to obey the Ten Commandments would be like Lance Armstrong entering the Tour de France with training wheels on his racing bike. It wouldn't be merely absurd, it would be pathetic. Here's a little pic I put together to help illustrate my understanding:

http://www.biblewheel.com/images/lance.gif



Many blessings Ron,

Richard

[RandalMoran]

That scripture in Psalm 119:105 is one which speaks of God's law (that is the context of the whole Psalm) as a source of light for guidance. However, for those of us who are believers, to use the law in that way would be as beneficial as trying to use a flashlight (http://www.robustbuy.com/led-lighting-gadgets-led-flashlights-c-505_1027_730.html) in broad daylight. In other words, it would not be needed.

This world is darkness, but we however, are the light of the world. We live and walk in the light. The law, fulfilled in the person of Jesus himself, dwells within us.

I think that perfectly illustrates again our relation to the law. The law is beneficial for those who are in darkness with no source of light themselves. Not so for us.

Ron

Very nicely written. There is no such action in our life which does not obeys nature law. if we live inside the law we will live happy life otherwise it would become hell.:winking0071::winking0071: