Bible Basics

God's Law Today

Paul writes to the Romans, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). Many have taken the statement, “you are not under law but under grace” to mean that obedience to God’s will is not necessary to salvation. In fact, some do not believe God’s law even exists today. Law is a “rule of action” the purpose of which is to restrain behavior. The interesting aspect of law is that through this restraint freedom exist. This is true both personally and socially. Without civil law anarchy would prevail and all civil liberties would cease. Civil law protects our freedoms. The same is true on a personal level as we discipline ourselves. The worst kind of slavery exists when there is no restraint. This is clearly illustrated by those enslaved by substance abuse and drug addiction. It matters not whether the drug is alcohol or some illegal substance, the enslavement is the same and the only sure way to prevent or overcome the slavery is to abstain from using the drug. The purpose of law is to protect through the prohibition of that which is harmful. God’s law exists today for that very purpose and we are all subject to it. Paul said he was not “without law to God, but under law to Christ” (1 Cor. 9:21). In the next few articles we will investigate the law of Christ.

                                                                                                               -- Clark Dugger

Bible Basics