Law and Gospel

The Law was a wonderful gift. It only deals with external behaviour, but that is a huge benefit. We all knew that. When an evil occurs in society, everyone says “The government should pass a law against it” or “the law should do something”. We all understand the benefits of having laws, despite the fact they cannot change hearts.

The gospel can change human hearts. That makes it an even more wonderful gift. Christians to dislike the law, because they compare it with the gospel. That is unfair, because the law was never intended to do what the gospel does. Even with the gospel, societies need laws to function. We know this, so we settle for inferior man-made laws, because we think that God’s law is not as good as the gospel. That is twisted thinking. God’s law is superior to man’s law, not for changing hearts, but for organising society.

God standard of behaviour for society is contained in the law. This standard was fine for society at large (no adultery and no murder).

The Sermon on the Mount introduced a new higher standard of behaviour for those who have accepted the gospel. Jesus introduced a new standard for those who followed him (no lust and no anger). This standard can only be achieved through the gospel and the spirit (new heart).