Day 981: Who are rules for? - 1 Timothy 1 vs 8 - 11

8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, 9-11 for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practise homosexuality, enslavers, (those who take someone captive in order to sell him into slavery) liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound (healthy) doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. 1 Timothy 1:5-11 English Standard Version

If you are a driver, do you always obey the rules of the road? I suspect most readers do, especially if they are a Christian. Road rules are there to prevent chaos on the roads and to keep people safe. But they are especially there to keep in check selfish and arrogant people who would otherwise drive in a way that’s a danger to others. That's why the rules are backed up with punishments for those who ignore them. Is there a similarity in Paul's description in vs 8 of the laws God gave to Israel?

God's laws, like road rules, are good. Even if we think of just the familiar 'ten commandments', we can see what a benefit they are to society. And over many centuries after God gave them to Moses, many Israelites sought to obey them as best they could. For example, we read that: “The birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man, and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” (Matthew 1:18-19) Matthew then tells us that “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'” (Matthew 1:20)

The point is that Joseph was behaving like the 'just' person Paul speaks of in vs 8. Someone in whom the Law had already done a good work. Joseph wanted to behave in a manner that was pleasing to God. Thinking of the 'road rules' example, a Christian today shouldn't need laws to tell them to drive in a way that thinks of others. They would be doing that anyway because they want to put the needs of others first, Just as Christ did for us. But who is it then who still needs to hear God's law, and be reminded of it? (vs 8)

Paul speaks of those who are lawless and disobedient. He refers to 'ungodly sinners', and people who are 'unholy and profane'. The Greek word for 'profane' implies that they trample over anything sacred. They're the sort of people, he says, who strike their parents, are sexually immoral, partake in homosexual practices, lie and commit perjury. They may even commit murder. He speaks of some who 'take someone captive in order to sell him into slavery.' A modern day equivalent of that would be those who kidnap children for the sex industry. The basic point is that the people who most need to hear God's laws are those who are not saved.

The reason Paul said all this was because some preachers at Ephesus wanted to be 'teachers of the law', but misunderstood its purpose. They forgot that the aim of healthy Christian teaching is to promote love that flows from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. They had drifted into myths, endless genealogies and meaningless discussions. They were probably weighing the Church down with demands that certain rites be observed, and were quick to judge and condemn those who disagreed with them. All under the guise of 'teaching the law'.

There are surely lessons for us here. One of them is that there will be times when, before telling someone of God's salvation in Christ, we may need to first point to the holiness of God's character as expressed in the laws He gave through Moses. To tell someone that 'God loves them' may be meaningless if they don't see why they need that love. But if they realize they’ve broken God's laws, they might see their desperate need of salvation. Another lesson is that we must be careful to not turn the eyes of fellow Christians away from God's grace, by insisting on rules or rituals they 'must keep', in order to be saved. We're not saved by how well we've kept the law, but by the atonement for our sins that Jesus made at Calvary.