Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil
As we continue to consider that the Christian life is the life of Christ, there are two questions we might ask ourselves. First, am I slavish or am I submissive to the law and the Lord Jesus? I am married to my wife, and there are laws, the laws of God and of the land, that codify that relationship, but I am glad I have more than merely a law to keep my relationship with my wife.
For instance, I don’t take women out to eat. I don’t do that because I’m married. Someone might say, “How sad you must have been to give up taking women out to eat and dating women.” No, I haven’t lost that. I have gained the love of my life. I am glad for laws and guidance in God’s Word, but there is more to it than merely slavishly keeping the law. It is a submissive attitude. It is deference to my wife, restraint of myself, and love all the way around. So, is our relationship defined by a law? Yes. Is it defined by more than law? Yes.
Sometimes when talking about some issue we say, “Well, give me a chapter and verse, pal. Where does the Bible say I can’t?” Well, the Bible is the authority. Otherwise it is just your whim and my whim. That is no good because whims change all the time. What does God say? It is chapter and verse. Unfortunately, so many times when we call for chapter and verse, we wouldn’t be convinced if we were given chapter and verse because that attitude expresses a lack of love.
The Bible tells us in Galatians of the fruit of this attitude, the results of my flesh and desires being in control and opposing God’s Holy Spirit being in control of my life. There is a long list of vices that are a result of me doing what I want to do. Then it says, “And such like.” In other words, it is not a conclusive list. There are a great number of things. The worst kind of legalist is someone that only does what he can see in black and white that must be done.
What if there is something about which you and I disagree? That is fine. You have God the Holy Spirit if you are His child. You have God’s Word. We don’t have to agree on everything. However, there are things that are morally right and wrong that are honest logical applications of what the Bible teaches.
For example, where does the Bible say not to smoke cigarettes? The Bible doesn’t say that. So, I have to see what the Bible says regarding my body that He has created and an honest application of that. Someone says, “What about coffee or other things?” Those are fair questions, but what is my attitude? Am I merely slavish, just looking for a list of things so I can be the most informed person and best get my way because I use the law? Am I slavish or submissive? Do I have a heart to let Jesus Christ live His life through me.
Another question is, “Is my righteousness an inside or an outside thing?” The answer should be both; one leads to the other. In Matthew 5:16 Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Someone talks about their silent witness and that they love the Lord Jesus, but they never make an issue or speak out about it. That leaves something to be desired.
Later on Matthew 6:1 says, “Do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” So, which is it? Do I do my good works before men or before God? I am to do both. One produces the other. Doing right before God, Christ living His life through me, produces things that people can see.
In Matthew 5:16, “before men” is in the context of persecution for doing what is right. In Matthew 6:1 the application is being praised for doing what is right. In both places the one who is to be glorified by what I do and do not do is the Lord Jesus, not me. It is Christ.
So, what is my relationship to be to other people and the laws of God? The Christian life is the life of Christ. It is Jesus Christ living His life through me as I am submissive to Him and showing the love and light of Christ to a dark world that needs the help only Jesus Christ can provide.