Dear COA Family,
Romans 3:28 tells us, “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”
Here the works of the law refer to the right-standing that comes from obeying the commandments that are mandated under the law of Moses. Paul is telling us that our justification before God the Father comes by trusting in Jesus’ completed work for us rather than on our own efforts.
Some have used this verse to discredit and dispense with the law of Moses (and therefore the Ten Commandments) entirely. They say that since we are justified by faith, we should not care about the law or even study the Old Testament. We should simply focus on Christ.
I believe that we should adopt a more nuanced approach. After all, the Bible also says that all Scriptures are God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). This includes the Old Testament.
We can do this by distinguishing between the law and the works of the law. The former speaks about the commandments and therefore reveals the character of God. The latter is the means of achieving righteousness and attaining the standard of holiness required by God.
The Bible tells us that the law is holy, righteous and good (Rom 7:12). It reveals to us the nature of God and shows us the path that leads to abundant life (Psalm 1). We should meditate on all of God’s precepts and love his law (Psalm 119).
Yet trying to earn the acceptance and approval of God through our efforts alone results in utter failure. We can even lose our salvation because of our reliance on our own efforts. The apostle Paul laments to the Galatians, “Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain?” (Gal 3:3-4).
In other words, we have to distinguish between the law and works of the law. We are to study, cherish and love God’s law while repudiating our own efforts to justify ourselves through our obedience of the law. Our trust should solely be in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ alone.
If we can do this, not only will we have grasped the teaching of God in the Scriptures, we will also be able to live out the abundant life that God has prepared for us.
Blessings,
Revd Ian Chew