Question:  Dear Greg,

            Is it true that the gospel is not effective without the use of the Ten Commandments or the Law?  That is, isn’t it true that you must first show people that they are guilty of breaking God’s Law before they can understand the good news?  It seems to me that many people miss this emphasis when they say, “God has a plan for you and wants you to be happy, so trust in Jesus and life will be wonderful.”

            In other words, the Law has a purpose.  I was reading through many of your answers on the Ten Commandments and I thought this was something you hadn’t really addressed.  What is the purpose of the Law including the Ten Commandments?

            I really enjoy reading the Q&A and I thank you for doing such a good job.

            Your brother in Christ,

            Ray

Answer:  Dear Ray,

            I very much agree with what you say, and all I can do is add a comment or two, for I have no major disagreement with what you say.

            Yes, there is no doubt that Paul clearly tells us, especially in Romans and Galatians, that the purpose of the law is to lead us to Christ, to convict us of sin, to define sin, to help us understand the need for the cross, etc.  Of course, Christians today generally have a different approach to the law, the Ten Commandments and the old covenant than did the original readers Paul addressed.  Many of Paul’s readers were Jewish-Christians—new Christians who struggled with the baggage of Judaism, as we would call it today.

            Some of the questions we post about this topic are from those who are convicted that the old covenant, in some form or shape, is required of Christians today.  This perspective is of course illogical, for no one, apart from Jesus, has ever obeyed the entire old covenant perfectly.  The argument takes a variety of definitions, with some arguing that the Ten Commandments are required (except for the Sabbath commandment which they argue has been changed).  Another group argues that the cross of Christ does not invalidate the necessity of “keeping” all of the Ten Commandments, and rightly point out to those who say we are required to keep nine of the ten that it’s all ten or none at all.  Still others add to that mix by saying that Jewish feasts, dietary laws and a Heinz-variety of other subjectively decided upon old covenant laws are required.  Many of our Christ-centered answers are in response to these kinds of questions.

            Thus, you may have detected that we have not “given the law its due”—but indeed we agree with you—that the law has a purpose.  But the purpose of the law is not salvific.  We stand strongly against legalism and its products, and recognize many human attempts at religion (including those who have turned Christianity into religion) have tried to appropriate the law of God for something it was never intended to do.  The law leads us to Christ—and that’s the end of the road for the law in terms of salvation.  The law helps us recognize our need.  Either we save ourselves by doing good things that God will accept as sufficient and complete for our own salvation, or we fall on our knees before him and accept his grace, applying the blood of Christ to us for our salvation.  There is no such thing as Jesus plus the law (which some try to espouse).  There are only two options: what we do, or what Jesus did.

            And the law helps us to see, because it is so extensive, so humanly impossible, that we are unable to save ourselves.  The law convicts us of our need and of our sin.  Yes, it is important to help those who are without Christ to see their need, see their state of being lost, see their need of being rescued and that they need a Savior.  The law helps us define that lost condition.

            Thanks for your comments—hope this clarifies our position.  Thanks for allowing us to be of service.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht