The Law Is Holy, Just And Good Series

1. Reading through this section of Romans, we might easily forget that Paul is pointing us to the wonderful grace of God.

• One of the reasons is that many put the discussion in an EITHER/OR situation.

• IT’S EITHER all grace and NO LAW.

• OR ALL LAW and NO GRACE.

• But Paul has taught us it’s BOTH.

• The Law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just & good!

Deuteronomy 4:8 (NKJV) 8 And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?

Psalm 119:172 (NKJV) 172 My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.

WAIT A MINUTE PASTOR ED, are you saying that we must keep the law in order to be saved?

• NO WAY! & Neither is Paul.

• The LAW is established by our faith for the purpose for which it was created & given:

• LAW IS God’s STANDARD showing US OUR NEED FOR A SAVIOR!

• Let’s look again at vv7-12 and see at least 4 things God does when He uses the tool of the Law in our lives:

#1 – (v7) THE LAW DEFINES FOR US WHAT SIN IS.

• Paul says he wouldn’t even had known sin except for the Law.

• Because God uses the Law to show us what sin is.

• God has declared for all of mankind, all of eternity what sin is.

• Flip back to Joshua 8:30-35

NOTE: After the children of Israel had entered into the Promised Land, just after the defeat of the city Ai, Joshua decides to bring them back to Gods’ Word. ((READ THROUGH – Key is v34))

• Flip back to Deuteronomy 27.14ff – Jump to 28:1ff

NOTE: It was clear for the children of Israel that obedience brought blessings and disobedience brought consequences.

• That’s what God’s Law does, it defines for us what sin is.

• Sin is the #1 cause of death, pain, suffering, and sorrow.

• It creeps into houses, into cubicles, through the lives of those who choose it.

BUT WHO DEFINES SIN? God does.

• Society can’t define sin because the norms & morals of societies across the globe are unholy!

• Politicians cave into public pressure and high paid lobbyists.

• People clamor for looseness to approve of their own bad behaviors. We are living in a day much like that of the Judges.

Judges 17:6 (NKJV) 6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

NOTE: That’s why when movies that uplift and glorify sinful sexual behaviors come out and make millions and win awards.

• Some of the population says, “Oh, that’s good, that’s great.”

• And another person says, “Oh, not that’s not good.”

• We need a Book that tells us what is good & what is right!

THAT’S WHY I’M SO THANKFUL FOR the Word of God!

• It reveals what sin is and helps us to avoid it altogether!

• It shows me what sexual sins are, what societal sins are, what personal sins are, what public sins are, private sins are.

• Look back to 1:28-32

WOW, it’s not only those that do them, but also those that approve of those that do them! Sin is far reaching, even into the depths of our hearts and motives!

• How do we know? God has shown us in His Word.

Micah 6:8 (NKJV) 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

• Flip over to Matthew 5:1ff… Jesus takes the Law and points it like a laser to our hearts!

ONE MORE THING… did you know that the Bible becomes very, very offensive if you’re living in, or clinging to sin?

• There is a tendency to avoid God’s loving Word to us if/when we find that our lives disagree with His heart for us.

• Listen, don’t be hardhearted & offended.

• Receive God’s Word to you today softly, and repent.

Acts 3:19-20 (NKJV) 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,

SO THE LAW DEFINES FOR US WHAT SIN IS

#2 – THE LAW REVEALS THAT WE ARE SINNERS!

• Are you serious? I’m a sinner? That’s what the Law says.

• This is so contrary to what man likes to do with sin.

• Man likes to hide his sin, excuse his sin, explain his sin away.