But let's go ahead and get started.
If you would, turn with me to 1 Timothy 1. 1 Timothy 1. I'm
going to read the first 11 verses. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
by the commandment of God our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ,
which is our hope. Unto Timothy, my own son in the
faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus
Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to abide still
at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some
that they teach no other doctrine. Neither give heed to fables and
endless genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying
which is in faith. So do. Now the end of the commandment
is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and
of faith unfeigned, from which some, having swerved, have turned
aside unto vain jangling. desiring to be teachers of the
law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good,
if a man use it lawfully, knowing this, that the law is not made
for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient,
for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers
of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers,
for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers,
for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing
that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel
of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. What I want to concentrate on
here is this verse that says, the law is good if a man use
it lawfully. If you use the law in a way it
was not intended, it is not good for you to use it that way, and
it is not good for those who may hear you use it that way.
We are told in Romans by Paul 7.12, wherefore the law is holy,
and the commandment holy, and just, and good. It's not good to use the law
in a way it was not intended. The law is good. but we are not. Some say and believe that obeying
God's law is a way to get life before God. Others say that even
for the child of God, once you are saved, that the law of God
is your way of life. This is not according to scripture,
and it is not using the law lawfully. Remember Boaz? He told Ruth to
lie down till the morning and he will take care of this thing.
He went to the gate where judgment was to be made and he met the
nearer kin there. He, Boaz, asked if the nearer
kin would redeem the land that Naomi had with her husband who
was now dead. But then he said, when you do
that, You also have to redeem it for Ruth, the mother of the
dead, to raise up the name of the dead, is what he said. And you know what the near of
Ken said? I cannot. You must do it. It would mar
his inheritance. So that's one thing that I want
to look at. But then we have one more thing in this passage
that I want to bring out. We also read in this passage
that the law was not made for a righteous man. but for those
who are of this type, if you will, or that litany of things
that are mentioned here. If I am to use the law, I want
it to be good. I want to use it lawfully, and
the scriptures inspired of God tells us what the law was for.
So let's go through the following. The law, what was the law given
for? Its purpose. Who was righteous? Who were those that the law was
not meant for? So first, what was the law given for its purpose?
I know man by nature likes to make God's word say what they
want it to mean. But as a child born of God, we
must hear and speak what God says. Knowing what the purpose
of law is, I think it would help to know who gave the law. Most
people would say that the law came by God, but what does God
say? John 117, for the law was given
by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. God says that Moses gave the
law. Yes, the almighty God gave the
law to Moses, but God says Moses gave the law. We know the law
is full of works. Do this or don't do that. But
we read from John that grace, that is to man, that grace is
unmerited favor from God. And also truth, pure truth, not
my truth. You know how a lot of people
say that's my truth today? We ain't worried about my truth,
we're worried about God's truth. And they both came from Jesus
Christ. So one brought works. The other
brought grace and truth. So now I'm not going to go into
it much, but the law is nothing but works, do this and live. The law was given to this flesh
and the law does some things. It tells me I am condemned before
God because I see the commandments and I see I cannot do them. Man
always sees this as future, though, just like I wrote it down here
wasn't really right. I don't do them, not that I just
I cannot do them like it's some kind of future things. I don't
do that. The law is an indictment against
me. It tells me I am guilty before
God. And always remember the x-ray
analogy, and I first heard this from Chris Cunningham, and I
think it's a good analogy. An x-ray can show you what's
wrong with you. It does not make you what you
are, and it cannot fix what you are. There is no mercy in the
law. The law says do this and live. If you do not, then you must
die. Our problem is we have no life
before God so that we can even attempt to perform the law. As
Joe was saying, we are born and dead in trespasses and in sin. So we are in a conundrum, aren't
we? Galatians 3.10 says, for as many
as are of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is
written, Cursed is everyone that continueeth not in all things
which are written in the book of the law to do that. But those
who are of works of the law are under the curse, not will be,
are. Because being of the works of
the law means you must continue in them all the time. There's
no rest from it. The problem, as I've already
stated, is we got started off on the wrong foot to begin with.
We were born dead, so we cannot continue in that. Some will never know anything
different than being under the curse, because they will never
know that it is a curse. They believe they can keep the
law of God. But listen what else the purpose
of the law is. And we heard it last week, Romans
5.20. Moreover, the law entered that,
this is the reason that the law entered, that the offense might
abound. This is what God says the law's
purpose is. It entered that, the offense
might abound. it makes the offense become much
more offensive than it would have otherwise. This law was
given by Moses and it was written on stones. God says do this or
not to do that and we do the wrong thing every single time. But the law for God's people
is there for a specific purpose. There are those who are given
this law for a specific purpose. We read in Galatians 3, 24 and
25. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster
unto Christ. And I'm leaving that to bring
us out, because I don't think it belongs in there. That we
might be justified by faith. But after that faith has come,
we are no longer under a schoolmaster. So it says the law was. So we have to kind of stop there
a minute. This word, as we all know, denotes that this is something
in the past. It was this at one time, but
it is no longer to this group of people spoken of here. And
this group being in this passage, same as the us Joe was talking
about, is our not everyone, but our school master. Those to whom
God chose in Jesus Christ from before the foundation of the
world and has in time visited them by his spirit and his gospel. Those to whom Paul was speaking
to, believers. But his law is said to have been
our schoolmaster. So it had a purpose for a time,
but then that purpose ended. What does a schoolmaster do?
A schoolmaster teaches us something. Now, I know it's like I just
said previously, I know someone to say it teaches us of Jesus
Christ, but that is not true. They will say it does it possibly
because of the text that was added in there brings us into
Jesus Christ. But that was put in there. But
the law does not teach us of Jesus Christ. The gospel does
that. The law keeps us in the classroom
as it teaches us that we are guilty before God. Dead with
no hope and in the world. It teaches us that we have nowhere
to run, nowhere to go. It's crushing, crushing. It teaches us we have nowhere
to escape But it only does this until faith comes. Once faith has come by the gracious
work of God, we no longer need the law. We are no longer under
the schoolmaster. Faith allows us to see Jesus
Christ. Once we see him, we have no need
of the law anymore. The law, remember, can only teach
us what we are as we are born in Adam. It did not make us what
we are, and it cannot fix what we are. It is given so the offense
might abound. We are no longer under that schoolmaster,
though, once faith comes. We do not ever get to the point
where we are capable of or even asked to perform the law. Nowhere. Romans 10, five says,
for Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the
man which doeth those things shall live by them. We cannot
live by the law at any time. Faith, we are told, that is faith
once God's given it and it exercises us into believing the gospel
of Jesus Christ. God says he counts that for righteousness. If you say that the law was given
that we might have life, or if you say the law was given for
our way of life, that is for how we should live our life,
you are not using the law lawfully. Galatians 3.21 says, is the law
then against the promises of God? God forbid, for if there
had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness
should have been by the law. But life, righteousness, does
not come by the law. I just read it. The flesh was
given this law to show us what we are. The new man, Joe was
talking about this somewhat, the new man is created to serve
Jesus Christ. For those who worship God must
worship him in spirit and in truth. But we also read that
the law is not made for a righteous man. but it is said to be made
for this group of people in this litany that was given. We know
we are not righteous by nature, so who is it that is righteous? We know that as we are born in
Adam that we are these things. The law was given to this flesh,
but what does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 6, 9 through 11? You don't have
to turn there, Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind. Kind of sounds like what he was
saying in 1 Timothy. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the
kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But ye are washed, but ye are
sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
and by the Spirit of our God. We are no longer any of these
things in Christ. But we are all of these things
still in the flesh. But we also read in Romans, and
I think Walter may have mentioned this a couple of weeks ago, Romans
7, 16 through 18. If then I do that which I would
not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no
more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that
in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. For to will is
present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not.
This flesh desires sin. and it drinks it up like water,
drinks up iniquity like water. Christ says in Matthew 7, 17,
18, even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt
tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth
evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. So where does this, the good
tree come from? It is that which God creates
new, and I want to add in here because I don't have it, but
this new man doesn't have life on its own. The life comes from
Jesus Christ. He is the fountain. But that
new man which is created by God, every good gift, every perfect
gift comes down from the Father of lights. Now because of this
flesh, we do not know those things which we do which are honoring
to him. We know that everything is tainted with sin because we
have this flesh. I can stand up here and preach
while this flesh is reeking with pride in me doing so, thinking
I am something. But we do those works which he
has ordained and worked in us. That is in this new man which
he is pleased for us to do that gives honor and praise to his
name. We read in Ephesians 4, 22 and 24, 22 through 24, that ye put off concerning
the former conversation, the old man, the flesh, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit
of your mind, and that ye put on the new man, which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness. Isn't that something? God creates the new man who is
created in righteousness and true holiness. 1 John 3, 5-7
we read, and ye know that he was manifested to take away our
sins, and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth
not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither know him, known him. Little children, let no
man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous. So it sounds to me like those
that God has done something for are righteous in Jesus Christ. So according to scripture, the
law is not made for them, right? Outside of Jesus Christ, there
is nothing but unrighteousness. The law, the near of kin to Ruth,
could not redeem her because it would mar his inheritance.
But there was a nearer of kin, a kinsman redeemer, who not only
could redeem the land and her, but he did. The law took off
its shoe and gave it to the kinsman redeemer. But you remember Moses? Moses represents the law of God. The scripture says the law came
by Moses. But what happened to Moses? He
struck the rock twice. So he died and did not enter
into the promised land. He did not redeem the people,
so he could not enter in. He died and was buried. And you
know what else? No one knows where he was buried.
And what am I getting at when I say that? The law to the believer
is no more. Which is righteous? To serve
the law or to believe Jesus Christ? I think this is a twofold answer.
If you are in Christ, then Christ is your righteousness and God
says that when you believe him, he accounts that for righteousness
because of the faith he has given. But this flesh, if you are outside
of Christ, then the law is all you have, and it cannot give
righteousness. What are we told in Scripture,
though? Jesus Christ was righteous intrinsically. We are not. But
what do we read in a familiar passage in 2 Corinthians 5.21? Very familiar to you all. For
he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him. We are made the very righteousness
of God in Christ Jesus. What is there to gain above that? Does it sound like we need to
do the works of the law to become more righteous? I can't. But if you are outside of Christ,
the law is all you have. The problem with that is this
flesh. The law is weak through the flesh.
It cannot give life, so if you're looking to the law for your way
of life in any way, you're only staring at death. Galatians 2,
19 and 20 we read, for I through the law am dead to the law that
I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless,
I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which
I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me. The law has killed me. but I have a Redeemer who has
been made the curse and sin for me. So now I can live unto God. By that faith given to me, I
can believe God. Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to everyone that believes. If you do not
believe God, you have no reason to believe that you are dead
to the law because you're not. Hebrews 10.10 says this, by the
witch will we are sanctified through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all, and that's all time, not all
people, all time, one time. That's Joseph. So what is it
that I need to do? Nothing. As has been said before,
salvation is not due, salvation is done. What He has done for
us, He equally does to us and in us so that we might believe
Him. Romans 8, 1 and 2, we read. There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Here's
what the law does, and it's to this flesh, according to the
scriptures here. For the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. Now I wanna read something from
J.C. Philpott here. It's a little bit lengthy, but. I'm in just one page, but I wanna
read this. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? And it's from Romans 7, verse
24. If the Lord the Spirit has implanted
that pious cry in our soul, O wretched man that I am, this will follow
as necessary consequence. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? Where shall I look for deliverance?
From what quarter can it come? Shall I look to the law? Oh no,
that curses and condemns me because I am continually breaking it.
Can I look to friends? They may pity and sympathize,
but they cannot remove the body of sin and death. It is too fast
linked on for them to remove. Shall I go to ministers of truth?
I may hear what they say with an approbation, but there is
something more wanting to remove this chilling embrace of the
body of sin and death. Shall I look to the scriptures?
They contain the remedy, but I want that remedy to be sweetly
applied. Who then shall deliver me? What
refuge can I look to? Whither can I go or whither shall
I turn? From what quarter can help or
deliverance come? See the embarrassment? view the
perplexity of an exercise so, look here and looking there,
turning to the right hand and turning to the left, yet from
one quarter only can the deliverance come. And thus, when the apostle
was brought here, when he was sunk down to a low spot and anxiously
turning his eyes to every quarter to see whence deliverance could
come, God blessed his soul with the view of his precious son.
God the spirit wrought in his heart that living faith whereby
he saw Jesus and whereby there was a communication of the blood
and love of the lamb to his conscience. So I know the scripture does
not teach that the law is my way of life, my way to life,
nor is it my way of life. The law shows me my condemnation
before God. Paul, before he even goes into
these details, tells us this very thing in our text, verses
one and two. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
by the commandment of God our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ,
which is our hope. Unto Timothy, my own son in the
faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus
Christ our Lord. Our hope is Jesus Christ and
Jesus Christ alone. If I return back to the law,
I'm leaving Jesus Christ who is my hope. God help me to look
to Christ alone and cause me to see that I am dead to the
law through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Cause me, yea,
even force me to rest in Christ who is my righteousness. Amen. Dear Lord, God calls us to see
you who are our righteousness. Life comes from you. You sustain all of our life, dear
Lord. We live and move and have our
being in you, dear Lord. Thank you for all things that
you have given us in Christ Jesus. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.