was enabled this morning. I wish
to direct your very prayerful attention to Paul's first epistle
to Timothy. Chapter 1, and by way of text,
verse 8. Paul's epistle to Timothy, chapter
1, and verse 8. but we know that the law is good
if a man use it lawfully but we know that the law is good
if a man use it lawfully in the professing church we meet
Generally speaking, two types of people. We meet the pious and we meet
the gracious. We meet the pious and we meet
the gracious. And there is a huge diversion
between the two. This is not a new thing. It's always been that way. And here, in the time that we
have, I endeavour to establish this truth that the law indeed
is good, if a man uses it lawfully. Now, before we venture upon our
text, we'll by necessity consider the context in which we find
ourselves. It's very important here because
the Apostle is writing, we read, unto Timothy, my own son in the
faith. Here we have a man of great experience
Indeed, he'd ministered the Word for some years at this time. And he was desirous to instruct
Timothy, who here had become the pastor of the church gathering
we see here at Ephesus. Indeed, this was under the apostles'
constraint, he says, as I besought thee in verse 3, to abide still
at Ephesus. when I went into Macedonia. He exhorted Timothy to stay there
although a young man and actually as we read the Acts of the Apostles
we can see that many of the congregations that were established they were men of relatively younger
years that ministered in those places. These were apostolic days, apostolic
times. But of course by the time that
Paul was writing to Timothy those things that are unique unto the
apostolic age such as tongue speaking and healing and those
miracles had are almost completely gone. Remember the Apostle was
one who saw Christ, one born out of due time. And thus, the
ministry of the Word, the preaching of the Gospel, the exposition
of the Scriptures, was that here which is seeing an increased
emphasis, and indeed is the New Testament pattern and we notice here that there's
such an emphasis on this the Apostle says that thou mightest
charge some that they teach no other doctrine we read neither
give heed to fables and endless genealogies why was this? well The situation was such that those
who had any Jewish influence were those who were desirous
to boast of their lineage. Oh, they had a great inheritance to be of the tribe of Benjamin,
to be of the tribe of Judah. remember we're speaking of about
AD 63 here the temple had not yet come down so there were those they looked
to boast of where they came from but we see here a very different
spirit The Apostle speaks of an edifying
which is in faith. An edifying which is in faith.
Now, this being the case that we can see here the Apostle
brings us to a position where he's drawn to consider this matter. I know we've considered it fairly
recently here but I felt constrained this week to revisit this matter
of the law. But we know that the law is good
if a man use it lawfully. Now again Relevant to the context,
there were those who were misusing the law. It's always been that way. People
will always misuse the law. Indeed, there were those who
were influential in this place that would attempt
to use their own, an add onto the law
from the scribes and Pharisees and years of the Sanhedrin who'd added some
300 and plus rules onto the law. These were mixed in with those of the heathen nations
in and around Ephesus. And they would make a hodgepodge
of rather strange doctrines and rather strange views. And this was also done under
the guise of Christianity. And it would bring people unto
bondage. What do we read in verse 7? Desiring to be teachers of the
law, understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. And thus do we not prove that
this was indeed the case. Our Lord Jesus Christ throughout
his ministry ministered to those of whom understood not the whole
matter of the law. And indeed, you see what the
Apostle does here, is he exhorts Timothy not to deal with the
external matters, but to deal with the internal matters. We
think of our Lord's ministry, this is what he did. Matthew
chapter 15, this is probably the most stark example that we
have within our Lord's ministry. He says in verse 17, Do ye yet
understand that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, and goeth into
the belly, and is cast into the drought? But those things which
proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile
the man. The Lord And his people have been criticized
for eating with unwashing hands. And the Apostle makes it very
clear. Out of the heart proceedeth evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses,
blasphemies. These are the things which defile
a man. But to eat with unwashing hands
defileth not a man. We have to remember We're here
on the Lord's Day. This is the Lord's Day. This
is a Gospel Day. And we know that the Gospel Day
is one greater than the Sabbath Day. Remember our Lord Jesus
came under criticism for healing on the Sabbath Day. It's a work
of mercy. Perfectly excusable. But the religious men of his
day would criticise him for it. And oh don't misunderstand me
dear soul, there is a day to keep. But you know there's a
difference even in that. You and I have come to the Lord's
house this day. And we either see this day as
a glorious gospel day, in our Lord's resurrection. Or
we see it as a day of servile bondage and a miserable day of
which we can't hope to get to the end. That's probably how
we were in our youth, weren't we? As unregenerate people. I remember my father bringing
me to Leeds Chapel. I couldn't wait until the minister
had closed up and said Amen. But dear soul, do we not see
that this is a glorious day? And thus we see that there is
a using of the law that is good. Now when we speak of the law
here, we're speaking of the moral law at Mount Sinai and all those
things which flow from it. I'll show you what I mean. Not
just in the commandments but we have an example of what I'm
speaking of in Exodus chapter 21. Verse 16 Moses writes, and he
that stealeth a man and selleth him or if he be found in his
hand he shall surely be put to death. Speaking here of slavery
really. And he that curseth his father
or his mother shall surely be put to death. And notice here
if men strive together and one smite another with a stone or
with his fist and he die not but keepeth his bed If he rise
again and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smoke
him be quit, only he shall pay for the loss of his time and
shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. It basically says if
a man suffers an attack and he is then dependent upon his stick,
he cannot work, he'll pay his wages. These are the matters, these
are the issues that came out of the law. But we see, don't we, even in
these things the Lord's commandments are not grievous. His commandments
are not grievous. And thus, the Lord confirms even
these things when he says, therefore all things whatsoever he would
that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. For this
is the Law and the Prophets." Think of this. Before the Law was given on Mount
Sinai, man was given just one command. Eat not of the tree
of knowledge of good and evil. Just one. Just one. man failed and after the law was given on
Mount Sinai just one command just one command that thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy mind with all thy heart with
all thy soul and thy neighbour as thyself just one command you see the Lord's commands in
that way they're not they're not heavy are they? they're
not heavy but we see here that there were those who would misuse
indeed the law and dear soul the matter of the law has been
a great confusion, almost from the beginning, as we read it
here, unto the very present day. And, we can see here though,
that there is a right use of the law, and there is a wrong
use of the law. Think of this. we're here in this chapel now
we've had to unlock the door before we've come in why is that? well it's because we live in
the city and if we no doubt had not locked the doors during the
week the chapel would probably be smashed up now if we here 15 or 16, I don't
know how many of us there are, I've not counted, or so, we're
the only inhabitants of the city. We wouldn't need to lock the
door, would we? We wouldn't need to lock the car. We'd leave our
lawnmower out the front. We wouldn't need these things.
And thus we see here, what does the Apostles say, 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,
we've just read of, for liars and for perjured persons, those
that lie before the cause. And if there be any other thing
that is contrary to sound doctrine. You see, the law in this sense,
in this civil sense, is made as a deterrent, is it not? You may have seen from your paper yesterday or
perhaps online as you read the news that in my native city of
Leeds, somebody yesterday passed away at a so-called festival,
drug-related. A drug-related matter. And thus,
what will the end of it all be? We don't know, but we won't be
anything much. We know that in the lands where drug dealing
is suffered by death, there's very little problem with drugs.
And thus the law is meant there as that deterrent. But you see, the Gospel is a
very different spirit If you and I have risen out of
our beds this morning in a feeling, well, I must go to chapel. It's a hard thing, I don't really
want to go, but I've got to go. Got to keep up the appearance.
Got to make sure nothing's seen that is too bad. I know that I don't like service like
that. I don't suppose you like service
like that. Do we think the Lord finds service
like that acceptable? No. No. You see the Law has a ministry. It really does. It has a ministry. and if we were to fulfill all
these things by the works of our hands we can't but if we
were to fulfill these things by our hands naturally they may bring satisfaction
it will bring discipline of life which will help us in many ways but it doesn't bring love does
it? that's a completely different
matter a completely different matter and thus here the Apostle
is making it plain in writing to Timothy that we have to be
as those who preach the gospel very careful to understand and
to see and to preach the law in its right sense now we've observed these things that
naturally speaking if the law of the land were not there if
it were left to us there wouldn't be Anarchy? But why is that? Because I trust it's because
there is a different Spirit, a greater Spirit that reigns
within us. What else does the Apostle say? The love of Christ constraineth
us it constrains us and thus we find these things
and we see these things in their true light you see the law spiritually has
a work in the soul and this is the difference I was explaining
this to somebody only yesterday I can stand here and tell you
that I'm a sinner and that you're a sinner. And let's define sin. Sin is
transgression of the law. That's what sin is. It's transgression of the law.
That's how sin is defined. Now I can tell you these things but dear soul what we need is
the spirit to make these things real to us and that's not made in a great
show that's not made in an aberration of anybody falling on the floor
and making a spectacle of themselves and I'm not being flippant when
I say these things I'm being very serious the spirits work within the soul
brings about it the sentence of death. See that sentence of death, it's
already there. It was already there in our forefather
Adam. In fact, it was quoted even in
the Midweek, that hymn that we have, when Adam by transgression
fell and conscious fled his maker's face, linked in clandestine league
with hell, he ruined all his future race. the seeds of evil
once brought in increased and filled the world with sin that's
already there and thus we age and thus we die but you know there is this ministry
of the law to the conscience and to the soul And this is a
lawful use of the law. It's a ministry of death. But
you see, it has a purpose, doesn't it? Because it's therefore a
schoolmaster. Where does the schoolmaster bring
us? It must bring us to Christ. Oh, it must. because we mustn't miss out.
We have that punctuation mark at the end of verse 10. 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. Yes, the apostle was fulfilling
that unique ministry as an apostle, but you know those of us that
preach we have to fall under the truth and give account for
the fact that this gospel is committed to our trust and thus
those that hear it on any given occasion must not leave the chapel
in a fog or in confusion but dear soul it's my prayer
that the Spirit may work and that we may see ourselves here
as the Apostle saw himself. What does he say? He says this, I thank Christ Jesus
our Lord who hath enabled me. He doesn't say I do these things
myself. He says he hath enabled me that he counted me faithful
putting me in the ministry who was before a blasphemer and a
persecutor and injurious. You see, the Apostle Paul was
no ordinary scribe or Pharisee. He didn't just persecute those
in his locality, which was the common thing to do. No, but he would go at great
lengths to persecute the Church of God. And remember here, we're
speaking of one who had the very finest of education. He'd sat at the feet of Gamaliel.
He had heard all the rudiments of the law. Now, if anyone should have known
the Gospel, he should have known it. Think of that. And all these men that had this
advantage. You see, the Gospel is seen,
is it not, in the Old Testament? It's seen all the way through
the Old Testament. I will raise me a priest, Moses says. They should have seen these things,
but no. You see, what does the Apostle
say? He obtained mercy. He did these
things in ignorance. and in unbelief now here we see
hope we see real hope because we see hope for one who was sunk
in religion and thus how terrible it is as I saw in
my early twenties that though I could tell you all the doctrines
of grace I could tell you when a man was preaching error knew all that I could discern
all that but you know we need more than that we need more than
that and thus we find ourselves sunk under a broken law and thus we wonder how can we come through, how
can we prove ourselves true when we've heard all these things
and it's done us no good well here we see a man who lived in
the heights of religious hypocrisy but he saw Christ, you see for
who he really was he speaks of the grace of our Lord exceeding
abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus and
this changed the whole scene this changed the whole spirit
this changed this man's life, not just externally but you see it changed his heart
and that's what the Apostle speaks of he says, now the end of the
commandment in verse 5 is charity, that's love out of a pure heart
and of a good conscience and of faith unfaith. These things are seen by faith. Thus, dear soul, we must preach
these things seeing Jesus Christ by faith. This is no fringe matter. This is not an indifferent thing.
This is central to the whole spirit of the Gospel. because this will speak of our
motivation to all things. Now, that does not mean to say,
dear soul, that we are sinless. In fact, we will be brought under... still under conviction. Conviction
of sin is not a once in a lifetime thing. Conviction of sin is continuous,
is it not? The difference is that we see
a glorious Christ. Now my Bible here which has the
Oxford references has a reference to Romans chapter 7 and verses
12 to 16. Now what does Romans 7 say? That the law is holy and the
commandment is holy and just and good. It was then which is
good made death unto me God forbid but sin that it might appear
sin working death in me by that which is good that sin by the
commandment might become exceeding sinful he saw sin for what it
is but we know that the law is spiritual but I am carnal sold
unto sin for that which I do not I allow
not for that I would and that do I not but that I hate that
I do if then I do that which I would
not I consent to the law that it is good now then it is no
more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me in other words
he didn't live after sin but he still saw sin in and of himself and thus there might be times
isn't it when we see the Lord's people act as it were out of
character and thus we see even in ourselves
you see the old man is still there, this is the difference we don't progressively sanctify,
we don't get holier the difference is the Lord puts
a new nature there we read one lusteth against the other thus there is that within us that is sinful but you see what's
the great object of faith and love you see many men when they
see Or many pastors, I suppose, when they see people doing things
they think they ought not to be doing, the law of Moses comes
out. The whip comes out, as it were.
And they try and exhort men to behave better and to behave differently.
For the believer, what is the root of these things? What's
the root of pride? What's the root of that bad spirit. What's the root
of all these things that are according to the flesh? Well,
is it not that we have not sight of Christ who is the great object
of faith? If a man is in his right spirit, that spirit of prayer unto Christ,
that spirit of communion with Christ, it won't lead him into
sin, will he? It won't lead him into sin. It will lead him into grace.
Communion with Christ will never lead to sin. That's the difference. That's
the difference. And thus, we see that greater
motivation We see a better Gospel. The Apostle calls it a new and
a living way. Now there are many that don't
see this. And what's the consequence? What's the consequence? Well
the consequence is bondage, isn't it? the consequences, bondage. I'd
exhort you to read the biography of William Gadsby and we see
a number of men, William Blackstock was one of them who had to leave the ministries
they were sat under and had to come and hear Mr Gadsby because he preached of a full
and a free salvation without the deeds of the law. And thus,
dear soul, I cannot now put you back under the law. Because if I put you back under
the law, I'll put you under a yoke of bondage. Dear soul, union and communion with Christ Oh, that speaks of more than
any moral law. How does the hymn writer put
it? I'll mark this here. It's hymn 188, William Cooper. He says, How long beneath the
law I lay in bondage and distress, I toiled the precept to obey,
but toiled without success. then all my servile works were
done a righteousness to raise now freely chosen in the Son
I freely choose His ways to see the law by Christ fulfilled
and hear His pardoning voice changes a slave into a child
and duty into choice that's the huge difference between being
under the Law and under the Gospel. Now I can only speak for myself,
you must speak for yourself. But I could no longer therefore
sit under a ministry that puts me back under the Law. It will bring you, dear soul,
to despair. You see, Calvary speaks of gentler
things. Oh, you see this is the difference. There is a liberty within the
Gospel. Again, I've made reference to
William Gadsby. You find the churches that still have that wonderful
influence of William Gadsby, you'll find a Gospel liberty.
a gospel liberty that's what we want that's what we want and
this sets us all free free no condemnation free high
language I know but dear soul do we not desire to
see it. I know we don't live in it all
the time. I know we don't live in it all the time, and there's
much within us that works against these things.
But oh, that the Lord would favour us with that liberty of the Gospel, wherein we can say, and say with
the Apostle, But we know that the law is good, if a man use
it lawfully. Amen.