Turn with me to 1 Timothy 1.
1 Timothy 1. Now, as you all were turning
there, I want to read a proverb to you real quick, but 1 Timothy
1 is where we're going. Proverbs 27, 17 says, iron sharpeneth
iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his freedom. So
before we get into my text, I want to say a little something about
this proverb. And this is not my message, but this proverb
has, on occasion, come to my mind. Two like things here, said
to be iron. But using iron on iron sharpens
iron. So a man sharpeneth the countenance,
the face of his friend, is what it says. How do we sharpen the
countenance of a friend? always speaking the truth of
God to them. Truth, always truth, truth and
truth. I think there is akin passage
to this in the New Testament, Hebrews 5.14 we read, but strong
meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by
reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good
and evil. Those by his grace who go to
God's truth in time of joy or happiness or in time of trouble. I don't mean necessarily go get
a Bible, but as we are at least talking one another, it does
certainly include going to get a Bible. But we speak the truth
of this book. And I'm using the word truth
here specifically. I have a tendency at times when
talking to folks, I'll have a thought in my mind. And of course, they
don't know everything that went on in my thoughts. So I'll say
something and I usually get this reaction at home. This is what
Paula does to me a lot. What are you talking about? And
we have a saying that Paula and I use at home, and we say, say
what you mean. And I know every one of us know
what we're talking about here, what I'm talking about. And I
don't want to be critical, and I'm not talking about straightening
someone out. That's not what I mean. Because
we should be quick to hear and slow to speak. But it does do
us good if we actually explain things better sometimes. That
is, to say what we mean. So I've had some conversations
here lately that caused me to wonder if I have done this in
some of my messages. And the obvious answer is yes,
I certainly have. But also in my conversations,
I've done this for sure. And I'm talking about specifically
this morning, the law. So I want to do another message
on this, and I've done this before, using the law lawfully. It will
not be the exact same message, but it's going to have a lot
of the same things that I had before. So in 1 Timothy 1 verses
8 to 11, I want to read that again. 1 Timothy 1, 8 to 11. 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. I've got three things, and that's
using the law lawfully, what is the purpose of the law, and
what does this mean to us? Using the law lawfully. It's
not my purpose to denigrate the law of God. God most assuredly
gave us the law for a specific reason. I know some may say that
I do that with what I talk about when I point out from scripture,
but it's what the scripture says. But I want to bring you what
the scripture says about the law of God. I do want to use
the law lawfully. I hope to show that, although
I hope we all know here that it takes God Almighty's power
to believe it. We read here that the law is
good if a man use it lawfully. Do we make the law good or bad
in how we use it? In this sense, yes. If we do
not use the law in the way that God intended for it to be used
or taught by us, then it can be bad. If you go up, you can
see that in the previous verses. It's talking about those who
teach the law and don't know what they're talking about, basically.
If we teach the law as a way to God, that is, a way that we
can gain acceptance before God, then the law is not good to use
in such a way or teach in such a way. That is lying to men and
women. It also gives men a false hope
if they begin to think they are keeping it. But if we use it
how God intends for it to be used, then it is good. So this
here in Timothy first starts off by saying who the law is
not made for and who it is made for. But let's first listen to
what God tells us in Romans 10 for. For Christ is the end of
the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. It is
very important that you read all of that passage for sure.
This is one of those times where I may have said something to
someone at one time and I knew the rest of the verse and in
fact taught this in this message when I did it previously. Previously
when I did the message on using the law lawfully, I did point
this out. But not mentioning the whole
of the verse makes it a lie. Because Christ is not the end
of the law for righteousness to everyone. Only only to them
that believe. This is a very key point in which
a lot of people pass over because of the striking finality of the
point where it says, the end of the law for righteousness.
And that's rightfully so, it's true. And I'm not trying to diminish
what's said there. But we oftentimes, and me being
the biggest offender here, but we see the striking comment and
we do not give heed to the rest of it. First of all, it is Christ
who is the end of the law for righteousness, not us. But it
is also true that this is only to everyone that believeth. If
you do not believe, he is not the end of the law for righteousness
to you. What else? If a man uses the
law to tell us that we can live however we please and that it
makes no difference, this is also bad. Romans 6.1 says, what
shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that
grace may abound? The answer is absolutely not. If you think you are given by
God to absolutely disregard all that Christ did and you can sow
to this flesh all you want, you are deceived. The law of God
has a purpose, and God gave it for a specific purpose. So in
light of what I just went through, who is the law made for? 1 Timothy
1 verse 9, knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous
man. Now this seems to be a simple
enough statement, and it is. But it brings up a question in
my mind. Who is righteous? I read in scripture there is
none righteous. No, not one. If no one is righteous,
then the law must be made for me, and all born of Adam. The
answer to that is, yes it is. Some to their eternal destruction,
and some for our spiritual instruction by God in grace. None of us,
as we're born in Adam, are righteous before a thrice holy God. We
are told that even our righteousness, says Joe, are as filthy rags
in God's sight. There is not a one of us who
being born from Adam can say we are righteous before God.
However, there is one man who can say that. There is one man
who is righteous before a thrice holy God, Jesus Christ the Lord,
who we are told is the righteousness of God without the law. Because
of this, we know the law is not made for Jesus Christ. Scripture
confirms this, Romans 3, 21 and 22. But now the righteousness
of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of
Jesus Christ. The righteousness of God without
the law is by faith of, and this means it is his, the of there
denotes ownership, and this is a righteousness without the law. The law and the prophets give
testimony to this, this very fact that it is the faith of
Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God without the law. Jesus
Christ manifests a perfect righteousness as a man. So it is evident that
the law was not made for him. And the scripture tells us this,
that it was not made for him because the law was not made
for a righteous man. So who is the law made for? Continuing on with 1 Timothy
9 and 10, 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. This is who the law was made
for. Very clear right here in this passage. Now, who are these
people? The law is for everyone born
of Adam. Me, as an example. But if you
go ask men and women, are you these things? Most are not going
to tell you that this is what they are. But there are some,
there are a few people who will admit to you that they are this
as they are born in Adam, and they will not do this by their
own power or will. These may not even be able to
explain it like that. They will be just like the publican
who would not lift up his eyes to heaven, but he prayed for
propitiation for his sin. They will know they have offended
God because his law being their schoolmaster and this schoolmaster
teaching them, I cannot do this. In fact, I have already done
this. I've committed, I've broken it.
All to my condemnation. They will do this by the power
of God if he enables them to see what they are. Now don't
get me wrong, all of mankind is these things. They just cannot
see it about themselves. Does this make the law bad? Because
it tells some what they are before God? Romans 7, 7, it says, what
shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but
by the law, for I had not known lust, except the law had said,
thou shalt not covet. When we see the law sent by God
in grace, it will show us we are not holy. In fact, it will show us that
we are unholy. It will show us that we are not
righteous. In fact, it will show us we are unrighteous. It will
show us we are not good. It will, in fact, show us we
are evil and that continually. If you would turn with me to
Galatians 3. Galatians 3 verse 21 and you
can just keep your place there in in first Timothy Galatians 3 Galatians 3 verse 21 is the law
then against the promises of God and God forbid, for if there
had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness
should have been by the law. This tells us here that life,
that is righteousness, could not come by the law. It could
not come by it then, and it cannot come by it now. If it could have
come this way, Paul tells us, then righteousness should have
been by the law. The law is not against the promises
of God. The law gives us no place to
hide. It lays us all wide open before
Him, whom we have to do. The fact is we are spiritually
dead as we are born in Adam. The reason we cannot keep the
law is because we are dead in trespasses and in sin. What does
it go on to say in verses 22 and 23 there in Galatians 3? But the scripture hath concluded
all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might
be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were
kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards
be revealed. To have life is to have righteousness. To have spiritual life is to
have righteousness. That is the indication in the
verse we just read. Do we get life from the law?
Absolutely not. We are told it cannot give life. The law is weak through the flesh.
This flesh cannot do or keep God's holy law. This flesh is
dead in trespasses and in sin. Now there are a lot of people
who will agree with what I just said. Even those who cast out
aspersions about someone being an antinomian will say this flesh
cannot keep this law. But they want to tell men and
women to follow after God's law. The law is God's schoolmaster,
Galatians 3 verses 24 through 26. Wherefore the law was our
schoolmaster unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come,
we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of
God by faith in Jesus Christ. we can take to bring us out of
there. It doesn't belong there. This
is evident by the next verse where it says, but after faith
is come. After faith is come, not when
the schoolmaster brings us to faith. God uses his schoolmaster. We have his schoolmaster until
he sends us faith. That is faith in an individual
and faith proclaimed to an individual. Both have to be there. The faith
we're talking about is that faith of Christ, which he possesses
and gives as a gift to his people when he is pleased. But here
we have a verse and it does not use the word of, but the word
in. Once God gives us faith and sends
us the gospel, we do believe in Jesus Christ. And we are no
longer under a schoolmaster because we have Christ. We are in a state
of believing is what that word in there indicates. So what is
the purpose of the law? What is the reason we are given
the law? What does scripture tell us why
the law was given? Romans 5.20, moreover the law
entered that the offense might abound. Sin was already there
because death has passed upon all men, which we read in Romans
5. The law entered that the offense might abound. Law being brought
in, this flesh just rebels even more, so much so that the offense
abounds. What else do we read about the
law and what it does? We've already talked about it
a minute ago, but it's used by God in grace to his people as
a schoolmaster. But what does this schoolmaster
do? Romans 3.19 we read, now we know that whatsoever things
the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law that every
mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before
God. The law of God gives no man any
reason to boast before God. No man will be able to say to
God, I kept your law as you required me to do. This is true for every
individual that it will shut everyone's mouth. Some now, some
later. If God sends you his law and
grace, it will shut your mouth so that you know you have nothing
to boast in. You will become guilty before
him. You will come to see and you
will only see this by grace, but you will see I cannot do
this. Romans 3.20 we read, therefore
by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight. For by the law is the knowledge
of sin. We know sin by the law. The law
is in fact what gives sin its strength because of the flesh.
As has been said before, the law does not make us what we
are. It just shows us what we are, and it cannot fix what we
are. But we have one more thing that
I want to mention that the law does, Romans 7, 9. For I was
alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin
revived, and I died. The law kills us. That is, it
kills his people. If we are dead, And we are. If we have sinned against God
and his holy law, and we have, what is the benefit of the law
to me? What does this mean to us? The
law as God's schoolmaster accomplishes all that he sends it to do. His
law cannot and does not give us righteousness at any time,
because it cannot, because of this flesh. But once faith is
come, we are no longer under the schoolmaster. The law then
is nothing to the believer in Christ. We are freed from the
law to serve Christ. So what does this mean to us,
his people? This is when we read and in God opening our eyes and
understanding to passages such as the following which give us
a beacon of hope, 2 Corinthians 5.21, for he hath made him sin
for us who knew no sin. For what purpose did he do this
for us? That we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. God giving us his law and by
us, I mean those he chose in Christ from before the foundation
of the world, but those he came and died for on that tree so
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Once God in his
power sends us his gospel and we believe Jesus Christ by that
faith he gives us, then that law was no longer needed by us.
It has done what God has intended for it to do. But anytime I am
looking to his law, I will always find the same result. Condemnation. But we know that as we are born
into this world, we are just like everyone else. We are the
children of wrath, even as others. But we read in 1 Corinthians
6, 9 through 11, we read this. 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 or of mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the
kingdom of God." Kind of sounds like the list we read in 1 Timothy
there, doesn't it? Verse 11 of 1 Corinthians 6,
and such were some of you. But you're washed, but you're
sanctified, but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
and by the Spirit of our God. God saved us by his son, Jesus
Christ, him being made a curse and sin for us. He then sends
us his gospel, whereby his spirit we see Jesus Christ. The law
taking us right up to that point as God has appointed. But by
his gospel, we then clearly see this, Romans 3, 21 and 22. But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of
Jesus Christ. unto all and upon all them that
believe, for there is no difference. This faith given to us is counted
to us for righteousness. This is a counting by God to
us, not our accounting of it. He counts that for righteousness,
and it is righteousness. Romans 4.3 says, for what saith
the scripture, Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him
for righteousness. God does the counting for righteousness
unto Abraham and to us. He can do this because it comes
from his gift of faith, which is the faith of Jesus Christ. The faith of Jesus Christ is
the righteousness of God without the law. That faith is counted
to us for righteousness. What does that then mean? We
are righteous in Christ. So then if we believe God and
he counts that to us for righteousness because it says God counts it
to us for righteousness, then we are righteous. The law is
not made for a righteous man. I know that might be bold in
some men's eyes to say that, but we are also told in Scripture
that without faith it is impossible to please God. What is the inverse
or opposite of that? And the inverse is true based
on the preponderant testimony of Scripture, that by faith we
do please God. Faith is His gift, and I like
to say, I like this about faith. I heard Carol Poole say this,
and I said it in one of my messages, and I'm gonna say it again. We
do not exercise faith. Faith exercises us. It exercises us into believing
Him. So what have we went through
using the law lawfully? We are told that the law was
not made for a righteous man. Jesus Christ is righteous, so
the law was not made for Christ. All born in Adam are not righteous.
Some will never be righteous, as God did not intend to die
for them, that they might be made the righteousness of God
in Christ. So they never stop being under the law. They never
know they are under it, and in some cases may even think they
keep this holy law. But then there are some who Christ
died for to take away their sin so that they might be made the
righteousness of God in him. For them, God uses his law as
their schoolmaster until the appointed time when he sends
them faith, that is faith in them and faith proclaimed to
them. This causing them to believe him and he counts that for righteousness. So the law is not for them anymore.
They are freed from that law to serve Jesus Christ. The law
has a purpose. To those not in Christ, it is
to justly show they missed the mark, whether they see it or
not or believe it or not. To those who he has saved to
the uttermost, it is to shut our mouth, to let us know what
sin is, and to kill us. But by what he has done, we are
freed from this law. We are dead to this law, no longer
to be under this law when God gives us faith. Faith looks to
Jesus Christ, the scripture says, looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher, and I like to say perfecter of faith. We also looked
at what this means to us, his people. It means Christ has done
all that is needed for us to be righteous before a thrice
holy God. In him giving us his faith in
measure, we believe him to the saving of the soul. Galatians
3, 11 through 13 we read, but that no man is justified by the
law and the sight of God, it is evident. For the just shall
live by faith, and the law is not of faith. But the man that
doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written,
cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Those who walk after
the spirit, these are the ones that please God because of his
gifts. The fruit of the spirit, there
is no law against this fruit. The spiritual man delights in
the law of God, but he cannot find it in himself to keep God's
law. He does not have the ability.
But that new man walks after the spirit and there is no law
against those fruit given by the spirit of God. This includes
faith. Faith, because it is of Jesus
Christ, causes the one who possesses it to look to Jesus Christ. If we are looking to Jesus Christ,
that is, if we are following after Jesus Christ, we will do
what is right. We do not hate God's law, and
we are not trying to break God's law, but we cannot keep God's
law. We can and do follow after Jesus
Christ and in doing so by his power and his will, we will not
fulfill the lust of the flesh. Scripture tells us so. I believe
God and he counts that for righteousness. The law is not a faith. So does
that mean I am righteous before God? Yes, in Christ. How sweet that sounds. Everything
needed to please Him and to walk before Him in righteousness,
He provides. Do we do things in this life
when God reveals Himself to us? We absolutely do. Those things
which He works in us, both the will and to do of His good pleasure,
we are His workmanship. Don't try to figure out what
they are. If you do, then you are looking to this flesh. To
explain that, I will use just one example, and Walter gave
this example, but it's a good one, and I want to use this again.
When Clay was here before the first time, he didn't know exactly
how to get here, so he followed Marvin, who had been here before. He did nothing but follow Marvin.
He did not think about what he was doing as he was counting
on Marvin to do all those things right to get them to the destination
safely and securely. If I look off somewhere to see
what I need to do, I've taken my eyes off of him. We do things
for God. Clay is right, he had to drive
the car and stuff, but he's keeping his eye on Marvin. We do things
for God. There are things in scripture
that we are told to do, but we trust him to work in us both
to will and to do of his good pleasure. And I'm not talking
about sitting on your stool of do nothing. What I am saying
is if we get to looking at what we have done or have not done,
then we are looking at the wrong place. Jesus Christ took my place
for my awful sin against his holy law. When he shows me this,
it causes me to admit that his holy law is holy, just, and good. Because it tells me I am a sinner
against him. Faith in Christ is the proof
that he has done this for us. In following him, I will do right
by his power and will. I will do things serving God."
Iron sharpening iron. We are to tell men and women
the truth of God. This includes teaching the law
and what the purpose of that law is, although I may not mention
the law every time I preach. We are to tell men and women
what they are before an absolute sovereign God. who is holy and
just, and who will not at all acquit the guilty. Who are the
guilty? Sinners, because sin is the transgression
of the law. We know we have done this. But
if this is all we tell men and women, it leaves them with no
hope. We must tell them the gospel,
which is the truth as well. The best way I have to illustrate
this, Joe has already done this before, Isaiah 40. We are told
to say, all flesh is grass and behold, you're God. Telling them
both what man is and what man has done and also telling them
who Christ is and what he has done, if God is pleased, will
give a man or a woman hope. Preach the truth, the whole counsel
of God. Not the mosaic law, but the law
of God, this book. If he has given you life, then
you will hear his gospel. It will sharpeneth your countenance."
We do teach the law and man's relationship to it by nature.
Do we have to do this every time? Does this have to be preached
every time? No, but we do not deny this, that this is so. I
pray that we can say what the Apostle Paul from 1 Corinthians
2 too, for I determine not to know anything among you save
Jesus Christ and him crucified. Jesus Christ is my hope. Faith
is my law. It is my way of life. The law
is not my way, the mosaic law is not my way of life. All it
can do is condemn me. So teach me of Jesus Christ,
amen. Our dear Lord God, thank you
for allowing us here today, dear Lord. Remember those who were
yelling, dear Lord. Apply these words to our heart
as you know best, dear Lord. Teach us of your son. All these
things we ask in Christ's name, amen.