Paul writes, “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully” (1 Tim 1:8). Elsewhere, he says, “you are not under law but under grace” (Rom 6:14).
What does it mean that we are not under law, yet we should use the law lawfully? How should Christians use biblical law lawfully?
The answer is simpler than we might think, but it requires biblical reasoning. As is often the case, we need first to grasp the biblical context of Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 1:8. Then we can begin to find answers to these questions.
What does Paul Mean in Context?
The Bible speaks of many kinds of law. For example, Scripture speaks of:
“the law of the burnt offering (Lev 6:9), the law of Moses (1 Kgs 2:3), the law of the temple (Ezek 43:12), the law of the Medes and Persians (Dan 6:12), the law of the Jews (Acts 25:8), the law of works (Rom 3:27), the law of faith (Rom 3:27), the law of marriage (Rom 7:2), the law of my mind (Rom 7:22), the law of sin (Rom 7:22), the law of Christ (Gal 6:2), the law of liberty (James 1:25), and more besides.” (Distinguishing Law)
The Bible also speaks about a law written upon our hearts (Rom 2:14-15), which reformed theologians often call natural law. Natural law refers to the order that God imposed upon creation that all people can recognize. Reformed theologians regularly parallel natural with moral law, expressed most clearly in the Ten Commandments.
In 1 Timothy 1:8, Paul has in mind the moral law. Put another way, he refers to eternal laws of God that expose immoral hearts. Consider the fuller context of 1 Timothy 1:8:
“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted” (1 Tim 1:8-11).
The law, Paul explains, applies to “the lawless and disobedient” not the “just.” And the law speaks about eternal truths that appear in the Decalogue or arise out of its implications (Exod 20:1-17). The law that Paul refers to in 1 Timothy amounts to eternal moral commands of God.
The person who uses the law correctly is the one who can distinguish the things which were given for a time from those which are eternal. — Ambrosiaster
In other words, the law awakens our recognition of sin and condemns us (Rom 7). It remains good and right to use it lawfully for this reason.
Since “[t]here is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1), the law no longer applies to the “just” (i.e. Christians) as a condemning force (or as a means of salvation). Christians still by the Spirit fulfill these moral commands as Paul explains elsewhere (e.g., Rom 13:8 Gal 5:14). Christians fulfill the law—here the eternal moral commands of God—because the Spirit indwells their hearts.
In this sense, the Spirit and divine law work side-by-side.
How do the Spirit and Divine law work together?
Particularly, the Spirit pours the love of God into the hearts of believers (Rom 5:5). And that love, the Spirit’s presence Himself who is Love, means that we fulfill the whole purpose of the law which is love (Matt 22:37-40). Paul explains it this way:
“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Rom 13:8-10).
Paul quotes the second half of the Ten Commandments which relate to our love for our neighbours, and then notes that this love fulfills the law. From Paul’s argument in Romans, we learn that God justifies (Rom 3-4) sinners (Rom 1-2) by faith. Then the Spirit of Love indwells them (Rom 5) and Christians overcome sin (Rom 6), although a battle with sin still remains (Rom 7). Thankfully, Christians cannot be condemned if they are in Christ and live by the Holy Spirit who gives life (Rom 8).
This Spirit of adoption brings us into God’s family in which we live like our adopted brother Jesus and our heavenly Father (Rom 8:15; Heb 2:12). This familial context leads us to live holy lives since the Holy Spirit indwells us. We thus by an inner desire, prompted by the Holy Spirit, desire to fulfill the internal and external laws of faith and morality.
Put very simply, all Christians desire to obey the moral or natural law of God because we have the Holy Spirit. Biblical law in this sense reinforces and reminds us of how we should live. This third use of the law means that biblical law, in its eternal moral principles, has ongoing value to help us to realize our desire for goodness and redirect our wayward desires back to God.
What About Other laws?
The Bible distinguishes between many sorts of laws as noted above. When it comes to the mosaic law, the Book of Hebrews argues that Jesus’s priesthood and sacrifice fulfill and nullify the force of the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices (Heb 7:12). Likewise, Hebrews states that the Old Covenant is obsolete (Heb 8:13). This obsolescence means that the law of Moses no longer operates as law a code over us.
Among other things, Christians are therefore free from the law’s ceremonial demands and its condemnation (Rom 8:1). This aspect of Christian freedom importantly explains why faith alone justifies us apart from the works of the law.
Lastly, the laws that ordered ancient Israelite society conformed to the time and place of ancient Israel. And with the New Covenant, which signals that Israel no longer lives under the Old Covenant, “these judicial arrangements are removed” (John Calvin, Inst. 4.20.15).
Or as the Leiden Theologian Andreas Rivetus explains, “From the things that have been stated about the ceremonial law given to the Israelites we should judge Christian freedom concerning the judicial laws of Moses, which, because they were given by Moses and to such a nation, they neither affect nor bind Christians” (Leiden Synopsis 35.28).
Conclusion
Using the law lawfully includes affirming its use to expose the hearts of the unjust, our fulfillment of it by the Spirit, and how its eternal moral principles reinforce our Spirit-driven desires to fulfill the law by love.
Unlawful uses include trying to justify oneself by its Levitical rites and sacrifices, living as if the Old Covenant law was still a law code over us, and following its temporary arrangements in both its Levitical rites and political regulations.
Ambrosiaster puts it succinctly: “The person who uses the law correctly is the one who can distinguish the things which were given for a time from those which are eternal” (Comm. on 1 Tim 1:8). Using the law lawfully takes discernment, especially when it comes to so-called mix laws—laws that both shape the political order of Israel and use eternal moral principles.
Since this article aimed at providing a simple answer but also assumes a lot of biblical knowledge as well as traditional theological categories, the following section links to resources that explain and argue for some of the points made here.
Further Resources
Christian freedom played a central role in the Reformation because it teaches us that God justifies us by faith and thus frees our conscience. This doctrine must be understood before we can grasp the intricacies of biblical law. Read this article to learn more, especially the important caveat that moral law and civil law sometimes appear together as mixed law, which requires special attention.
Christian freedom means no earthly power (including governments) can directly bind our consciences. but Only God’s general command to submit to authorities can. Read this article to avoid conflating Christian freedom with political liberty.
Governments cannot bind our consciences, and neither can the opinions of others (Romans 14). Read this article to learn more.
As free men and women, we uphold the law of God by distinguishing the law of God. Click here to see what I mean. Particularly, all people must follow God’s eternal law as inscribed upon the created order as natural or moral law. Read this article to learn more. Read also this article on Martin Luther’s distinction between law and gospel.
As a law code, the Mosaic law no longer holds legal power over Christians (see here). The Levitical priesthood, its rites, and its sacrifices do not remain today, as Hebrews argues (see here). And the laws that relate to Israel’s political ordering fit its time and place but has passed away with the Old Covenant, as I show here and here. [In a future article, I will write on the key exception, namely, how certain laws that order political society also correspond to moral and natural law.]
Finally, the eternal law of God in its moral and natural law ought to be followed by all people, since such law manifests God’s eternal character and desire for all people. This is often called the third use of the law, which you can learn about by clicking here. Martin Luther also sees the Ten Commandments as having ongoing moral guidance for Christians. See this article.
