Objections to God’s Law

Asher Chee |

God’s Law continues to be valid even after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet, many Christians believe that they do not need to keep God’s Law. They raise some of the following objections. However, are these objections biblical?

“But we are not saved by keeping the law!”

It is certainly true that we are not saved by keeping God’s law (Rom. 3:20, 26; Gal. 2:21; 5:4; Tit. 3:5). Indeed, we should not keep God’s law for the purpose of earning our salvation. Nonetheless, if we truly love God, then we would want to live according to God’s law—even if we are not saved by keeping God’s law (Jn. 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10; 1 Jn. 2:3; 5:3)!

“But we are not under the law but under grace!”

It is certainly true that we are not under the law but under grace. However, this does not mean that we do not have to keep God’s law.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! (Romans 6:15 ESV)

In this passage, Paul explained that those who live in sin are slaves to sin, but true believers are no longer slaves to sin (vv. 16–23). Sin is defined as anything that is not according to God’s law (1 Jn. 3:4 cf. Rom. 3:20; 7:7). Therefore, if a person is truly under grace, then he will live according to God’s law.

“But we are not under the Old Covenant!”

It is certainly true that we are not in the Old Covenant. However, that does not mean that God’s law is not valid.

The Old Covenant and God’s law are not the same thing. While the Old Covenant makes references to God’s law, the Old Covenant itself is not God’s law. Consider the following illustration: A father promised his son that if his son keeps the house rules during that week, then he will buy his son an ice cream. That promise will no longer be valid after that week, but it does not mean that the house rules will also become invalid. Just as the promise is not the house rules, so also the Old Covenant is not God’s law.

The Old Covenant has passed away (Heb. 8:13), but God’s law remains valid, such that sin is still defined as anything that is not according to God’s law (Rom. 3:20; 7:7; 1 Jn. 3:4).

“But the New Testament writers taught that we should not keep the law!”

The New Testament writers taught that we should not keep God’s law for the purpose of being made righteous before God (Rom. 3:26; Gal. 2:21; 3:2, 5, 10–12, 24; 5:4). However, they also taught that we should keep God’s law because it is the right way to live according to God.

“But no one can keep the law perfectly!”

It is certainly true that no one can keep God’s law perfectly (Rom. 3:20). That is why we need to trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation (Rom. 3:23–24). Nonetheless, if a person is a true Christian who has the Spirit of God, then he will have a desire to keep God’s law (Ezek. 36:27). He will not have a mind that does not submit to God’s law (Rom. 8:7). Of course, a true Christian cannot keep God’s law perfectly, but he would not use that as an excuse for not keeping God’s law!

“But Christianity is not a set of rules!”

There are certainly people who keep God’s law without having a relationship with God. However, it is not reasonable to accuse a person of “reducing Christianity to a set of rules” just because he believes in keeping God’s law.

Of course not!