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The Purpose of the Law


What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. (Romans 7:7-8)
          Imagine yourself driving down a lonely road out in the middle of nowhere, just enjoying the view and listening to a good song or story on the stereo. Along the side of the road, you notice a white sign with big numbers on it. You look at your speedometer . You're doing fifteen miles-per-hour more than the speed limit. Do you speed up? Do you ignore the sign?  Do you resent the sign? Do you reduce your speed a little? Do you realize your error and conform to the law? Do you go a little crazy and contact the police department in the area and mail the fine in?
          I tend to resent the sign because it requires that I pay attention to what I am doing in addition to what I'm seeing or listening to or where I'm going. I am likely to slow down, but probably not to the actual speed limit. In this, I'm probably normal. The actual right thing to do would be to arrange to pay the fine but I suspect your response to that is "I'd go broke!" I, too.
           Speed limits are laws, and our response to them tell us something about laws and a lot about ourselves. First, laws don't prevent us from doing wrong. In fact, Paul says they make it more likely that we'll do wrong. The speed limit is 55. That means I can do 60 or 65 without getting pulled over. I speed up. After all, if I didn't, all the other cars would scream by me. (If everyone around you was jumping off a bridge...?)
           I don't know what disobedience, or disrespect, or rebellion are until someone commands. The law identifies what is right and what is wrong. That means that at least two functions of the law are to reveal the character of the law-giver(s), and to reveal the character of the person who obeys or disobeys that law through her obedience or disobedience. Do you know anyone with enough character to not only not intentionally break the law, but to pay the penalty for breaking it accidentally?
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On the Calendar:
International Labor Day
Law Day
May Day

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