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The New Testament church was released from the jurisdiction of the rule of law by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Ignorant of its release, however, the well-intentioned church often chooses to return to the rule of law. To the flesh, it can appear familiar, comfortable, and at times, even empowering. However, any apparent benefit is short-lived.
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Return to Law?
There are a number of important truths that must be ignored for the church to subject itself once again to the rule of law. For example, it must ignore the foundational teaching of the Bible, the historic testimony of Scripture, the biblical purpose of law, the need for intimacy with God, and the personal testimony of the indwelling Spirit. Further, the church that chooses to again subject itself to the rule of law must be uninformed regarding the schemes of the devil, theological presupposition, and the failures of its own history. First, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law has ignored the foundational teaching of the Bible. Among other things, it has demonstrated a fundamental ignorance of the gospel of grace. Second, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law has ignored the historic testimony of Scripture. It clearly reveals mankind’s inability to obey the rule of law. Third, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law has ignored the biblical purpose of the law, its strict requirement of perfect obedience, and the powerlessness of its sin weakened flesh. Instead, despite its sin-weakened flesh, it has chosen to believe that it can obey the rule of law in cooperation with the Spirit. Fourth, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law has failed to recognize the fundamental character of law. By nature, it is cold and impersonal. Law is not conducive for nurturing intimacy. Therefore, the law-based church is not characterized by the warmth of living (zoe) fellowship. Rather than inviting, hospitable, gracious, loving, and spiritually edifying, its fellowship is typically legalistic, impersonal, inflexible, and formal. Fifth, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law must ignore the personal testimony of the indwelling Spirit. (Romans 8:2, 16) He provides testimony that the church is not comprised of employees forced to work for God. Instead, it is an assembly of the children of God. They are privileged to cooperate with Him according to the gracious, intimate rule of His indwelling life (zoe). (Romans 8:3-16) Sixth, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law has ignored one of the most common schemes of the devil. It has believed the lie that the righteousness of Christ has not been imputed. Therefore, the church remains in need of righteousness. Theoretically, it must be achieved by obedience to divine law. As a result, the church is characterized by the deadness of legalistic, religious devotion. Thus, it is effectively lifeless (zoe). Seventh, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law has valued theological presupposition over Scriptural truth. Consequently, it does not depend on the Spirit of God for biblical interpretation but its own personal understanding (John 7:37-39; 14:16-17; 26; 15:26; Romans 8:26; 1 John 2:27) Eighth, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law must ignore its own personal history. It provides a clear record of the transgression of law before and after redemption. As a result, the church should clearly understand that it cannot attain the standard of perfect righteousness through works of self-effort. |
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Law and Life
In addition to the aforementioned, the church that chooses to subject itself to the rule of law is ignorant about the biblical difference between law and life (zoe): |
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The rule of law was created for the governance of the dead. Designed to reveal and suppress sin, it is contrary to life (zoe). It was established for the sinner who is eternally separated from God and thus, walks in the darkness. In contrast, the rule of life (zoe) exists for the governance of the living (zoe). Designed to reveal and emphasize Jesus Christ, it is conducive for life (zoe). The rule of life (zoe) was established for those who are eternally joined to God through the redemptive work of Christ and thus, walk in the Light.
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Law School
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) The church that chooses to return to the rule of law was predestined to fail. However, its failure is not without purpose in the plan of God. Some have referred to the failure of the law-based church and how God can use it for good as “law school.” The Apostle Paul provided his own personal insight into the privilege and pain of “law school.” (Romans 7:1-25) As previously indicated, his early Christian life was characterized by an attempt to fulfill the righteous requirement of the rule of law. Ignorant that Christ had already fulfilled its requirement, Paul continually subjected himself to the rule of law from which he had been graciously released. Although Paul believed that the rule of law (law of sin and of death) would allow him to “bear fruit for God,” he soon discovered that it would only allow him to bear “fruit for death.” (Romans 7:4-5) He explained, “…this commandment, which [I thought] was to result in life (zoe), proved to result in death for me (revealed the condition and powerlessness of his flesh).” (Romans 7:10) Paul’s legalistic fruitlessness was not related to a lack of willingness. He was indeed willing to obey the rule of law. However, Paul discovered that the presence of his sin-weakened flesh served to compromise his effort. “For we know that the [rule of] law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to [my fallen nature]. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the [rule of] law, confessing that the [rule of] law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but [my fallen nature] which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but [my fallen nature] which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.” (Romans 7:14-21) Concerning his return to the rule of law and his subsequent failure of obedience, the Apostle Paul concluded, “Wretched (miserable) man that I am!” (Romans 7:24) God did not allow Paul to “graduate” from “law school” until it had served its purpose. It was intended to reveal the impossibility of fulfilling the righteous requirement of the law by human effort. Weakened by his sinful flesh, Paul’s unsuccessful attempts to obey the rule of law led only to the wretchedness or misery of condemnation. (cf. Romans 8:1) It was caused by an unending cycle of dead works and the consequent guilt of failure to perform according to the divine standard of perfection. Through his “law school” experience, Paul was privileged to understand the grace of God more fully. As a result, he joyfully proclaimed, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25) |
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Duty, Debt and Death
Relative to the purpose for which it was originated, the “law of sin and of death” is a ministry of duty, debt, and death. (2 Corinthians 3:7, 9) Consequently, the church that chooses to subject itself to the rule of law is “wretched” or miserable. (cf. Romans 7:24) The rule of law demands performance. It condemns poor performance and rewards good performance. Therefore, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law emphasizes performance or duty. (cf. Romans 7:14-25) It is consumed with how to please God through personal effort rather than resting in its perfect acceptance in Christ. Instead of enjoying the glorious intimacy and fruitfulness of walking with God through the gracious rule of His indwelling life (zoe), the church that chooses subjection to law is characterized by performance for God. In addition, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law emphasizes debt. It lives as though the debt of transgression has not been paid in full by Jesus Christ. (John 19:30; Colossians 2:14) Mistakenly thinking that the church must pay what Christ apparently left unpaid, the legalistic church is consumed with working for God. Moreover, the church that chooses to return to the rule of law emphasizes death. According to the Apostle Paul, the rule of law is a ministry of death and condemnation. (2 Corinthians 3:7, 9) It was designed to reveal the sinful, fallen nature of man that is dead to God, “hostile” toward Him,” and not pleasing to Him. (Romans 8:7-8) Consequently, the church under law is practicing without life (zoe). Thus, it is effectively dead. In practice, the law-based church emphasizes the religion of duty, debt, and death. Although gloriously chosen before the foundation of the world to be representational of divine life (zoe) it serves as little more than a failed representative of divine law. |
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Law Bound Church
Sadly, the modern religious church is law-bound. As indicated, it is the result of ignorantly choosing to position itself under the rule of law rather than the indwelling life (zoe) of the Savior. The law-bound church does not emphasize the living (zoe) Savior, His finished redemptive work, and gracious rule of life (zoe). Its practice simply emphasizes law. The rule of law, however, cannot make the law-bound church legally suitable with God. It can only accomplish the purpose for which it was created, to reveal the bondage of sin (transgression of law). Occupied with the rule of law, the law-bound church presents an environment that is legalistic, cold and austere. It is largely uninviting to the world and even to its own members. Whether recognized or not, the members of the law-bound church often associate their church experience with little more than a legalistic, miserable struggle between right and wrong. (cf. Romans 7:24) Therefore, they attend religiously because of a sense of moral obligation rather than to gather with their brothers and sisters in the amazing, joyful presence of the living (zoe) Christ. According to eternal plan, human beings are naturally born into the world in subjection to the rule of law. Consequently, they view law-bound church attendance as no different from all of their other law-bound experiences in the world. As a result, law-bound church attendance is largely unattractive. Rather than loving and caring, it is viewed as judgmental, merely serving to tell the world what it should and should not do. Perfect Savior The law-bound church frequently underestimates the fullness of Christ’s redemptive work. Therefore, it is typically unaware He fulfilled the righteous requirement of the rule of law, it was released from the jurisdiction of the rule of law, and rather than law, obligated to God by the gracious, intimate rule of His indwelling life (zoe). Relative to the perfection of Christ’s redemptive work, the New Testament church was cleansed from all unrighteousness. As a result, it was utterly privileged to share life with God and experience the gracious, joyful rule of His indwelling life (zoe). Like the rule of law, the rule of life (zoe) accomplishes its intended purpose. Rather than revealing sin, however, the rule of life (zoe) serves to reveal the Savior of the New Testament church, the mediator of its redemptive Eternal Covenant, and its advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. When willingly obligated to God by His indwelling life (zoe) rather than His external law, the church is not merely representative of divine law but also representational of divine life (zoe). Therefore, rather than legalistic, cold and austere, its gatherings are characterized by the beauty of divine love, warmth, and freedom. It is what the world is seeking. “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life (zoe); it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life (zoe).” (John 5:39-40) © 2025 James Hiatt |
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