I truly believe that teaching The Law is strongly needed in far more churches these days. Too many "Christians" are being spoon-fed a religion that doesn't include anything remotely close to the Truths of The Law. They are just receiving the soft 'Grace' teachings, and even those are watered down to the point of a slew of disoriented and distorted Christians walking through life believing they are on the right track 'just because'.
What Christian Leaders Said About the Law
Was Martin Luther, the great faith reformer, against the Law? Not at all, in fact he said, "The first duty of the Gospel preacher is to declare God's Law and show the nature of sin, because it will act as a schoolmaster and bring him to everlasting life which is in Jesus Christ." John Wesley said, "Before I preach love, mercy and grace, I must preach sin, Law and judgment." Wesley later advised a friend, "Preach 90 percent Law and 10 percent grace." Charles Spurgeon, who is known as the "Prince of Preachers," said, "They will never accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy Law." Charles Finney who is labeled as having a 80 percent success rate in his ministry said, "Evermore the Law must prepare the way for the Gospel; to overlook this in instructing souls is almost certain to result in false hope, the introduction of a false standard of Christian experience, and to fill the church with false converts." John Wycliffe, the "Morning Star of the Reformation" said , "The highest service to which a man may attain on earth is to preach the Law of God." D.L. Moody, who is credited with having over one million disciples for the Lord, put it in perspective when he said, "God being a perfect God, had to give a perfect Law, and the Law was given not to save men, but to measure them."
If we were to ask the Apostle Paul why the Law was given and if it had any effect on the world today, the Scriptural Text gives us his answers. We would expect to receive the same answer he gave to the Romans "that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" [Romans 3:19]. The most significant tribute to God's Law comes from the Saviour when He said, whosoever does and teaches the Law will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven [Matthew 5:19]. The sad truth is that since the turn of the century, various new ideas have been substituted for the teaching of God's Law and standard in Christendom to the extent that Mr. Finney's above three areas of warning concerning the Law have been self-fulfilling.
The Nine-fold Purpose of the Law
Even in the New Testament and apart from being the guideline of God's covenant people Israel, the Law has at least a nine-fold purpose to all people. This is not to say that all the Law applies to all people, for much of it was a direct covenant to Israel alone. Note the detail of some of the universal aspects of God's Law:
First - To teach the believer how to serve, worship and please God [Psalm 19:7-9; Acts 18:13,14].
Second - To instruct the believer how to treat his fellow man and have healthy relationships with him [Leviticus 19:18; Galatians 5:14; Galatians 6:2].
Third - To teach believers how to be happy and prosper here on earth by manifesting the power and authority of God's reign in their lives [Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; Luke 12:32].
Fourth - The Law was given, not to save, but too measure man's deeds both toward God and his fellow man, straightening out all matters contrary to sound doctrine [I Timothy 1:8-10; II Timothy 2:5; 1 Corinthians 6:1-12; I Corinthians 3:13; Romans 2:12; Revelation 20:12, 13].
Fifth - The Law is a schoolmaster showing that we are guilty and then leading us to Christ our Messianic justification [Galatians 3:21-24; Romans 3:19].
Sixth - The Law gives us both the knowledge and depth of our sin [Romans 3:20; Romans 4:15; Romans 7:7, 8; Luke 20:47 - greater damnation].
Seventh -The Law reveals the good, holy, just, and Perfect nature of God and serves as the visible standard for God's will [Romans 2:17, and please God [Psalm 19:7-9; Acts 18:13, 18; Romans 7:12; II Peter 1:4].
Eighth - The Law is to be established or accomplished by our faith, therefore, it is called the Law of faith [Romans 3:27; Romans 3:31].
Ninth - The same Law today is written on our hearts, and through God's Spirit we can delight and serve the Law of God [Romans 7:6-25].
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