you who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. [romans 2:23]
there are two ditches here: legalism and antinomianism.
let’s start with the more familiar: legalism. if we only let Christ-less deistic moralism dictate our behavior, we will crush others with rules, we will add to the gospel of Christ, demanding that they follow the rules for the rules’ sake. our boast will be what we do and do not do: what we watch and what we do not watch: what we say and what we do not say, what we love and what we hate, and we will hate our brothers and sisters when they don’t follow the rules to our standards.
paul writes to the galatians,
for even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. but far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. for neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. [galatians 6:13-15]
he demonstrates that in one point of the law–the ceremonial rite of circumcision–the judaizers, who themselves are lawbreakers, want gentile christians to ‘keep the law’ of circumcision. circumcision isn’t a moral law, it is a ceremonial one, abrogated in the death of Christ–paul makes it clear that circumcision is a condition of the heart, not just an outward sign of the flesh. because the judaizers want to require it, they add to the gospel, and diminish Christ’s work. legalism is sin because it makes the law the point–instead of letting the law point to Jesus.
but there is another danger here. antinomianism is a term that you may be less familiar with–quite literally it means ‘against (anti) law (nomos)’– or more plainly ‘there is no law’. an antinomian is one who who believes that we are freed from following any of God’s moral law that is laid out in scripture–but scripture doesnt teach this. we are to honor the law, we are to honor the moral commandments of scripture–they are not null and void. in romans 2, paul does not say that the jewish authorities should not be following the law, he is calling out their hypocrisy. it is quite clear from the text that God still requires adherence to moral laws such as not committing adultery, not committing theft, not committing idolatry.
God requires our holiness:
strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. [hebrews 12:14]
but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” [1 peter 1:15-16]
and he purchases our holiness in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. in our joy, we desire to know and follow God’s moral laws. when we know him, it will change what we do, what we watch, what we say, what we love.
how can a young man keep his way pure?
by guarding it according to your word.
with my whole heart i seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
i have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
blessed are you, o Lord;
teach me your statutes!
with my lips i declare
all the rules of your mouth.
in the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
i will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
i will delight in your statutes;
i will not forget your word. [psalm 119:9-16]
a right response to honor the Lord’s law is to pursue the Lord ourselves, and call people to holiness, but not place a legalistic yoke that is too heavy to bear–Christ has conquered sin, let us boast in Christ and call people to purity, and to love his perfect and holy law.
~ce