The Three Functions of God's Law
Psalm 19:7-8 "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."
Leviticus 19:2 "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.'"
Exodus 20:1-17 "And God spoke all these words, saying..." (The Ten Commandments)
Romans 7:24-25 "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."
Philippians 2:12-13 "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
|
Function |
Description |
Purpose |
Example |
Application |
Related Scripture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
To Portray and Clarify God |
The law as God's testimony is actually a portrait of God, revealing God's attributes and nature |
To let people know what kind of God He is: holy, perfect, righteous, loving |
Leviticus 19:2: "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy" Matthew 5:48: "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" |
Through the law to know God's attributes and understand God's expectations for people |
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." Romans 3:20 "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Galatians 3:24 "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." |
|
To Expose Human Nature |
The law serves as a mirror, reflecting the true condition and sinful nature of humanity |
To make people aware of their sinful nature and see that they cannot meet God's standard |
Paul's experience in Romans 7: "When the commandment came, sin revived and I died" "Sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me" |
To make people recognize their weakness and inability, cultivate a humble heart, and seek God's help |
|
|
To Conquer People and Lead Them to God |
After being exposed by the law, people need to be conquered, admitting that they cannot fulfill the requirements of the law |
To humble people, make them give up their own efforts, turn to God, and accept God's work in them |
The rich young man in Matthew 19 who left sorrowfully because he could not give up his wealth (an example of one who was not conquered) The believers in Philippians 2 are exhorted to work out their salvation with fear and trembling |
To acknowledge that one cannot reach God's standard, to receive God into us to become our life and power, enabling us to fulfill God's requirements |
Romans 8:3-4 "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." |
The ultimate purpose of the law is to lead us to recognize our need for God's life, to receive God into us, to become one with God, letting God live in us, and for us to live out God's life. This is the basic principle of divine revelation in the Bible.
*Please refer to the 2025 International Chinese Conference Romans 5-8 - The Core of the Bible Chapter 4: The New Husband
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