3. How Do We Use the Law Lawfully?
John Newton
This question implies that the law may be used unlawfully. And too many do so use it. It is not a right use of the law to seek justification and acceptance with God by our obedience to it, because it is not appointed for this end; in our circumstances it is not capable of answering this end. The very attempt is a daring impeachment of the wisdom and goodness of God; for if righteousness could come by the law, then Christ has died in vain (Gal 2:21, 3:21). So such a hope is not only groundless, but sinful; and it is a willful rejection of the grace of God to persist in it under the light of the gospel.
Again, it is an unlawful use of the law – that is, an abuse both of it, and of the gospel – to pretend that its accomplishment by Christ releases believers from any obligation to it as a rule. Such an assertion is not only wicked, but absurd and impossible in the highest degree; for the law is founded in the relation between the Creator and the creature and must unavoidably remain in force so long as that relation subsists. While He is God and we are creatures, He must have an unrivalled claim to our reverence, love, trust, service and submission, in every possible state or circumstances. No true believer can deliberately admit a thought or a wish of being released from his obligation of obedience to God, in whole or in part; he will rather react against it with abhorrence.
But Satan labours to drive unstable souls from one extreme to the other and has too often succeeded. Such souls have become wearied with vain
1This is the final part of one of Newton’s letters. It is taken, with editing, from Newton’s Works, vol 1 (1985 Banner of Truth reprint). The previous part, printed last month, answered the question: “How do we know the law is good?”
endeavours to keep the law, so that they might obtain life by it, and they have afterwards taken up a notion of the gospel that is devoid of power. They have thus at length despised that obedience which is the honour of a Christian and essentially belongs to his character and have abused the grace of God to licentiousness. But we have not so learned Christ.
To speak affirmatively, the law is lawfully used as a means of conviction of sin; for this purpose it was promulgated at Sinai. The law entered that sin might abound – not to make men more wicked, though occasionally and by abuse it has that effect – but to make them conscious how wicked they are. Having God’s law in our hands, we are no longer to form our judgements by the maxims and customs of the world, where evil is called good, and good evil; but we are to try every principle, temper and practice by this standard. If men could be prevailed on to do this, they would soon listen to the gospel with attention. The Spirit of God does thus prevail on some: then they earnestly make the jailer’s inquiry, “What must I do to be saved?” Here the work of grace begins; and the sinner, condemned in his own conscience, is brought to Jesus for life.
Again, when we use the law as a mirror to behold the glory of God, we use it lawfully. His glory is eminently revealed in Christ, but much of it is with special reference to the law and cannot be otherwise discerned. We see the perfection and excellence of the law in His life: God was glorified by His obedience as a man. What a perfect character He exhibited! It is a transcript of the law. Such would have been the character of Adam and all his race if the law had been duly obeyed. It appears therefore a wise and holy institution, fully capable of displaying that perfection of conduct by which man would have answered the end of his creation. And we see the inviolable strictness of the law in Christ’s death. There the glory of God in the law is manifested. Though He was the beloved Son and had yielded personal obedience in the utmost perfection, yet He was not spared when He stood in the sinner’s place to make atonement for sin. From what He endured in Gethsemane and on the cross, we learn the meaning of that awful sentence, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die”.
Another lawful use of the law is to consult it as a rule and pattern by which to regulate our spirit and conversation. The grace of God, received by faith, will dispose us to obedience in general; but through remaining darkness and ignorance, we are much at a loss as to particulars. We are therefore sent to the law, that we may learn how to walk worthy of God, who has called us to His kingdom and glory; and every precept has its proper place and use.
Lastly, we use the law lawfully when we use it as a test whereby to judge of the exercise of grace. Believers differ so much from what they once were,
and from what many have become, that, without this right use of the law, comparing themselves with their former selves or with others, they would be prone to think more highly of their attainments than they ought. But when they recur to this standard, they sink into the dust and adopt the language of Job, “Behold, I am vile;” “I cannot answer thee one of a thousand”.
From hence we may briefly gather how the law is good to those who use it lawfully. It provides them with a comprehensive and accurate view of the will of God and of the path of duty. By the study of the law, they acquire a habitual spiritual taste of what is right or wrong. The exercised believer, like a skilful workman, has a rule in his hand whereby he can measure and determine with certainty, whereas others judge as it were by the eye and can only make a rough guess, in which they are generally mistaken. Likewise, by reminding them of their deficiencies and shortcomings, it is a sanctified means of making and keeping them humble, and it exceedingly endears Jesus, the law-fulfiller, to their hearts and puts them in mind of their obligations to Him and of their absolute dependence upon Him every moment.
If these reflections should prove acceptable to you, I have my desire. I send them to you as printed, in the hope that the Lord may accompany them with His blessing to others. The subject is of great importance and, were it rightly understood, might help to settle some of the angry controversies which have been lately stirred up. Clearly to understand the distinction, connection and harmony between the law and the gospel, and how they mutually illustrate and establish each other, is a singular privilege and a happy means of preserving the soul from being entangled by errors on the right hand or the left.