“… The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” Gala 5:22,23. I used to wonder why, after listing these beautiful virtues Paul tacked on that last phrase. Why are you stating the obvious Paul? All cultures do have some system of law and sometimes the systems conflict in part, but there has never been one that outlawed love, joy, peace, etc…then it dawned on me. Paul is saying there really is such a thing as transcendent law – law that is not man-made and is not relative to any particular culture. There is law that is true for all people at all times, in all places. And Jesus Christ manifested that law – those universal virtues, with sinless perfection. How could he do that? Because he is the ultimate Law-giver. Just as the existence of design in nature shows there must be a Designer, the existence of transcendent law shows there must be a Divine Law-giver who has written his law on every heart created in his image.
But that raises another question. Why do these virtues against which there is no law seem to be so scarce – so hard to find. Isaiah gave the answer, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way…” Isai 53:6. We have a sin nature, which runs from God and follows other wayward men, but we rationalize our waywardness, piling up lies to try to justify ourselves. Paul writes, “… since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” Roma 1:20. God’s divine nature has been clearly seen, so the one who denies transcendent law and its source is like the drunk who can no longer see clearly. In the case of the atheist it’s lies such as Darwinism that cause his blurry vision. As my pastor, Thomas Coughlin has said, there are no clear-headed atheists. They are all inebriated and self-deceived. “The fool says in his heart ‘There is no God’” Ps 14:1.
1 comment:
"The existence of transcendent laws shows that there must be a Lawgiver."
This is a strong case for confidence in evangelism. It is this nature of the law stamped into the heart of man that brings about a shadow of these laws in everyday life. Compassion, justice, mercy, "do a good deed day", etc...
And these very things that reveal the law in our hearts also accuse us because we do not live by them; we try to appease our consciences by a good deed, or minimal acts of kindness. But the contrary fruit, the fruit of the sinful heart, abound everywhere, all the time. There is no need of a "special" day to carry out these dark ways such as selfishness, immorality, fits of rage, malice, mockery, etc...
A great beginning for evangelizing this lost world.
Post a Comment