We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. – 1 Timothy 1:8

Today's Scripture Reading (April 21, 2021): 1 Timothy 1 & 2

To be physically and psychologically healthy, we need boundaries. Children need to know what is right and what is wrong. And if it is wrong, they need to understand exactly what the consequences might be of transgressing that law. From missing a meal to being grounded or having electronics removed from them, it shouldn't be a guess as to what will happen if they cross the boundary. This is a requirement if we are to produce healthy and well-balanced children.

But what we sometimes miss is that, as adults, we need the same thing. Often, our calculation in our violation of the law also includes an evaluation of the chances that we might get caught breaking the law. When I drive on the highway, I know that exceeding the speed limit will result in a fine if I am caught. I also know that, depending on speed and distance, there is also a chance that I will never get caught. It is a different calculation if I run a red light equipped with a red-light camera. Under that circumstance, violating the law is almost sure to result in a ticket. But that is the way the law is supposed to work. I have a friend who never speeds. In fact, he rarely approaches the speed limit. He drives as fast as he feels is safe, which is consistently lower than the posted limit. His driving might frustrate me, but he doesn't have to worry about the law. The law is designed for me, not him.

The law presents us with the boundary, but that is all that it does. Paul argues that the law's proper use is to warn us when we break it; it reveals our sins. What the law can't do is make us righteous. The proof of that is found in the fact that Israel had possessed the law, but the law had never made them righteous. It only showed them the areas in which they failed and transgressed the law. To become righteous needed something else.

The admonition that the law is good if used correctly is also a warning about the law's character. Our laws, even in our secular world, must serve a moral purpose. It must be for the betterment of our society. Laws that discriminate or weaken certain parts of our population are not examples of the law being used properly. We need to be careful about the laws that we pass and the laws that we transgress. Because the law can be beneficial to us if it is used in the right way, but in the end, the law will fail us if we can't transcend our biases. And it is because of our prejudices that, in the end, we need more than just the law; we need Jesus.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 3 & 4