The Weak Arm of the Law

I have been a school teacher for more than 15 years, and more than a few times I have had students whom I knew outside of school before they became my student. In some cases, I had built a pretty close relationship with the youngster through the church, the neighborhood, or through family ties. When some of these students came into my class, they were surprised to find out that I did not relate to them in the
same way. They were taken back that I could not maintain a relationship with
them, and they struggled with feelings of rejection. What happened? On the outside,
there were no rules or law systems to keep us from relating to each other freely.
Now, there was a law system to be followed and it hindered our relationship.
This is precisely what happens to young Christians who receive the good
news gladly, and then are told that they have to do something to be a "good Christian." In other words, the law kills our relationship with God; in fact, you
can't live for God under the law. Paul states in Galatians 2: 19: "For through the law, I died to the law so that I might live for God" We think just the opposite. We think that in order to live for God you must follow "the rules" or have some type of
law system to keep you in line. Churches are full of laws and will judge each
church member's status according to their adherence to these laws. If they
adhere, they are "sold out 100% on fire for Jesus." If they adhere somewhat to
the rules, they are not sold out but probably saved. If they don't adhere at all,
well, they probably were never really saved. We fit everyone into our little system
to make ourselves secure. This is rubbish! Paul goes on to emphatically
state: "You who are trvinq to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ, you have fallen away from grace." In other words, trying to be justified
(saving yourself) by your own efforts is backsliding. Are you familiar with that term? The "law dogs" use it to describe those who are not adhering to their law system. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Think about it this way: If a man proposes to his wife and tells her that he
will love her if she follows certain rules, do you think she will really feel loved?
If we feel that God is keeping his eye on us to make sure we don't screw up, do
you think we will ever feel loved? If we feel that there is some law system we
have to follow, do you think we will ever really believe God loves us? This is a
human argument, and it falls short because God has supernaturally solved the
sin and law problem by His grace through Jesus Christ. However, the
point is this: We can't love God or anyone else using a law system, and we cannot
experience God's love for us if we are using a law system. The law kills love, but the good news is God has removed sin and the law so that we can
have a personal, intimate relationship with Him. Romans 7:4-6 describes God's supernatural work to enter into a wonderful, intimate relationship with us

"So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body
of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who
was raised From the dead. in order that we might bear Fruit to God. For when we were
controlled by the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law
were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit to death. But now, by dying to what
once bound us, we have been released From the law so that
we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code".
Christ fulfilled the law by His life, his death, burial and resurrection--there
is no more barriers in the way of us climbing up on our Father's lap and letting
Him love us. The new way of the Spirit is this; what is true of Jesus is true of
you. Is Jesus ever out of fellowship with God? Then, neither are you.
God has joined you to Christ inseparably by the power of the Holy Spirit-You are in Christ, He is in you. Jesus said, "I am in the Father. you are in me, and I am in you." God has done this, and there is no law system that made it happen! He did
it before you even asked because your "Heavenly Father knows what you need
even before you ask." You can't get any closer to God than that. He is living in you, fulfilling the law in you, every minute of every day. You are united to Christ in His eternal, abundant life. He lives in you. You can't get any better than that.
The good news is to be received by faith; that is, you take God at His word that you are in a close, personal, intimate relationship with Him and you talk everything over with Him. You talk to Him; He talks to you, and every day you experience friendship with God. The amazing thing about God is that He relates to us in every way we need. He is our Father, Teacher, Counselor, but He is also our friend--the closest, most
intimate friend we will ever have. Let go of your flimsy, cheesy law systems and
experience unconditional love.