Matthew 19 The Law is Death

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2) I know that the law is deadly, and all through the OT I see how often law is associated with death (animals die, or if a person breaks the law, the person must die). Truly, the law does not lead to holiness, but rather to death. It's all through Matthew 19 as well.

The Pharisees, who had committed themselves to keeping each and every law to the fullest degree, came with a question to trap Jesus. Notice four clues of legalism in the question itself:

"SHOULD a man be ALLOWED to DIVORCE his wife for ANY REASON?" they asked. (19:3) That's a mark of the law, and law is a mark of death. So, when I ask questions or make decisions with words like SHOULD (or ought to), it's a mark of fleshly motivation, not of the Spirit. Or if I focus on whether I am ALLOWED (or permitted) to do something, I am asking questions of law and permission, not of Spirit and life. If I find myself using negative words like DIVORCE (or no), rather than positive ones, I am on the law side of an issue. And if I start wondering whether it's okay or not for ANY REASON (or in certain situations), I am going down the road of death. This is a serious matter!

In contrast, Jesus uses words like READ (to see what God originally intended) (19:4,8), and CAN (to those whom God helps to remain single) (19:11,12), and LET (to bless the little children) (19:14,15). The Spirit gives freedom and guides individually, saying "yes" to holiness. The Law limits and controls impersonally, saying "no" to sin.

The rich young man comes to Jesus, also asking about some law questions. "What good thing must I DO" (there's another law word) "to inherit eternal life?" (19:16) Jesus brings it to him directly: "Keep the commandments." (19:17) Would the young man recognize the unending trap that law leads him into? He does not. "WHICH ones?" (19:18) Another clue of law thinking. Jesus gives a sampling of laws impossible to keep (such as "Love your neighbor as yourself.")(19:19) Will the young man recognize that he stands guilty?

"I have OBEYED (another clue) all these commandments," he claims. (19:20) "WHAT ELSE must I do?" (There's is always more! Law is a whirlpool that inexorably sucks me down in its vortex.) So Jesus gives him a harder commandment: "Sell everything you own and give it to the poor." Will the guy see that you can never be "good enough" to merit eternal life? (19:21) Of course, he does not.

It is impossible for a sinful person to please God through perfect keeping of the law. Am I hearing that? It is a road from which there is no successful return! But what is impossible for man is possible with God. (19:26) That's the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which sets me free from the law of sin and death! Praise the Lord!

"LORD, thank you for life. Thank you for freeing me from the law of sin and death. Keep me from the SHOULDS and the ALLOWS and the NOS and the REASONS and the DOS and the WHICHES, and especially from the WHAT MORES of law. Let me recognize the law's ugly face and run from it when it comes to my door, in Jesus' name."
-ker