Why is the law considered "good" if it cannot save us? Canonical Witness to the Law’s Goodness “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately” (1 Timothy 1:8). Scripture never disparages the Mosaic code itself. “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good” (Romans 7:12). “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul” (Psalm 19:7). These converging texts establish that the apostle’s affirmation is no novelty; it echoes the uniform testimony of both Testaments that God’s statutes are intrinsically good because they flow from His impeccable character. The Law Mirrors God’s Moral Character The commands reveal who Yahweh is—just, loving, faithful, orderly. As the moral transcript of the divine nature, the law is good because God is good (Psalm 119:68). When Moses asked to see God’s glory (Exodus 33–34), the revelation was verbal as well as visible: the LORD proclaimed His name and attributes, then inscribed commandments on stone. The two are inseparable; to malign the law is to malign the Lawgiver. The Law Diagnoses Human Sinfulness Romans 7:7 declares, “I would not have known sin except through the law.” Like an X-ray, the statutes expose the fracture of the heart but supply no power to heal it. A diagnostic tool that identifies cancer is undeniably “good” even though it cannot perform surgery; its goodness lies in faithful revelation. The law’s inability to save (Galatians 2:16) magnifies its utility as a mirror, not as a ladder to heaven. The Law Drives Us to Christ “Therefore the law was our guardian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). The Greek paidagōgos guided minors to the teacher; once the true Instructor arrived, the escort’s job was complete. The law’s relentless exposure of guilt creates the felt need answered only by the cross and resurrection (Romans 3:19-26). Thus, the law is good precisely because it funnels sinners toward the only sufficient Savior. Redemptive-Historical Placement From Eden to Sinai to Calvary, God progressively unveils His plan. The ceremonial aspects—sacrifices, priesthood, feasts—were “a shadow of the things to come” (Colossians 2:17). Shadows are good when they point accurately to the substance. Christ’s once-for-all atonement fulfills the types (Hebrews 10:1-14), upholding every stroke of the law (Matthew 5:17-18) while relocating believers from the old covenant to the new (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:20). The Ongoing ‘Third Use’ for Believers While believers are no longer under the law for justification (Romans 6:14), the moral core still instructs redeemed hearts. The Spirit writes the law on tablets of flesh (2 Corinthians 3:3), enabling joyful obedience (Ezekiel 36:26-27). The law thus functions pedagogically (to convict), christologically (to point), and normatively (to guide). Each use is “good” when applied “legitimately” (1 Timothy 1:8). Misuse: Legalism and Antinomianism Paul’s immediate context corrects teachers who “desire to be teachers of the law, but understand neither what they say nor the things they so confidently affirm” (1 Timothy 1:7). Legalism elevates human effort; antinomianism discards divine standards. Both abuses spring from mishandling a good gift. Proper use requires recognizing the law’s limits and purposes. Philosophical Confirmation of Moral Law Objective moral values are best grounded in a transcendent moral Lawgiver. Evolutionary accounts cannot furnish “oughts” from “is.” The persistence of universal prohibitions against murder, theft, and perjury reflects the work of the law “written on their hearts” (Romans 2:15). The intrinsic goodness of the law resonates with humanity’s shared moral intuitions, pointing to design rather than accident. Practical Evangelistic Implications A law-first approach (Psalm 19:7-11; Romans 3:20) diagnoses sin in conversation, then pivots to the cure—Christ crucified and risen (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Like a physician who shows the X-ray before prescribing surgery, the evangelist uses the law to awaken conscience, then heralds grace. The method is both biblical and psychologically sound, producing genuine conviction rather than superficial assent. Summary The law is good because it reflects God’s nature, reveals our sin, shepherds us to Christ, and instructs redeemed living. Its inability to save does not mar its goodness; rather, it magnifies the sufficiency of the gospel. Rightly used, the law harmonizes with grace, bringing maximum glory to God and maximum good to humankind. |
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