Law: Putting It In Its Proper Place

Total Time: ~3 hours
Focus: To understand the God-given purpose, the profound limitations, and the proper place of the Law in the life of a believer, in order to stand firm in the freedom of Grace.

🧱 Session 1 — What the Law Was For (Its Divine Purpose) (60 mins)

Theme: The Law was given by God not as a path to life, but as a perfect mirror to reveal our true condition and as a strict guardian to lead us to Christ.

📖 Reading

• Romans 3:19–20
• Galatians 3:19–25

📖 Key Passages

• Romans 3:20: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
• Galatians 3:24: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

🔍 Key Concepts

• The Law as a Mirror: Paul’s primary point is that the Law’s function is diagnostic. Like an X-ray, it doesn’t heal the disease; it simply gives a perfect, undeniable picture of it. The Law shows us the holy standard of God and, in doing so, reveals our own inability to meet that standard, giving us “the knowledge of sin.”
• The Law as a Guardian (Schoolmaster): The Law acted as a strict guardian for humanity, holding us in custody and showing us our need for a rescuer. It penned us in, so to speak, demonstrating that there was no escape through our own efforts, making the arrival of Christ the only hope for freedom.

🗣️ Discussion Questions

1. If the Law cannot make us righteous, why did God give it? What is the value of getting a perfect diagnosis of our spiritual condition?
2. How does the “guardian” or “schoolmaster” analogy help you understand the Law’s role in history? What happens to the guardian’s authority when the child comes of age?
3. Many people see God’s Law as just a list of rules. How does seeing it as a “mirror” change your perspective on its purpose?

🧱 Session 2 — What the Law Cannot Do (Its Holy Limitation) (60 mins)

Theme: Because we are imperfect, our relationship to the perfect Law can only result in condemnation. Attempting to earn righteousness through the Law places one under a curse, not a blessing.

📖 Reading

• Romans 7:7–13
• Galatians 3:10–14

📖 Key Passages

• Galatians 2:16: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ… for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
• Galatians 3:10: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”
• Romans 7:9: “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”

📚 Theological Framework

• The Law and the Curse: The Law demands perfect, seamless obedience at all times. Because no human can achieve this, the Law’s ultimate effect on a sinner is to pronounce a curse—a sentence of condemnation. To place yourself under the Law as a system for earning righteousness is to place yourself under this inevitable curse.
• The Law Stirs Up Sin: Paul makes the stunning argument that the Law, by defining sin so clearly, actually has the effect of “reviving” sin within the human heart. It doesn’t solve the sin problem; it highlights it and makes it more active.

🗣️ Discussion Questions

1. Paul says he was “alive” before he truly understood the commandment, but then he “died.” What does he mean by this?
2. Why is the standard for the Law “all things”? Why isn’t “doing your best” or “being mostly good” enough for a works-based system?
3. Galatians 3:13 says Christ became a curse for us. What does this mean, and how does it solve the problem outlined in verse 10?

🧱 Session 3 — Where the Law Is Now (Its Place for the Believer) (60 mins)

Theme: Through Christ, the believer has died to the Law as a system of justification and condemnation. Now free, and empowered by the Spirit, we are able to fulfill the true intent of the Law, which is to love.

📖 Reading

• Romans 7:1–6
• Romans 8:1–4
• Galatians 5:13–18

📖 Key Passages

• Romans 7:4: “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”
• Romans 8:2: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
• Galatians 5:14: “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
• Galatians 5:18: “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

🧠 Reflection & Application

• Paul uses the analogy of a marriage: a woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. To be free to marry another, her first husband must die. He says we have “died to the law.” What does this powerful metaphor teach us about our new relationship status?
• If we are “not under the law,” does that mean we are free to do whatever we want? How does Paul answer this in Galatians 5:13?
• The “fruit” of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.) looks a lot like the character described in the Law. What is the difference between producing this as a “fruit” versus performing it as a “work”?
• What does it mean to you, personally, to be free from the law of sin and death?

✝️ Final Encouragement: A Tool Returned to its Proper Place

The Law of God is holy, just, and good. The error is not in the Law, but in our attempts to use it for a purpose it was never designed for. It is a perfect mirror, not a ladder. It is a flawless diagnostic tool, not a cure. Grace does not abolish the Law; it puts it back in its proper place. By freeing us from the Law as a system of earning salvation, the Gospel of Grace frees us to finally appreciate the Law for what it is: a beautiful reflection of the holiness of our God, and a perfect guide for how to love the neighbors He has given us, all empowered by His Spirit.