By Joshua Cooley
The word law is kind of a buzzkill isn’t it? Other than politicians, judges, and attorneys, who really wants to hold deep, meaningful conversations about rules and regulations?
Deep down, humans have always been averse to laws. It’s in our nature—literally. Thanks to our fallen nature, our hearts are naturally bent toward rebellion, not obedience. For evidence, look no further than Old Testament Israel.
In His great love, God redeemed Israel from Egyptian slavery and made them His own people. To set them apart as a people for Himself, He graciously gave them the Old Testament law before they entered the promised land. The law revealed God’s holiness, His righteous requirements for fellowship, and the people’s great need for Him.
The law was a great gift to Israel—a truth that Moses tried to help the people understand. “For what great nation is there that has a god near to it as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call to him?” he asked them. “And what great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?” (Deuteronomy 4:7–8).
But the people rejected God’s law, chasing after idols and immorality. So God expelled them from the promised land. Later, Israel’s post-exilic religious leaders added significantly to God’s law, imagining they could climb the ladder of legalism, rung by works-based rung, to earn God’s favor.
In giving the law to Israel, God knew they would never be able to keep it fully. We, too, break God’s law daily in thought, word, and deed. What are we to do?
Well, the answer lies not within us but elsewhere. The only One who could ever perfectly keep God’s commandments was…God Himself!
Jesus—God incarnate—accomplished this on our behalf, obeying where we rebelled, succeeding where we failed, and making peace with God for us through His flawless nature and atoning sacrifice. As Jesus Himself confirmed, “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).
This means everything for us! As Romans 8:1–2 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
The old covenant of the law brought death. But now, through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, Christ has ushered in the new covenant—an era of eternal life in Him! Now, we keep God’s law not as a means to salvation, but out of great love, obedience, and praise to the One who saved us as we are led by His Spirit (Romans 8:4).
This Advent, let’s celebrate not only God’s good laws but the perfect law-keeper—His Son, Jesus Christ!
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