God Without Religion_ Can It Really Be This Simple_ - Andrew Farley [8]
You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Rom. 2:21–24)
The Problem with the Old
So what exactly is the problem with the old way? The law points its holy finger at us and silences every one of us. Through the law, we only become more aware of our sin:
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (Rom. 3:19–20)
The law craftily paints us into a corner, showing us that we’re trapped as prisoners of sin (Gal. 3:19–24). After showing us our sin, the law offers us no real solution. The law can’t give new birth, new life, or even hope for these in the near future (Gal. 2:16; 3:21).
Being under law is like being under a curse (Gal. 3:10). The demands of the law aren’t difficult; they’re impossible! At the same time that the law is screaming, “Thou shalt not sin!” its regulations actually arouse more sin within us (Rom. 7:5). So there we are with no hope to meet the standard and things only getting worse by the minute.
Because the law gives sin the opportunity to thrive (Rom. 7:8), it becomes a ministry of condemnation (2 Cor. 3:7). Yes, God brought the law in so that our sins would increase, not decrease:
The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. (Rom 5:20 NASB)
If anyone is looking to the old way of the law for answers, they can expect more sinning, not less. Have you ever considered that the religious demands you place on yourself might actually be the cause of your sin struggle? It seems the only way we can experience relief while under law is by bending its rules when people aren’t looking. But as we’ll see next, some end up parading their disobedience right through the center of town!
Mennonite Motorboat
While living in northern Indiana, we learned a lot about Mennonite culture. In that area, there are three main types of Mennonites. One of the easiest ways to distinguish them is by their modes of transportation. Some refrain from driving cars altogether. Others drive only a black car with no shiny trim. And a third group drives any car they want.
South of town, there was an intersection with churches on three corners. Driving by on Sunday, you got a perfect snapshot of all three Mennonite viewpoints. One parking lot had cars of all colors and types. The second parking lot was filled with very conservative black cars. And the third parking lot was dirt, with a hitching post for horse-drawn buggies. That last group has decided to refrain from most things in the modern world.
One day, while visiting the local Mennonite town, my wife and I witnessed a scene we’ll never forget. A horse drawing a carriage was trotting through the middle of downtown . . . towing a bright yellow speedboat!
We laughed and laughed at the hypocrisy of it all. Yes, the Mennonite man was obeying the letter of Mennonite law. But he had found a loophole of sorts that enabled him to enjoy just a bit of weekend “freedom.”
Similarly, the old way of religion tells us exactly where the boundaries are. But when its rules become inconvenient for us, we might find ourselves altering them to fit our desired lifestyle. That way we never confront the stringency of law, and we don’t suffer under the full power of its condemnation.
Don’t want to live under six-hundred-plus laws of the Old Testament? Then maybe settle on Eleven Commandments—the Big Ten plus a 10 percent tithe. Don’t want to be bound by a required 10