Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Christ Covenant Reformed (PCA)
One
of the crowning achievements of the Reformation and of the founding of British
and American jurisprudence was the adoption of the legal concept we call “Lex
Rex.”.
In this arrangement, the Latin words mean
“the law is king,” and
even the crowned head must obey the law.
King Charles the Second lost his head because he could not abide the
superiority of the law.
King George the insane lost an American Empire because his ministers
flattered his Teutonic preference for the old arrangement.
As we may well guess, many of the ongoing political struggles today have
more than just a passing reference to the legal precepts we have been
considering.
Sadly, in all three branches of our Washington government, the modern
trend has been towards the regal definition being handed down from the collected
minds within the beltway that surrounds our “inspired” governmental despots.
Of
course, as the writer of Ecclesiastes describes it, this attitude is nothing new
under the sun!
Leaders, who should be stewards of the laws that have been revealed to
us, always want to go a step further and take personal credit for that wisdom.
It is like a teacher who once submitted a course of study, only to have
it rejected because there was no dedication page thanking the administration for
having to do the work with no real help, encouragement or reward.
It is like the Pharisees and Sadducees of the New Testament era who had
loaded the people down with a heavy yoke of legalism, and expected to be thanked
for their improper administration of God’s revealed law.
In fact, it was the messianic challenge to their administration of the
law that so infuriated the stewards of that law.
In
this context we may begin to appreciate the admonishment of Paul here in the
seventh chapter of Romans.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is in fact the law, and the law is He,
as well.
By His perfection and the revelation of the legal standards implied in
that law, we know of our fallen human nature and the necessity for our
repentance.
We may also understand from Paul’s explanation that, while we are yet
in this life, we are still under the law.
When we pass on to the next life, we are still with Him who is the law.
It is sort of like this.
Where a human king’s personality has very much to do with the
administration of his laws, so too may we be assured of the blessed
righteousness of God’s laws because we so well understand the revealed
character of our God.
Just
as the present and past leadership of this country have increased the apparent
contempt that many have developed towards our constitutional structures, so in
quite the opposite direction may we appreciate the loving kindnesses of our Lord
as we learn of His character and His personality which are revealed by His laws,
regulations and finally by His revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ.
“For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John
Murray observes that verses five and six contrast this truth of scripture.
Verse five describes the past estate, having its fruit in death.
Verse six shows the transformed estate arising from our discharge from
the law.
The laws of God which are holy, righteous and eternal are beyond our
carrying out.
Were we left with the law alone, we would have no hope, because we would
all be condemned to death.
This is why we have been released from the law to the love of Christ.
Because in Him and in His love for us there is eternal life.
The fact of this release from the law places us under a new
administration.
To
understand this administration, we may appreciate the recruitment ideals of the
communist party in many places around the world.
Wherever the communist agents went and found Rex Lex in force, one of
their promises to the people was to gain their release from the force of that
law. And
in return, they promised that as jurisprudence developed, the structures of law
could be abandoned.
And if they were allowed to selectively remove certain individuals from
society, one day there would be no necessity for any laws or any government.
Just let us train up the younger generation to work diligently so that
the fruits of their labor may be shared to meet the needs of the many.
For people who had nothing, we should not have been surprised that they
would fall for this communist dream.
When
I share that premise with my students, I describe communism in the context of
the grades given at the end of the nine weeks.
Instead of everyone getting what they obviously deserve, I suggest that
we might add together the points of every single student and then divide by the
total number.
Usually that procedure would give everyone what they need: a passing
grade.
Surprisingly, some students think that is a wonderful idea.
But others point out that it would only work for one nine week grading
period, because if the fruit of their labor was stolen in such a manner it would
be a cold day indeed before they would ever work again.
Now,
in the context of the gospel, this is exactly what has happened in regards to
the law.
The One, the only Son of God, has sacrificed His life on the cross so
that we can pass over to eternal life on his merit alone.
No amount of work on our part has merited such a gracious reward.
We are free from the legalism of the Pharisees, the Sadducees and all the
rest who would administer the law by demanding compliance to mere human
traditions.
Imagine,
if you will, if I went to my students and said, “I’ve been working myself to
death all summer so that there are assignments enough to pass you all for the
year.
Now that you don’t have to slave away, you can simply work for the pure
joy of working!”
Even though many professional educators would encourage us to do
something just like that, we know what would happen don’t we?
But,
this is indeed just what has happened in the area of salvation.
The price has been paid.
Look carefully at verse six:
“But
now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that
we serve in the new way of the spirit, and not in the old way of the written
code.”
Now, “students” of Christ, what would you do for your Master?
Look back at verse four to appreciate the invitation:
“So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ,
that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order
that we might bear fruit to God.”
Do
you begin to appreciate why so little is accomplished within Christ’s church?
We are working for Him for the shear joy of thanking Him for what He has
already done for us.
Do you also see the necessity of having the indwelling of the Spirit?
Isn’t that necessary to overcome an all too human tendency to put off
diligent labors?
As we close, may I remind you of a classic definition of Calvinists.
Calvinists are people who know that they are saved only by grace, but
they go on to labor as if their salvation actually depends upon their
accomplishments.
May we all here lovingly demonstrate that calling and in so doing give
greater glory to our Lord.
Resources Used: The Holy Bible, New International Version
Places Preached:Murray, John. New International Commentary: Epistle to Romans.
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America) Post Office Box 13926 - Columbus, OH 43213-7926
Rom07a.htm 27 August 95
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