You Mean We Actually Have to Love the Law?
I have a confession to make. I broke the law recently. A few weeks ago Carol and I were on our way to Mt. Vernon to attend a cookout sponsored by our department secretary honoring our senior music majors. She and her husband have done this for several years. Music faculty and families are also invited.
We were cruising along comfortably in our new Saturn Aura when, just north of Fredericktown, here came a State Trooper the opposite way. My stomach dropped when he passed me, turned around, turned on his light and gestured for me to pull over. The officer got out and asked for the appropriate documents, which I had. He told me I was doing 68 in a 55 zone. He asked if I’d like to come and confirm this in his car. I said no thank you, and took his word for it.
He asked where we were headed. I told him to a cookout just out of Mt. Vernon. He then asked what time we needed to be there, I told him 6:00. He also asked me if I had received a citation within the last 30 days, which I had not – thank goodness…! He looked at his watch and said that we should be able to make it by 6:00 ok. He then told me that he was going to have to give me a citation. He went back to his car and returned a few minutes later. He gave me the ticket, and said if I wanted I could sign the ticket and send in a check for the fine – $120 – instead of going to court. He then told me to take care and drive safely.
Then, I thanked him…
Ok, what did I thank him for? He just gave me a ticket! It later dawned on me that even though there was no way to get out of the ticket short of going to court, and even then my chances would be pretty slim, he was so courteous I could hardly believe it. He called me “sir” several times, was right to the point, efficient, and was aware of our need to get to the cookout on time and safely. I guess I thanked him for his professionalism and courtesy…certainly not for giving me a ticket.
I have thought about this and have come to the conclusion that the law exists to help keep our society in working order. And, for the most part, it works. Laws are for everyone to obey, including the officer himself.
We have been reminded on several occasions that no one is above the law. I saw him doing his job, reminding me that speed limits exist for everyone’s safety, and if obeyed, we can all travel the highways freely without fearing for our lives. Those who do disobey the law (like me in this instance) have a price to pay. And, sometimes it is considerably more than a paltry $120.
Psalm 119, which is one of my favorite passages, is full of references to God’s law. In fact there are only about six or seven verses out of 176 that do NOT refer to God’s law in some way. The Psalmist takes great delight in it. There is something comforting about this majestic passage that reminds us of the eternal value of the law. However, in the New Testament, we are reminded that the law can only go so far. Grace is the name of the game there. Ephesians 2:8 states that we are saved by grace. On the other hand Paul states in Romans 7:7 that the law exists as a reminder of limits, sort of the definer of sin. Paul reminds us, for example, that he would not have known that coveting was sinful if the law of God had not said “Thou shalt not covet”.
So what is the order of things? The law defines sin, but can go no further. If the law was all there is, no one would ever be forgiven. The law simply does not have the power to re-create us in the image of Christ. This is where grace takes over. Paul also states in Romans that we are no longer under the law but under grace. The law has its place but grace must finish the job with the Spirit of Christ working within us.
Someone has said that mercy is withholding punishment that we deserve, and grace is extending forgiveness that we don’t deserve.
Like I said before, I’m no theologian, but I can say with the Psalmist, “I love your law…“, then bow in gratitude for the grace that takes over and has been extended to us through Christ.
Thanks be to God.
