The Legal Wound

It occured to me again recently that law never fails to create "injustice" and "ungodly spirit." Even from the time of Jesus' ministry on earth, He opposed the lawyers and the spirit of legalism. I know, you might get me wrong here. It's not that we don't need the protection of the law of the land. There is a rightful place for it. It's just that it can leave us cold, arrogant, and graceless. It's really more the stubborn will most of us go about it ... the proud spirit with which we handle it.

Scripture speaks of the inappropriateness of "going to the law before the unrighteous and not before the saints" in settling matters about life. "Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to the law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? ... If then you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? I say this to your shame." (1 Corinthians 6:1, 4, 8)

An adulterous spouse goes to court to file for legal divorce. In Scripture, adultery and divorce are clearly heavy offenses before God. But the spouse, instead of coming before God and the saints in repentance, attempts to justify immorality by going to the "court before the unrighteous." Legal documents were presented filled with half-truths and lies mixed with facts. Really, even when the legal process ends, the sins remain. The head swells. The heart hardens.

The opposite of law is Jesus' healing way. It's called grace.

Scriptures: Romans 12: 14-19 / Ephesians 4: 31-32