The Purpose of the Law

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:17
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24

The other day I stopped by the YMCA in downtown Nashville. I usually visit there maybe once a month, so I have never purchase the monthly parking pass for eight dollars. I usually try to find a place along the road and fill the parking meter with change to rent the parking space for about an hour. As I got out of the truck, I noticed the parking meter was flashing. I inserted a couple of dollars worth of coins to buy an hour of parking time. For every quarter, you can buy ten minutes. A dime will buy four minutes and a nickel two minutes. I had accumulated one hour and four minutes on the meter. I knew I had one solid hour to work out and get back to the truck in the allotted time.

When I went into the facility, I kept my eye on the clock as the minutes passed. After working out on the cardio machine, I went to the free weights and did a few reps. As time slowly passed, I realized I had about ten to fifteen minutes left to get to my truck. I went to the locker room, changed, and grabbed my bag to return to the truck in much relief knowing I had exercised for the day.

As soon as I exited through the front doors, I saw a man standing beside my truck. He was dressed in blue, had a badge, and had arrived there in a golf cart with a flashing light. He was hired by Metro to parole the parking meters across town. I ran to my truck and asked him what the problem was. He said he was writing me a ticket for a parking violation. I told him that could not be possible. I had purchased the time, and I had kept up with it while working out. Even if the meter was flashing it could have only been doing so for two to four minutes which was the equivalent to a nickel or dime.

Immediately, I tried to explain my case to him. I tried to explain that I had arrived one hour prior and put my money in the meter. I was not trying to be dishonest. I even had a witness who was patrolling the YMCA parking garage. I had asked to get change from him for a dollar. He watched the scene unfold. I pleaded for grace, and he told me he was only doing his job. He said he drove up, saw the meter flashing, and began writing the ticket for one hundred times greater than the actual time would have cost me (one dime compared to $11 for parking violation.) If effect, he said the law is the law and is no respecter of persons. I tried to talk with the law and negotiate, but he said, “Sorry boss, you will have to take that up with the Davidson County Court system if you want to contest this.”

I was stuck with a fine in my hand, a flashing meter, and a witness who could only testify to my effort to keep the law. The law is the law and my time had run out in his eyes. I was a little angry, disgusted, and silenced as my mind thought of a thousand ways to justify myself (the meter was wrong, the clocks were not in sync in the YMCA, someone held me up, etc). Romans 3:19 says, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” I could contest it, but I knew I was guilty. He saw what he saw, and my plea for grace would not work with the law. The law had to be fulfilled, and I had no plea.

Let me remind you briefly, the law is the schoolmaster that points us to the only One who has dotted every “i” and crossed every “t” of the law’s demand—Jesus Christ. Oh, what a Savior who would take upon my sin and your sin and bear it alone at the cross of Calvary. He died to bear the wrathful consequences of billions of offenses against the Righteous Judge in the high court of heaven. He died to uphold God’s justice and to enable believers in Jesus to be justified in His sight.

My hope today is that you are not depending on your own goodness or works in the eyes of men to get you into heaven. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). Men and women of this earth will not be given the opportunity to testify to God on your behalf about the good deeds you may have done. Your goodness is not enough. God’s verdict already stands. Romans 3:10 says, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” If you haven’t already received pardon, grace, and forgiveness, run to Christ before your time runs out. You do not want to face the Lawgiver and Judge of the whole earth without a plea.

Dear believer, do you remember the day the law tracked you down? Do you remember when your heart was racing and you knew of your guilt? Do you remember when you felt the drawing power of the Holy Spirit who convicted you of sin, opened your eyes to Christ, and enabled you to say Abba Father with a heart full of peace? Do you remember the hour you first believed? The law fulfilled its purpose and gospel of Jesus Christ became the greatest message and love story you had ever heard. Now, God is with you both now and forevermore. Rejoice and be thankful!