If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you
likely heard that the purpose of the law was to show us how sinful we are. Once
this realization sets in, we accept Christ as Savior and are good to go. But what does God say the purpose of His law
is?
Deut 4:6-7 says (regarding God’s laws and rulings), “Therefore, observe them; and follow them; for then all peoples will
see you as having wisdom and understanding. When they hear of all these laws,
they will say, ‘This great nation is surely a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has God as close to them as Adonai our God is, whenever we call on him?”
When I read this, I hear God saying that
the purpose of His law, His Torah, is:
- to
fill His people with wisdom and understanding, righteousness and justice
- to cause the nations to look on, be amazed, and want in on this relationship.
Jesus tells us the same thing in Matthew 5
– that we are the salt of the land and the light for the world. He calls us to
be perfect like Him so that the world may see our good works and praise God in
heaven.
Moses, in Deut 4:5, says that he taught the
laws and rulings just as God ordered, so the people of God will know
how to behave.
God, through Moses, asks, “What great nation is there that has statutes
and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you
today?”
For instance, did you know that the law instructs
us not to go along with the crowd, not to judge unfairly in favor of the
wealthy, nor should we go to the other extreme and judge in favor of the poor out
of pity? I believe James had these
portions of the law in mind when he wrote, “if you show partiality, you are
committing sin.”
Those of us who were not raised in Judaism have
long misunderstood the purpose of Torah (the law). Torah is God’s laws and rulings that - as we live in obedience - set us
apart from the world, attract people to their Creator and testify to the
righteousness, justice, wisdom and understanding of our God and King.
