Saturday, June 18, 2011

Galatians 5:23 No law against it

Against such things there is no law

Paul returns to his theme of the law and grace. I think the point he is making here is how those who rely on the law tend to become spoilsports. I have told the story before of the Scottish Presbyterian minister who when the loch was frozen and the roads impassable decided to skate to the kirk on a Sunday morning. The Elders carpeted him for 'playing' on the Sabbath. After the interview they retired to consider his excuse that it was the only way he had of getting to the morning service.

"Och, well," they said, "as long as ye can assure us that ye didna' enjoy yourself!"

But one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. To be a Christian is to be happy in Christ. The Law is to restrain people from bad things not to straitjacket them so that they dare not do good things. But unfortunately, that is the effect it has.

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