The Beauty of God's Cure

Have you ever thought about why it is that our human default is to rebel against a 'law' ?

I came to a new understanding of God's law this week when I was looking at Gal. 5:22,23 in a morning bible study I enjoy with a dear friend.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

The words "against such there is no law" caught at my attention, as they had so often before.

I suddenly wondered if there was anything to be gleaned from the Greek word translated 'law'.

I found that there was.

The first part of the definition given goes like this... "animal grazing, a prescribed usage".

Perhaps at first glance you might just respond with a "huh?"

But think about it.

When we are ill, we go to the doctor who will, if our condition warrents it, write out a prescription and with it instructions for its usage.

We do not complain about taking the 'cure', we even pay good money to get it and take it faithfully, trusting in its ability to restore us to health.

But perhaps this explains our reluctance to 'obey' a law - it reminds us that we are not well and we rebel against being 'sick' and needing medicene!

If we take this picture to understand God's 'law', we have a new way of understanding it.

Is it not because His people were 'ill' with sin, that God prescribed the 'law' and gave them instructions for it usage?

And if they filled His perscription, taking it faithfully, they could trust that it would bring about their cure!

If you think about the Greek word reference to grazing animals ... is their perscription not 'grass' and they graze according to the 'prescribed usage' ??

But wait... does our verse not say "against such there is no law" ?

Yes.. it does because there has been a great change in our condition.

Jesus, who fulfilled the 'law' , exacted for His followers, not a new prescription to take when we feel ill... but a cure! And with the cure gave us a 'higher law' to PRESERVE our health!

The higher 'law' is that if we live by the fruit of the Spirit we will not need a 'law' because no 'ills' can come against the fruit of the Spirit.... we will be immune to sin if we trust in Him and give the Holy Spirit full reign in our hearts !

1Jn 2:10 "He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him."

Of course we are not yet perfect ! but that is our goal ! "Be perfect, even as I am perfect", says the Lord. We can only be perfect if 'love' is perfected in our hearts.

The NT believers were warned not to go back to living by the old 'law'. The old 'law' is outdated, it has lost its effectiveness - it can no longer restore to health.

We must take the new 'prescription' -- living by the law of Christ... love God with all your heart and your neighbour as yourself --- and giving evidence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life!

Then you will need no law to cure you... you will walk and live in health !!!!

Rom 13:8 "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law"

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