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March 28
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WHO THE LAW IS MADE FOR
8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, homosexuals, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
– 1 Timothy 1:8-11
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In this letter, Paul tells Timothy what the law is and who it is made for. In verse 8, he tells him that the law is good if one uses it lawfully. In Paul’s earlier letter to the Galatians (which his first letters to the Gentile believers), he talks about the law in Chapter 3:11. He says that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law, for Scriptures say that it is through faith that a righteous person has life. Paul is referring to those religious leaders who uses the law to enslave others. In other words, he is referring to “legalism.” He clearly explains that not any rules can make anyone right with God, but only faith in Jesus can.
In verse 9-10, Paul enumerates those people whom the law was made for. He clearly says that it wasn’t made for the righteous person but for the following people:
• Lawless and rebellious
• Ungodly and sinners,
• Unholy and worldly
• Killers and murderers
• Sexually immoral and homosexuals
• Slave traders
• Liars and Perjurers
• Whoever is opposed to sound teaching
Wow! What an exhaustive list Paul mentions in this letter. If you examine Galatians 3:11, it says that it is through faith that a righteous person has life. Let’s examine this list closely. What do they have in common? They are all in bondage to sin and not free. They aren’t serving God but their own selves. They have turned their back on the righteousness of God which means that they do not have life and are living in darkness.
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REFLECTION
• Why is legalism a lethal weapon of the enemy to bring down people?