What if I told you that observance to God's commandments from the Law in no way, shape or form could have the fruit of effecting our actions positively(and permanently) over the long term? What if following the Law actually stunted your sanctification, and actually works against you sinning less in your daily walk? What if I told you that observing the Law does not aid in sanctification? What if I told you the means to overcoming sin has nothing to do with observance to the Law but having to do with a renewal of your mind to who you now are in Jesus Christ?
So true.
If you set out to obey the Law, you would set out to observe it absolutely, because breaking the Law in place breaks the whole Law (James) And part of the Law obeying the Law is not only outwardly, but inwardly. "Love the Lord with ALL your mind..." So, taking this literally and out of context, I set out to do this... I almost went insane, or so it felt.
Because to harness total obedience by your mind, you constantly analyze what you think as well as what you say. You would have a snarky thought about someone, remember an offense of someone against you that you should have forgiven already, or have an unnecessarily critical thought of someone's action, petty annoyances, etc.
The Law magnifies sin, in that your sin because more apparent to you (Romans). Some people, it drives them into despair that they can't live holy... others who evaluate themselves poorly may feel validated by the Law, that they kept it and so they boast. For me, I broke down and prayed something like "If this is what it takes to be holy and pure, just let me die because I can't do it."
The Law is adversarial, in that it either praises or it condemns. You observe the Law long enough with the mindset that you either pleased God or failed to please God, may fall away realizing total obedience is an impossibility... or you may rebel against the faith because you think that is what it teaches, either by forgetting the grace taught or never fully understanding it in the first place. Or even worse, you may go out and make someone else twice a son of hell as yourself because you boast in it.
I'm sorry, I just don't see how you can have it both ways. God's grace is something you do absolutely nothing to achieve, but you keep that grace by taking the burden grace released from. Um, what?
Do unto others is a great summation of what the "Law" is for the believer.
