The moral law forever binds all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that, not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it. Neither does Christ, in the Gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.
Has Christ released us from the burden of the law? Have we not been set free by the gospel of grace? Yes, of course. The law no longer has the power to condemn. We who are in Christ are justified not by our works but by God's grace. We have a righteousness that is extra nos, outside of us, an "alien" righteousness imputed to us by God, which righteousness we were in dire need of because our own righteousnesses are like filthy rags.
Yet although we are no longer bound by the law, to keep it as necessary for life, we are still guided by it and are expected to conform our lives to it. Remember that the law is holy. It reflects the character of God. It was given to man by God's authority. None of that has been repealed. Indeed, now that we are new creatures in Christ and the power of sin over us has been broken, we are better able to keep the law than we were in our unregenerate state. Furthermore, out of gratitude and thankfulness to God for so great a salvation we obey him. We who love him keep his commandments.
Tomorrow: The uses of the law in the life of the Christian.
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