Dr. Law and Dr. Grace
“Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”
Galatians 3:23-25
Paul continues in his writing regarding the distinguished differences between living by the law and living by faith. If it means to be under the curse of the law, why is there law in the first place? Why was the law given? The Apostle Paul writes the law is what points us to the need of Christ. The law was not given as a contradiction to the promise of God regarding righteousness or eternal life. The law merely points us to the need of a Savior for it is impossible to live completely in obedience to the law. The law points out the fact that we are sinners. It was our guardian or our schoolmaster which taught us our need for Christ. Yet when we placed our faith in Jesus alone, we are no longer under that guardian or schoolmaster. This gospel truth is what gives us the promise of eternal life and declares us righteous. It is a declaration that is to all people regardless if they are a Jew or Gentile, regardless if they are a freedman or slave, regardless if they are male or female, etc. If we are in Christ, we are part of God’s children and we will inherit eternal life.
When I was starting out in Bible college back in 2011, I used to listen to several sermons on the CD (when we had CD players) and one of the sermons I listened to was entitled Dr. Law and Dr. Grace by a well known traveling evangelist. In his sermon, he introduced two doctors that he visited.
The evangelist was dealing with some difficult issues within his life and decided to set up an appointment with a well known physician by the name of Dr. Law. As he rolled into the office, the evangelist explained all the symptoms he was facing. He said he was having trouble with his hands, his eyes which seen inappropriate things, his legs which led him to bad places, and so on. Dr. Law replied that none of those were the main symptoms but that it was his heart that had an issue. The evangelist kept arguing with Dr. Law that he didn’t think it was a heart problem and continued to list out the different symptoms he was having such as his taste which had a liking for drunkenness, his tongue which had rotten language coming out, his ears which would listen to wicked gossip, and more. Dr. Law continued to reply that all of these symptom’s would only be taken care of if the core issue, which is the heart, is corrected. The evangelist couldn’t fathom this diagnosis any longer want decided to get a second opinion.
The evangelist then went to Dr. Religion. He was the new guy in town and his office looked modern. When the evangelist asked Dr. Religion what was wrong with him, the doctor replied that there is nothing wrong with him after diagnosing him. When the evangelist said what can he do about what he was dealing with and Dr. Religion replied that he should start attending church, that might help. The evangelist started ago attend church but nothing changed, he was still dealing with the same symptoms. Dr. Religion told the evangelist it might help to get baptized, to start taking serving at church, to start helping in outreach, and other works. None of them helped and so the evangelist felt that Dr. Religion didn’t really know what he was doing.
The evangelist started to find other doctors such as Dr. Do-Good Works, Dr. Think-Good, or Dr. Hope-For-The-Best but noe of them were able to help so the evangelist went back to Dr. Law who once again gave him the same diagnosis of what he was dealing with which was his heart. Dr. Law finally relented and said there is nothing that can help therefore he had to get an heart operation, replacing this heart with a new heart.
He led the evangelist to the offices of Dr. Grace. Dr. Law would frequently send patients with the same problem to Dr. Grace, to get a heart operation. The evangelist was scared of the operation and asked Dr. Grace multiple questions such as if he had any good nurses, which the doctor replied he had none and that he did everything. Did the doctor have any help from other doctors, no. Did the doctor have good anesthetics to help put the patient to sleep, no because Dr. Grace wanted the evangelist to know what he did so the evangelist can tell the world about it. Was the evangelist’s wife allowed to enter the operation room? No she was not according to Dr. Grace for this was a personal better between the doctor and the evangelist.
By this point the evangelist was afraid and trembling to which Dr. Grace touched his shoulders and said he didn’t have to worry because he never lost any patient and he guarantees 100% success. The evangelist asked how much this operation would be, which Dr. Grace replied that it was already paid for by a Friend of the evangelist. The evangelist wanted to meet this friend but Dr. Grace replied that he would introduce this Friend after the operation. Dr. Grace then explained the surgery process that he would take out the evangelist’s old heart and replace it with a new one. And so by faith the evangelist laid down on the operation table and Dr. Grace replaced the evangelist old heart and brought a new heart. The doctor took a picture of the old heart in comparison with the new heart and the evangelist can see the great difference. The old heart was black and rotten to its core whereas the new heart was pure and clean. After replacing the evangelist’s heart was replaced and the operation was a success, the evangelist felt all the symptoms disappear immediately and asked if he had to come back for a check-up. Dr Grace replied that there was no need for the operation was a success and that it was permanent. The doctor recommended simple and daily exercises such ash as lifting his hands in prayer, kneeling in worship, walking in the neighborhood, and exercising his vocal cords in praise.
The evangelist then asked to see the Friend that paid for the operation and Dr. Grace introduced the Friend. He had a lovely heart and personality but had scars all over his head, side, and two holes in his two hands. The Friend introduced himself as Jesus. Immediately the evangelist recognized who paid for the operation and where the heart came from, it came from the Friend. The evangelist returned to Dr. Law and thanked him for giving him the correct diagnosis which was the issue with the heart and for leading the evangelist to Dr. Grace.
This was one of the best sermons I have heard regarding the difference between law and grace and I wanted to share this recollection of it as well to you. This is what Paul was referring to in his letter, that the law serves its purpose which is to show the problem we are suffering with. The law then leads us to the need of a Savior that will help us resolve the problem we are suffering with. The law points us to the need of a Savior. Many times as Christians we may wonder if the Old Testament is important as the New Testament and the reality is that it is both equally important. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies about the coming Messiah and Savior which is found in the New Testament. We must be grateful for both and we must express our thankfulness in the fact that God in His infinite wisdom and grace has established the law which points us to Christ, whom we can find righteousness when we place our faith Him alone.
I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; 31 thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. 32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 34 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
Proverbs 24:30-34
When we falter in times of difficulties, our strength is small. We must strengthen our faith that we may remain strong when difficulties come against us. We must strengthen ourselves by eating honey such as wisdom which is good for us. The righteous will fall multiple times but they will rise again. Wicked will always stumble when calamity strikes them. We find righteousness in Christ alone. With Christ we can get up when we are fallen. We know that when we stumble we can get up and overcome our temptations with Christ on our side. Fear God above all else and don’t be afraid of the wicked and evildoers. When we are lazy instead of finding ourselves disciplined in Christian and holy living, we are compared to a sluggard. The vineyard of a sluggard has nothing but thorns, weeds growing, and stone walls in ruin. We must discipline ourselves to not cave to little slumber or sleep. Sometimes this is literally. That extra 5 minutes of sleep to come late to church or miss reading the Bible is not worth it!
