The Use of the Law in the Life of the Believer

Based on some comments exchanged on my previous post, I wanted to briefly touch on this subject of the use of the Law of God in the life of the Christian. It's very easy to affirm that the believing Christian, who has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and believed on Jesus Christ for salvation and who has therefore been fully and finally justified in God's sight (Romans 5:1), is no longer under the Law but under grace (Romans 6:14). But in the next verse (Romans 6:15), Paul affirms that the believer must walk in obedience to God. In other words, live according to the Law of God, the revelation of what holy living looks like. Yes, the Christian is no longer under the slavery, bondage and condemnation of the Law that it brought under the Covenant of Works. That condemnation was fully taken by Christ. But the Christian is still obligated to God as Lord and Savior to live in accordance with His Law as a rule of holy living. To say otherwise is to contradict the plain teaching of Scripture, and to open the door to antinomianism.

I highly recommend the classic work by Edward Fisher, The Marrow of Modern Divinity as required reading on this subject. And as an explanation of the Marrow, Sinclair Ferguson's The Whole Christ. These works explore the Law and Gospel relationship far better and deeper that I can here.

And I can find no better exposition on the role of the Law in the life of the Christian than contained in the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 19, partially quoted here:

V. The moral law does forever bind 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. 

VI. Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin, together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of His obedience. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin: and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof: although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works. So as, a man's doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law: and not under grace. 

VII. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.