Rome 7:1-6

Rules are for robots. Robots are unable to think and reason for themselves. Therefore, programmers write a list of rules to control their actions. It is very difficult to make a list of rules that cover every situation. That is one of the reasons self-driving cars have been so difficult to make safe. A car must stop at every “red light”; but not every traffic light is identical. The computer also has to be able to distinguish between a light that is red and a “red light”. Driving a car according to a set of rules is difficult; living a righteous life by following rules is impossible.

We call the Ten Commandments “God’s law”, but they cannot even come close to covering the many choices we have to make every day.  The Ten Commandments forbid bearing false witness. In NAZI Germany, should a Christian lie to the Gestapo in order to save the life of a Jew? I know Christians who are still in bondage to the letter of the law. They would not be able to lie, even to save an innocent person’s life. They are scared that if they do not have the law to tell them right from wrong, they might sin without knowing it.  They are afraid that doing the right thing does not justify willfully disobeying God’s Law.

Paul is not advocating what we know as situational ethics. Paul is advocating that we be so obedient to the Holy Spirit that we follow a new law. God intends for Christians to follow the spiritual law of love and righteousness. The law of love will require more of us than the letter of the law. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”  We have to think and pray about our actions.  In the new way of the spirit, righteousness is our guide. We are not robots; we must choose to say and do what is loving and right.