Acts 13:4-12

Rules are rigid. If a rule is flexible, we call it a suggestion or a recommendation. God did not give humanity the Ten Suggestions; God gave us the Ten Commandments. The Jewish leaders recognized 613 commandments from the Old Testament Law of Moses. They expanded the interpretation of these commandments in the Talmud. The Talmud is over 6200 pages long in standard print. However, the Law by itself was not, and is not, enough to create a righteous life. One reason the law falls short, is that it is unable to change the human heart. The law is also inadequate because life is not rigid. A rigid set of rules, no matter how large, will never be big enough to cover every situation in the complexity of life.

Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44). I believe Jesus was giving us a commandment, not a suggestion. In spite of that commandment, Paul looked straight at Elymas, and called him a child of the devil. That does not at first glance seem loving. Then Paul went further and cursed him to blindness- (I am still not feeling the love.) Paul was in the middle of one of those non-rigid moments of life where the law cannot dictate our actions. Paul was obeying the law of love at the same time he was placing a curse.

Love is doing what is best for another. Paul was doing what was best for Surgius Paulus, the proconsul; Paul was protecting him from the evil words and actions of Elymas. Paul was also doing what was best for Elymas. Elymas needed to know that evil has consequences and God is not forever patient. We do not know if Elymas ever repented. We do know that Surgius Paulus was one of the first high Roman officials to become a believer.

The law, by itself, is not enough. The Holy Spirit guides us in applying the law.  Righteousness requires keeping the spirit, not just the letter, of the law.