What part God's law is to play in our personal and public lives?

But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. - Romans 7:8 –10 (ESV)

We are confused about what part God's law is to play in our personal and public lives. One example that has caused controversy especially in Alabama is the posting of the 10 Commandments. These clear unshifting delineations of God's standards stand in contrast to our moral fluidity of our culture. No matter how you feel about their public display, there is a great question to us to ask. 'Do these laws make anybody better?' If we just follow these laws we will be good with God and God will be good with us, right? Read more

Christians - 'law & order' folks?

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. - Romans 7:4 (ESV)

Christians think of themselves as 'law & order' folks. Not the show as much as the attitude. Generally, politically we are for an active civil government that legislates and enforces order. We are positive about the police and we see the system set up as generally just. Anarchy is something to be feared and stopped. Read more

Love God and sin boldly - Martin Luther

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. - Romans 6:16 –18 (ESV)

One of Martin Luther's most notable quotes is 'Love God and sin boldly.' This has been used from several corners to accuse him of blatant disregard for God's commands. After all he was a nun-marrying, nail-driving monk with a mallet. Read more