Romans 5:20-21

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I was leading a Bible Study one time and we were talking about the Law. I asked the question, “Does anyone like the Pharisees?” It was an old man, slow pitch softball question. I knew the answer before I asked it. No Christian likes the Pharisees. If for no other reason, Jesus was always calling them out on some point of the Law or another. They seem like the bad guys. That leads to another question. Why do we like to live like one? Why do we hold so many of the lost accountable to the Law?

The Law is beautiful because the Lawgiver is beautiful. Our problem with the law is that it exposes the ugliness of our sins. The Law for us seems bad because it keeps telling us over and over again how we fall short. Enter King Jesus! Jesus comes, not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. The only way this beautiful Law could be adhered to is by the beautiful Lawgiver Himself. Jesus kept the law and is the one, perfect sacrifice necessary to cover our sins as required by the Law.

This is where grace abounds all the more! God told us that we owed Him a billion dollars. Then He paid the debt in full. In this life, death is a reality. From God’s lofty view, it ruled over us. But another King came. He would erase our debt and give us what we don’t deserve- eternity with Him.

For this reason, I don’t fret when I see others disobeying the Law each and every day. I am well aware that I disobey the law each and every day. Instead, I long for them to see Jesus. No set of rules looks beautiful from the outside. Jesus does truly look beautiful to all that gaze upon Him. Have you truly cast your eyes upon Jesus? If you have, you will long for others to do the same.