What does God have to do with speed limits? Well, what is posted on the sign is the law, right? Here’s a brief examination of the law as it relates to Christ followers.
The “law” in the bible was provided to his earliest follows, the Israelites, in the form of the 10 Commandments, the system and customs for worship as well as other practices. It was intended to do several things, among them were to reveal God’s character to the people while at the same time disclosing how difficult it was for people to live without screwing up, setting up the need for a Savior to do for us what we are unable to do for ourselves.
So, since the time of Jesus, what good are laws now?
Of course, the rule of law is intended to create societal order. Imagine if we all could determine if stealing was wrong, or not, what chaos we’d have in this world – and it does at times feel like we do live in that chaotic society when we see so many violating the law and the resources aren’t available to find the perpetrators and hold them accountable. Thefts of catalytic converters comes to mind.
For Followers, abiding by the law is something that matters more AFTER we receive God’s gracious gift of a new life, once we’ve died to our old selves and made the decision to follow Him. The offering of this gift by God had NOTHING to do with what we’ve done in our past, including following or breaking of the law. Its his free and gracious gift. One of many places this is called out in scripture is in Romans 6:23 which says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
So following the law has nothing to do with our joining God’s family, or put another way, in obtaining our salvation. So how about AFTER we choose Jesus?
I think it serves two holy purposes –
First, it points out our inability to follow the law. When most of us see a speed limit sign, we know that to follow the law means to drive our vehicle at a speed that is equal to or less than the posted number on the sign. However, in practice, what many of us do is drive at a speed slightly OVER the posted limit – just enough to believe we won’t be stopped and held accountable for our lawlessness. In Romans 7:11, the Apostle Paul declares, “For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.” Sin takes advantage of the law to arouse sinful desires in us. So too often, laws seem to create this soft boundary around our behaviors and choices, and we attempt at every turn to push the limits to see what we can get away with. That sets up the second purpose of the law today.
The law serves as a reminder that we need a Savior. Paul also writes in Galatians 3:24, “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.” Christ fulfilled the law so we don’t need to as a condition of joining his kingdom. We do so as his followers, because we love him and love to please and obey him, so we follow the law out of obedience, not with thought of earning anything.
So next time you’re behind the wheel and see that speed limit sign, think of this writing and its two key points:
That law is tempting me – what choice shall I make?
And most importantly, recognize that the speed limit sign points clearly to your need for Jesus, a perfect sacrifice and savior that took away the sin of the world.
Richard Bahr 