Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

I have read that America, and indeed most countries, has such a tangle of laws that everyone in the country is in violation of something. That is due to human failure, politicians deciding what behavior they wanted and thinking they could legislate it. By the time of the New Testament, Judaism had descended into the same morass, with all sorts of human interpretations and additions to the actual Law of Moses. Even today, in Israel on the Sabbath elevators will only move one floor at a time, to avoid their “doing work.” That is why Israel’s enemies have consistently attacked them on the Sabbath, or even High Holy days, as they did this year, to force them to break their own religious laws. They have not accepted the truth that Jesus spoke, that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) Paul’s point here is that we cannot be perfectly obedient to a written code; it only serves to let us know that we are out of line. The following verses (tomorrow’s reading) begin the process of explaining God’s solution to this problem, but Paul needed to start by expressing the problem clearly, which he has done here. He himself, as well as various other people in the Bible, are said to be “as for legalistic righteousness, faultless,” (Philippians 3:6) but he called himself “the worst of sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:16) Laws are very important, because our “internal compass” isn’t very accurate, but laws by themselves will not get us to God.

Of course this applies to me. In terms of human law I have gotten one speeding ticket in the US (after Nixon dropped the national speed limit to 55) and one parking ticket in Japan, but I have done various things for which I never got caught. I’m not necessarily proud of them, but they certainly prove that I’m at heart as lawless as the next guy. I need to remember that at all times as I look at those around me, realizing that we are all equally in need of the grace and mercy of God. I have long tended to be sensitive to legalism in the Church, but that doesn’t mean I’m less of a Pharisee in ways that I may not recognize. In need of grace myself, I need to extend it to others.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the book I’m reading by Frank Viola that points out the dangers of being judgmental, among other things. May I indeed be blameless, not by my own power or righteousness but by Your grace, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!