How Are We to Use the Law: Let Me Count the Ways, Pt 1

By Rev. Dr. Mark Horne - Posted at Place For Truth:

The three uses of the law—restraining sin, convicting sinners, and guiding believers in holy living—reflect its multifaceted role in God’s moral order. While the third use promotes societal order and the second provides a blueprint for Christian living, it is the first use that acts as a catalyst for evangelism. The first use, often called the pedagogical use, reveals sin and drives sinners to Christ for mercy and forgiveness. It holds up a mirror to humanity’s unrighteousness, convicting the heart and exposing the need for salvation. Unlike the other uses, which operate in the contexts of society and sanctification, this use of the law uniquely points directly to the gospel, highlighting our dependence on God’s grace through Jesus Christ. Let us look closer at this first use.

The Pedagogical Use of the Law: A Mirror to Reveal Sin

The first use of the law, often called the pedagogical use, reveals your sin and shows your need for a Savior. As Paul explains in Romans 7:7, “I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.” The law acts as a mirror, reflecting God’s holiness and exposing your heart’s sinfulness. This function of the law is foundational to evangelistic paradigms like the Romans Road, Evangelism Explosion, and The Way of the Master. Each of these methods begins by confronting you with the reality of sin and the justice of God.

Consider the Ten Commandments. Each commandment holds up a standard of perfect righteousness, showing you where you fall short. When you lie, covet, or dishonor God, the law convicts you. This conviction is not cruelty but mercy, for it strips away your illusions of self-righteousness. As John Calvin wrote, “The law warns, informs, convicts, and lastly condemns every man of his unrighteousness” (Calvin 2011, 348).

Continue here...