“Two doctors,” as one old Texas preacher has said, Law and Grace.  They didn’t much match, meaning, you couldn’t pick and choose.  Dr Law could pinpoint your ailment, but it took Dr Grace to fix you up.

Apostle Paul (even older preacher!) would say similarly, “For you know all the ins and outs of the Law—how it works and how its power touches only the living.”  God laid out His Law for personal and corporate, and governmental good.  Jesus would simplify for us the multitude of pages down to loving God Himself, and loving others as we do ourselves.  Still, law.  We could rudely ask, “so what?” meaning, what’s the value of the law? 

Paul continues, “The law code is God’s good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel. Instead of being used to guide me, was used (by an enemy) to seduce me,” meaning, “I can’t, so I will,” said I.  “The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong.  So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead.” 

Father, thank You for “proving Your love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Grace.  Undeserved, “to be justified by His blood,” that we might be reconciled to You, saved by His life.” 

So thank You for detailing Your kingdom laws, pointing out our rebellion and impurities, conquered by Your Grace, greater than our sin.  Law and Grace.

Romans 7:1, Matthew 22:37-39, Romans 7:8-12, 5:8-10 MSG/CSB