The "Ministry of Condemnation"--Really?
PHOTO CREDIT: The Language Alliance
In a makeshift moot courtroom with eyes fixed on my delivery, I systematically confronted "the accused" and debunked every inkling of innocence that may have been left in the minds of the jury. At 18 years old, my best friend and I were "summoned" to be the prosecuting attorneys at a mock trial in a local church. At this point in my life, I was absolutely living at distance from Christ--full of myself, full of ambition, and full of rebellion. What right did I have to annihilate the one on the stand?
In 2 Corinthians 3:9, Paul speaks of the ministry of condemnation: "For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory" (NASB). Paul was, of course, speaking of the glory of the law.
"Therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith." Galatians 3:24 NASB
It is not as if the law has no value; however, the "law of sin and death" has been replaced by the "law of the Spirit": the former producing life, the latter producing death. The law is scripturally compared to a mirror (James 1:23), which reveals unrighteousness in our lives and shows us our "blindspots"; the law is also referred to as a "Schoolmaster"(Galatians 3:24) which leads us to dependency upon Christ. The "antinomian heresy" is the idea that, under the dispensation of grace, the moral law is of absolutely no use, since salvation comes by grace through faith.
For me, the law was so ingrained in my psyche that, even before I was a fully-devoted Christ-follower, I could spot sin from a mile away--in my own heart, and in everyone else. As I progressed in my faith, I found that this ministry of condemnation lingered; causing both me and those around me much unnecessary headache and heartache.
"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 NASB
The law has a place in both our lives before coming to Christ, and after coming to Christ in that the moral law points us to God's character. However, the law is "powerless" to save, and "powerless" to make us righteous before a holy God. The ministry of condemnation is legitimate, but it is not salvific. Today, I am increasingly thankful that, as followers of Christ, we are actually living above this condemned state, and that we are empowered by Christ to truly please God in a way that "law-keepers" could never accomplish. The requirements of the moral law can actually be met in us who believe, because it is impossible to please God without faith.