The Right Use of the Law

John Reisinger makes a helpful illustration of the right use of the Law.  So many Christians think that we are saved by grace; and we are kept saved by obeying the Law.  This is the heart of the Galatian error.  It is heretical. Reisinger's use of John Bunyan's illustration is helpful.

"John Bunyan has a beautiful illustration on the Biblical purpose for which God gave the law to Israel as a covenant. It is the scene in the Interpreter's house where the man with the broom (representing the law) was stirring up the dust of sin in the human heart. His labor could not cleanse the heart, but was necessary to show the dirt and the inability of both the sinner and the man with the broom (Moses) to clean out the dirt. The damsel comes in (the Holy Spirit) and sprinkles the room with water (the gospel) and cleans the room with ease. So far so good. So far we all clearly understand what Bunyan was teaching. However, once the room is cleaned out, the Covenant Theologian then puts the broom back into the hand of Moses and puts him in charge of keeping the room clean! 

How many times have we heard the statement, "Moses will send you to Christ to be forgiven and justified, and Christ will lead you back to Moses to teach you how to live and be sanctified." We must see that Bunyan is not saying, "The law cannot justify but it can sanctify." He is saying, "The law cannot conquer sin in the human heart, period." The law can no more keep the heart clean than it can clean it out in the first place."

No, we are saved by believing the Gospel and we are sanctified by believing the Gospel.