A while back, I found a web site full of non sensical laws. Let me share a few with you. The anti-NRA folks will be pleased to know that it is illegal to shoot any game in California from a moving vehicle, unless it is a whale. And whether they are shooting or not, no woman may drive a car while wearing a house coat.

In Baldwin Park, no one is allowed to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool. In Los Angeles, toads may not be licked and in Fresno, no one may annoy a lizard in a city park. Since I hate lizards, I think I will avoid parks in Fresno.

But my favorite “silly law” comes from Chino, California where detonating a nuclear device within city limits carries a $500 fine. Now there’s a city that I can feel safe living in!

Silly laws make us grin, but the truth is we all value the rule of law. The law plays an important role in maintaining order in our society. In the scriptures, the Law (the spiritual, civil and ceremonial guidelines given by God to Moses and passed onto the Israelites-see Leviticus 20 and Deuteronomy 5) plays an even more important role in the life of a New Testament believer.

The Law had a couple of clear purposes. First it provides an unmistaken definition of sin (Rom. 3:20-23). Because we have a written Law, we know exactly what is wrong and right. Our behavior can and should be moderated accordingly.

Secondly, according to Galatians 2:24, “the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.” The Law was not set aside by Christ, in fact, He came to fulfill the Law (Matt. 22:38-40).

If God had not chosen to reveal Himself and give the standards whereby, we will all be judged, we would just be wandering through a meaningless existence. Instead, He outlined exactly what we must do to be perfect. And, because of the clear statements about His standards (perfection), we can recognize our desperate need for a Savoir.

Because it is impossible to live up to that standard, we desperately need someone to redeem us, to pay the price for our sin and to justify us before a holy and righteous God. Christ did that your me…and I hope for you.

Maybe this week is a good time to consider how onerous it would be living under the Law. Instead, let’s praise the Lord for the grace of God given to us, not through the Law, but through the cross!

And ignore all those silly Laws!