Letter of the Law & Spirit of the Law

 


Living the Higher Law

(This is a topic which has weighed upon my conscience for some time, and figured it would be better to write these impressions down.)

In His message from the Sermon on the Mount, as found in the Gospel of Matthew, the Lord Jesus calls for us to live the higher law.

What is the higher law? And how are we to live that way?

In my experience I have come across people who claim they "live by the spirit of the law", when it turns out they're using that phrase as an excuse to break the rules or commandments that are fully established. The Lord Jesus Christ commands us to live the higher law, because living by the lower law (or the letter of the law) is not enough!

What's an example of the letter of the law? Let's go to the Ten Commandments. The Lord said specifically in the Mosaic Law not to commit adultery, not to murder, not to bear false witness, or steal, as well as to not worship other gods before Him. (See Exodus Chapter 20) The Tenth Commandment actually encapsulates the spirit of the law with the simple phrase "Thou shalt not covet." How is this the spirit of the law to the rest of the commandments? To covet one's neighbor is to covet his or her spouse and his or her property. Coveting is what leads an individual (or society) to lie, steal, cheat, commit adultery, or to shed innocent blood.

This explains further as to why Jesus in His sermon explained the following examples:

Matthew 5, with the Hebrew and Greek meanings

21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old, Thou shalt not murder; and whosoever shall murder shall be subject to condemnation:

22. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother shall be subject to condemnation: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of of the council [or subject to the Sanhedrin]: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Also,

Matthew 5

27. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

What is the lesson from the Master Teacher?

It's not enough to live by the letter of the law (or the lower law). We are called to live the higher law. We are called to be better. To become more than we are, we must have no desire to commit sin.

In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin spoke these words in his angelic sermon:

Mosiah 4

29. And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.

30. But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord declares:

"For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts."

-Doctrine & Covenants 137:9

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