The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, (1 Timothy 1:5-8)
John Piper, in a sermon, “How to Use the Law Lawfully to Bear Fruit to God”
Notice first the key sentence in verse 8: “But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully.” So here Paul alerts us to the fact that you can use the law lawfully or unlawfully. My guess is that failing to die to the law will result in an unlawful use of the law. But let’s see what the context says here.
In verses 5-7 Paul says what his goal is in all his preaching and ministry and why certain people have failed in reaching this goal by the way they are using the law. He says, starting in verse 5, “The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” There’s the goal, and how to get there. Notice the path to love is not works of law. In other words the way to pursue love is by focusing on the transformation of the heart and the conscience and the awakening and strengthening of faith. Love is not pursued first or decisively by focusing on a list of behavioral commandments and striving to conform to them. That is what we must die to.
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 