That sounds contradictory, right? The easy yoke of the law?
When we think of the law, images of being arrested and handcuffed fill our minds. Then come images of jail cells filled with other ‘criminals’ who look like they would eat us alive if given the chance. Men with tattoos the size of Texas who got their start in crime by stealing milk money from first graders. Next, we’re brought before a judge, who passes a sentence upon us because we’ve transgressed the law. How is any of that an ‘easy yoke?’
The easy answer is if you don’t break the law, you are free from handcuffs, jail cells, men with tattoos the size of Texas and stern judges. That certainly makes anyone’s life more of an ‘easy yoke.’
However, here’s what God’s Word says about breaking the law. From Romans 3:23: “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Then from James 2:10: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.”
Jesus takes it one step deeper with His declaration in Matthew 5:27-28: “You have heart that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Now, we’re tempted to throw up our hands and declare, “There’s nothing easy about keeping the law. It’s impossible!”
However, it’s important to understand we need the law desperately: “…for the law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there is no violation.” (Romans 4:15)
If no law exists exhorting us to not commit adultery then we can commit adultery with whomever we want. If a man promises to love his wife and only her, but subsequently sleeps with five other women in the course of two months, he is only guilty of adultery if that particular law exists.
Why would that law need to exist? No situation exists whereby a woman would say her husband is free to sleep with whomever he wants whenever he wants as often as he wants. Nor would a husband say that to his wife. Important point: even if no law existed in black and white on any book anywhere that a person shouldn’t commit adultery, it would still be wrong. Even if some government made adultery officially okay, it would still be morally and personally wrong.
The reason is simple; adultery does damage, often irreparable damage, to a relationship. Therefore, we desperately need the law against adultery.
Think of the inverse. Suppose a law existed ordering everyone to drive over 100 mph. Our highways would be littered with dead bodies everywhere. Not only do we need laws, we need laws which are right laws.
When we recognize the validity and necessity of the law, we move closer to the ‘easy yoke of the law.’ The law requires justice in every situation. Justice demands a lawbreaker suffer a punishment equal to his crime.
Suppose I sped 56 mph when the speed limit by law was 55 mph. At the moment I hit 56 mph, electro-shock immediately caused my hair to stand and my eyes to cross. That would definitely alter my driving habits. If immediate and just punishment occurred 100% of the time in every nook and cranny of the world, we would live in a safer, more peaceful world.
God is perfectly qualified and supremely powerful to issue just punishment 100% of the time everywhere. Who, then, can escape the handcuffs, the jail cells or the judge’s stern sentence? No one can, for ‘…all have sinned.’
Yet, God has deemed escape possible. In the most inconceivable manner possible, His Son offers to stand in our place before the Judge. Jesus offers to suffer the punishment for all our wrongdoing. Remember, the law brings about wrath (Romans 4:15)—meaning God’s wrath or the wrath of the government.
Jesus takes that wrath upon Himself when He goes to the cross as the innocent God-Man. His voluntary sacrifice of His life is once, for all of us.
It brings to us peace with God. Because He is perfectly just, He must punish law-breakers. His Son says, “Punish me instead.” Even though, in my own life, I continue to break the law in a myriad of ways, Jesus keeps telling the Father that He has taken the punishment on my behalf.
What’s the best way for me to react to this amazing grace shown by God? I must focus my life on more and more living the ‘easy yoke of the law.’ The key is found in Galatians 5:22.