1 Timothy 1:9

1 Timothy 1:9 says, Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  Paul  stated that the law was not made for the righteous man, but for the unrighteous man.  The righteous man would know what to do and do it without needing instructions about what is right or wrong.  Of course, we are told that none is righteous, no not one.  This means that we must rely on the righteousness of Christ and when we do, we are no longer under the law, but under grace. 

Verse ten adds, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;  Paul continues to list those who are under the law, and once more it is sinners who have not accepted God’s gift of grace.  This makes me wonder why we want to post the Ten Commandments, the heart of the law of God, instead of posting the two that Jesus said were the greatest, which is that we are to love God with all our heart and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Posting or reciting the Ten Commandments with hatred for anyone in our heart does us no good, just as trying to justify ourselves by how well we obey them does us no good.  If it did, we would be saved by works and not by grace.  

Verse eleven continues, According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.  Paul then began to list what sound doctrine is, and that is the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul said this gospel was entrusted to him to share, as it is for every Christian today.  We are called on to proclaim salvation through faith in Jesus alone, but we are often more interested in proclaiming God’s law instead of proclaiming His grace.