The law is like a tutor, a coach, or a mentor. The law, properly understood, will walk you to Jesus Christ. It’s just like a good mentor who shows you where you need to go and then is willing to walk with you so that you get there.

This is precisely what the law, applied by the Spirit, will do in the life of a person. The law will show you where you need to go (the kind of life that God calls you to live), and then it will walk you to Christ.

If you start trying to live out the Ten Commandments, it won’t be long before you’re saying, “I desperately need some help.” If you start examining yourself and looking at yourself honestly in the light of these commandments, it won’t be long before you come to the conclusion that you’re a long way from the life that God has called you to lead.

And this isn’t true only for newer believers. Even if you’ve been a Christian for 10, 20, or 50 years, the commandments will still keep doing this for you. The longer you walk with Christ, the more you will come to see your own sinfulness, and the more eagerly you will cling to Christ. Discovering the commandments will increase your appreciation of Jesus.

When was the last time you experienced the commandments mentoring you like this in your own life? What happened?