The Law

There are many, especially Christians, who argue about the laws of God. One side argue that Christians obey the Spirit and not the Law, while the other side says the Law is important. This is the "faith versus works" debate that has been ongoing for centuries. Paul seems to indicate that "a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 2:16) On the other hand, James clearly says, "faith without works is dead." (James 2:20)

The Law is a schoolmaster

I think the Law of Moses is symbolic of the growth of every person. We begin in slavery to sin and need strict laws to help us begin to learn obedience to God. However, the law itself doesn't serve God's purposes "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) Salvation doesn't come by keeping the Law, as Abinadi tells us:

"And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses." (Mosiah 13:28)

If the Law cannot save us, then why do we need it? Abinadi explains further:

"And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very strict law; for they were a stiffnecked people, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God; therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him." (Mosiah 13:29-30)

I think "The Children of Israel" refers to everyone who is baptized into the fold of the Lord. Through baptism we become subject to the law. Coming out of slavery to sin, we pass through the Red Sea, or the waters of baptism, and enter into the wilderness. There are those who are very ready and can immediately go into the Promised Land, but the congregation as a group needs help. For our instruction, then, God gives laws to follow. The law is our schoolmaster. It helps us to remember the Lord. We need the daily regimen to continually remind us of the Lord and our duty towards Him. 

Willing to keep the commandments

Many don't make it because they can't even keep the simplest laws. In the modern day there is one law that separates those who are willing versus those who are not called the "Word of Wisdom." The Lord tells us that it is, "Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints." (D&C 89:3) In other words, this is the easiest thing to do for anyone who wants to be a disciple of Christ. People often misconstrue this law to be one of the health of the body. The fact is, it is given for the salvation of our souls -- it is our schoolmaster.

Since we are not saved by keeping the law, what can save us? The Lord. The law only instructs us on how to come to the Lord. Nephi kept the Law of Moses, even though he didn't need to because he had already learned to serve the Lord. "And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled. For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments." (2 Nephi 25:24-25) Even though the law was "dead" they continued to keep it just because God commanded it.

By the same token, Jesus didn't need to be baptized, but He did it because God had commanded it. Nephi explains: "Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments." (2 Nephi 31:7)

Righteously breaking the Law

Those who are alive in Christ continue to keep the law in all things, unless they are commanded otherwise. Even though Jacob knew of Christ and had a hope of his glory, he continued to keep the statutes of the Law of Moses.

"For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us. Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son." (Jacob 4:4-5)

The law exists merely for our training. But, even those who are "alive in Christ" continue to keep the Law, unless directed specifically to do otherwise by God. God is above the Law. As a poet has license break the laws of grammar in order to convey a message, and a policeman or doctor can break traffic laws of in an emergency, God breaks any and all His laws in order to save His children. There are many examples in the Scriptures of prophets who were commanded to do things that were "contrary to the law." Abraham was commanded to kill his son. Nephi was commanded to kill Laban. Hosea was commanded to marry a prostitute. Peter was commanded to eat unclean meat. 

The law isn't righteousness, only the word of God is. We cannot be justified by the law, only by God's word. The written law is training for the real thing, which is obedience to the will of God. "Keeping the commandments" at times will mean breaking the law, and keeping the law can cause our destruction if we do it against the will of God.

Faith versus works

Thus, the argument about keeping the spirit or the letter of the law is moot. We are commanded to keep the laws of God in all things, unless directed otherwise by Him in a specific situation. Salvation isn't in the law, but rather in obedience to God. The "spirit of the law" isn't justification for breaking it, unless we are truly guided by the Holy Ghost in doing something contrary to the laws of God. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) Thus, if we properly exercise the laws of God to learn submission to His will, we will have His Spirit with us always to tell us when it is expedient to keep the law, and when to break it. At this point there is no contradiction between faith and works, as James points out, "I will shew thee my faith by my works." (James 2:18)