ACC ~ 1 Timothy 1 v8

USING THE LAW LAWFULLY. CHRYSOSTOM: The law, he seems to say, is good, and again, not so good. What then? Suppose one uses it unlawfully, is it not good? No, even then the law itself as such remains good. What he means is this: if any one fulfills the law in his actions, it is good. For that is to “use it lawfully,” as here intended. But when one trumpets the law in words but neglects it in deeds, that is using it unlawfully. For such a person uses it, but not to his own profit. Further, the law, if you use it correctly, sends you to Christ. For since its aim is to justify, when the law itself fails to justify, it sends you on to the One who can justify. Some may keep the law but only superficially. It is kept as a bridle worn only for the purpose of going through the motions of constraint, but not, in fact, for constraint itself. The bridle here does not serve the true need of the prancing horse that should be guided by it, but only exists to look good. The faithful use the law lawfully when they govern themselves in its spirit but are not constrained by the letter of it. One uses the law lawfully who is conscious that it is not needed for salvation. The faithful fulfill the law not from fear of it, but from that principle of virtue that it makes possible. The faithful use the law not as being in fear of it, but having before their eyes rather the condemnation of their own conscience than the punishment hereafter. HOMILIES ON 1 TIMOTHY 2.

THE MINIMUM STANDARD. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: The purpose of the law is to prohibit all iniquity and to set a minimum standard for those in need of it. For those who have been justified and freed from sin it is superfluous. These are the baptized, who need not to be instructed to refrain from sin, but rather to be taught to conform to the pattern in which they now stand. COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY.

THE LAW LEADS TO CHRIST. THEODORET OF CYR: To use the law appropriately is to keep its purpose, that is, to lead one to Christ the Lord. Those who refrain from the sins that Paul mentions are living in conformity with the law. INTERPRETATION OF THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

THE LAW MAKES SIN APPARENT. AUGUSTINE: Accordingly “the law is holy and the commandment holy, just and good.” It commands what ought to be commanded, and prohibits what ought to be prohibited. “Was that which is good, then, made death to me? God forbid.” The fault lies in making a bad use of the commandment, which in itself is good. “The law is good if one uses it lawfully.” But he makes a bad use of the law who does not subject himself to God in humble piety, so that, with the aid of grace, he may become able to fulfill the law. He who does not use the law lawfully receives it to no other end than that his sin, which was latent before the prohibition, should be made apparent by his transgression. TO SIMPLICIAN: ON VARIOUS QUESTIONS 1.1.6.

THE BURDEN IS LIGHT. AUGUSTINE: Indeed, “the precepts are good,” as Pelagius says, if we use them lawfully. And in virtue of our strong conviction “that the good and just God could not have prescribed impossibilities,” we are admonished both what to do in easy things and what to ask for in difficult ones. Indeed, all things are easy for love, to which alone the burden of Christ is light, or which alone is itself the burden which is light. ON NATURE AND GRACE 1.69.83.

1 Tim