In Tim 1:9--10 Paul clarifies the  purpose of Law.  He says it is good--if used lawfully.  Now what in the world does it mean to use the Law lawfully?  (You might get your Bible and read that passage.)

One of the most difficult rules I have ever come up against is when I arrive at a red light that never seems like it is going to change, and I'm just sitting there when no one else is anywhere on any horizon.  East, West, North or South.  So why keep the law?  For the simple reason that I am using the law lawfully.  I don't like it.  It seems like a waste of time.  And it is.  But if I am unlawful, I certainly can't have any argument if I get a ticket or if my insurance rate goes up.

But Paul continues by saying the law is not for the righteous.   In II Cor. 5:21 Paul says "For he has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."       Paul tells us that Christ is our righteousness.  We have his Spirit to lead us into Godly behavior.  We don't keep rules just for the sake of keeping rules, we keep them because we have an inner guide that steers us in the right direction.  And we have an inner desire to please God.

My inner desire is that I just don't want to embarrass Him.  I used to tell my children when they walked out the door to remember what their name was.  What they did reflected on everyone in the family.  And when they did something wrong, we were hurt and embarrassed because we had taught them the right, and they chose to do wrong.  In the same way, what you and I do reflects on everyone in the family of God and especially on God Himself.

My husband said that there were two ways for him to get a child to obey.  Fear of punishment, or Love.  He hoped our children would obey out of love.  Even when they didn't fully understand the restrictions he imposed upon them, he hoped they would obey because they loved their father.

So what Paul is saying is that the righteous obey out of love and the Law is for the lawless.  In the following verses, he spells out just what that lawlessness is.