Law is a set of rules and regulations that are designed to protect the people and help keep order in society. In most cases, if you break a law you will be guilty of a crime and face jail time or other penalties.
Definitions of Law
The most common definition of law is that it is the body of rules, regulations and customs that govern a nation. The legal system of a country is designed to control crime, keep the peace, and make sure that everyone has equal rights.
It is the rule of conduct developed by a government or society that deals with issues like crime, trade, social relations, property, finance and more. It is regulated by the government and enforced by police officers.
Biblical Law is a way of teaching morality and preparing the people for God. It is a way of shaping the national character, and it is meant to glorify Yahweh as a just lawgiver (Exod 20:17 ; Exod 21:2-6 ).
A law is a set of rules that a government has created and established for the protection of the people. The law can be a statute or a custom or policy that has been recognized and enforced by the courts of a country.
This field of study is also known as jurisprudence or the science of laws. It involves the study of a range of subjects including civil procedure, evidence law, criminal law and international law.
The term “law” is often derived from the Latin word legis, meaning “authority”. In the Roman legal system, the authority of law was held by the emperor, as in the case of the Roman Empire.
Various authors have defined law in different ways, and each of them has their own view on what it is. For example, John Austin wrote that “Law is the aggregate of all rules, which are political and socially superior to men, which a sovereign establishes for his subjects. It is the whole of the social discipline which is enacted and maintained by the governing power”.
Other writers define law as the body of rules, regulation and customs that are a part of an organized political society.
This definition is similar to the one used by John Erskin who wrote that “law is the principles and regulations which are established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people, whether by legislation or by custom and policies recognized and enforced by judicial decision”.
It can also be defined as a set of norms embodied in the decisions of an administrative or legislative body.
There are many other terms that are used to describe laws, such as rules, regulation, precept, statute, ordinance and canon.
Some of the most commonly used are:
The Law Prepares Sinners for the Gospel
The Bible states that no one can enter heaven by their own works ( Ga 2:16 ), nor can they be saved through their own merits and righteousness, but through the mercy of God alone. It is because of this that the law is so important, not only to keep us from committing crimes, but also as a preparation for eternal life with Christ.