I’ve noticed something about our healthcare system. So often, it focuses on treating the symptoms instead of curing the disease.

We can take pain medication to quiet discomfort.

We can manage blood pressure or blood sugar with prescriptions.

But without addressing the root cause, the problem remains.

Sometimes, I think we approach sin in the same way.

We try to manage it.

We focus on visible behavior.

We set rules to keep ourselves and others in check.

But just like medicine that only treats symptoms, that approach never truly heals the heart.

The Diagnosis

Romans 3 gives us God’s diagnosis:

“There is no one righteous, not even one… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10, 23)

Sin isn’t just about what we do, it’s rooted in our desires, motives, and thoughts. That means we can’t fix ourselves by behavior modification alone. The Law can reveal the sickness, but it can’t cure it.

The Cure

The cure is Jesus. Not just for the moment we first believe, but for every day afterward.

If we could perfectly follow God’s Law, we wouldn’t need Him. But we can’t. And that’s why faith is essential, because faith keeps us connected to the One who is our righteousness.

What It Looks Like to Uphold the Law by Faith

When Paul says faith “upholds the Law” (Romans 3:31), he means something deeper than rule-keeping. He’s talking about letting Jesus, who fulfilled the Law perfectly, live through us.

Here’s what that looks like in real life:

• We stop performing and start trusting. We trust that Jesus’ righteousness covers us, and we lean on the Holy Spirit for strength to obey.

• We let love lead. The heart of the Law is love for God and love for people (Romans 13:8–10). Closeness to Jesus produces that love in us.

• We obey out of gratitude, not fear. Our choices flow from a thankful heart, not from trying to earn God’s approval or avoid His punishment.

• We extend grace to others. Knowing we’re all saved by grace keeps us humble, compassionate, and slow to judge.

From Symptom Management to Heart Healing

Upholding the Law by faith is not about controlling the outward symptoms of sin; it’s about letting Jesus heal the root. And when the root is healed, the fruit changes.

The closer we walk with Him, the more we reflect His heart, and that’s the truest fulfillment of the Law.

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Take a moment today to ask yourself: Am I trying to manage sin by focusing on outward actions, mine or others’. Or am I inviting Jesus to heal the deepest places of my heart? Are my words and actions leading others closer to Jesus, or am I caught up in trying to correct behaviors and point out sins? How can I lean more fully on His grace and allow His love to guide my steps?