The Place of the Mosaic Law
in the Life of the Believer
By
Stanford Murrell
A Crisis in Society and in Christendom
The Church of the New
Testament was born in the cradle of Judaism with all of its rituals and
ceremonies. As a result, the time came when conflict arose regarding the
meaning of the symbols of faith. For centuries conservative Jews were taught to
honor the Law of Moses and observe all of the Moral, Ceremonial, and Civil codexs of the Law.
To make certain that this was
done the Jewish Rabbis counted and categorized the Law. In their final analysis
it was concluded that there were 613 precepts and prohibitions which fell into
two classifications.
·
Mandatory Laws, of which there 218. These
were divided into 18 sections.
·
Prohibition Laws, of which there 365. These
were divided into 13 sections.
Sections of the Mandatory Laws Sections of the Prohibition Laws
1. God 1.
Idolatry
2. Torah 2.
Post-exilic prohibitions
3. Temple and Priest 3. Blasphemy
4
Sacrifices 4. Temple
5. Vows 5. Sacrifices
6. Ritual Purity 6. Priests
7. Donations
to the Temple 7. Dietary Laws
8. The
Sabbatical Year 8. Nazarites
9. Concerning
Animals for Consumption 9. Agriculture
10. Festivals
10. Finances
11. Community 11. Justice
12. Idolatry 12.Sexual
relationships
13. War 13. The Monarchy
14. Social
15. Family
16. Judicial
17. Slaves
18. 18. Torts
Because
the Law of Moses was the central document that held the Jewish society
together, because the Law regulated every facet of life to the smallest detail,
it was both a blessing and a burden. The Law was a blessing for it brought
stability to society and allowed a sense of continuity from one generation to
the next. But the Law was a burden in that it demanded strict obedience with
harsh penalties for its violation.
Nevertheless,
for the most part, the people of Palestine learned to adjust to the Law. They
honored the Law with their lips, if not always with their lives. In principle
the people held a fundamental respect for the Law, much the same way that
people today hold a fundamental respect for the Constitution of the United
States with their lips though comparatively few have ever bothered to read the
Law of the Land through completely.
Because
of a fundamental respect for the Law of Moses, because they believed that God
Himself gave the Law, because the Law brought stability to society, the members
of the Sanhedrian were alarmed and horrified when they discovered that members
of Jewish society were being taught by other Jews that the Law was no longer
valid as a way of life.
Perhaps
a modern day analogy might be the reaction our Congressmen would have, along
with millions of others, if they woke up one morning to the news that the
Constitution was no longer the Law of the Land. The potential would be present
for social anarchy—not to mention loss of power and prestige. For the Jewish
rulers two thousand years ago, they awoke one morning to hear that their whole
way of life was being overthrown and they wanted to know.
·
If
the Law of Moses was no longer valid, what New Law was?
·
If
the Moral, Ceremonial, and Civil Laws of Society were being set, what would
take their place?
·
If
the Sanhedrian were no longer the best and the brightest
·
religious
and political leaders of the land, who were?
When members of the
Sanhedrian were told that the nation should follow after a crucified Carpenter
and His merry men, one of which was a despised tax collector, it was just two
much. An immediate and intense persecution against the Christian community was
launched. The name of Christ and the followers of Christ had to be destroyed.
There was a crisis in the land of Canaan.
To complicate matters, there
was a crisis in Christendom itself for not all that came to faith in Christ
understood all of the implications that such faith entailed. In particular,
there was still the question of the Law of Moses that dominated society. Three
responses emerged.
·
Some
people turned away from the gospel so that the religious ceremonies could
continue and the civil law and social laws of Jewish society could be enforced.
·
Others
embraced the gospel and immediately abandoned any keeping of the Law of Moses.
There was a great appreciation for the freedom the gospel message brought from
observing the rules and regulations imposed by the Law. Within the Gentile
community, acceptance of the gospel was easy enough to do for there were no
emotional or cultural ties to the Mosaic Law.
·
A
third response to the developing situation between the history of society and
the new message of the Messiah was a compromise between Law and Grace. Those in
the Jewish community were inclined to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior but then
they tried to keep certain portions of the Law. One clear example of the
attempt to embrace the principles of Christianity while maintaining the
practices of Judaism is reflected in the situation in Galatia.
The term Galatia was used in
an ethnic sense, referring to those Gauls who had settled in north central Asia
Minor. During his second missionary journey, Paul had established churches in
the region of Galatia. But the term Galatia was also used in a political and
geographical sense referring to the Roman province that included such cities as
Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch.
It is unclear to which
region Paul was writing, either those in the north, or those in the south. On
one level, it does not matter for the problem was more or less universal in the
Jewish community. Those who came to Christ has to consider their relationship
to the Law.
As the epistle unfolds, Paul
commends the believers to whom he writes because they had made progress in the
Christian life and were doing well spiritually. But he was alarmed to learn
that some Jewish teachers, called Judaizers, had taught them that they must
also obey the Law of Moses and continue to perform the rite of circumcision, which
was the sign of the covenant people in the Old Testament. The apostle asked, Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect
by the flesh? (Gal. 3:3) And then he chides them for not obeying the gospel
principles. Ye did run well; who did
hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (Gal. 5:7)
Because of a compromise
position between the Law of Moses and the grace of the gospel, neither the Law
was being fully honored nor grace. The end result of an inconsistent doctrine
was detrimental. Gospel obedience was being hindered. (Gal. 5:7) Because some
parts of the Law were observed (Gal. 4:10) renewed consideration was being
given to returning to the whole. I marvel
that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ
unto another gospel:…But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known
of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye
desire again to be in bondage? (Gal. 1:6; 4:9)
Paul’s purpose in writing
was to arrest the false teaching of the Judaizers and to expose their impure
motives of being authoritative so that they would not have to suffer for the
cause of Christ. As many as desire to
make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest
they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For neither they
themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you
circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. (Gal. 6:12,13) Paul does
not want his converts to go back under a system of rules and regulations that
no longer served the purpose for which they were designed, nor did he want the
believers to inter into a state of legalism. To set forth the doctrine of
justification by God’s grace through faith, Paul wrote this epistle.
It would be nice if the
story ended with the Galatians refusing to go back under the Law of Moses and
casting out the Judaizers—which is probably what happened. But the old
controversy will not go away because there is a part of the Mosaic Law, which confuses Christians to this very
day and that is the Moral facet summarized in the Ten Commandments.
Today, few Christians would
concede that the Church should observe the civil and ceremonial codexs of the
Mosaic Law. I am careful to say that “few
Christians” believe these things because there are some that are advocating
this very thing. Those in the Reconstruction Movement seem to be teaching that
the Law of Moses is still a valid way to regulate society. In fact, the
argument goes, if the Moses principles and practices were revived and applied
to society the Kingdom of God would prevail upon the earth. It is a tempting
proposition to embrace.
Then there are others known
as Messianic Jews. These are racial
Jews who accept Jesus as the Messiah but they want to keep their Jewish
heritage. They believe that the church, including Gentiles, should join them in
celebrating the ancient Jewish festivals but with the new understanding of how
they relate to Christ.
While these movements might
be suspect, there are still two other factions in the church that must be dealt
with for they are fiercely debating, not the civil law (as the
Reconstructionist) nor the ceremonial laws (as the Messianic congregations) but
the place of the Moral Law. Concerning this debate, there are several things to
known.
·
It is an old debate. Catholics and Protestants
argued over the place of the Moral Law in the Church and then the Reformers
argued with each other. Four hundred years the discussion is just as heated for
nothing has been resolved to everyone satisfaction.
·
Like any debate there is a
lot of name calling that goes on and some rather extreme statements made on both side in
order to press a point.
·
Because positions are staked
out and name-calling becomes personal, it is easy for those who believe so much
alike to separate in anger because they begin to talk past one another. After a while, it
seems that no one is listening and people are hearing only what they want to
hear, and not what is being said.
The names that have come to
represent the two major factions over the place of the law are Anti-nomianism and Legalism. In other words, those who believe that the Moral Law of
God summarized in the Ten Commandments is still binding on the Church today are
called legalist by their opponents. Not to be outdone, the Legalist (so called)
accuse their opponents of being Anti-nomian which means literally, Against the
Law or Lawless.
Personally, as I have
listened to those on both sides of this religious debate talk and present their
arguments, I am saddened at the rhetoric which is often so close at times as to
be indistinguishable. And I am grieved that so many good people can talk past
one another for the Anti-nomian is usually not a true Anti-nomian and the
Legalist is not a true Legalist. But the rhetoric is hard to over come once the
name-calling begins.
If someone were to ask me if
I believed the Ten Commandments are morally binding on Christians today and I
said, “Yes,” I would not want to be
accused of being a legalist. In like manner, If I asked someone if they did
believe the Ten Commandments were not binding on men today, they would not want
to be accused of being “Anti-nomian”
or “Lawless.” I believe there is a
way out the dilemma between Law and Grace.
May the Lord help us to discover that way out.
The Ten Commandments
And God spake all these words, saying,
I am the LORD thy God,
which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.
~*~
Exodus
20:1-17
·
The First Commandment:
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other
gods before me.
·
The Second Commandment:
Exodus 20:4-6 Thou shalt not make unto
thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to
them, nor serve them: for I the LORD
thy God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing
mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
·
The Third Commandment:
Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name
of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain.
·
The Fourth Commandment:
Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the
seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any
work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant,
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days
the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested
the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
·
The Fifth Commandment:
Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that
thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
·
The Sixth Commandment:
Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
·
The Seventh Commandment:
Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit
adultery.
·
The Eighth Commandment:
Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
·
The Ninth Commandment:
Exodus 20:16
Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbour.
·
The Tenth Commandment:
Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his
manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is
thy neighbour's.
I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee
out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
~*~
Exodus 20:1-17
1.
Question. Who gave the Ten
Commandments to Moses?
Answer. God gave the Ten
Commandments to Moses. Exodus 20: 1-2 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have
brought thee out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.
2.
Question. What does the
First Commandment teach?
Answer. The First Commandment teaches there are to be no other gods in the life
of the believer but the Lord God. Exodus 20: 3 Thou shalt have no other gods
before me.
3.
Question. What does the
Second Commandment prohibit?
Answer. The Second Commandment
prohibits the making of any forms that will be worshipped. Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in
the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve
them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that
hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my
commandments.
4.
Question. What does the
Third Commandment forbid?
Answer.
The Third Commandment forbids using the
Lord’s name in a profane way. Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the
LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his
name in vain.
5.
What day is set-aside for
worship according to the Fourth Commandment and why? Answer. The Fourth Commandment sets the seventh day aside for worship in honor
of the creative rest of God. Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou
labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD
thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter,
thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is
within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed
the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
6.
Question. What instruction
does the Fifth Commandment give and what promise is associated with it?
Answer.
The Fifth Commandment promises more days
of life for those that honor their parents. Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother:
that thy days may be long upon the land
which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
7.
Question. What is forbidden
by the Sixth Commandment?
Answer. The Sixth Commandment
forbids murder. Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt
not kill.
8.
Question. What does the
Seventh Commandment forbid?
Answer. The Seventh Commandment
forbids committing adultery. Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
9.
Question. What does the
Eighth Commandment forbid?
Answer. The Eighth Commandment
forbids stealing. Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
10. Question. What does the Ninth Commandment forbid?
Answer. The Ninth Commandment
forbids giving a false testimony. Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
11. Question. What does the Tenth Commandment forbid?
Answer. The Tenth Commandment
forbids wanting what others possess. Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his
manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is
thy neighbour's.
A Simple Test on the
Ten Commandments
Exodus 20:1-17
List the provisions of the Ten Commandments
in their proper order
·
The First Commandment
·
The Second Commandment
·
The Third Commandment
·
The Fourth Commandment
·
The Fifth Commandment
·
The Sixth Commandment
·
The Seventh Commandment
·
The Eighth Commandment
·
The Ninth Commandment
·
The Tenth Commandment
The
Law of God
A Question of Concern
1.
Great care is taken by some to teach that the
Bible never uses the terms ‘moral law’, ‘ceremonial law’ or ‘judicial law’ (civil law). The terms ‘law’, ‘statutes’, ‘ordinances’, and ‘judgments’ are referred to.
2.
However, some distinction between types of law
or elements in the law does exist for the law has a present authority for the
Christian.
¨ 1
John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin
transgresseth also the law: for sin
is the transgression of the law.
¨ Romans
8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
¨ Romans
7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
3.
In contrast to these passages are those, which
speak of the law, being terminated for the Christian.
¨ Ephesians
2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the
enmity, even the law of commandments
contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making
peace;
¨ Colossians
2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of
the way, nailing it to his cross;
4.
When the scriptures are placed side by side, it
becomes apparent that there must be different kinds of law or of different
elements in the same law. The Christian must be able to discern which law or
element has been blotted out, being nailed to the cross of Calvary.
Three Types of Laws
Over
the centuries, the Creeds of Christendom have recognized the permanent moral
law of God, summarized in the Ten Commandments, and the temporary ceremonial
and judicial (or civil) laws. Moral law continues in force while ceremonial and
judicial law has been abolished.
·
Ceremonial
laws. The reference is to the commandments that
conveyed to the Jews glorious spiritual truths by means of ritual. (Gal. 4:1-3)
Most ceremonial laws focused attention on formulas of worship, feasts,
sacrifices, the priesthood, and the place of worship. These things are now
abolished.
¨ Colossians
2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in
meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the
Sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of
Christ.
¨ Hebrews
8:4-5 For if he were on earth, he should
not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to
the law: 5 Who serve unto the
example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he
was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things
according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
¨ Hebrews
10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image
of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year
continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
·
Judicial
Laws. These laws
kept Gentiles ‘far off’ by Divine
design.
¨ Ephesians
2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the
blood of Christ. The civil regulations build a ‘wall of partition’ shutting all
others out from the gospel to which the Jews were shut in.
¨ Ephesians
2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made
both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; There
could be no Great Commission until this partition was destroyed. Christ broke
down the partition according to the promise given to Adam and Eve and then to
Abraham.
¨ Ephesians
2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the
enmity, even the law of commandments
contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making
peace;
¨ Ephesians
2:16 And that he might reconcile both
unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
·
The
Moral Law. Though the ceremonial and judicial laws have
been abolished, the Moral Law remains in force for it expresses God’s will for
mankind. It can never change, be destroyed, or repealed. By saying this, it is
remembered that this threefold distinction must not undermine the reality that
within the ceremonial and judicial laws there was the moral code. It is not
easy to separate them. (Study Ex. 24:10-16)
Six
Laws of the Scriptures
1.
The Law of Moses contained 613 commandments. All of the commandments fall into two broad
classifications of mandatory laws (248 in number) and prohibition laws (365 in
number).
Sections of the Mandatory Laws Sections of the Prohibition Laws
1. God 1.
Idolatry
2.
Torah 2.
Post-exilic prohibitions
3.
Temple and Priest 3. Blasphemy
4.
Sacrifices 4. Temple
5.
Vows 5. Sacrifices
6.
Ritual Purity 6. Priests
7.
Donations to the Temple 7. Dietary Laws
8.
The Sabbatical Year 8. Nazarites
9.
Concerning Animals for Consumption 9. Agriculture
10.
Festivals 10. Finances
11.
Community 11. Justice
12.
Idolatry 12.Sexual
relationships
13.
War 13. The Monarchy
14.
Social
15.
Family
16.
Judicial
17.
Slaves
18.
Torts
2. The
Law of Moses regulated social behavior.
·
Marriage.
Romans 7:2 For the woman which hath an
husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the
husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
·
Personal
cleansing. Luke 2:22 And
when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were
accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
·
Children.
Luke 2:23 (As it is written in the law of
the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
·
Animals.
1 Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in
the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out
the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
·
Sacrifices.
Luke 2:24 And to offer a sacrifice
according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves,
or two young pigeons.
3.
The
Law of Moses regulated ceremonial rituals.
·
Concerning
the newborn. Luke 2:39 And
when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they
returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
·
The
Sabbath. John 7:23 If
a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not
be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on
the Sabbath day?
4. The Law of Moses,
summarized in the Decalogue (Ex. 20:1-17) regulated the moral aspect of life
and was delighted in.
¨ Romans
7:22 For I delight in the law of God
after the inward man:
5. The Law of Moses set forth-predictive prophecy concerning
the Messiah.
¨ Luke
24:44 And he said unto them, These are
the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things
must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets,
and in the psalms, concerning me.
¨ Acts
28:23 And when they had appointed him a
day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and
testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the
law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
6.
The
Law of Moses could never justify despite the zeal individuals had for it.
¨ Acts
13:39 And by him all that believe are
justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of
Moses.
¨ Acts
15:5 But there rose up certain of the
sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise
them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
¨ Acts
22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew,
born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of
Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers,
and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
¨ Acts
25:8 While he answered for himself,
Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet
against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
4.
The
Law of Moses was based on a works-righteousness but not evangelical
righteousness.
¨ Romans
9:31 But Israel, which followed after the
law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
7. There is the Law of Faith.
¨ Romans
3:27 Where is boasting then? It is
excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
8.
There
is the Law of Sin.
¨ Romans
7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh
the law of sin.
¨
¨ Romans
7:23 But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law
of sin which is in my members.
¨ Romans
8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
9.
There is the Law of the Spirit.
¨ Romans
8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
¨
10.
There
is the Law of Christ.
¨ Galatians
6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so
fulfill the law of Christ.
¨
11. There is the Law of Liberty
¨ James
1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect
law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a
doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
¨ James
2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that
shall be judged by the law of liberty.
The
Teaching of the Anti-nomian
In the initial study the thought was
introduced that there is a Crisis in Christendom. The topic of concern is the
place of the Law in the Life of the Believer. We noted that Christianity was
born in Judaism with all of its rules and rituals set forth in the Law of
Moses. The Law of Moses, we noted was divided into three parts:
I.
The Ceremonial Laws concerning the sacrifices
II.
The Civil Law governing the conduct of society
III.
The Moral Law guiding the spiritual behavior of
the soul.
From infancy a devout Jew was taught
to love and respect the Law in principle and in practice. Of particular concern
to the Jewish community was the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments, which
summarized the essence of the whole law.
In passing, a question arose about
the meaning of the fourth commandment and the keeping of the Sabbath. For a Jew
the fourth commandment was very important. It was important to God too, for the
fourth commandment crystallizes in an observable manner the life of faith. On
the Sabbath day, men were to rest, but they were also to worship.
The fact that the Sabbath was meant
as a day of worship as well as rest is confirmed by the testimony of Scripture
and by the secular understanding of Jewish society for the last 4,000
years. Because the Sabbath,
·
foreshadowed the death, burial, and resurrection
of Christ,
·
was given prior to the law as a time of worship,
·
was severely punished by death when broken,
·
was designed to be a sign of a perpetual
covenant,
·
was considered to be a holy day,
·
was the day of many priestly duties,
·
was the day for the burnt offering (for sins) to
be made,
·
had a psalm written for its commemoration and
observation,
·
honors the Lord when kept,
·
was designed to be a source of delight for the
purpose of worship,
·
was kept by Christ who engaged in ministerial
acts on that holy day,
·
allowed for acts of kindness and mercy
the Scriptural
evidence is compelling that the Sabbath was made for men to rest in order to
worship. It was not just a nice day off. This fact is confirmed by the secular
understanding of the Sabbath articulated by those within the Jewish community.
It is important to realize the importance of the Sabbath being kept for conservative Jews because that was part of the great controversy that the early church had to work through. The Jews who wanted new Christians to keep the Law were not simply lobbying to keep a day off; they expected Gentile Christians to join them in acts of worship on the Sabbath which included the keeping of the weekly Passover meal (which was not commanded by Scripture) and perhaps the offering of sacrifices in the Temple (which had been commanded until the coming of Christ).
We went on to observe that the place of the Law became a critical point and still is today. While few would argue that the Civil and Ceremonial parts of the Law are still binding on Christians, a battleground has been drawn around the Moral Law of God.
The question arises: is the Moral Law of God binding on the believer today. Specifically, are the Ten Commandments part of the Christian ethics or, have the Ten Commandments been abolished along with the rest of the Law. Good people have camped out on either side of the answer. Those who are zealous for a particular point of view are prone to call the other side names. Two names are usually hurled at one another: ‘Anti-nomian’ and ‘Legalist.’ Our study resumes at this point.
The Law in the Life of the Believer
One of the great challenges in the discussion is to try and discern what each position is really trying to teach.
of
Moses including the Moral Law Facet
of the Law of Moses
1. What the ‘anti-nomian’ is saying 1. What the ‘legalist’ is saying
2. What the ‘anti-nomian’ is not saying 2. What the ‘legalist’ is not saying
The next great challenge in
the discussion in discerning the place of the Law in the life of the Believer
is to discover just what the Scriptures teach for both sides appeal to the
Scriptures in support of their position.
The
pre-suppositional thought set forth by those who believe that the Ten
Commandments are binding upon Christians today may be summarized in this way:
is to be obeyed until the end of time.
This Moral Law is enumerated and
summarized by Moses in the Decalogue
of Exodus
20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21;
it is upheld, honored, and summarized by
Christ in
Matthew 5:17-20 and is
is expounded through out the epistles
1.
Love
God
2.
Love
man
·
People were charged with
transgressions prior to Moses. The Bible teaches that where there is no law,
there is no transgression. (Rom. 4:15; 5:13) But we know that Adam and Eve were
disobedient, Cain committed murder, Noah got drunk, Abraham lied, Jacob was a
cheat, and Lot was covetous. If there was no Moral Law to condemn them, they
could not be guilty of transgressions.
·
The existence of a Moral Law
is future proved by the death of individuals, including children. Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to
Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's
transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. How could death
reign from Adam to Moses unless there was a basis for condemnation, even the
Moral Law of God, not written in stone, but written on the hearts of men?
3.
The
Moral Law is perfect in nature and so is not to be negated or terminated.
Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD is
perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise
the simple. The Ceremonial codex of the Law is never said to be perfect,
nor the Civil portion. They can be and should be set aside by something better.
4.
The
Moral Law was inscribed perfectly upon the heart of Adam [as the Federal
Representative of Mankind] and remained there imperfectly after the Fall.
Ten Commandments for Adam (Stated or Implied)
·
The
Fellowship Commandment (The First Commandment: no other gods)
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of
the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his
wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the
garden. Adam was not to worship the lovely creation over which he was given
dominion. He was to have daily fellowship with the Lord God.
·
The
Dominion Commandment (The Second Commandment: no graven
images) Genesis 1:27-28 So God created man in his own image, in the
image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God
blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish
the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over
the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Adam was not to exalt the creation and make it the source of his own
existence—as modern evolutionist do in the name of science.
·
The
Prohibition Commandment (The Third Commandment: no taking of the
Lord’s name in vain) Genesis 2:16-17 And
the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt
not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
When Adam ate of the forbidden fruit he took the name of God in vain in the
sense that he did not fully believe the word of the Lord. Spoken had spoken but
Adam considered his threats empty or non-sensical. His defiance of the Deity
was astonishing.
Genesis
3:1-7 Now the serpent was more subtil
than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the
woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And
the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the
garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth
know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye
shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree
was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be
desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave
also unto her husband with her; and
he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were
opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together,
and made themselves aprons.
Genesis
3:12 And the man said, The woman whom
thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
·
The
Sabbath Commandment (The Fourth Commandment: keep the
Sabbath) Genesis 2:2-3 And on the seventh
day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from
all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and
sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God
created and made. The commandment to rest was not just another commandment
to find a way to make man more happy and focus more attention upon himself. The
Divine implication is that time was to be made to meditate upon the Lord and
fellowship with Him.
·
The
Leave and Cleave Commandment (The Fifth
Commandment: honoring of parents) Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave
unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. While a clear institution is
ordained and new families are anticipated, in order for that to happen role
models have to be followed. There are
going to be fathers and mothers. They should be respected.
·
The
Life Commandment (The Sixth Commandment: no killing [of
self or others]) Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying,
Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. When Adam ate of the forbidden fruit
he committed soul murder as well as physical murder on himself and his
posterity.
·
The
Procreation Commandment (The Seventh Commandment: no adultery)
Genesis 1:27-28 So God created man in his
own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and
replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the
earth.
Genesis
2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his
father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one
flesh. In the process of being ‘fruitful,’
God has ordained one woman for one man. There is to be “one flesh.”
·
The
Work Commandment (The Eight Commandment: no stealing)
Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the
man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. When a
person works hard and is allowed to keep the product of his own labor, there
will be no need to steal from someone else. God will provide for his own.
·
The
Integrity Commandment (The Ninth Commandment: no false
testimony) When confronted with their sin, both Adam and Eve tried to shift the
blame. They gave a testimony that was designed to divert attention from
themselves in order to give a false impression of innocence. Genesis 3:12-13 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest
to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the LORD God said
unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The
serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
·
The
Marriage Commandment (The Tenth Commandment: no coveting)
Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave
his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be
one flesh. Later, in Exodus 20, the Lord would remind mankind not to covet
another man’s wife, or cattle, or servants, or anything that the person has. A
commitment to the marriage commandment will stop the breaking, in part, of the
tenth commandment.
Special note. Whether or not all of these particular
observations merit a true parallel with the commandments given in Exodus 20 and
Deuteronomy 5 the general point is still established that there has been a
Moral Law since the dawn of creation. The prohibition of eating the forbidden
is only one of many ‘laws’ given to Adam. Since Adam, all of mankind has been
placed under the [Moral] law. Romans 1:19-20 Because that which may be known of
God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they
are without excuse: Romans 2:14-15 For when the Gentiles, which have not the
law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law,
are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their
hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean
while accusing or else excusing one another;)
5.
The
Moral Law was never established to be a covenant of works. That the Jews turned
it into one is unfortunate. That the Jews began to seek for eternal life and
personal righteousness based upon keeping the Law is tragic for they soon found
themselves in a place of bondage. Why? Because no one can keep the Law!
Moreover, God had decreed that by the works of the Law no flesh would ever be
justified in His sight. (Rom. 3:20)
6.
The Moral Law was designed to set forth the perfect essence of God and
His righteousness. Man, made in the image of God, was to reflect the Divine
ideal through acts of gospel obedience—which was not an unreasonable
expectation according to the original creation.
7.
The Moral Law is spiritual.
¨ Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I
am carnal, sold under sin.
The Ceremonial Law is
readily admitted to be carnal.
The Ceremonial Law touched
only the flesh, but the Moral Law is so spiritual that when Paul considered it,
he was convicted and fell down and confessed he was a sinful and covetous man.
Because it is spiritual, the
Moral Law reaches into the thoughts and intents of the heart of man. By the Law
it is learned not only that murder is wrong, but so is hatred. No only is
adultery wrong, but so is inordinate lust.
8.
Not
only the Law spiritual, but it is holy, just, and good.
¨ Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the
commandment holy, and just, and good.
·
Because
the Moral Law is spiritual,
·
because
the Moral Law is holy, just, and good,
·
because
the Moral Law was written by the finger of God,
·
because
the Moral Law was given perfectly to Adam and reaffirmed to Moses in stone,
·
because
the Moral Law was upheld by Christ and re-affirmed by the apostles ”it continues as a rule of walk and
conversation” to the Christian community of the New Testament Church. It is
to be observed, “and is to be regarded by
them as in the hands of Christ; by whom it is held forth as King and Lawgiver,
in his church; and who, and not Moses, is to be heard, and His voice hearkened
to, as the Son and Master, in His own house.”
Believers are “not without law to God, but [are] under the
law to Christ” (1 Cor. 9:21) Christians are obligated to regard the Moral
Law as something to be served, as unto the Lord, with great pleasure. Great
peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (Psa.
119:165)
Those who believe that the
Moral Law is still binding on the believer today do believe that there is a
sense in which the law is done away,
and saints are delivered from it. Once the Law of Moses [including the Moral
Law] held the soul in a spiritual prison and under the sentence of
condemnation. But the believer became dead to it all by being identified with
Christ in His obedience and sufferings.
¨ 2 Corinthians 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious,
much more that which remaineth is glorious.
¨ Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become
dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even
to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
¨ Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that
being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and
not in the oldness of the letter.
Therefore,
1.
The
‘Legalist’ is not saying that the
Moral Law continues as a covenant of works. It doesn’t. Believers are not under
the Moral Law as a covenant of works-righteousness but under grace as a
covenant of grace.
2.
The
‘Legalist’ is not saying that the
Moral Law continues as to the form of its administration as given to Moses; it is now no longer in his hands, nor [is]
to be considered as such; the whole Mosaic economy is broken to pieces, and
[is] at an end, which was prefigured by Moses casting the two tables of stone
out of his hands, and breaking them, when he came down from the mount: the law,
especially as it lies in the Decalogue, and as to the form of the administration of that by Moses, was
peculiar to the Jews, as appears by the preface to it, which can agree with
none but them; by the time of worship prescribed them in the fourth command,
which was temporary and typical; and by the promise of long life in the land of
Canaan, annexed to the fifth command.” (John Gill)
3.
The
‘Legalist’ is not saying that the Law
should terrify the believer; it shouldn’t. The Christian is not asked to come
near to Mt. Sinai but to go to Mount Calvary.
The believer is not under
the legal stormy and terrible dispensation. Rather, the Christian is bidden to
flee to Mt. Zion, to enjoy all the privileges of a gospel state.
The saint is not to be
brought back into bondage by the rigorous exactions of the law. Perfect
obedience, perfect peace, and perfect comfort does not depend upon the law and
legal obedience but upon Christ.
The Christian is not awed by
the law and urged by its menaces and curses to be an observer of it; but the
love of God and Christ constrains the saint to run with cheerfulness in the way
of its commandments.
The soul that comes to Christ is made willing to serve the law with
their mind and spirit, through the power and efficacy of divine grace upon
them; and they do serve it, not in the oldness of the letter but in the newness
of the spirit; or, as they are renewed by the free Spirit of God. (Extracted from the writings of John Gill)
4.
The
‘Legalist’ does not say that the
Christian is subject any longer to the curses and condemnations of the law for
he is not.
Christ has redeemed them
from the curse of the law, being made a curse for them; and so there is no more
curse to them here or hereafter; they are out of the reach of the curses, and
of condemnation by it, there is none to them that are in Christ.
Who shall condemn? It is
Christ that died; and who by dying has bore their sentence of condemnation, and
freed them from it, and having passed from death to life they shall never enter
into condemnation. (John Gill)
¨ Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law
are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not
in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
¨ Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of
the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that
hangeth on a tree:
¨ Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to
them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit.
¨ Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of
God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
¨ John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and
shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Having established
what the ‘Legalist’ is saying and what the ‘Legalist’ is not saying, attention
can be turned to the ‘Anti-nomian’ position. The main concern of the
‘Anti-nomian’ is that the Church will be placed back under a system of
works-salvation and/or a system of works-sanctification. This is a legitimate concern.
Historically, the early Church
was challenged with Judaizers who insisted that the ceremonial codexs of the
Law of Moses be honored. Currently, there are those who contend that the
ceremonial sacrifices of old be honored symbolically by observing the Jewish
holy days including the Sabbath. Among
those who embrace this view are the Messianic Congregations.
Others
contend that the social laws of society should be incorporated into the
Christian culture that will then permeate the rest of society. In this way, the
gospel will take deeper root and bear greater fruit. In fact, so pervasive will
this approach be that the whole world will be converted to Christ—and then the
Lord will come again to receive the Kingdoms of this world. People who believe
this are called ‘theonomist.’
In contrast to those in the
Messianic Movement and those in the Reconstruction Movement, are those who do
not believe that any part of the Mosaic Law—Ceremonial, Social, or Moral—is
binding on the Believer today in an absolute sense. [They are often called by
their critics, ‘Anti-nomians.’]
The
‘Anti-nomians’ are challenged by those who believe that while the Ceremonial
and Social codexes of the Mosaic Law have passed away, the Moral Law of God,
summarized in the Ten Commandments, is
still binding upon the Christian community. [Such individuals are often called
‘Legalist’ by their critics.]
Various reasons why the Moral Law
is considered to be still binding have been considered so that attention can
now be turned to what the ‘Anti-nomian’ is saying about this very important
issue.
The
Teaching of the ‘Anti-nomian’
A Review of Parts I-II with Introduction to Part III
In summary form the ‘Legalist’
teaches that there is a Moral Law which was incorporated into the Mosaic Law
and is summarized in the Ten Commandments. It is argued that while the
Ceremonial and the Social facets of the Mosaic Law have ceased with the coming
of the Christ, the Moral Law continues for specific reasons.
1.
The Moral Law continues to the present hour because it is
eternal. The Moral Law was given prior to Moses reflected in the fact that it
was written on the heart of Adam.
·
Adam knew that he was not to worship anyone else except the
Lord. He was not to give undue honor and glory to the shining serpent, for
example, that appeared to Eve.
·
Adam knew that he was not to make a false image of something
in creation and bow down before it.
·
Adam knew that he was to believe the word of the Lord lest
he take it in vain or make it meaningless.
·
Adam knew that there was an appointed time of fellowship
with the Lord.
·
Adam knew that he should teach his coming children to honor
and respect himself so that principles of obedience could be passed on.
·
Adam knew he was not to kill, commit immorality of any form,
steal, lie, bear false witness, nor to covet.
That
Adam knew these things makes his revolt against reason, moral righteousness,
and perfect environment all the more heinous. Eve might be a sympathetic figure
in the transgression, (1 Tim. 2:14) but not Adam. He knew what he was doing and
yet he ate of the forbidden fruit thereby breaking at least nine of the Ten
Commandments.
v
When Adam listened with awed respect to an exalted being
greater than himself, but less than the Creator, he was guilty of worshipping
another god and so he broke the First Commandment. He put Satan first.
v
When Adam submitted his will to the satanic suggestion to
eat of the Forbidden Fruit, he was guilty of idolatry for the fruit was far too
pleasant to his eyes. Adam believed
that it contained secret power. He broke the Second Commandment.
v
When Adam disbelieved what the Lord said concerning the
Divine prohibition and its punishment, or did not care if it were true or not,
he made the words of the Lord vain or empty of meaning for the moment. In this
manner Adam broke the Third Commandment.
v
Because of his transgression, Adam did not keep the
appointed time of worship with the Lord. The Creator had to come searching for
His creature. Adam broke the spirit of the Fourth Commandment.
v
By his sin of disobedience Adam dishonored his own
Father-God-Creator and so broke the Fifth Commandment.
v
Because he was the Federal Representative of the Human race
and responsible for all of mankind in seminal form, Adam committed spiritual suicide
when he disobeyed the Lord. He should not have killed himself and sentenced all
others to death. Adam is rightfully charged with breaking the Sixth
Commandment.
v
If adultery is the betrayal of an intimate relationship then
Adam is guilty of violating the 7th commandment for his soul and
body united with the soul of Satan and the physical fruit that was offered.
v
When Adam took fruit that was not his to possess according
to divine law, he was guilty of stealing, and in thus broke the Eighth
Commandment.
v
Once he was confronted with his sin, Adam did not directly
accept responsibility but mentioned that the woman, whom the Lord had given
him, offered fruit to eat. By diverting attention through Eve back to the Lord,
the implication was leveled that ultimate accountability lay in God. By his
words Adam spoke in a shameful manner and should be charged with giving a false
witness against the Lord. Adam broke the Ninth Commandment.
v
The author of Genesis, inspired by the Holy Spirit, charges
Adam and Eve with covetousness for we read that when they saw that the fruit
was to be desired, they ate. Adam is charged with violation of the Tenth
Commandment.
2.
The Moral Law continues to the present hour because even
after the Fall, what was written perfectly upon the heart of Adam is reflected
imperfectly upon the hearts of his descendants. Every society, ancient and
modern, has had prohibition, written or unwritten, against one or all of the
Ten Commandments. True, it may be that in some depraved society murder is exalted,
but it is murder of the enemy not the community—or the community would soon die
out. The apostle Paul speaks of this general knowledge of the Moral Law of God
by non Jewish people in Romans 2:11-16.
For there
is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law
shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be
judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but
the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have
not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not
the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written
in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean
while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall
judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
The
evidence that the Moral Law is written upon the hearts of all people since Adam
is confirmed in several ways.
·
There are the Laws of society such as the [Moral] Code of
Hammurabi.
·
There is the honoring of a Sabbath rest by the Akkadians.
·
There is the fact that God holds individuals accountable
whether they had the Mosaic Law or not.
·
There is the execution of the death penalty on all who lived
from Adam to Moses—and afterwards as well.
On
these facts the ‘Legalist’ will rest his case that there is an a Moral Law
which the Law of Moses only incorporated but could not terminate when it passed
away by fulfillment in Christ.
By
arguing for the continuation of the Moral Law down to the present hour, the
‘Legalist” is not saying some things of which he is accused.
1. The ‘Legalist’ is not saying that the Moral Law
continues into the New Testament era as a covenant of works whereby
eternal life is promised for those who can keep them. Christians are under a
covenant of grace.
2. The ‘Legalist’ is not saying that the Moral Law
continues as to the form of its administration as given to Moses; it is
now no longer in his hands, nor [is] to be considered as such; the whole Mosaic
economy is broken to pieces, and [is] at an end, which was prefigured by Moses
casting the two tables of stone out of his hands, and breaking them, when he
came down from the mount: the law, especially as it lies in the Decalogue, and
as to the form of the administration of that by Moses, was peculiar to the
Jews, as appears by the preface to it, which can agree with none but them; by
the time of worship prescribed them in the fourth command, which was temporary
and typical; and by the promise of long life in the land of Canaan, annexed to
the fifth command.” (John Gill)
3. The
‘Legalist’ is not saying that the Law should terrify the believer; it
shouldn’t. The Christian is not asked to come near to Mt. Sinai but to go to
Mount Calvary.
The
believer is not under the legal stormy and terrible dispensation of the Law.
Rather, the Christian is bidden to flee to Mt. Zion, to enjoy all the
privileges of a gospel state.
The saint
is not to be brought back into bondage by the rigorous exactions of the law.
Perfect obedience, perfect peace, and perfect comfort does not depend upon the
law and legal obedience but upon Christ.
The
Christian is not awed by the law and urged by its menaces and curses to be an
observer of it; but the love of God and Christ constrains the saint to run with
cheerfulness in the way of its commandments.
The soul
that comes to Christ is made willing to serve the law with their mind and
spirit, through the power and efficacy of divine grace upon them; and they do
serve it, not in the oldness of the letter but in the newness of the spirit;
or, as they are renewed by the free Spirit of God. (Extracted from the writings
of John Gill)
4. The
‘Legalist’ does not say that the Christian is subject any longer to the curses
and condemnations of the law for he is not.
Christ has
redeemed His own from the curse of the law, being made a curse for them; and so
there is no more curse to them here or hereafter; they are out of the reach of
the curses, and of condemnation by it, there is none to them that are in
Christ.
Who shall condemn? It is Christ that died; and who by dying has bore
their sentence of condemnation, and freed them from it, and having passed from
death to life they shall never enter into condemnation. (John Gill)
¨ Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law
are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not
in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
¨ Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of
the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that
hangeth on a tree:
¨ Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to
them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit.
¨ Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of
God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
¨ John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and
shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
With the position of the ‘Legalist’ fixed in the mind, attention can be turned to the ‘Anti-nomian’ position. The following points are made.
1.
The Mosaic Law, taken as a
unit, had a definite beginning. The beginning of the Mosaic Law can be pinpointed.
It was given 430 after God made a covenant with Abraham. Galatians 3:19
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added
because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was
made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
To be added means there was something that existed before the Law came. If you have a recipe that tells you to add an egg to two cups of flour, the assumption is that two cups of flour are already present and the egg is added to them. In like manner, if the Law was added, there had to be something there to be added to. What existed before the Mosaic Law?
In context, the promises, which God made to Abraham, were present. (Gal. 3:16-18) God made a covenant with Abraham and in this covenant God gave him specific promises. He was to have a large inheritance of wealth, he was to have a specific piece of real estate, and he was to have a seed.
The physical seed would include spiritual blessings for through the physical seed would come the Messiah who would save His people from their sins. (Matt. 1:21)
Now why is this significant? Why is the covenant to Abraham brought into view when discussing the coming of the Law? The answer is this. The covenant made with Abraham was according to the principle of grace. Abraham did not do anything to earn or deserve a relationship with God let alone all the blessings of Divine mercy. It was all according to grace.
That is important to understand in light of the great question at stake, which is how men are saved. The Judaizers came to town saying that souls are saved by grace plus a keeping of the Mosaic Law. But that is not true for the principle of salvation by grace alone was established prior to the giving of the Law.
If the covenant made with Abraham was according to grace then any salvation that comes through the seed of Abraham must also be based upon the principle of grace. If salvation comes through grace then it cannot come through keeping the Law of Moses. The Law was not even formally present when the covenant with Abraham was made.
The important point for the present to keep in mind is that the Law had a beginning—430 years after Abraham.
2.
The Mosaic Law had an
end. Galatians 3:19
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added
because of transgressions, till the seed
should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in
the hand of a mediator.
The Mosaic
Law, given 430 after the Covenant with Abraham was made, was intended to last till
the seed should come to whom the promise was made. Who was the seed that should come but the Messiah! So the Mosaic Law,
as a unit, was to last until Christ came. Then it was to end, as a unit. It is
as simple and straightforward as that.
The end of
the Law as a cohesive unit would have far reaching repercussions of course for
a whole way of life was coming to an end.
Judaism, with
all of its ceremonies and rituals,
Judaism, with all of its rules and
regulations,
Judaism, with it pomp and pageantry,
Judaism, with its specialized
priesthood,
Judaism, with its special days and blood offerings was coming to
an end.
And the Great Temple into which the wealth and religious welfare of a nation was poured was also coming to an end according to the prophecy of the Messiah. The Great Temple had to be destroyed in order to crystallize the concept that the Mosaic Law and all that it entailed was meant to end when the seed should come to whom the promise was made.
At this
point, some basic questions might be anticipated. “If the Mosaic Law had a
late beginning and was targeted to end with the coming of the Messiah, why
bother to give it. If the principle of salvation by grace was established apart
from the Law with the covenant to Abraham why set before men all of the rules
and regulations associated with the Law?”
The answer is this.
3.
The Mosaic Law had a stated
threefold purpose:
·
to
stir up sin
·
to
condemn
·
to
bring souls to the Savior.
(1) The Mosaic Law was given to stir up sin. Romans 5:20
Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound.
The law put sin into motion. Romans 3:20 teaches, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Why would God want to stir up sin? Why would God want to make men see just how wicked they are after He has come to them on the principle of grace?
The Divine answer is to enhance the greatness of grace! If I can understand the evil of my heart, I can appreciate the greatness of God’s grace. But if I am ignorant of the desperate condition of my heart, then I will minimize grace or worse yet think that I do not need grace.
Rather than let this happen, God gave to His chosen people something that would magnify His mercy to them. He gave them something to stir up sin in their souls. Nothing stirs up the soul than a law of prohibition or attempting to keep laws of good conduct. Once the horribleness of sin is seen then the grace of God can be perceived. Romans 5:20 But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
(2) The Law was given to condemn. Speaking from personal experience Paul
said that he had not known
sin and been condemned by it except the Law said thou shalt not covet. (Rom. 7:7)
(3) The Law was given to bring souls to the Savior. Once it is realized that men
cannot save themselves by keeping the Law, attention will be turned to an
object, external source. The Law cannot justify, it cannot change a heart of
sin, and it cannot pardon or redeem. However, there is good news, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could
not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom. 8:2-4)
Appendix : Supplemental Material
Appendix
The Book of the Covenant
Exodus 20
And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which
have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou
shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven
image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the
earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow
down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of
the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh
his name in vain. 8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt
thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the
LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy
daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the
LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. 12 Honour thy father and thy
mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth
thee. 13 Thou shalt not kill. 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15 Thou shalt
not steal. 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Thou
shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's
wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any
thing that is thy neighbour's. 18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and
the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and
when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto
Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us,
lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to
prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And
the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where
God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children
of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 Ye shall
not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy
burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all
places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. 25
And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn
stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 26 Neither
shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered
thereon.
Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2 If thou
buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go
out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself:
if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have
given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her
children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. 5 And if the
servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will
not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall
also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore
his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. 7 And if a man
sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants
do. 8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then
shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have
no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he have betrothed
her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 10 If
he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage,
shall he not diminish. 11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she
go out free without money. 12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be
surely put to death. 13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into
his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. 14 But if a
man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt
take him from mine altar, that he may die. 15 And he that smiteth his father,
or his mother, shall be surely put to death. 16 And he that stealeth a man, and
selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. 17
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. 18
And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his
fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: 19 If he rise again, and walk abroad
upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the
loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. 20 And if a man
smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall
be surely punished. 21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall
not be punished: for he is his money. 22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with
child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall
be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he
shall pay as the judges determine. 23 And if any mischief follow, then thou
shalt give life for life, 24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot
for foot, 25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 26 And if
a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he
shall let him go free for his eye's sake. 27 And if he smite out his
manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for
his tooth's sake. 28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox
shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the
ox shall be quit. 29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time
past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but
that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner
also shall be put to death. 30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he
shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. 31 Whether
he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall
it be done unto him. 32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he
shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be
stoned. 33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not
cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; 34 The owner of the pit shall make
it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be
his. 35 And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell
the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall
divide. 36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and
his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead
shall be his own.
If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he
shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If a thief be
found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for
him. 3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he
should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his
theft. 4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox,
or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double. 5 If a man shall cause a field or
vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another
man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard,
shall he make restitution.6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the
stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he
that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution. 7 If a man shall deliver
unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's
house; if the thief be found, let him pay double. 8 If the thief be not found,
then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether
he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods. 9 For all manner of trespass,
whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of
lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties
shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay
double unto his neighbour. 10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an
ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away,
no man seeing it: 11 Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that
he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall
accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. 12 And if it be stolen from him,
he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. 13 If it be torn in pieces,
then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was
torn. 14 And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die,
the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.15 But if the
owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing,
it came for his hire. 16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and
lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17 If her father
utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry
of virgins. 18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. 19 Whosoever lieth with a
beast shall surely be put to death. 20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save
unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed. 21 Thou shalt neither vex a
stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 Ye
shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. 23 If thou afflict them in
any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 And my
wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall
be widows, and your children fatherless. 25 If thou lend money to any of my
people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither
shalt thou lay upon him usury. 26 If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment
to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: 27 For
that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he
sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for
I am gracious. 28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy
people. 29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of
thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.30 Likewise
shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with
his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.31 And ye shall be holy men
unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye
shall cast it to the dogs.1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine
hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.2 Thou shalt not follow a
multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many
to wrest judgment:3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.4 If
thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it
back to him again.5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his
burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.6
Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.7 Keep thee far from
a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not
justify the wicked. 8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the
wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous 9 Also thou shalt not oppress a
stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the
land of Egypt. 10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in
the fruits thereof: 11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie
still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of
the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with
thy oliveyard.12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou
shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid,
and the stranger, may be refreshed.13 And in all things that I have said unto
you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let
it be heard out of thy mouth.14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in
the year.15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat
unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the
month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before
me empty:)16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which
thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end
of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.17 Three
times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.18 Thou shalt
not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat
of my sacrifice remain until the morning.19 The first of the firstfruits of thy
land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe
a kid in his mother's milk.20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee
in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.21 Beware of
him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your
transgressions: for my name is in him.22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his
voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and
an adversary unto thine adversaries.23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and
bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the
Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. 24
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their
works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their
images. 25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread,
and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. 26 There
shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy
days I will fulfil. 27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all
the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn
their backs unto thee. 28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall
drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite,
and the Hittite, from before thee. 29 I will not drive them out from before
thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field
multiply against thee 30 By little and little I will drive them out from before
thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. 31 And I will set thy
bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the
desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your
hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. 32 Thou shalt make no covenant
with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they
make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a
snare unto thee.
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked
to be an unrighteous witness. 2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil;
neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: 3
Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. 4 If thou meet thine
enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him
again. 5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden,
and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. 6 Thou shalt
not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. 7 Keep thee far from a false
matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify
the wicked. 8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and
perverteth the words of the righteous. 9 Also thou shalt not oppress a
stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the
land of Egypt. 10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in
the fruits thereof: 11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie
still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of
the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with
thy oliveyard. 12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou
shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid,
and the stranger, may be refreshed. 13 And in all things that I have said unto
you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let
it be heard out of thy mouth. 14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in
the year. 15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat
unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the
month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before
me empty:) 16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which
thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end
of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. 17 Three
times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. 18 Thou shalt
not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat
of my sacrifice remain until the morning. 19 The first of the firstfruits of
thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not
seethe a kid in his mother's milk. 20
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee
into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke
him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.22
But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will
be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. 23 For
mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the
Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the
Jebusites: and I will cut them off. 24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods,
nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them,
and quite break down their images. 25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and
he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the
midst of thee. 26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy
land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. 27 I will send my fear before thee,
and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all
thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. 28 And I will send hornets before
thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from
before thee. 29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest
the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. 30
By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be
increased, and inherit the land. 31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea
even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I
will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive
them out before thee. 32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their
gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me:
for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
The
People Agreed to Obey
And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all
the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the
words which the LORD hath said will we do. 4 And Moses wrote all the words of
the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the
hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he
sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and
sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. 6 And Moses took half of the
blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7
And he took the book of the covenant,
and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath
said will we do, and be obedient. 8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it
on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath
made with you concerning all these words.
New Testament References to the Law of God
1.
Matthew 5:17, 18 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
2.
Matthew 5:18 For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall
in no wise pass from the law, till
all be fulfilled.
3.
Matthew 5:40 And
if any man will sue thee at the law,
and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
4.
Matthew 7:12 Therefore
all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to
them: for this is the law and the
prophets.
5.
Matthew 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
6.
Matthew 11:13 For all the prophets and the law
prophesied until John.
7.
Matthew 12:5 Or
have ye not read in the law, how
that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are
blameless?
8.
Matthew 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
9.
Matthew 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
10. Matthew
23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have
omitted the weightier matters of the law,
judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the
other undone.
11. Luke
2:22 And when the days of her
purification according to the law of
Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the
Lord;
12. Luke
2:23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that
openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
13. Luke
2:24 And to offer a sacrifice according
to that which is said in the law of
the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
14. Luke
2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the
temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after
the custom of the law,
15. Luke
2:39 And when they had performed all
things according to the law of the
Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
16. Luke
5:17 And it came to pass on a certain
day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of
every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was
present to heal them.
17. Luke
10:26 He said unto him, What is written
in the law? How readest thou?
18. Luke
12:53 The father shall be divided against
the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and
the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law,
and the daughter in law against her
mother in law.
19. Luke
12:53 The father shall be divided against
the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and
the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law,
and the daughter in law against her
mother in law.
20. Luke
12:53 The father shall be divided against
the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and
the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law,
and the daughter in law against her
mother in law.
21. Luke
12:53 The father shall be divided against
the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and
the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law,
and the daughter in law against her
mother in law.
22. Luke
16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom
of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
23. Luke
16:17 And it is easier for heaven and
earth to pass, than one tittle of the law
to fail.
24. Luke
24:44 And he said unto them, These are
the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things
must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning
me.
25. John
1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
26. John
1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith
unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of
Joseph.
27. John
7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
28. John
7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
29. John
7:23 If a man on the Sabbath day receive
circumcision, that the law of Moses
should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit
whole on the Sabbath day?
30. John
7:49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
31. John
7:51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
32. John
8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
33. John
8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is
true.
34. John
10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not
written in your law, I said, Ye are
gods?
35. John
12:34 The people answered him, We have
heard out of the law that Christ
abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is
this Son of man?
36. John
15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the
word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
37. John
18:13 And led him away to Annas first;
for he was father in law to
Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
38. John
18:31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye
him, and judge him according to your law.
The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
39. John
19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
40. John
19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
41. Acts
5:34 Then stood there up one in the
council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the
apostles forth a little space;
42. Acts
6:13 And set up false witnesses, which
said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place,
and the law:
43. Acts
7:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and
have not kept it.
44. Acts
13:15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the
synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of
exhortation for the people, say on.
45. Acts
13:39 And by him all that believe are
justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
46. Acts
15:5 But there rose up certain of the
sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise
them, and to command them to keep the law
of Moses.
47. Acts
15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that
certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your
souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
48. Acts
18:13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men
to worship God contrary to the law.
49. Acts
18:15 But if it be a question of words
and names, and of your law, look ye
to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
50. Acts
19:38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the
craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies:
let them implead one another.
51. Acts
21:20 And when they heard it, they
glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands
of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
52. Acts
21:24 Them take, and purify thyself with
them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may
know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are
nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
53. Acts
21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help:
This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further
brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
54. Acts
22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew,
born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of
Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous
toward God, as ye all are this day.
55. Acts
22:12 And one Ananias, a devout man
according to the law, having a good
report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
56. Acts
23:3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall
smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten
contrary to the law?
57. Acts
23:29 Whom I perceived to be accused of
questions of their law, but to have
nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
58. Acts
24:6 Who also hath gone about to profane
the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
59. Acts
24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that
after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers,
believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
60. Acts
25:8 While he answered for himself,
Neither against the law of the Jews,
neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing
at all.
61. Acts
28:23 And when they had appointed him a
day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and
testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the
law of Moses, and out of the
prophets, from morning till evening.
62. Romans
2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
63. Romans
2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers
of the law shall be justified.
64. Romans
2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have
not the law, do by nature the things
contained in the law, these, having
not the law, are a law unto themselves:
65. Romans
2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their
conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or
else excusing one another;)
66. Romans
2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and
restest in the law, and makest thy
boast of God,
67. Romans
2:18 And knowest his will, and approvest
the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
68. Romans
2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a
teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
69. Romans
2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
70. Romans
2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth,
if thou keep the law: but if thou be
a breaker of the law, thy
circumcision is made uncircumcision.
71. Romans
2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep
the righteousness of the law, shall
not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
72. Romans
2:27 And shall not uncircumcision which
is by nature, if it fulfil the law,
judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
73. Romans
3:19 Now we know that what things soever
the law saith, it saith to them who
are under the law: that every mouth
may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
74. Romans
3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified
in his sight: for by the law is the
knowledge of sin.
75. Romans
3:21 But now the righteousness of God
without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the
prophets;
76. Romans
3:27 Where is boasting then? It is
excluded. By what law? of works?
Nay: but by the law of faith.
77. Romans
3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
78. Romans
3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we
establish the law.
79. Romans
4:13 For the promise, that he should be
the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of
faith.
80. Romans
4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and
the promise made of none effect:
81. Romans
4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
82. Romans
4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it
might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to
that only which is of the law, but
to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
83. Romans
5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
84. Romans
5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound:
85. Romans
6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over
you: for ye are not under the law,
but under grace.
86. Romans
6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we
are not under the law, but under
grace? God forbid.
87. Romans
7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak
to them that know the law,) how that
the law hath dominion over a man as
long as he liveth?
88. Romans
7:2 For the woman which hath an husband
is bound by the law to her husband
so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
89. Romans
7:3 So then if, while her husband liveth,
she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her
husband be dead, she is free from that law;
so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
90. Romans
7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are
become dead to the law by the body
of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from
the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
91. Romans
7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the
motions of sins, which were by the law,
did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
92. Romans
7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were
held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the
letter.
93. Romans
7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not
known sin, but by the law: for I had
not known lust, except the law had
said, Thou shalt not covet.
94. Romans
7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the
commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
95. Romans
7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment
came, sin revived, and I died.
96. Romans
7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
97. Romans
7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold
under sin.
98. Romans
7:16 If then I do that which I would not,
I consent unto the law that it is
good.
99. Romans
7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
100.
Romans 7:22 For
I delight in the law of God after
the inward man:
101.
Romans 7:23 But
I see another law in my members, warring
against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law
of sin which is in my members.
102.
Romans 7:25 I
thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve
the law of God; but with the flesh
the law of sin.
103.
Romans 8:2 For
the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law
of sin and death.
104.
Romans 8:3 For
what the law could not do, in that
it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of
sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
105.
Romans 8:4 That
the righteousness of the law might
be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
106.
Romans 8:7 Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
107.
Romans 9:4 Who
are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the
covenants, and the giving of the law,
and the service of God, and the promises;
108.
Romans 9:31 But
Israel, which followed after the law
of righteousness, hath not attained to the law
of righteousness.
109.
Romans 9:32 Wherefore?
Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that
stumblingstone;
110.
Romans 10:4 For
Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth.
111.
Romans 10:5 For
Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
112.
Romans 13:8 Owe
no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled
the law.
113.
Romans 13:10 Love
worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
114.
1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before
the saints?
115.
1 Corinthians 6:6 But brother goeth to law
with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
116.
1 Corinthians 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not
rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
117.
1 Corinthians 7:39 The wife is bound by the law
as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to
be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
118.
1 Corinthians 9:8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
119.
1 Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the
mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
120.
1 Corinthians 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to
them that are under the law, as
under the law, that I might gain
them that are under the law;
121.
1 Corinthians 9:21 To them that are without law,
as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them
that are without law.
122.
1 Corinthians 14:21 In the law it is written,
With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet
for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
123.
1 Corinthians 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted
unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith
the law.
124.
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
125.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith
of Christ, and not by the works of the law:
for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified.
126.
Galatians 2:19
For I through the law am dead to the
law, that I might live unto God.
127.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
128.
Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of
the law, or by the hearing of faith?
129.
Galatians 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles
among you, doeth he it by the works of the law,
or by the hearing of faith?
130.
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one
that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
131.
Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by
faith.
132.
Galatians 3:12 And the law is not of faith:
but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
133.
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every
one that hangeth on a tree:
134.
Galatians 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in
Christ, the law, which was four
hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the
promise of none effect.
135.
Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law,
it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
136.
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law?
It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the
promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
137.
Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the
promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should
have been by the law.
138.
Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
139.
Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our
schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
140.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the
time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
141.
Galatians 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons.
142.
Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
143.
Galatians 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a
debtor to do the whole law.
144.
Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified
by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
145.
Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled
in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
146.
Galatians 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
147.
Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
148.
Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
149.
Galatians 6:13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you
circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
150.
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself
of twain one new man, so making peace;
151.
Philippians 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
152.
Philippians 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness
which is in the law, blameless.
153.
Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the
faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
154.
1 Timothy 1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law;
understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
155.
1 Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law is
good, if a man use it lawfully;
156.
1 Timothy 1:9 Knowing this, that the law
is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for
unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for
manslayers,
157.
Titus 3:9 But
avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about
the law; for they are unprofitable
and vain.
158.
Hebrews 7:5 And
verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the
priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though
they come out of the loins of Abraham:
159.
Hebrews 7:11 If
therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people
received the law,) what further need
was there that another priest should
rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of
Aaron?
160.
Hebrews 7:12 For
the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
161.
Hebrews 7:16 Who
is made, not after the law of a
carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
162.
Hebrews 7:19 For
the law made nothing perfect, but
the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
163.
Hebrews 7:28 For
the law maketh men high priests
which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated
for evermore.
164.
Hebrews 8:4 For
if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests
that offer gifts according to the law:
165.
Hebrews 9:19 For
when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of
goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book,
and all the people,
166.
Hebrews 9:22 And
almost all things are by the law
purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
167.
Hebrews 10:1 For
the law having a shadow of good
things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those
sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers
thereunto perfect.
168.
Hebrews 10:8 Above
when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin
thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
169.
Hebrews 10:28 He that despised Moses' law
died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
170.
James 1:25 But
whoso looketh into the perfect law
of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer
of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
171.
James 2:8 If
ye fulfil the royal law according to
the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
172.
James 2:9 But
if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
173.
James 2:10 For
whosoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
174.
James 2:11 For
he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou
commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
175.
James 4:11 Speak
not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and
judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law,
and judgeth the law: but if thou
judge the law, thou art not a doer
of the law, but a judge.
1 John 3:4 Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law:
for sin is the transgression of the law.
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