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THE BELIEVER AND THE LAW OF GOD
The Believer’s relationship to the Law is perhaps the most challenging issue in all the Bible. Too many have simply ignored it or denied its relevance at all. Paul’s words remind us that the faithful servant of God cannot do that. "I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God" Acts 20:27
Lets start by understanding challenge we face!
A. Passages that seem to say the Law is ended.
-For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
-For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14
-Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Galatians 3:24-25
B. Passages that seem to say that the Law is continual.
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Romans 7:12
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:14
For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. Romans 7:22
"...with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:25
and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 1 Corinthians 9:20-21
C. Solution
Paul is not under the Jewish law, AKA the Law of Moses. But He is under God’s Law. He wishes no misunderstanding. For Paul, the language of being under the law has to do with being Jewish in a national cultural religious sense. But as a new man in Christ he also expects the Spirit to empower him to live out the ethics of the new age, which are the commands of God, now written on hearts of flesh. Gordon Fee, 430
"It is vitally important to understand that one reason the NT talks about the law in several different ways is because there are several different kinds of Law". Ryken 20
"It is of the utmost importance to discern the differences between the ceremonial law, which pertained to the worship of Israel and prefigured Christ; the civil law which detailed the duties to Israel as a nation and the moral law by which the Creator governs the moral conduct of all creatures for all times". Ernest Reisinger, in Ryken, 21.
Many Christians think that the law is somehow opposed to the gospel. They assume that in the OT salvation came by law whereas in the NT salvation comes by grace. But the truth is that salvation has always come by grace, and the law and the gospel work together for salvation in both testaments. The grace of the gospel has never been opposed to the proper use of the Law. Ryken 28.
There is no greater mistake than to suppose that a Christian has nothing to do with the Law and the Ten Commandments. (simply) because he cannot be justified by them. JC Ryle in Ryken,
-Without the law there is no holiness. God’s righteous judgment would simply be selfish anger.
-Without the law there is no grace. God’s forgiveness would simply be tolerance.
-Without the law there is no sin. God’s demands on your life would simply be petty personal preferences of a grumpy old deity.
Principles for understanding the moral Law.
1. The Moral Law existed before the Law of Moses.
Eve considered herself god, coveted, and stole, Adam put his wife before God and broke #1, Cain was guilty of murder, Abraham committed adultery with Hagar, he lied, Sodom broke # 7, Jacob lied, coveted and stole his brother’s birthright, Rachael stole idols, Noah’s son dishonored him, Moses murdered, Joseph refused to commit adultery, his brother’s lied, stole and sold Joseph, dishonored their parents and the list goes on...
2. The Moral Law is binding on those outside of Israel.
For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, Romans 5:13-14 Point: Sin existed because the Law of God existed!
3. The Moral Law is set apart from all other Scripture how it was delivered.
It was spoken to the nation with visible impact.
It was inscribed by the hand of God.
It was placed in the Ark as the symbol of His presence .
4. The Moral Law is written on the hearts of all mankind.
for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. Romans 2:14-16
5. The Moral Law is good.
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Romans 7:12
6. The Moral Law is spiritual.
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:14
7. The Moral Law has 3 main purposes.
1) To convict mankind of sin and show them their need of salvation. Galatians 3:24
2) To restrain sin in the world. Romans 2
3) To show the Believer how to please God. Ps. 119, Ps.1
8. The Moral Law reveals the character of God.
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the LORD! 2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart! 3 They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways. Ps. 119:1
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:2
9. The Moral Law was given in the context of grace.
1) The Lord had already redeemed Israel from Egypt. He says "I am your God"
2) The Lord had already given Israel the Passover and its picture of redemption.3) The Lord repeatedly expresses His love for them repeatedly.
10. The Moral Law never made people righteous and is not the enemy of faith.
Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Galatians 3:21-22
Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. Romans 3:31
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. Romans 10:3
11. The Moral Law is the basis for the "Sermon on the Mount".
As the true teacher of Righteousness, He shows how to properly interpret the Law as it was originally intended. He goes to the heart of the matter every time.
12. The New Testament uses the word "Law" in many different ways.
This explains why in some passages say that the Law is good and eternal and in others, it is over and ended. Some have listed 7 different ways the word "law" is used in Paul’s writing alone. Law of sin, law of nature, law of Moses, being under the Law, law of Christ, Law of God, a law or principle, the Old Covenant, the Word of God in it’s totality. John Piper lists three of the larger uses of the word "Law".
Whenever you read the word "law" in the New Testament, ask yourself: is this the OT, or the writings of Moses, or the legalistic distortion of Moses' teaching? This will keep us from giving such bad press to the Mosaic law when really it is the legalistic distortion of law that should get the bad press. John Piper
13. Paul considered himself under the Law of God but not Law of Moses.
For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. Romans 7:22
"...with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:25
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8
and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 1 Corinthians 9:20-21
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
MORE TO FOLLOW!
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