Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. I Tim 1:5-7

The purpose of this blog today, is to address those who are confused by the Law. What law are we under? Are we under the ten commandments? What commandments do we follow? I think a good understanding of the law and the covenants are crucial to knowing why we are NOT under the law of Moses. Even though we know we should not commit adultery, fornication, covet, have idols, etc.

PLEASE, look up each Scripture. Make it a Bible study. Do not take my word for it. I was blessed to tears (as always), reading these Scriptures today, reminded me again what He has done for us.

MEDIATOR OF THE MOSAIC COVENANT 

Moses

MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT:

Jesus

(Some believe we are not under the New Covenant. Read more on that error here)

But if any one preach the Jewish law unto you, listen not to him. For it is better to hearken to Christian doctrine from a man who has been circumcised, than to Judaism from one uncircumcised. But if either of such persons do not speak concerning Jesus Christ, they are in my judgment but as monuments and sepulchres of the dead, upon which are written only the names of men. Flee therefore the wicked devices and snares of the prince of this world, lest at any time being conquered by his artifices, ye grow weak in your love. *

* ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus – not recommending, just quoting to show the problem was also prevalent in that day as we see also in Scripture.

IS THE CHURCH UNDER THE MOSAIC LAW?

THE LAW WAS MADE WITH:

• Israel through Moses – Deut 4:7-8, Deut 5:1-3, Deut. 4:7-8; Ps. 147:19-20; Mal. 4:4
• Not made with Abraham – The Lord made NOT this covenant with our fathers, but with us… (Deut 5:2)
• Not made with the Gentiles – Ps 147:19-20 – 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. Acts 15:24. →having NOT the law (Rom 2:14), even though we know by nature (written on our hearts) what is not right (next verse).

DIFFERENT NAMES GIVEN TO THE LAW OF MOSES 

(This will be important later as you see the fulfillment of Christ dying on the cross and risen again)

• The Law – Matt 22:36 (No one kept the law. John 7:19)

• The Law of the Lord – Luke 2:23-24,27, 39

• The Law of the Jews – Acts 25:8

• Your Law/Their law/Our law – (spoken to the Pharisees – John 8:17; 10:34; 15:25; 19:7)

• The Law of Moses – Acts 15:5, 24, 13:39; John 7:23;

• The Law at Mt. Sinai (also Horeb) – Gal 4:24

• The Law of Sin and Death – Rom 8:2

• Bondwoman – Gal 4:24

• Hagar – Gal 4:25

• Bondage – (because they were brought out of the house of bondage-Ex 20:2-3 and Gal 4)

• Ministry/ministration of Death (2 Cor 3:7)

• Letters engraved on stones (2 Cor 3:7)

• The Letter (Rom 2:29, Rom 7:6; 2 Cor 3:6)

• Ministry of Condemnation – on stones (2 Cor 3:9)

• Wall of Partition – Eph 2:15

• Handwriting of ordinances against you–Col 2:14-15

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW?

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Rom 7:24

• • • To show us God’s holiness (1 Pet 1:15-16, Lev. 11:44-45, 19:2; 20:7)
    • To show us God’s righteousness (Rom 3:25-26)
    • To keep the Jews set apart from others (Lev 11:44-45; Deut 7:6; 14:1-2)
    • As a wall of Partition between Jews and Gentiles (Eph 2:15)
    • Appoint Feasts and times for worship for Israel (Lev 23)
    • To show us we fall short of His glory, and cannot approach Him (Ps 24:3-5)
    • Temporarily forgave sin, enabled fellowship with God.(Lev 1-7)
    • Kept under guard for the faith, afterward to be revealed. (Gal 3:24)
    • Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Gal 3:24)
    • To give us knowledge of sin (Rom 3:20; 5:20; 7:7, 24-25; Gal 2:19)
    • Added because of Sin UNTIL the Seed (Jesus) WOULD COME. (Gal 3:16-19)
    • Guilt– Stop our mouths (Rom 3:19)
    • Makes us want to sin more. This one as one person put it, is strange but true. (Rom 4:15; 5:20, 7:7) Makes us terribly aware of our own sinful state. How merciful God is to show our great need for Him, and His great love for us.

FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW

Why did Christ Come?

To FULFILL the law. Matt 5:17 (This is the very same verse Judaizers will use to compel us to keep the law, saying that He did not come to destroy the law.) No, He said He came to fulfill the law. It is done. It is finished for those of us who have believed (Rom 10:4).

• • Road to Emmaus shows fulfillment of the Mosaic Law – Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” Luke 24:44
    • End of the Law  – (Romans 10:3-4)
    • Law NOT made for the Righteous: Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person..1 Tim 1:9a
    • No longer under the law (Rom 6:15)
    • Cast out the bondwoman (Gal 4:23-25, 30)
    • Took away the first, so He can establish the second. Heb 10:9
    • Dead to the law by the body of Christ (Rom 7:4)
    • Set free from the law (Rom 8:2)
    • Wall of partition was broken down at Christ’s death. (Eph 2:15)
    • Law was until John the Baptist. (Matt 11:13, Luke 16:16)
    • Nailed to the cross (handwriting of ordinances, Col 2:14-15)
    • Law Done away with (The Letter – 2 Cor 3:11)
    • Redeemed from under the law, adopted as Sons, when Christ came (Gal 4:4-5)
    • Disciples were ministers of the new covenant NOT of The Letter. (2 Cor 3:6)
    • A change of Law, no more Levite Priests.
      
      • Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?  For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.  Heb 7:12-13
    • Final Sacrifice once for all – Heb 9:12
    • Last Word – He was the fulfillment and the last word. (Heb 1:1-2)
    • New Covenant
      • Once Christ came, the Mediator of the more excellent ministry established on better promises (Heb 8:6)

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. Heb 8:13

What law are believers under?

The Power of God and the wisdom of God is in the gospel. (Rom 1:16-17; I Cor 1:17-18,24)

NOT THE LAW OF MOSES: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts 13:39

NOT THE OLD COVENANT: In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.  Heb 8:13 (see also Jer 31:31-34)

WE ARE UNDER A NEW LAW

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, the Law of Christ. (Rom 8:2, Gal 6:2)

DOES RIGHTEOUSNESS COME BY THE LAW?

Righteousness

• Does not come by the law. (Gal 2:21; Gal 3:21; Gal 5:4; Heb 7:11-12)
• Is only by His free gift, never the law, (Rom 4-5) through faith in Him. (Phil 3:9, Rom 3:22)

Justification

• Does not come by the law. (Rom 3:20; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:11)
• Is only by faith. (Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:11, 24)

Sanctification

• By the law was temporary.
• Positional sanctification comes by faith in Christ and is permanent. (Acts 20:32; 1 Cor 1:2; Heb 10:14). There is still the matter of practical/experiential sanctification.

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. I Cor 6:11

JESUS CHRIST

Who became for us:

Wisdom from God
Righteousness
Sanctification
Redemption
All glory to God! (pp 1 Cor 1:29-31)

SANCTIFICATION (Positional)

Comes by the Blood of Christ

Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Heb 13:12

Comes by the Holy Spirit and belief in the truth (Rom 15:16; 2 Thess 2:13; I Pet 1:2)

Is by the Word (Eph 5:26; John 17:17)

Comes by the Father who preserves us in Jesus Christ, and He is able to keep us from stumbling and present us faultless, we are kept by HIS POWER. (see Jude 1,24; 1 Pet 1:5, 2 Tim 1:12).

Before God is FOREVER: By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Heb 10:14

What does the Bible say about those under the law?

It isn’t just the Hebrew Roots folks or some of the Messianic people who put themselves under the law.  Loadshippers or Calvinists or Arminians, (anyone who teaches you must keep the law to become saved, stay saved, or prove you are saved), they are all either lost, or under bondage of finishing in the flesh (Gal 3).

Ask yourselves, are you doing it to be made right?
Because you think it commends you to God?
Because you think the commandments are still in effect?
To be justified?
Because you “really love Him”?

Then may I ask:

Are you Jewish?

Do you travel to Jerusalem to keep the appointed feasts?

How many of the laws do you fall short in?

If you are doing it for any of the above reasons (or others), you have fallen from grace. And you are under a curse. We keep His commandments, and they are not grievous. But this is not the same as putting people under the law.

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. Gal 5:4

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”  Gal 3:10

Did Peter, who was the apostle to the Jews, preach the law?

I know that some Jewish believers say he did. I also know that some hyperdispensationalists say that Peter and James and John all preached the law. That’s another article, but I completely disagree. Paul withstood Peter, James and Barnabas for keeping the law when certain Jews came into town, when previously they were NOT keeping the law, and were living ‘after the manner of the Gentiles‘.  He called them hypocrites. He told them they were not being truthful or straightforward about the gospel. Are you?

The Righteousness of God is APART from the law. Rom 3:21-22

Can someone follow certain portions of the law? Keep a feast? What if it bothers a Jewish believer to eat pork? Or another believer to eat something that he doesn’t know if it was strangled or even mistreated? What if like Paul, he had taken a vow and he kept it and shaved his head? Or what if to win others we keep the law but not as under the law while we are with them?

What if the child of an alcoholic, does not want others to drink wine around them? Or they have come to believe a holiday is pagan and they just feel odd about participating?

These are all matters of conscience, and as long as they do not do it to contribute to their own righteousness, justification, or salvation, OR compel others in any manner to keep the law, then they are free to do what their conscience can handle.

But… remember, BOTH SIDES, do not make the other stumble for the sake of food. Food does not commend us to God, nor Sabbaths, nor Holy days, nor days celebrated nor days not celebrated. (Read Rom 14, Col 2, 1 Cor 10:12-31, Especially read Galatians carefully). You can certainly consider 1 Cor 9:19-22, Paul was all things to men so he might win some.

If any try to live by the law, be justified by the law, they under a curse, for they need to continue in ALL things (not possible) that are written in the law (Gal 3).  If you are trying to compel people to live under the law, you are in the wrong.

Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?  Acts 15:10