The Law: Fulfilled or Abolished?

[iLOVE]

Real spiritual warfare is the battle we fight not to return to self-effort (performance).

1. Since we live under the covenant of grace, it is foolish to go back to the covenant of the Law (Galatians 3:1-6)

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The requirement is obedience, the Law of Moses has vanished away.

Then why is obedience to the law of Moses taught in the NT?

A gospel that says you are declared righteous on the merit of anything you do, except for the 'work' of trusting in Christ's blood, is still a self-righteous works gospel.

The ONLY thing that can take away sin guilt and make a person righteous is the blood of Christ. We access that blood by placing our trust in that blood--IOW, through believing. That's why trusting in the blood of Christ is the ONLY thing that a person can 'do' that will make them righteous. For that is the only thing that can lay hold of the blood of Christ for the removal of sin guilt. No work done, in or out of the Spirit (except the work of believing), can earn the removal of sin guilt that only the blood of Christ can secure.

That's why Abraham is the Father of faith. He believed what God said about a son that would inherit the blessing on Abraham's behalf. We, too, follow in that same faith when we believe what God says about a Son that will inherit our blessing for us. Abraham's obedience did not make him righteous before God. Abraham's faith in what God said about a promised son is what made him righteous before God. And like Abraham, people who place their trust in that promise do things in accordance with that trust. They demonstrate that trust in what they do. That is where obedience to what God commands comes in.

 

[Elijah674]

No one will be saved doing their own thing! And you call it Moses law??? They are the eternal Law from Gods own lips. Written in stone.. even on two tables of stone.
And Christ when tempted by a cunning lawyer told him this in front of them all...
Matt. 22
[35] Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
[36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
[37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
[38] This is the first and great commandment.

[39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

And all the Law & the prophets?? See 1 Cor. 14:32 for ALL IN AGREENENT!

What happens to one teaching the opposite of this?? See Rev. 22:18-19 last warning! (removable of ones name!)

--Elijah

 

[farouk]

Paul was an Hebrew of the Hebrews and had sat at the feet of Gamaliel, but he was severely opposed to those who sought to impose circumcision - which implied going back under the law - upon New Testament Christians under grace.

Paul was opposed to those who taught that Gentiles needed to keep the law to be saved. He wasn't opposed to keeping the law out of obedience.

The TOG
​

...under grace, love is the motive for obedience to the Lord of the new covenant.

When Reformed folk want a rendez-vous for law-keeping, under grace I have a prior engagement.

Blessings.

 

[farouk]

Real spiritual warfare is the battle we fight not to return to self-effort (performance).

1. Since we live under the covenant of grace, it is foolish to go back to the covenant of the Law (Galatians 3:1-6)

Or, stated otherwise:

Let's stick firmly to Calvary, not Sinai.

 

[iLOVE]

Christians are free from the law of Moses, not the law of God in which the Holy spirit will write on your heart and mind (law of love, perfect law of liberty, and the law of faith, etc.).

God will release to you and I the most precious things of His heart when you operate from the spirit.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Paul was an Hebrew of the Hebrews and had sat at the feet of Gamaliel, but he was severely opposed to those who sought to impose circumcision - which implied going back under the law - upon New Testament Christians under grace.

Paul was opposed to those who taught that Gentiles needed to keep the law to be saved. He wasn't opposed to keeping the law out of obedience.

The TOG
​

...under grace, love is the motive for obedience to the Lord of the new covenant.

When Reformed folk want a rendez-vous for law-keeping, under grace I have a prior engagement.

Blessings.

For some reason you don't answer questions asked of you, but let's try again:

How is it that 'do not steal', for example, is not law keeping?

Grace is how you uphold that law. Grace is not how you avoid that law.

Grace is a license to obey God, not a license to now not to have to obey God. Grace was given so you can uphold the righteous requirements of God, not so you can avoid them with impunity.

 

[farouk]

Christians are free from the law of Moses, not the law of God in which the Holy spirit will write on your heart and mind (law of love, perfect law of liberty, and the law of faith, etc.).

God will release to you and I the most precious things of His heart when you operate from the spirit.

Guys like C I Scofield and J N Darby were right about the change from the old dispensation, to the one under grace for the church. I think the way they explained it is very helpful.

 

[farouk]

Paul was an Hebrew of the Hebrews and had sat at the feet of Gamaliel, but he was severely opposed to those who sought to impose circumcision - which implied going back under the law - upon New Testament Christians under grace.

Paul was opposed to those who taught that Gentiles needed to keep the law to be saved. He wasn't opposed to keeping the law out of obedience.

The TOG
​

...under grace, love is the motive for obedience to the Lord of the new covenant.

When Reformed folk want a rendez-vous for law-keeping, under grace I have a prior engagement.

Blessings.

For some reason you don't answer questions asked of you, but let's try again:

How is it that 'do not steal', for example, is not law keeping?

Grace is how you uphold that law. Grace is not how you avoid that law.

Grace is a license to obey God, not a license to now not to have to obey God. Grace was given so you can uphold the righteous requirements of God, not so you can avoid them with impunity.

So what will be the result of me supposedly upholding the righteous requirements of God?

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Christians are free from the law of Moses, not the law of God in which the Holy spirit will write on your heart and mind (law of love, perfect law of liberty, and the law of faith, etc.).

God will release to you and I the most precious things of His heart when you operate from the spirit.

The law of love IS the law of Moses: "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18 NIV)

The law of Moses required you to love your neighbor as yourself but somehow this is not the law of Moses?

God writes this law, his law, on our hearts and that's what moves us to do just that--love others. When we do that we have fulfilled all the requirements of the law of Moses. Paul said so (Romans 13:8-9 NIV). So how is it that some people can say we don't keep the law of Moses anymore 'cause it's 'passed away'?

Is it possible that you arguing, not for the end of the requirements of the law of Moses, but an end to the WAY of the law of Moses itself (mere written words) to move us to keep that law?

 

[Jethro Bodine]

...under grace, love is the motive for obedience to the Lord of the new covenant.

When Reformed folk want a rendez-vous for law-keeping, under grace I have a prior engagement.

Blessings.

For some reason you don't answer questions asked of you, but let's try again:

How is it that 'do not steal', for example, is not law keeping?

Grace is how you uphold that law. Grace is not how you avoid that law.

Grace is a license to obey God, not a license to now not to have to obey God. Grace was given so you can uphold the righteous requirements of God, not so you can avoid them with impunity.

So what will be the result of me supposedly upholding the righteous requirements of God?

You will dwell in the blessings of the covenant, not just be in the covenant.

 

[iLOVE]

Real spiritual warfare is the battle we fight not to return to self-effort (performance).

1. Since we live under the covenant of grace, it is foolish to go back to the covenant of the Law (Galatians 3:1-6)

1. Laws and rules actually cause sin to increase, not decrease (Romans 5:20, AMP; Romans 7:5, AMP).
   1. Although rules seem to curb sin, they don’t actually restrain us (Colossians 2:20-23, AMP).
   2. What was God trying to do in liberating us from the Law of Moses?
      1. By delivering us from the Law, God invites us to a life in which we freely choose Him.

1. Everything is permissible for us to do, but not all things are beneficial for us (1 Corinthians 6:12, AMP; 1 Corinthians 10:23, AMP).
   1. We are free to do anything we please, but not all things are profitable or helpful.
      1. For example, operating according to the flesh (a way of thinking that goes against God’s Word) has no profit.
      2. Sinning feels good for a moment, but after the act, we feel ashamed and condemned. Therefore, sinning is a complete waste of time and leads to death (Romans 6:21, AMP).
2. Although we are free from the Mosaic Law, there are laws God said He will write on our hearts (Hebrew 8:10).
   1. God will write the law of love on our hearts.
      1. The commandment “to love your neighbor as you love yourself†originated from the old covenant according to the Law of Moses (Matthew 22:37-40; James 2:8; Romans 13:8-10, 1 Peter 4:8; Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18).
      2. This is not the law God writes on our hearts; the love we have for ourselves is flawed.
      3. We must first grasp an understanding of how God loves us before we can truly love others.
   2. Jesus gave us this new commandment of love. Instead of trying to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, Jesus tells us to love others the way He has loved us (John 13:34; 1 John 3:23).
3. “How are we to view the Scriptures concerning our behavior in the New Testament?
   1. Many Christians fear God’s wrath whenever they sin.
      1. Jesus has made us right in God’s eyes. He took on our punishment so that we would no longer be subject to the wrath of God when we sin.
      2. However, there are consequences for the bad choices we make in life. We cannot escape the law of sowing and reaping; it is a spiritual law.
   2. The scriptures that teach us about our behavior in the New Testament shouldn’t be seen as rules and laws.
   3. Instead, we should view those scriptures as advice inspired by our loving Father who wants to help us.
   4. Therefore, we shouldn’t participate in immoral behavior, but, instead, behave like God’s chosen ones (Ephesians 5:3, AMP; Colossians 3:12, AMP).

 

[TOG]

Christians are free from the law of Moses, not the law of God

They are the same thing. Moses himself didn't actually make any laws. All of the commandments are prefaced with something like "God spoke to Moses and said 'Say to the Israelites'". All of the commandments come from God, not Moses. It's called the "law of Moses" because it was given by God through Moses, not because it was given by Moses. It's God's law, not Moses' law.

The TOG
​

 

[farouk]

...under grace, love is the motive for obedience to the Lord of the new covenant.

When Reformed folk want a rendez-vous for law-keeping, under grace I have a prior engagement.

Blessings.

For some reason you don't answer questions asked of you, but let's try again:

How is it that 'do not steal', for example, is not law keeping?

Grace is how you uphold that law. Grace is not how you avoid that law.

Grace is a license to obey God, not a license to now not to have to obey God. Grace was given so you can uphold the righteous requirements of God, not so you can avoid them with impunity.

So what will be the result of me supposedly upholding the righteous requirements of God?

You will dwell in the blessings of the covenant, not just be in the covenant.

I thought I was in the church, already in Christ, Who already fulfilled the law, and His perfect law keeping was already imputed to my account, and I under grace needed in loving obedience to rejoice in security in Him. I didn't think there were still legal matters to be taken care of.

The attorney already went back to his office and we're now having a peaceful family time. (There was also another attorney here who reckoned that some other law still applied, but he was only talking about another jurisdiction, and so we sent him away.)

 

[farouk]

Christians are free from the law of Moses, not the law of God

They are the same thing. Moses himself didn't actually make any laws. All of the commandments are prefaced with something like "God spoke to Moses and said 'Say to the Israelites'". All of the commandments come from God, not Moses. It's called the "law of Moses" because it was given by God through Moses, not because it was given by Moses. It's God's law, not Moses' law.

The TOG
​

I'm in the church, not Israel.

 

[TOG]

Although we are free from the Mosaic Law, there are laws God said He will write on our hearts (Hebrew 8:10).

Hebrews 8:10 is a quote from Jeremiah 31. In another thread, someone said that we have to understand Scripture in the way that the original audience would have understood it when they first heard it. I agree. The Jews that first heard these words from Jeremiah would have understood "My laws" to mean God's laws as they are in the books of Moses. I think we should understand it that way too, and not through thousands of years of interpretations.

The TOG
​

 

[farouk]

Although we are free from the Mosaic Law, there are laws God said He will write on our hearts (Hebrew 8:10).

Hebrews 8:10 is a quote from Jeremiah 31. In another thread, someone said that we have to understand Scripture in the way that the original audience would have understood it when they first heard it. I agree. The Jews that first heard these words from Jeremiah would have understood "My laws" to mean God's laws as they are in the books of Moses. I think we should understand it that way too, and not through thousands of years of interpretations.

The TOG
​

Joe died; and a year later his widow got a call from someone at the Inland Revenue Service asking for taxes Joe supposedly incurred for the year after he died.

Joe's widow confidently replied: Joe is now dead to the law and he doesn't owe you guys anything now!

Galatians 2.19

 

[iLOVE]

Although we are free from the Mosaic Law, there are laws God said He will write on our hearts (Hebrew 8:10).

Hebrews 8:10 is a quote from Jeremiah 31. In another thread, someone said that we have to understand Scripture in the way that the original audience would have understood it when they first heard it. I agree. The Jews that first heard these words from Jeremiah would have understood "My laws" to mean God's laws as they are in the books of Moses. I think we should understand it that way too, and not through thousands of years of interpretations.

The TOG
​

Many times we can go back to the Law (or our self-effort) by trying to keep unnecessary requirements or manmade rules. We cannot earn our righteousness that way. Jesus has already made us right with God. We should make the decision to be God-pleasers instead of men-pleasers. We often foolishly turn from trusting God’s grace to trusting our own efforts or other people’s opinions.

 

[iLOVE]

Although we are free from the Mosaic Law, there are laws God said He will write on our hearts (Hebrew 8:10).

Hebrews 8:10 is a quote from Jeremiah 31. In another thread, someone said that we have to understand Scripture in the way that the original audience would have understood it when they first heard it. I agree. The Jews that first heard these words from Jeremiah would have understood "My laws" to mean God's laws as they are in the books of Moses. I think we should understand it that way too, and not through thousands of years of interpretations.

The TOG
​

Joe died; and a year later his widow got a call from someone at the Inland Revenue Service asking for taxes Joe supposedly incurred for the year after he died.

Joe's widow confidently replied: Joe is now dead to the law and he doesn't owe you guys anything now!

Galatians 2.19

LOL!

 

[iLOVE]

Real spiritual warfare is the battle we fight not to return to self-effort (performance).

1. Since we live under the covenant of grace, it is foolish to go back to the covenant of the Law (Galatians 3:1-6)

1. Laws and rules actually cause sin to increase, not decrease (Romans 5:20, AMP; Romans 7:5, AMP).
   1. Although rules seem to curb sin, they don’t actually restrain us (Colossians 2:20-23, AMP).
   2. What was God trying to do in liberating us from the Law of Moses?
      1. By delivering us from the Law, God invites us to a life in which we freely choose Him.

1. Everything is permissible for us to do, but not all things are beneficial for us (1 Corinthians 6:12, AMP; 1 Corinthians 10:23, AMP).
   1. We are free to do anything we please, but not all things are profitable or helpful.
      1. For example, operating according to the flesh (a way of thinking that goes against God’s Word) has no profit.
      2. Sinning feels good for a moment, but after the act, we feel ashamed and condemned. Therefore, sinning is a complete waste of time and leads to death (Romans 6:21, AMP).
2. Although we are free from the Mosaic Law, there are laws God said He will write on our hearts (Hebrew 8:10).
   1. God will write the law of love on our hearts.
      1. The commandment “to love your neighbor as you love yourself†originated from the old covenant according to the Law of Moses (Matthew 22:37-40; James 2:8; Romans 13:8-10, 1 Peter 4:8; Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18).
      2. This is not the law God writes on our hearts; the love we have for ourselves is flawed.
      3. We must first grasp an understanding of how God loves us before we can truly love others.
   2. Jesus gave us this new commandment of love. Instead of trying to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, Jesus tells us to love others the way He has loved us (John 13:34; 1 John 3:23).
3. “How are we to view the Scriptures concerning our behavior in the New Testament?
   1. Many Christians fear God’s wrath whenever they sin.
      1. Jesus has made us right in God’s eyes. He took on our punishment so that we would no longer be subject to the wrath of God when we sin.
      2. However, there are consequences for the bad choices we make in life. We cannot escape the law of sowing and reaping; it is a spiritual law.
   2. The scriptures that teach us about our behavior in the New Testament shouldn’t be seen as rules and laws.
   3. Instead, we should view those scriptures as advice inspired by our loving Father who wants to help us.
   4. Therefore, we shouldn’t participate in immoral behavior, but, instead, behave like God’s chosen ones (Ephesians 5:3, AMP; Colossians 3:12, AMP).

1. Paul, being led of the Holy Spirit, went to Jerusalem. When he got there he met with leaders of the church; James, Peter, and John who were known as pillars of the church (Galatians 2:1-10).
2. Paul explained his message to the leaders so that he wouldn’t be discredited.
3. The leaders saw the gift of God upon Paul’s life; he had been preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles while they were preaching the Gospel to the Jews.
   1. They all agreed to continue preaching as they were.
   2. Peter, in particular, associated closely with other Jewish leaders, and those leaders operated according to the Law.
   3. This caused a problem later on because it was unlawful (according to the Law) for a Jew to keep company with someone who was of another nationality (Acts 10:28).
4. Paul confronted Peter about trying to please the Jewish leaders who kept their rules, regulations, and prejudices (Galatians 2:11-21).
5. For instance, Peter ate with the Gentile Christians at first, but when some of the Jewish people came around, he stopped eating with them (Galatians 2:12, 13, AMP).
   1. Paul publically told Peter that he was wrong for what he was doing; He was no longer operating according to the Gospel of grace.
6. If we go back to our self-efforts (or trying to keep the Law), we frustrate the grace of God. It is as if we are saying Jesus died in vain.
   1. We live by faith in Jesus Christ and His finished works, not by our works or our human ability (Galatians 2:13-21; Galatians 3:1, 2).
7. The old covenant of the Law vs. the new covenant of grace:
8. Under the old covenant of the Law, God demanded righteousness from man.
   1. Under the new covenant of grace, He imparts righteousness to man through the finished works of Jesus.
9. Under the old covenant of the Law, God kept track of our sins unto the third and fourth generations.
   1. Under the covenant of grace, God is merciful, and He no longer remembers our sins.
10. Under the covenant of the Law, the children of Israel were blessed only if they obeyed God’s commandments perfectly.
    1. Under the covenant of grace, Believers do not have to depend on their own self-effort to receive God’s blessings.
    2. However, every decision we make has a natural consequence. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to live a lifestyle that pleases God. He doesn’t want us to live in misery due to a sinful lifestyle.
11. Under the covenant of the Law, the children of Israel were cursed if they didn’t keep all the Law.
    1. Under the covenant of grace, Believers can enjoy God’s blessings and undeserved favor because Jesus became a curse for us on the cross.
12. Under the covenant of the Law, self-effort produced a change of behavior but not a change of heart.
    1. Under the covenant of grace, we are changed from the inside out when we behold Jesus and His finished works.
13. Under the covenant of the Law, the blood sacrifices of animals covered the children of Israel for only one year.
    1. Under the covenant of grace, the blood of Jesus has removed our sins completely, once and for all.