Is there anything good in the law?
- Thread starter RedTent
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[TR]
[TD]The Commandments
(Called 'The Law' in scripture)[/TD]
[TD]The Sacrifices
(also Called 'The Law' in scripture)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]"Constitution of God's Kingdom"
"Establishes the standard of Righteousness"
"Defines what a 'sin' is"
"Requires blood/life when law is broken"[/TD]
[TD]"Salvation/Remedy"
"Pays for Sins"
"Justification for transgressing The Commandments"
"Provides Blood as a payment substitution"
"Ministered by Levite Priests every year"[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
This is why there's a misunderstanding, because we ignorant gentiles (a) gave both of these elements the same umbrella label in translation and (b) we didn't take the time to understand the difference before we began preaching the gospel, perpetuating the generalization. Then we have...
[TABLE="width: 500, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]The Commandments
(Called 'The Law' in scripture)[/TD]
[TD]The Sacrifices
(also Called 'The Law' in scripture)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]"Perfect"
"Led to death because =>"[/TD]
[TD]"only a shadow of Christ"
"Inadequate"
"CANT provide Salvation/Remedy"
"CANT Pays for Sins"
"CANT Justify for transgressions"
"Animal Blood CANT be substitution for a man"[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
It is the provided remedies for sinning (i.e. The Sacrifices) that made The Law inadequate to save/justify because in revealing sin (i.e. commandments) the other half of the law (i.e. The Sacrifices) couldn't cleans them. The sacrifices (including the shedding of blood and other offerings) were only a shadow and could never save. This is what was "done away with" or "nailed to the cross"; the sacrifices (Hebrews). Next we have...
[TABLE="width: 500, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]The Commandments
(Called 'The Law' in scripture)[/TD]
[TD]The Messiah
(Called 'The Spirit' in scripture)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]"Perfect"
"Leads to life because =>"[/TD]
[TD]"Perfectly obedient"
"Provides Salvation/Remedy"
"Payed for Sins"
"Justifies for transgressing The Commandments"
"Took his pure Blood into heaven"
"<= Interprets the Commandments"[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Notice how The Commandments are merely the scales that balance/weigh us, leading to death in one instance while leading to life in the other: we are on one side of the scale while the animal sacrifices are on the other side.
Christ then replaces The Sacrifices, NOT the commandments, completed what was incomplete about The Law, balancing us out with God. This is what it means "to fulfill The Law" (i.e. "filled it up to the full; completed"). Now we are able to achieve God's righteousness (i.e. "obedience to his commandments") *through Christ* by conforming to his image.
[TABLE="width: 500, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]The Commandments
(Called 'The Law' in scripture)[/TD]
[TD]The Messiah
(Called 'The Spirit' in scripture)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]"Love God this much"
- No other gods
- No Idolization
- No taking God's name vainly
- Honor God's Sabbaths & feasts
- Honor parents & authority
"Love neighbors this much"
- No hate/killing
- No Stealing
- No Adultery/fornication
- No lying or false witness
- No Coveting[/TD]
[TD]"<= His Holy Spirit was able to..."
...Then He gave this same Spirit to us.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
And if we have Christ's Spirit we have his love and we will *want* to love our Father & our neighbor just as much as he did. "Seek you first the kingdom of God, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS..." If you truly love someone you will willingly make yourself uncomfortable for *their* happiness/pleasure. This is why the new covenant is about love, not fear.
Commandments + Animal Sacrifices = Old Covenant = The Law of Sin & Death
Commandments + (Faith in) Christ = (re)New(ed) Covenant = The Law of Spirit & Life
Revelation 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Notice it doesn't say "they that keep the commandments of Jesus, and the faith of Jesus" because it's making a unique distinction between what we are to do for the Father and what we are to have from/for the Son.
- Matthew 19:26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
- Mark 10:27And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
- Luke 18:27And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
you have to realize that Paul was speaking to the foolish Galatians who where trying keep the law all by them selves which is foolish. or thinking that the law could save them (which it does not.) it is the faith that helps you to keep the law.
paul was like to that to once upon a time and like the foolish Galatians he too once upon a time had not accepted Jesus until he was blinded.
this is exactly the point those who do not walk in faith do not obey the law. and they are cursed.James 2:20-26
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
yes but not faith alone it is by faith and actions that we are put right with God.
THis is not hard to understand if you obey Jesus and his law satan can try to curse you but he will lose as the evil can not harm a child of God.
i know what the promise is and Jesus promises the holy spirit if you ask him to help you keep his law. (his word). his commandments the law,, ask him to help you and he will ask for a helper for you to keep his commandments.
im sorry please explain what you want me to understand
This is real problem, I understand that..
no body can judge you with the law if your not breaking the law, and where it goes wrong for some is they believe only jesus can judge them and no court official can,,
but this is wrong because the bible is quite clear, it tels you to respect the law of the land, the courts of the land have the right to judge you if you break there laws, just like the moderators here have the right to judge you if you break the rules of the house here, which is to be respectful,, Christians have the right to judge those inside the church.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13
New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked person from among you.’
Well how do you expel the so called christian among you,, there is only one way and that is if he continues to break the law and does nothing to put it right,, he then is cursed by the law. or a nicer way to put is he is judged by the law, you and evryone here is a part of the body of Christ and Jesuses law. and your only cursed by the law if your under the law only and not under the faith as well, which i believe is a Jew. not a messianic Jew. or a foolish galation, or a christian who thinks hes wise and knows it all.
paul was like to that to once upon a time and like the foolish Galatians he too once upon a time had not accepted Jesus until he was blinded.
this is exactly the point those who do not walk in faith do not obey the law. and they are cursed.James 2:20-26
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
yes but not faith alone it is by faith and actions that we are put right with God.
THis is not hard to understand if you obey Jesus and his law satan can try to curse you but he will lose as the evil can not harm a child of God.
i know what the promise is and Jesus promises the holy spirit if you ask him to help you keep his law. (his word). his commandments the law,, ask him to help you and he will ask for a helper for you to keep his commandments.
im sorry please explain what you want me to understand
This is real problem, I understand that..
no body can judge you with the law if your not breaking the law, and where it goes wrong for some is they believe only jesus can judge them and no court official can,,
but this is wrong because the bible is quite clear, it tels you to respect the law of the land, the courts of the land have the right to judge you if you break there laws, just like the moderators here have the right to judge you if you break the rules of the house here, which is to be respectful,, Christians have the right to judge those inside the church.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13
New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked person from among you.’
Well how do you expel the so called christian among you,, there is only one way and that is if he continues to break the law and does nothing to put it right,, he then is cursed by the law. or a nicer way to put is he is judged by the law, you and evryone here is a part of the body of Christ and Jesuses law. and your only cursed by the law if your under the law only and not under the faith as well, which i believe is a Jew. not a messianic Jew. or a foolish galation, or a christian who thinks hes wise and knows it all.
so anyways thats me done now with the discussion of the law not that i give up or i am worn down or that i am wound up in any way, i just dont see it worthwhile debating the law anymore,, becauses it all it does by the looks of things is go round round in circles.. so as the people in dragons den say im out
Just a very few verses about law from scripture:
"“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ ..."
Matthew 5:17-45 ESV [HR][/HR]"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read."
Luke 4:16 ESV [HR][/HR]"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
John 1:17 ESV [HR][/HR]"So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."
Romans 7:12 ESV [HR][/HR]"You who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”"
Acts 7:53 ESV [HR][/HR]"What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”"
Romans 7:7 ESV [HR][/HR]"Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness."
1 John 3:4 ESV [HR][/HR]"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
1 Timothy 1:8-10 ESV [HR][/HR]"But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void."
Luke 16:17 ESV
"“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ ..."
Matthew 5:17-45 ESV [HR][/HR]"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read."
Luke 4:16 ESV [HR][/HR]"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
John 1:17 ESV [HR][/HR]"So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."
Romans 7:12 ESV [HR][/HR]"You who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”"
Acts 7:53 ESV [HR][/HR]"What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”"
Romans 7:7 ESV [HR][/HR]"Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness."
1 John 3:4 ESV [HR][/HR]"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
1 Timothy 1:8-10 ESV [HR][/HR]"But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void."
Luke 16:17 ESV
E
Gal 3:
[SUP]10 [/SUP]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.”[SUP][e][/SUP] [SUP]11 [/SUP]But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”[SUP][f][/SUP] [SUP]12 [/SUP]Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”
[SUP]13 [/SUP]Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”[SUP][h][/SUP]), [SUP]14[/SUP]that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
[SUP]15 [/SUP]Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. [SUP]16 [/SUP]Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,”[SUP][i][/SUP] who is Christ. [SUP]17 [/SUP]And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ,[SUP][j][/SUP] that it should make the promise of no effect. [SUP]18 [/SUP]For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
[SUP]19 [/SUP]What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. [SUP]20 [/SUP]Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]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. [SUP]22 [/SUP]But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. [SUP]23 [/SUP]But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. [SUP]24 [/SUP]Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [SUP]25 [/SUP]But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Red tent, As long as you continue to ignore what Paul says quite clearly here. You will never find the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, And you will never find rest.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]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.”[SUP][e][/SUP] [SUP]11 [/SUP]But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”[SUP][f][/SUP] [SUP]12 [/SUP]Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”
[SUP]13 [/SUP]Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”[SUP][h][/SUP]), [SUP]14[/SUP]that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
[SUP]15 [/SUP]Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. [SUP]16 [/SUP]Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,”[SUP][i][/SUP] who is Christ. [SUP]17 [/SUP]And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ,[SUP][j][/SUP] that it should make the promise of no effect. [SUP]18 [/SUP]For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
[SUP]19 [/SUP]What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. [SUP]20 [/SUP]Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]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. [SUP]22 [/SUP]But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. [SUP]23 [/SUP]But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. [SUP]24 [/SUP]Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [SUP]25 [/SUP]But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Red tent, As long as you continue to ignore what Paul says quite clearly here. You will never find the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, And you will never find rest.
Have a lovely Easter.
Like Paul, we should not encourage others to place themselves back under the law.
Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
But which law are we not under?
Paul actually mention several:
1) The Law of God (Romans 3:31; 7:22-25; 8:7)
2) The Law of Sin (Romans 7:23-25)
3) The Law of Sin and Death (Romans 8:2)
4) The Law of the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2)
5) The Law of Faith (Romans 3:27)
6) The Law of Righteousness (Romans 9:31)
7) The Law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21)
But clearly, we should not be "under the law, but under grace!
But what does that mean?
Does it really mean what many think it means? Many do not test that understanding, because it seems so clear in Romans chapter 6.
But, it was also Paul who taught us to "Test Everything" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Note that he says that “sin will have no dominion over you.”
Which means that at one time, sin did have dominion over us. Meaning this, at one time, we were “under sin” according to Paul.
One might say, Paul is not talking about us not being “under sin,” but about us no longer being “under the law.” And that is where the error happens. Even though it is the exact same sentence, too many make the error that the first half of Paul’s sentence is about one thing, and the second half is about another thing.
How many have heard the phrase in the study of Biblical hermeneutics...context, context, context?
Context is everything...
Think about this for a moment...something about this law that we are not under actually relates to sin having no dominion over us.
The law that we are no longer under has something to do with also not being under sin. That is the context before us, in the very same sentence. You would think this would be easy to figure out, but doctrinal bias is EXTREMELY hard to overcome in one’s mind.
Consider this...
What if Paul was referring to not being under the Law of God in Romans 6:14...Did Paul mean that we are not under the Law of God because we are not under sin? If it is the law of God that is no longer over us, then that would mean that Paul is equating the law of
God to being sin.
Now, is the law of God sin?
You might be thinking, surely no one would consider the Law of God to be sin, however, that is exactly what Romans 6:14 actually implies when you read it...if one misunderstands the context of course...but only if the law Paul is mentioning is the Law of God.
Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Actually anticipating this possible confusion, Paul appears rather used to being taken out of context. He actually asks this question in the very next chapter. Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
So it is by the law of God that we define sin?
The Bible instructs us that breaking the law of God is sin. 1 John 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
Recall that Hebraically, the word “law” simply means “instruction”, Torah. Thus, it is an instruction that is against the Law of God.
If you wanted, like Paul, you could then call this instruction or law, “The Law of Sin.”
Continuing on...
Sin, or breaking God’s instructions, leads to death. We learn this from the beginning. Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Paul intentionally covers the same thing well before we even arrive to Romans 6. Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned — Thus our Creator, through Genesis, Paul, and other places in Scripture, instructs us that following the “Law of Sin” leads to death. This of course would be another instruction, or law if you will.
Paul refers to this as the “Law of Sin and Death.” What we would like to propose is that Paul is introducing the concept of what is called the “Law of Sin and Death” in Romans 6:14, and that he is not speaking specifically of the Law of God in that context. This would mean that Paul is not saying that we are not under the “Law of God,” but instead he is saying that we are no longer under the “Law of Sin and Death.”
We would propose that Paul is teaching that when we come into the faith, our Messiah’s death enabled us to be free from the bondage of sin, and allowed us to overcome death, thus...we are no longer under the law of sin and death, but under grace. We are no longer under the “Law of Sin and Death.”
If that sounds like a stretch, we submit that any hesitation to accept this explanation might be the result of years of Christian programming that has conditioned many to believe that Paul is stating that we are not under the law of God. As we noted, the context is that we are no longer under the dominion of sin...and that has to do with a law that we are no longer under. Then, Paul specifically mentions something called the “Law of Sin” which is not only different than the “Law of God,” but the “Law of Sin” is actually the exact opposite of the “Law of God”...as Paul stated that sin is the breaking of the “Law of God.” Yet, many will still maintain that Paul is talking about the “Law of God” in Romans 6:14 when in fact, that is the exact opposite context presented to us by Paul. Please note, nowhere in Romans 6 does it specifically mention the “Law of God,” so we are forced to determine from context exactly which law or instruction Paul is referring to in Romans 6:14...and that can ONLY be accomplished through the examination of the immediate context. So, please afford us the opportunity to reveal the context of Romans 6:14. We already showed that the law Paul states that we are no longer under has something to do with the law of sin and its dominion or bondage over us. Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. In the same chapter, Paul states that death no longer has dominion over the Messiah, and thus likewise, we live and death has no dominion over us as well. Romans 6:8-9 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
Therefore, according to the context related to not being “under the law” we learn that both sin and death do not have dominion over us.
Sin and death are no longer over us...at least according to the context at hand.
So, are we suggesting that Paul is not teaching that we are no longer under the Law of God, but instead, is teaching that we are not under the “Law of Sin and Death?” Yes, that is exactly what we are saying.
There might be some who have simply heard, too many times, that Paul teaches that we are not under the law of God, but under grace
, so we are going to allow Paul to just give it away here. Make no mistake, the law that Paul says we are not under is made very, very clear for those who just keep on reading past Romans 6:14. Paul concludes and summarizes this topic by saying this just a few verses later:
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore ... (notice how the word “therefore” is used in a conclusive and summary fashion)...There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah (Christ) Yeshua (Jesus),who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah (Christ) Yeshua (Jesus) has made me free from the law of sin and death.
This should make much more sense.
Grace is receiving forgiveness for breaking the law of God, which is defined as sin. Sin leads to death. Thus being under grace means that we are free from the bondage of sin and the death that was to result from it. Consequently, we are not freed from the “Law of God,” but instead, we are freed from the “Law of Sin and Death.” It would make no sense to say that it is grace that we are not under the law of God. If there was no law of God, there would be no sin, as the law of God defines sin. If there is no sin, there is no need for grace! This of course, once again, is Paul’s whole point here: Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
If there was no law of God, there would be no sin. If there was no such thing as sin, then we would not need grace in the first place.
Just like all of Psalm 119 teaches us, Paul is stating that the Law of God has value in pointing out to us what is sin, and thus showing us the right way to walk...that the law of God is freedom and joy!
So if context means anything, now we should all understand that Paul never said that we are not under the Law of God. We cannot say that Paul ever taught such a thing. All we can say is that Paul taught that we are no longer under the “The Law of Sin and Death.”
So, don’t allow someone to place you back under the Law of Sin and Death. If you do not want to sin, and be under the Law of Sin, we need to be under the “Law of God”
To not be under the Law of God, is to be under the Law of Sin.
To say that we are not to be under the Law of God is the same as saying we should sin...We are to prevail over the Law of Sin, the flesh. We are to be spiritual, which means to follow the Law of God.
Romans 7:14-25 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the LAW OF GOD, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the LAW OF SIN that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus (Yeshua) Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the LAW OF GOD with my mind, but
with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
So it is true that we are not to be under the law, as long as that is not understood to mean that we are not to be under the law of God.
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/...ripts - PDF English/Dont Be Under the Law.pdf
Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
But which law are we not under?
Paul actually mention several:
1) The Law of God (Romans 3:31; 7:22-25; 8:7)
2) The Law of Sin (Romans 7:23-25)
3) The Law of Sin and Death (Romans 8:2)
4) The Law of the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2)
5) The Law of Faith (Romans 3:27)
6) The Law of Righteousness (Romans 9:31)
7) The Law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21)
But clearly, we should not be "under the law, but under grace!
But what does that mean?
Does it really mean what many think it means? Many do not test that understanding, because it seems so clear in Romans chapter 6.
But, it was also Paul who taught us to "Test Everything" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Note that he says that “sin will have no dominion over you.”
Which means that at one time, sin did have dominion over us. Meaning this, at one time, we were “under sin” according to Paul.
One might say, Paul is not talking about us not being “under sin,” but about us no longer being “under the law.” And that is where the error happens. Even though it is the exact same sentence, too many make the error that the first half of Paul’s sentence is about one thing, and the second half is about another thing.
How many have heard the phrase in the study of Biblical hermeneutics...context, context, context?
Context is everything...
Think about this for a moment...something about this law that we are not under actually relates to sin having no dominion over us.
The law that we are no longer under has something to do with also not being under sin. That is the context before us, in the very same sentence. You would think this would be easy to figure out, but doctrinal bias is EXTREMELY hard to overcome in one’s mind.
Consider this...
What if Paul was referring to not being under the Law of God in Romans 6:14...Did Paul mean that we are not under the Law of God because we are not under sin? If it is the law of God that is no longer over us, then that would mean that Paul is equating the law of
God to being sin.
Now, is the law of God sin?
You might be thinking, surely no one would consider the Law of God to be sin, however, that is exactly what Romans 6:14 actually implies when you read it...if one misunderstands the context of course...but only if the law Paul is mentioning is the Law of God.
Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Actually anticipating this possible confusion, Paul appears rather used to being taken out of context. He actually asks this question in the very next chapter. Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
So it is by the law of God that we define sin?
The Bible instructs us that breaking the law of God is sin. 1 John 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
Recall that Hebraically, the word “law” simply means “instruction”, Torah. Thus, it is an instruction that is against the Law of God.
If you wanted, like Paul, you could then call this instruction or law, “The Law of Sin.”
Continuing on...
Sin, or breaking God’s instructions, leads to death. We learn this from the beginning. Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Paul intentionally covers the same thing well before we even arrive to Romans 6. Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned — Thus our Creator, through Genesis, Paul, and other places in Scripture, instructs us that following the “Law of Sin” leads to death. This of course would be another instruction, or law if you will.
Paul refers to this as the “Law of Sin and Death.” What we would like to propose is that Paul is introducing the concept of what is called the “Law of Sin and Death” in Romans 6:14, and that he is not speaking specifically of the Law of God in that context. This would mean that Paul is not saying that we are not under the “Law of God,” but instead he is saying that we are no longer under the “Law of Sin and Death.”
We would propose that Paul is teaching that when we come into the faith, our Messiah’s death enabled us to be free from the bondage of sin, and allowed us to overcome death, thus...we are no longer under the law of sin and death, but under grace. We are no longer under the “Law of Sin and Death.”
If that sounds like a stretch, we submit that any hesitation to accept this explanation might be the result of years of Christian programming that has conditioned many to believe that Paul is stating that we are not under the law of God. As we noted, the context is that we are no longer under the dominion of sin...and that has to do with a law that we are no longer under. Then, Paul specifically mentions something called the “Law of Sin” which is not only different than the “Law of God,” but the “Law of Sin” is actually the exact opposite of the “Law of God”...as Paul stated that sin is the breaking of the “Law of God.” Yet, many will still maintain that Paul is talking about the “Law of God” in Romans 6:14 when in fact, that is the exact opposite context presented to us by Paul. Please note, nowhere in Romans 6 does it specifically mention the “Law of God,” so we are forced to determine from context exactly which law or instruction Paul is referring to in Romans 6:14...and that can ONLY be accomplished through the examination of the immediate context. So, please afford us the opportunity to reveal the context of Romans 6:14. We already showed that the law Paul states that we are no longer under has something to do with the law of sin and its dominion or bondage over us. Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. In the same chapter, Paul states that death no longer has dominion over the Messiah, and thus likewise, we live and death has no dominion over us as well. Romans 6:8-9 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
Therefore, according to the context related to not being “under the law” we learn that both sin and death do not have dominion over us.
Sin and death are no longer over us...at least according to the context at hand.
So, are we suggesting that Paul is not teaching that we are no longer under the Law of God, but instead, is teaching that we are not under the “Law of Sin and Death?” Yes, that is exactly what we are saying.
There might be some who have simply heard, too many times, that Paul teaches that we are not under the law of God, but under grace
, so we are going to allow Paul to just give it away here. Make no mistake, the law that Paul says we are not under is made very, very clear for those who just keep on reading past Romans 6:14. Paul concludes and summarizes this topic by saying this just a few verses later:
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore ... (notice how the word “therefore” is used in a conclusive and summary fashion)...There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah (Christ) Yeshua (Jesus),who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah (Christ) Yeshua (Jesus) has made me free from the law of sin and death.
This should make much more sense.
Grace is receiving forgiveness for breaking the law of God, which is defined as sin. Sin leads to death. Thus being under grace means that we are free from the bondage of sin and the death that was to result from it. Consequently, we are not freed from the “Law of God,” but instead, we are freed from the “Law of Sin and Death.” It would make no sense to say that it is grace that we are not under the law of God. If there was no law of God, there would be no sin, as the law of God defines sin. If there is no sin, there is no need for grace! This of course, once again, is Paul’s whole point here: Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
If there was no law of God, there would be no sin. If there was no such thing as sin, then we would not need grace in the first place.
Just like all of Psalm 119 teaches us, Paul is stating that the Law of God has value in pointing out to us what is sin, and thus showing us the right way to walk...that the law of God is freedom and joy!
So if context means anything, now we should all understand that Paul never said that we are not under the Law of God. We cannot say that Paul ever taught such a thing. All we can say is that Paul taught that we are no longer under the “The Law of Sin and Death.”
So, don’t allow someone to place you back under the Law of Sin and Death. If you do not want to sin, and be under the Law of Sin, we need to be under the “Law of God”
To not be under the Law of God, is to be under the Law of Sin.
To say that we are not to be under the Law of God is the same as saying we should sin...We are to prevail over the Law of Sin, the flesh. We are to be spiritual, which means to follow the Law of God.
Romans 7:14-25 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the LAW OF GOD, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the LAW OF SIN that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus (Yeshua) Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the LAW OF GOD with my mind, but
with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
So it is true that we are not to be under the law, as long as that is not understood to mean that we are not to be under the law of God.
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/...ripts - PDF English/Dont Be Under the Law.pdf
