The Law encompasses both the definition of sin and its punishment. If one is under the Old Covenant he is under the authority and control of the Law. The Law tells him what sin is and makes him subject to sin's punishment.
Jesus was born under the Law which means He used the Law to define sin and subjected Himself to its punishment, even though He never sinned.
Whether one is under the Law or not the Law still defines sin but only in its letter form. In other words, the Law says, "Thou shall not commit adultery". This is a good rule to obey but it only covers physical adultery. A person under the Old Covenant can lust all day long and still not break the Law. This changes under the New Covenant.
Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old,‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
The standard is much higher under the New Covenant. It was actually much easier to obey the Law under the Old Covenant than it is under the New Covenant thus the need for abounding grace.
Grace does away with the punishment while leaving intact the definition of sin.
Romans 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
What this is asking is that since we are not subject to the Law's punishment does that mean we can now go out and sin? Certainly not!
We are not subject to the Law's punishment because Jesus took that on our behalf which now places us in the state of grace, even though adultery is still a sin.
What shall we say to this? Shall we sin so that grace may abound? Certainly not!
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!
Sin is still sin but grace removes the punishment.
There is a good example of this found in John 8:3-6.
In this story the Pharisees brought to Jesus a lang caught in the act of adultery. They point out the fact that the Law commanded punishment. Notice the sin and its required punishment.
John 8:3-6 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might havesomething of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
Now notice Jesus' response. He tells her that she is not condemned (no punishment) but He keeps the definition of sin, which was adultery by telling her not to do it again.
John 8:10-11 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her,“Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go andsin no more.”
God's definition of sin stays the same, adultery is still adultery and the Sabbath is still the seventh day.
Now comes the giving of the Spirit.
God gives us His Spirit and writes His Law (definition of sin) on our hearts. The difference is this. We no longer live by the letter of the Law, but rather, the spirit of the Law. The letter of the Law says no to adultery but the spirit of the Law says no to even lusting in our heart.
The Spirit of God will lead us into a higher standard of the Law. The Spirit guides and convicts us in the weightier matters of the Law, which are justice, mercy and faith without doing away with God's definition of sin.
Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
Now let's bring this over to the seventh day Sabbath. The Sabbath is still the seventh day, that has not changed nor will it change in the millennium.
The Law under the Old Covenant says no labor on the Sabbath, period. That can be a harsh way to celebrate the Sabbath since just about everything consists of exerting some sort of effort. So how do we interpret Sabbath keeping under the New Covenant? We learn how to honor the Sabbath through the teachings of Jesus, not by the letter of the Law. Remember, the seventh day was blessed and made holy long before sin or the Law ever existed.
Jesus taught us over and over again on how to honor the Sabbath in light of the weightier matters. Jesus removes us from the letter of the Law, which says no labor, period, and leads us into, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.
Matthew 12:12 "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath leaves the door wide open to be free within the Sabbath day observance.
So how do we know? How do we judge what it is good to do on the Sabbath? By the guiding of the Spirit.
James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
When you are led by the Spirit of God you will know if you are honoring the Sabbath or not. If you are being led by the Spirit of God you will know if you are committing adultery in your heart.
If love is convicting you by God's Spirit, you know that you are not walking in love.
1 John 3:18-21 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
Jesus died for our sins. He took the condemnation and judgement the Law required and nailed it to the cross. This removes all power from the enemy to condemn us. Therefore we too are not to judge anyone in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.
Colossians 2:13-17 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
We are to teach the ways of God and encourage following the ways of God because His ways are best and we are His children. We are not to bring upon His children judgment or condemnation because of these matters because there are weightier issues when it comes to walking in love. We are not called to work out someone else's salvation or force someone else to obey God, that's the job of the Spirit.
Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Remember, in the heart of God He loves us. He is calling us. He is not condemning us nor is He punishing us but know this. Sin has a wage of its own that does not come from God. Sin has a judgement of its own apart form God, which God is trying to protect us from.
James 1:13-16 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Proverbs 8:36 “But he who sins against me injures himself; all those who hate me love death.”
Jesus was born under the Law which means He used the Law to define sin and subjected Himself to its punishment, even though He never sinned.
Whether one is under the Law or not the Law still defines sin but only in its letter form. In other words, the Law says, "Thou shall not commit adultery". This is a good rule to obey but it only covers physical adultery. A person under the Old Covenant can lust all day long and still not break the Law. This changes under the New Covenant.
Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old,‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
The standard is much higher under the New Covenant. It was actually much easier to obey the Law under the Old Covenant than it is under the New Covenant thus the need for abounding grace.
Grace does away with the punishment while leaving intact the definition of sin.
Romans 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
What this is asking is that since we are not subject to the Law's punishment does that mean we can now go out and sin? Certainly not!
We are not subject to the Law's punishment because Jesus took that on our behalf which now places us in the state of grace, even though adultery is still a sin.
What shall we say to this? Shall we sin so that grace may abound? Certainly not!
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!
Sin is still sin but grace removes the punishment.
There is a good example of this found in John 8:3-6.
In this story the Pharisees brought to Jesus a lang caught in the act of adultery. They point out the fact that the Law commanded punishment. Notice the sin and its required punishment.
John 8:3-6 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might havesomething of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
Now notice Jesus' response. He tells her that she is not condemned (no punishment) but He keeps the definition of sin, which was adultery by telling her not to do it again.
John 8:10-11 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her,“Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go andsin no more.”
God's definition of sin stays the same, adultery is still adultery and the Sabbath is still the seventh day.
Now comes the giving of the Spirit.
God gives us His Spirit and writes His Law (definition of sin) on our hearts. The difference is this. We no longer live by the letter of the Law, but rather, the spirit of the Law. The letter of the Law says no to adultery but the spirit of the Law says no to even lusting in our heart.
The Spirit of God will lead us into a higher standard of the Law. The Spirit guides and convicts us in the weightier matters of the Law, which are justice, mercy and faith without doing away with God's definition of sin.
Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
Now let's bring this over to the seventh day Sabbath. The Sabbath is still the seventh day, that has not changed nor will it change in the millennium.
The Law under the Old Covenant says no labor on the Sabbath, period. That can be a harsh way to celebrate the Sabbath since just about everything consists of exerting some sort of effort. So how do we interpret Sabbath keeping under the New Covenant? We learn how to honor the Sabbath through the teachings of Jesus, not by the letter of the Law. Remember, the seventh day was blessed and made holy long before sin or the Law ever existed.
Jesus taught us over and over again on how to honor the Sabbath in light of the weightier matters. Jesus removes us from the letter of the Law, which says no labor, period, and leads us into, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.
Matthew 12:12 "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath leaves the door wide open to be free within the Sabbath day observance.
So how do we know? How do we judge what it is good to do on the Sabbath? By the guiding of the Spirit.
James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
When you are led by the Spirit of God you will know if you are honoring the Sabbath or not. If you are being led by the Spirit of God you will know if you are committing adultery in your heart.
If love is convicting you by God's Spirit, you know that you are not walking in love.
1 John 3:18-21 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
Jesus died for our sins. He took the condemnation and judgement the Law required and nailed it to the cross. This removes all power from the enemy to condemn us. Therefore we too are not to judge anyone in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.
Colossians 2:13-17 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
We are to teach the ways of God and encourage following the ways of God because His ways are best and we are His children. We are not to bring upon His children judgment or condemnation because of these matters because there are weightier issues when it comes to walking in love. We are not called to work out someone else's salvation or force someone else to obey God, that's the job of the Spirit.
Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Remember, in the heart of God He loves us. He is calling us. He is not condemning us nor is He punishing us but know this. Sin has a wage of its own that does not come from God. Sin has a judgement of its own apart form God, which God is trying to protect us from.
James 1:13-16 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Proverbs 8:36 “But he who sins against me injures himself; all those who hate me love death.”
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