THE LAW.....Why is it Not a Fair Question?

[p_rehbein]

THE LAW……..Why is it Not a Fair Question?

From what I can find, there are at least 613 Laws stated in the Old Testament……..

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEV0Gk3ehTfycA81pXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzbGw4cjl0BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM5BHZ0aWQDVklQNDk0XzEEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1407798821/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bibleheadquarters.org%2fTHE613LAWSoftheOLDTESTAMENT.html/RK=0/RS=m7sKJ5lNKJQvItpyvQvaiQvU8WE-

We also know that Jesus spoke of:

John 13:34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.35 .) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Matthew 22:36) 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.

In reading the numerous comments posted on Christian Chat about the requirement for today’s Church to obey the Law(s), I am always wondering………..”which laws?”I ask again and again, but can never get a decisive answer.I want to know why this is not a fair question.

If people are convinced that we must obey the Law/Commandments, then how is it they can not state which?Even those who support obeying the Law/Commandments can’t agree on this, so how exactly are we the Church to know?

Is this yet another thread concerning the Law?Yes………but why can I not get a decisive answer, and why is it not a fair question?

 

[shrimp]

THE LAW……..Why is it Not a Fair Question?

From what I can find, there are at least 613 Laws stated in the Old Testament……..

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEV0Gk3ehTfycA81pXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzbGw4cjl0BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM5BHZ0aWQDVklQNDk0XzEEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1407798821/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bibleheadquarters.org%2fTHE613LAWSoftheOLDTESTAMENT.html/RK=0/RS=m7sKJ5lNKJQvItpyvQvaiQvU8WE-

We also know that Jesus spoke of:

John 13:34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.35 .) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Matthew 22:36) 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.

In reading the numerous comments posted on Christian Chat about the requirement for today’s Church to obey the Law(s), I am always wondering………..”which laws?”I ask again and again, but can never get a decisive answer.I want to know why this is not a fair question.

If people are convinced that we must obey the Law/Commandments, then how is it they can not state which?Even those who support obeying the Law/Commandments can’t agree on this, so how exactly are we the Church to know?

Is this yet another thread concerning the Law?Yes………but why can I not get a decisive answer, and why is it not a fair question?

God tells us to obey The Law. There is no picking and choosing. If there is then God picks and chooses. God is the highest authority, He is accountable to NO ONE. However, we are accountable to Him. This is hard for us to accept because we've made ourselves like gods.
I hope this helps. Read the Bible through and take God at His Word.

 

[p_rehbein]

It doesn't really help, but thanks for the comment. If I understand you..........you are saying that the Church today is to OBEY ALL of the 613 Laws from the Old Testament?

 

[shrimp]

It doesn't really help, but thanks for the comment. If I understand you..........you are saying that the Church today is to OBEY ALL of the 613 Laws from the Old Testament?

That is an accurate evaluation of my statement. Obey the Law with the Grace Lens.

 

[p_rehbein]

I have no idea what that means.............seriously............"with the Grace Lens?"

 

[shrimp]

Without God's grace, we all would have been consumed. God expects us to have the same grace for others. So, if I commit adultery, my husband can have the grace to not stone me and extend forgiveness to me.

 

[p_rehbein]

Ok, so you are saying that Grace TRUMPS the Law? And, if so, then we need not obey that Law?

 

[shrimp]

No grace is the law.

 

[jkalyna]

THE LAW……..Why is it Not a Fair Question?

From what I can find, there are at least 613 Laws stated in the Old Testament……..

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEV0Gk3ehTfycA81pXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzbGw4cjl0BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM5BHZ0aWQDVklQNDk0XzEEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1407798821/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bibleheadquarters.org%2fTHE613LAWSoftheOLDTESTAMENT.html/RK=0/RS=m7sKJ5lNKJQvItpyvQvaiQvU8WE-

We also know that Jesus spoke of:

John 13:34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.35 .) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Matthew 22:36) 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.

In reading the numerous comments posted on Christian Chat about the requirement for today’s Church to obey the Law(s), I am always wondering………..”which laws?”I ask again and again, but can never get a decisive answer.I want to know why this is not a fair question.

If people are convinced that we must obey the Law/Commandments, then how is it they can not state which?Even those who support obeying the Law/Commandments can’t agree on this, so how exactly are we the Church to know?

Is this yet another thread concerning the Law?Yes………but why can I not get a decisive answer, and why is it not a fair question?

*Bringing gold nuggets, or peanuts, but this is how I understand what Jesus said. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Further he goes on to say, On these two, hang all the Law's and the commandments. Since God is Love, Christ's ministry was one of compassion. He gave the illustration of the good samaritan, who cared for the one who was beaten, and robbed, while the Priests, and the Jewish leaders, when they saw the beaten up guy, crossed the Street. If we live by those kinds of Laws, it is spiritual death. They tried to make the temple a money gambling place, bringing in chicken's and all kinds of things, Jesus over turned the tables, and said, my house will be called a house of prayer. It was religious propaganda, and Love was no where to be preached, or told, only doves, sold. The*Pharisees*said, tell us whose our neighbor, and then he told them the story of the good samaritan. REligious status is nothing before God's eyes, he could of took someone from the church to write the New Testament, he chose Paul, whose name was SAul, the only time he went into a church was to*martyr*or jail them. We can not live by the laws, the only law I know is those two, above, as to keep our heart pure, and undefiled from*prejudice*and hatred. It is not practiced even today. One denomination against another, and where is the Love.*Prejudice*steps in and talks, my church is better than yours, etc. So gold nuggets or peanuts,*doesn't*matter, it's about Love, it is God's character and his nature, anything in bringing in contamination to the heart, that needs to be circumcised spiritually , and not physically unto obedience unto the law of the flesh. It's a spiritual thing now. You know what it said, "for the letter killeth." Which is the physical doings outwardly of the law.

 

[p_rehbein]

Grace is the Law? Where do you see that?

 

[p_rehbein]

I know I won't get a definitive answer.............but I will provide some food for thought.............

EXCERPTS FROM ARTICLE LINKED:
The Law addresses, philosophy, psychology, biology, physics, all other sciences, economics, ecology, Theology, culture, politics, military relations, international and domestic relations, family life, church life, business, criminal and civil law, and every other aspect of life thinkable. There is nothing that God's Law fails to address specifically. God regulates all life by His perfect Law. Since God is the Lawgiver, and His Word is His Law, then it follows that every Word which proceeds from His mouth is His Law. The New Testament is as much God's Law as the Old. The two are One in harmonious union.

17.To circumcise the male offspring (Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3)

18.To put fringes on the corners of clothing (Num. 15:38)

19.To bind God's Word on the head (Deut. 6:8)

20.To bind God's Word on the arm (Deut. 6:8)

21.To affix the mezuzah to the door posts and gates of your house (Deut. 6:9)

37.To relieve a neighbor of his burden and help to unload his beast (Ex. 23:5)

38.To assist in replacing the load upon a neighbor's beast (Deut.22:4)

39.Not to leave a beast, that has fallen down beneath its burden, unaided (Deut. 22:4)
41.Not to reap the entire field (Lev. 19:9; Lev. 23:22)

42.To leave the unreaped corners of the field or orchard for the poor (Lev. 19:9)

43.Not to gather gleanings (the ears that have fallen to the ground while reaping)
(Lev. 19:9)

44.To leave the gleanings for the poor (Lev. 19:9)

45.Not to gather ol'loth (the imperfect clusters) of the vineyard (Lev. 19:10)

46.To leave ol'loth (the imperfect clusters) of the vineyard for the poor (Lev. 19:10; Deut. 24:21)

47.Not to gather the single grapes that have fallen to the ground (Lev. 19:10)

48.To leave the single grapes of the vineyard for the poor (Lev. 19:10)

49.Not to return to take a forgotten sheaf (Deut. 24:19) This applies to all fruit trees (Deut. 24:20)

50.To leave the forgotten sheaves for the poor (Deut. 24:19-20)

51.Not to refrain from maintaining a poor man and giving him what he needs (Deut. 15:7)

52.To give charity according to one's means (Deut. 15:11)

71.That the newly married husband shall (be free) for one year to rejoice with his wife (Deut. 24:5)

72.That a bridegroom shall be exempt for a whole year from taking part in any public labor, such as military service, guarding the wall and similar duties (Deut. 24:5)
79.That a widow whose husband died childless must not be married to anyone but her deceased husband's brother (Deut. 25:5) (this is only in effect insofar as it requires the procedure of release below).

80. To marry the widow of a brother who has died childless (Deut.25:5) (this is only in effect insofar as it requires the procedure of release below)

81.That the widow formally release the brother-in-law (if he refuses to marry her) (Deut. 25:7-9)
106.Not to castrate the male of any species; neither a man, nor a domestic or wild beast, nor a fowl (Lev. 22:24)

107.That the new month shall be solemnly proclaimed as holy, and the months and years shall be calculated by the Supreme Court only (Ex. 12:2)

108.Not to travel on the Sabbath outside the limits of one's place of residence (Ex. 16:29)
143.To examine the marks in cattle (so as to distinguish the clean from the unclean) (Lev. 11:2)

144.Not to eat the flesh of unclean beasts (Lev. 11:4)

145.To examine the marks in fishes (so as to distinguish the clean from the unclean (Lev. 11:9)

146.Not to eat unclean fish (Lev. 11:11)

147.To examine the marks in fowl, so as to distinguish the clean from the unclean (Deut. 14:11)

148.Not to eat unclean fowl (Lev. 11:13)

149.To examine the marks in locusts, so as to distinguish the clean from the unclean (Lev. 11:21)

150.Not to eat a worm found in fruit (Lev. 11:41)

151.Not to eat of things that creep upon the earth (Lev. 11:41-42)

152.Not to eat any vermin of the earth (Lev. 11:44)

153.Not to eat things that swarm in the water (Lev. 11:43 and 46)

154.Not to eat of winged insects (Deut. 14:19)

155.Not to eat the flesh of a beast that is torn (Ex.22:30)

156.Not to eat the flesh of a beast that died of itself (Deut. 14:21)

157.To slay cattle, deer and fowl according to the law if their flesh is to be eaten (Deut. 12:21)

158.Not to eat a limb removed from a living beast (Deut. 12:23)

159.Not to slaughter an animal and its young on the same day (Lev.22:28)

160.Not to take the mother-bird with the young (Deut. 22:6)

161.To set the mother-bird free when taking the nest (Deut.22:6-7)

162.Not to eat the flesh of an ox that was condemned to be stoned (Ex. 21:28)

163.Not to boil meat with milk (Ex. 23:19)

164.Not to eat flesh with milk (Ex. 34:26)

165.Not to eat the of the thigh-vein which shrank (Gen. 32:33)

166.Not to eat the fat of the offering (Lev. 7:23)

167.Not to eat blood (Lev. 7:26)

168.To cover the blood of undomesticated animals (deer, etc.) and of fowl that have been killed (Lev. 17:13)

169.Not to eat or drink like a glutton or a drunkard (not to rebel against father or mother) (Lev. 19:26; Deut. 21:20)
171.Not to make a loan to an Israelite on interest (Lev. 25:37)

172.Not to borrow on interest (Deut. 23:20) (because this would cause the lender to sin)

173.Not to take part in any usurious transaction between borrower and lender, neither as a surety, nor as a witness, nor as a writer of the bond for them (Ex. 22:24)

174.To lend to a poor person (Ex. 22:24)

175.Not to demand from a poor man repayment of his debt, when the creditor knows that he cannot pay, nor press him (Ex.22:24)
199.To keep the Canaanite slave forever (Lev. 25:46)

200.Not to surrender a slave, who has fled to the land of Israel, to his owner who lives outside Palestine (Deut. 23:16)

201.Not to wrong such a slave (Deut. 23:17)
215.Not to gather the fruit of the tree in the Sabbatical year in the same way as it is gathered in other years (Lev. 25:5)

216.To sound the Ram's horn in the Sabbatical year (Lev. 25:9)

217.To release debts in the seventh year (Deut. 15:2)

218.Not to demand return of a loan after the Sabbatical year has passed (Deut. 15:2)

227.To appoint judges and officers in every community of Israel (Deut. 16:18)
243.That a transgressor shall not testify (Ex. 23:1)

244.That the court shall not accept the testimony of a close relative of the defendant in matters of capital punishment (Deut. 24:16)
285.That the Court shall pass sentence of death by decapitation with the sword (Ex. 21:20; Lev. 26:25)

286.That the Court shall pass sentence of death by strangulation (Lev. 20:10)

287.That the Court shall pass sentence of death by burning with fire (Lev. 20:14)

288.That the Court shall pass sentence of death by stoning (Deut.22:24)

289.To hang the dead body of one who has incurred that penalty (Deut. 21:22)

290.That the dead body of an executed criminal shall not remain hanging on the tree over night (Deut. 21:23)

291.To inter the executed on the day of execution (Deut. 21:23)

292.Not to accept ransom from a murderer (Num. 35:31)

293.To exile one who committed accidental homicide (Num. 35:25)

294.To establish six cities of refuge (for those who committed accidental homicide) (Deut. 19:3)
304.To punish the wicked by the infliction of stripes (Deut. 25:2)

305.Not to exceed the statutory number of stripes laid on one who has incurred that punishment (Deut. 25:3) (and by implication, not to strike anyone)

306.Not to spare the offender, in imposing the prescribed penalties on one who has caused damage (Deut. 19:13)

307.To do unto false witnesses as they had purposed to do (to the accused) (Deut. 19:19)
459.To sanctify the firstling of clean cattle and offer it up (Ex. 13:2;Deut. 15:19)

460.To slay the Paschal lamb (Ex. 12:6)

461.To eat the flesh of the Paschal sacrifice on the night of the fifteenth of Nissan (Ex. 12:8)

462.Not to eat the flesh of the Paschal lamb raw or sodden (Ex.12:9)

463.Not to leave any portion of the flesh of the Paschal sacrifice until the morning unconsumed (Ex. 12:10)

464.Not to give the flesh of the Paschal lamb to an Israelite who had become an apostate (Ex. 12:43)

465.Not to give flesh of the Paschal lamb to a stranger who lives among you to eat (Ex. 12:45)

466.Not to take any of the flesh of the Paschal lamb from the company's place of assembly (Ex. 12:46)

467.Not to break a bone of the Paschal lamb (Ex. 12:46)
561.That eight species of creeping things defile by contact (Lev.11:29-30)

562.That foods become defiled by contact with unclean things (Lev.11:34)

563.That anyone who touches the carcass of a beast that died of itself shall be unclean (Lev. 11:39)

564.That a lying-in woman is unclean like a menstruating woman (in terms of uncleanness) (Lev. 12:2-5)

565.That a leper is unclean and defiles (Lev. 13:2-46)

566.That the leper shall be universally recognized as such by the prescribed marks So too, all other unclean persons should declare themselves as such (Lev. 13:45)

567.That a leprous garment is unclean and defiles (Lev. 13:47-49)

568.That a leprous house defiles (Lev. 14:34-46)

569.That a man, having a running issue, defiles (Lev. 15:1-15)

570.That the seed of copulation defiles (Lev. 15:16)

571.That purification from all kinds of defilement shall be effected by ceremonial washing (Lev. 15:16)

572.That a menstruating woman is unclean and defiles others (Lev.15:19-24)

573.That a woman, having a running issue, defiles (Lev. 15:25-27)

574.To carry out the ordinance of the Red Heifer so that its ashes will always be available (Num. 19:9)

575.That a corpse defiles (Num. 19:11-16)

576.That the waters of separation defile one who is clean, and cleanse the unclean from pollution by a dead body (Num.19:19-22)
581.Not to curse a ruler, that is, the King in the land of Israel (Ex. 22:27)

582.To appoint a king (Deut. 17:15)

583.Not to appoint as ruler over Israel, one who comes from non-Israelites (Deut. 17:15)

584.That the King shall not acquire an excessive number of horses (Deut. 17:16)

585.That the King shall not take an excessive number of wives (Deut. 17:17)

586.That he shall not accumulate an excessive quantity of gold and silver (Deut. 17:17)

587.That the King shall write a scroll of the Torah for himself, in addition to the one that every person should write, so that he writes two scrolls (Deut. 17:18)
598.That those engaged in warfare shall not fear their enemies nor be panic-stricken by them during battle (Deut. 3:22, 7:21,20:3)

599.To anoint a special Priest (to speak to the soldiers) in a war (Deut. 20:2) This is today's equivalent to a military chaplain.

600.In a permissive war (as distinguished from obligatory ones), to observe the procedure prescribed in the Torah (Deut. 20:10)

601.Not to keep alive any individual of the seven Canaanite nations (Deut. 20:16)

602.To exterminate the seven Canaanite nations from the land of Israel (Deut. 20:17)

 

[JGIG]

Great OP! The Law is a comprehensive unit; break one law, you break them all, according to James and Paul (two guys who would know!).

What place does the Law have in the life of a believer? It's a great question!

Let's examine a few things:

Laws have punishments. Laws have enforcement systems in place to deal with those who break those laws.

Old Covenant Law is exacting in what was to happen to those who disobeyed it.

While the Law still stands to condemn those who are under it, define and identify sin, and point people to Christ, it has been rendered an obsolete covenantal system - meaning it is not the means by which we are able to relate to God - because of the Work of Christ.

Christ did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it.

Christ has become the Final, once for all, Perfect sacrifice for sin, abolishing the sacrificial system of the Law (again, rendering it obsolete) and ratifying the New Covenant in His Own Blood.

Christ has become the Perfect, Forever High Priest of the New Covenant. Christ is of the Tribe of Judah, and as such, cannot legally mediate the Old Covenant, but is the mediator of the New Covenant, ratified with His Blood, rendering the Old system obsolete.

In the New Covenant, there are exhortations against sinning, but all punishment for sinning was paid at the Cross by Christ, enabling the gifts of Forgiveness, Righteousness, and New Life to be offered to all who will believe on Christ and receive those gifts through faith.

What about sinning in the New Covenant for those in Christ?

We who are in the New Covenant are exhorted to not sin because sin still has consequences in THIS life. In other words, don't sin - it's dumb, it will hurt you and those around you and keep you from the will of God in your life.

Paul put it this way: All things are permissible, not all things are beneficial.

That said, if/when we do sin, there is no eternal punishment or physical punishment in this life from God.

A good illustration:

Some folks teach that if you keep sinning, you 'fall from grace', as if God's Grace is something that's in short supply. Yet, Romans 5 tells us that where sinning abounds, Grace 'super-abounds'!

And ironically, Galatians 5:4 says that it's not by sinning that we fall from Grace, but by relying on the Law that makes us fall from Grace! Look it up!

Confusion is laid to rest when one understands who they are in Christ and the simple Truths of the Gospel:

• Who Christ is
• What He came to do
• What that actually accomplished, and
• Who those who put their faith in Christ are in Him

If you are in Christ, are you bound to Old Covenant laws?

No.

You have, in Christ, died to the Law (Rom. 7:1-6, Gal. 2:19-21).

For those in Christ, the Law has been abolished (Eph. 2:14-16, Col. 2:9-15).

Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom. 10:1-4).

The above passages are expounded upon and explained here:

Released/Delivered From the Law and Christ is the End of the Law – Getting Greeky About Romans 7, 10, and Ephesians 2​

Can we be joined to the Law and to Christ at the same time? That question is explored here:

Romans 7:1-6 and Spiritual Adultery​

So many of these issues are clear if we just read our Bible for what it actually says!

Grace and peace,
-JGIG

 

[JGIG]

Does the Law play any part in how we who are in Christ are to live?

It's a great question!

What do the New Covenant Scriptures have to say about it?

Note that people sin under Law; people sin under Grace.

Yet according to the Scriptures, Team Law’s approach has the exact opposite of the desired effect (a reduction in sinning):

Law was given to increase sinning:

Romans 5:20
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.​

Law stirs up sinning:

Romans 7:7-8
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. ​

Law produces death:

Romans 7:9-11
9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it [the commandment] killed me.

​

Law produces fruit unto death:

Romans 7:5
5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.

​

Law is the power of sin:

1 Corinthians 15:56
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
What do Grace and the Spirit produce (Team Grace)?​

Grace teaches us godliness:

Titus 2:11-14
11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It [grace] teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.​

The Spirit produces life:

Romans 8:5-6
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; (see also Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, and Ephesians 6:14-17)​

The Spirit produces the Fruits of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.​

How there is even a debate . . . I get it, but I don’t get it.

​

(The above is excerpted from Grace or Law? How Then, Shall We Live?)

-JGIG

 

[JGIG]

How does one fulfill the 'do' commands of God in the New Covenant?

A commenter at JGIG’s Facebook page asked this excellent question out of frustration:
Andrea wrote,

“But I can’t love because it is a command – Because I am under grace [and not under law]. Do see how you guys make absolutely NO SENSE?!”​

Andrea was referring to the quoting of this passage:

1 John 3:21-24
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.​

It’s a great question! If we’re not under Law, but after the Cross God commands us to love – sometimes referred to as the Law of Christ – what’s up with that?!

Here’s the really cool thing:
​

Love is a Fruit of the Spirit as well as a command. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Though love is a command, it’s also a fruit.

Do fruit-producing plants strive to produce fruit?

No . . . the branches bear fruit because they are attached to the vine/tree/plant which nourishes them.

Fruit is the by-product of LIFE, and it takes time for fruit to be produced.

If you are in Christ and are led by His Spirit, love will be a fruit produced in you.

If you are alive in Christ, abiding in Him, allowing His Holy Spirit to live through you, love is an unavoidable by-product of that relationship, fulfilling God’s command to love!

Commanding the one in Christ to love is like commanding a person who has life in them to breathe because it’s a law.

If a person has life in them, they automatically breathe – it’s something that we just DO.If we are in Christ, loving others is something that we just DO.

To command those in Christ to love is a ridiculously-unfair-in-our-favor-win-win-deal!
Here’s the other really cool thing:

We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)​

By resting in the love of Christ and letting Him live His Life through us, bearing His Fruits, God’s command to love is obeyed (John 15:12, 1 John 3:23) and the Law is fulfilled (Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14).

And if we're loving those around us we're #1, doing them no harm, and #2, looking for ways to actively love them, sometimes laying down our lives in service to love others into the Kingdom of God by serving others and sharing the Good News with them!

-JGIG

 

[SarahM777]

How about another curve ball? How does a Christian deal with this one?

Deuteronomy 14

21"You shall not eat anything which dies of itself. You may give it to the alien who is in your town, so that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner, for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

How does it apply if we are no longer Jew OR Gentile in Christ? Or any of the other laws that MAKE distinctions BETWEEN a Jew and a Gentile?

 

[dcontroversal]

Here is my view right or wrong......

1. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law that have been directed at humanity
2. When we trust into Christ we trust into HIS FAITH, SACRAFICE, ATONEMENT, DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION
3. There is not a just man upon the earth that does good and sins not
4. When we go to do good a law is found that sin is PRESENT with us.
5. NO man can keep the whole law except one...JESUS
6. When we walk according to the word of God out of faith the law is fulfilled in us DIA JESUS
7. JESUS is the one which works through us DIA the WORD/HOLY SPIRIT

The Lord's churches are required to...

1. Love God
2. Love the brethren/neighbor

It is obvious that there are things found in the law that do not apply today and it is equally obvious that the spirit of the law still has bearing as well as it is still wrong to kill, steal, lie etc....

The big difference is......The condemnation of the law is not leveled at those who are of the household of faith!

 

[JGIG]

How about another curve ball? How does a Christian deal with this one?

Deuteronomy 14

21"You shall not eat anything which dies of itself. You may give it to the alien who is in your town, so that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner, for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

How does it apply if we are no longer Jew OR Gentile in Christ? Or any of the other laws that MAKE distinctions BETWEEN a Jew and a Gentile?

1. In Christ, there is no Jew or Gentile, we are One New Man in Christ (Gal. 3:23-29)
2. In Christ, we have died to the Law (Gal. 2:19-21, Rom. 7:1-6)

Ethnic Jew or Gentile, it matters not if one is in Christ - IN CHRIST, we have died to the Law.

IN CHRIST, Christ is the END of the Law for righteousness for all who believe (Rom. 10:1-4).

-JGIG

 

[KohenMatt]

My belief, and practice is that all 613 laws should be obeyed by Christians physically and/or spiritually.
I believe that all commands in the NT (~1000) should be followed by Christians physically and/or spiritually.
I believe Jesus' 2 greatest commands should be followed physically and/or spiritually.

I believe all 4 groups agree with each other and should be followed. Basically, if God said to do it, we should do it. He doesn't change.

 

[KohenMatt]

How about another curve ball? How does a Christian deal with this one?

Deuteronomy 14

21"You shall not eat anything which dies of itself. You may give it to the alien who is in your town, so that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner, for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

How does it apply if we are no longer Jew OR Gentile in Christ? Or any of the other laws that MAKE distinctions BETWEEN a Jew and a Gentile?

There are 2 different commands here.

The key is the words "for you are holy to the Lord". All throughout the Law, God's focus is on keeping His people pure, and how they should deal with impurity. The law is designed to show imperfect people how to live in the midst of a perfect God.

My interpretation/application of #1.....

An animal that dies of itself is in all likelihood diseased or it's body failed due to age. God doesn't want His people consuming that and bringing impurity into their bodies. Aliens and foreigners are not part of that holy people, so the standard doesn't apply to them.
Application? Other than not eating food this way, don't consume or bring spiritual death into your life (gossip, false teachings, judgment, etc).Only bring spiritual food in your life that has the specific purpose of nourishing and feeding your walk with God. Leave anything else for those who are not God's.

#2: Don't boil a young goat in its mother's milk.
Application? Physically, don't cook this way. Spiritually, this is similar to the command about not taking the eggs and the mother bird from a nest (Deut 22:6). Don't cut off all opportunities for life and blessing. If you kill the goat, the mother still lives. If you kill the mother, the young goat still lives. Always leave room in your life for spiritual growth and life. Keep people around you who will foster life and righteousness in you. Don't cut it all out from your life.

Honestly, I don't fully understand the reason for boiling specifically in it's mother's milk, so other's thoughts are welcomed.

 

[Grandpa]

Acts 15:5-10
[SUP]5 [/SUP]But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
[SUP]9 [/SUP]And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

Romans 9:29-33

[SUP]29 [/SUP]And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
[SUP]30 [/SUP]What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
[SUP]31 [/SUP]But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
[SUP]32 [/SUP]Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
[SUP]33 [/SUP]As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

There is a New and Living Way. The Law describes the way but people misunderstand. It is not by their work that Righteousness is attained. It is by Faith in our High Priest that He completes the requirement of the Law in us and for us.
The Law is not of faith. But faith is our requirement.