Now let's address the Law a bit.
First off the Law was given to Moses. And through Moses it was given to the children of Israel.
Romans 9:3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!
So in Romans 9 we see the following progression.
- Paul who was an Israelite is very upset that they are not entering in to what was promised.
- The same people for whom the Law was given.
So the Law was given to Moses and it became a sign to the PEOPLE of Israel.
But what about the Gentiles?
Romans 2:14For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
The Gentiles were NEVER given the Law. That means if you're reading this, you were never given the Law. It was never for you. It was for the Israelites to point them to Christ.
This doesn't mean that Gentiles don't need Christ as Paul addresses next:
15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
For the Gentiles (that's us), without Christ, we are held accountable to the law written on our heart, our own conscience. And those thoughts will either accuse or excuse us by Christ on the day of judgment. So yes, the Gentiles DO need Christ.
17But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law
Paul goes on to explain to the Jews that KNOWING the Law isn't enough. Because even though they know what is excellent, they still need Christ because their behavior shows they don't follow the Law themselves.
23You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
So you see the Law was given to the Israelites through Moses so that the Gentiles would KNOW God.
And then Paul explains that even though only the Jews were given the Law and the Gentiles were not, there was still a lot of benefit to being a Jew.
1Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.
So hopefully we can clearly see that the Law, yes the 10 commandments, the ORACLES of God, were not for the Gentiles.
But that doesn't mean that the Jews didn't need Christ, because when you know the Law, you become UNDER the Law. And being under the Law means you are held accountable to it, fully.
20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
So we see here the Law wasn't given for people to know what to DO, it was given to know that they needed a Savior.
And this is the stumbling block.
If you think the Law was given for you to do, you'll stumble.
Because RIGHTEOUSNESS comes APART from the Law. Let that really sink in.
21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
So if righteousness comes by faith, does faith then overthrow the law?
31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
What does it mean to uphold the Law? Here's what I believe this means, when we are set free of the law's demands through faith, we are free to love one another. And by loving one another we establish the law.
But, we have to get off this continual cycle of thinking we need to please God, and measure up, and do all these things apart from faith. But when we enter in to His rest through faith, we live by faith, and THIS pleases Him.
And now that we are free, we can use our freedom to love one another.
Galatians 5:13For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
But until we are ourselves are set free, we will not love each other freely. Because we ourselves are not free, so nothing we do is out of freedom. If we are bound and still trying to perform, what reward is there in our actions? But Christ has came to set us free. Let us then rejoice in our freedom and serve the Body of Christ through love.
First off the Law was given to Moses. And through Moses it was given to the children of Israel.
Romans 9:3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!
So in Romans 9 we see the following progression.
- Paul who was an Israelite is very upset that they are not entering in to what was promised.
- The same people for whom the Law was given.
So the Law was given to Moses and it became a sign to the PEOPLE of Israel.
But what about the Gentiles?
Romans 2:14For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
The Gentiles were NEVER given the Law. That means if you're reading this, you were never given the Law. It was never for you. It was for the Israelites to point them to Christ.
This doesn't mean that Gentiles don't need Christ as Paul addresses next:
15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
For the Gentiles (that's us), without Christ, we are held accountable to the law written on our heart, our own conscience. And those thoughts will either accuse or excuse us by Christ on the day of judgment. So yes, the Gentiles DO need Christ.
17But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law
Paul goes on to explain to the Jews that KNOWING the Law isn't enough. Because even though they know what is excellent, they still need Christ because their behavior shows they don't follow the Law themselves.
23You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
So you see the Law was given to the Israelites through Moses so that the Gentiles would KNOW God.
And then Paul explains that even though only the Jews were given the Law and the Gentiles were not, there was still a lot of benefit to being a Jew.
1Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.
So hopefully we can clearly see that the Law, yes the 10 commandments, the ORACLES of God, were not for the Gentiles.
But that doesn't mean that the Jews didn't need Christ, because when you know the Law, you become UNDER the Law. And being under the Law means you are held accountable to it, fully.
20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
So we see here the Law wasn't given for people to know what to DO, it was given to know that they needed a Savior.
And this is the stumbling block.
If you think the Law was given for you to do, you'll stumble.
Because RIGHTEOUSNESS comes APART from the Law. Let that really sink in.
21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
So if righteousness comes by faith, does faith then overthrow the law?
31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
What does it mean to uphold the Law? Here's what I believe this means, when we are set free of the law's demands through faith, we are free to love one another. And by loving one another we establish the law.
But, we have to get off this continual cycle of thinking we need to please God, and measure up, and do all these things apart from faith. But when we enter in to His rest through faith, we live by faith, and THIS pleases Him.
And now that we are free, we can use our freedom to love one another.
Galatians 5:13For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
But until we are ourselves are set free, we will not love each other freely. Because we ourselves are not free, so nothing we do is out of freedom. If we are bound and still trying to perform, what reward is there in our actions? But Christ has came to set us free. Let us then rejoice in our freedom and serve the Body of Christ through love.