The law is not your problem.

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gotime

Senior Member
Mar 3, 2011
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#1
It seems that many think Jesus came to do away with the law. I can see why at a glance this is assumed but let us examine the purpose of the law and in particular the 10 commandment law.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

First we note the law was designed to lead us to Jesus that we could be justified by faith not works of the law but faith. Once this faith comes we no longer need the law to bring us to Christ because we are there.

So first point is that the law was designed to bring us to Jesus to be saved by faith.

what function did the law play in order to do this?

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The law reveals sin, notice that this is its function to reveal or make sin known. Its purpose is to bring us to Christ for salvation buts its function is to make sin known.

Is the law itself sin, if not how does it reveal sin?

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Rom 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Rom 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

The law is not sin, but rather reveals or gives an knowledge of sin by showing what is good.

But we fall short of it and thus because we are breaking that law we know we are sinners.


So we know that the purpose of the law was to lead us to salvation in Christ, it does this by revealing that we are breaking the law and thus sinning. The law itself is good and holy and spiritual. The problem is we are not.

So then does this mean that sin only existed after the law was given?


Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Notice death came by sin and death reigned form Adam to Moses. Thus sin was in the world before the law. as we have seen the law simply points it out so that we are without excuse:



Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.


Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

In Galatians it says it this way:

Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

It was added because of transgression or in other words sin. So that all would be guilty and see their need of saving.

So we note that the law is good that it reveals sin and thus a need for a saviour. We know sin was in the world before the law was added. All the law did was make us knowledgeable of that sin and thus under condemnation and in need of salvation in Christ.

This automatically tells us that Christ did not come to get rid of the law for it is good and spiritual. But rather he came to save from sin. The whole reason he gave the law was so we would see our sin and our need of saving.

Our problem is not the law, it has always been sin. The law had no power to free us form sin. Many tried to keep it by in their flesh but all failed as the law could not save but rather reveal our hopeless condition. Jesus gives us hope and faith. He offers what we could not do ourselves. He offers to free us from sin. that is why he came:

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Jesus makes us free form sin and thus the condemnation of the law. and thus the very law that condemned the hopeless sinner becomes a witness to those who are saved from sin by faith as it is written:



Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

The righteousness of God that is not by works of the law is witnessed by the law and the prophets. That the law is written on the heart. That the sinner has been saved from sin.

Where once thou shalt not kill condemned the sinner, now it witnesses to the one saved that he does not kill and thus is of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Jesus is able to save us by his promises. praise God.
 
Nov 22, 2015
20,436
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#2
Paul who knew the law better then anyone had this to say about the purpose of the law.


The purpose of the law was :

1) To reveal our sinful state - Rom 3:20

2) To inflame sin - Rom 7:8

3) To minister death in us - Rom 7:10-11

4) To lead us to Christ - Gal 3:24

The law is good, holy and spiritual but we are in the flesh. Jesus fulfilled all the law!
When we read the law we should be seeing Jesus in it. Jesus did not save us so that we could go back to the law.

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is how we live now, and the law of liberty in Christ Jesus and the law of love, the law of faith ( the
Law is NOT of faith - the just shall live by faith ). The law of Christ - Himself is how we live now.

But the purpose of the law was not for righteousness or salvation at all, it was to manifest sin in our lives, so that the purpose of grace which is in Jesus is to manifest salvation. Grace does not set aside the law, but completely satisfied it.

Christians are dead to the Law, been released from the Law and are NOT under the Law. It can't get any plainer than that.

People are free to do whatever they want in relation to the Law - it does not make one righteous nor is it for salvation.

If someone wants to observe a particular day , festivals or eat or not eat some kinds of foods..etc - then they are free to do so.
These have no bearing on one's salvation or righteousness as all that is based on the finished work of Christ.

It's where people are saying "You must observe these things or do these things in the Law or you are not obeying God" - that's where the twisting comes in and it is a perversion of the gospel of the grace of Christ.


This is an anti-Christ belief system religion which has the "appearance" of good but it is really denying the Lord Jesus Christ's finished work. Hebrews 4:10
 
Nov 22, 2015
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#3
If we as Christians have died to the law SO THAT we could be joined to Another - Christ Himself and since we have been released from the law and are NOT under the law but under grace. How are we to live then?

We do have laws in the New Covenant. They are exciting laws that bring life and wholeness to us all - because these are all Christ Himself in us.

There is no greater revelation than to know Him and the Father and to
plumb the depths of their love and grace towards us which Paul says in Eph. 2:7 - the Father will be doing for all the ages to come to us.

Ephesians 2:7 (NASB)
[SUP]7 [/SUP] so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Jesus fulfilled the law. The law was a mere shadow of the real substance which is Jesus Himself.

Read the law to see Jesus in it and to know that Jesus did that for us and His life in us now leads us in all things. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.

We now live by:

1) The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. ( Romans 8:2 )

2) The law of love ( Romans 13:10 James 2:8 )

3) The law of faith ( Romans 3:27 and the law of Moses is NOT of faith - Gal. 3:12 )

4) The law of liberty ( James 1:25 )

5) The law of Christ - which is Christ Himself in us. ( Gal. 6:2 )

We can trust the Holy Spirit in us to lead us in all affairs of life. We don't go back to the law of Moses that were a shadow of the real thing which is Christ in us.. Jesus is more then enough.

Yes...we glory in the laws that we have in the New Covenant because they are all Christ Himself living in and through us. ( Gal.2:20 and Col. 3:3 )

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)

[SUP]22 [/SUP] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

[SUP]23 [/SUP] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law
.
 
Nov 22, 2015
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#4
The law is NOT done away with - The law is good if one uses it lawfully but it is just not for the righteous Paul said in 1 Tim. 1:8-9.

The Christian is righteous in Christ. The Christian does not live by the law but by the life of Christ now. We can trust the Holy Spirit in us now to live by the life of Christ and walk in love and the law of Christ Himself manifesting in our lives. The righteous shall live by faith.
 
Last edited:

Yonah

Senior Member
Oct 31, 2014
1,074
103
48
#5
Paul who knew the law better then anyone had this to say about the purpose of the law.


The purpose of the law was :

1) To reveal our sinful state - Rom 3:20

2) To inflame sin - Rom 7:8

3) To minister death in us - Rom 7:10-11

4) To lead us to Christ - Gal 3:24

The law is good, holy and spiritual but we are in the flesh. Jesus fulfilled all the law!
When we read the law we should be seeing Jesus in it. Jesus did not save us so that we could go back to the law.

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is how we live now, and the law of liberty in Christ Jesus and the law of love, the law of faith ( the
Law is NOT of faith - the just shall live by faith ). The law of Christ - Himself is how we live now.

But the purpose of the law was not for righteousness or salvation at all, it was to manifest sin in our lives, so that the purpose of grace which is in Jesus is to manifest salvation. Grace does not set aside the law, but completely satisfied it.

Christians are dead to the Law, been released from the Law and are NOT under the Law. It can't get any plainer than that.

People are free to do whatever they want in relation to the Law - it does not make one righteous nor is it for salvation.

If someone wants to observe a particular day , festivals or eat or not eat some kinds of foods..etc - then they are free to do so.
These have no bearing on one's salvation or righteousness as all that is based on the finished work of Christ.

It's where people are saying "You must observe these things or do these things in the Law or you are not obeying God" - that's where the twisting comes in and it is a perversion of the gospel of the grace of Christ.


This is an anti-Christ belief system religion which has the "appearance" of good but it is really denying the Lord Jesus Christ's finished work. Hebrews 4:10
I wouldn't say anyone, the One who gave it and lived it to the fullest is our example not anyone else who doesn't teach according to the revealed truth we all have access to, at least in this country anyway.
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
63
#6
Paul who knew the law better then anyone had this to say about the purpose of the law.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:
for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Romans 8:7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

So is God a Spirit?

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:2

So what Spirit of life was in Jesus?

Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. Psalsms 31:5
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Luke 23:46
 

gotime

Senior Member
Mar 3, 2011
3,537
88
48
#7
Look it is not rocket science:

The law reveals sin.

Jesus saves from sin.

thus those who are saved from sin will by nature keep the law as they are free from sin.


For example:

Killing is sin, If one is saved by faith in Jesus they will not kill. Thus they by nature of the Spirit keep the law. Its that simple.

If you continue to sin then you are not in faith.
 

gotime

Senior Member
Mar 3, 2011
3,537
88
48
#8
Just to clarify something.

The law does not save us.

The law on stone condemns and is a ministration of death.

Trying to keep the law to be saved is futile and leads to death.

Trying to keep the law to please God will fail and leads to death.

Accepting Jesus and then trying to keep it is futile and leads to bondage.

So if you think i am saying any of those things then you have misunderstood my points.
 
Jan 25, 2015
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#9
To be obedient to the word of God does not make you legalistic :)
 
Jun 11, 2016
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#10
Our problem is not the law, it has always been sin.
That is partly true, but where you have a Law, you also need a police and a judiciary. If the police and judiciary also have a divine mandate, then you end up with a police state, as these powers are not able to exercise the Law 'lawfully'. (They could only exercise the law lawfully through the Holy Spirit, but the problem is man's tendency to corruption. King David was man who God viewed as being like-minded to himself. However David eventually allowed power to go to his head, and he usurped God's authority. So ultimately all power corrupts, and as the Levites showed, the merger of Church, Judiciary and Police leads to a Police State.)
 
Jan 25, 2015
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#11
That is partly true, but where you have a Law, you also need a police and a judiciary. If the police and judiciary also have a divine mandate, then you end up with a police state, as these powers are not able to exercise the Law 'lawfully'. (They could only exercise the law lawfully through the Holy Spirit, but the problem is man's tendency to corruption. King David was man who God viewed as being like-minded to himself. However David eventually allowed power to go to his head, and he usurped God's authority. So ultimately all power corrupts, and as the Levites showed, the merger of Church, Judiciary and Police leads to a Police State.)
The word Torah can be translated as law but also instruction, guidelines.
 
Jun 11, 2016
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#13
In the sense that he enforces the Law, he is a policeman
 
Jan 25, 2015
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#14
In the sense that he enforces the Law, he is a policeman
That is the thing, he is not enforcing anything. You have a free will to follow His guidelines/instructions.
 
Jun 11, 2016
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#15
Exactly. The Law led to a police state.

Grace leads to a Church where the only sword should be the sword of the Spirit. There should be no strong arm of the Church.

However the Church has attempted to use force, but this is contrary to God's instructions.
 
Jan 25, 2015
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#16
But then your problem is with the church, not God's instructions....
 
Jun 11, 2016
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#17
"The Law made nothing perfect"

I am not sure what the issue is
 
Jan 25, 2015
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#18
The law is perfection, but we know we can't keep it and that is why we need grace and we receive grace through our Messiah Jesus our salvation.
 
Jun 11, 2016
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#19
Strange then that the more that Israel tried to follow the Law the more imperfect they became
 

gotime

Senior Member
Mar 3, 2011
3,537
88
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#20
Strange then that the more that Israel tried to follow the Law the more imperfect they became
Indeed this is true. Yet had they simply trusted God they would have ended up obeying it perfectly.