Post by Admin on Dec 20, 2014 14:55:30 GMT -5
In response to a question as to whether Christians keep the Law or not.
Understanding the difference in Scripture when the Law (the Covenant) is in view, and the Law (the written Word)...is very important. The New Covenant is the culmination, up to this point, of the promises of God towards mankind and salvation. One member pointed out that Christ did not negate the Law, but fulfilled it, and He did this in two primary ways: He clarifies the spiritual understanding that should have resulted from the Word of God, as well as fulfilled that which was written in the Law (written Word) about Himself, which is the primary focus of the Word of God in both Testaments.
It is a misconception to think that God has drastically changed what He has always demanded from mankind: obedience to His Word. While we do distinguish between the Covenants, we can see the harmony in both that which God declares and promises throughout all of them. The (Covenant of) Law, Paul writes, did not nullify God's promises to Abraham and make them of none effect. The reason for the Law being given was sin.
Now consider the Old Testament, and let me ask you a question or two: did men receive eternal life by keeping the Law? Did they receive eternal life by keeping the commandments of God prior to the Law?
The answer is no, for before eternal life could be bestowed on man, on singular issue had to be dealt with: sin.
The Law was the most comprehensive treatment of sin and sacrifice, atonement and remission of sins...prior to the Cross. Not one person ever offered up the first sacrifice for sin which paid the debt of sin in full...until Christ offered up Himself. So too, not one person died prior to the Cross with the righteousness or remission for sins which would qualify them for eternal life, or make them suitable to come into God's presence.
Now, let me ask you another question: did men die prior to the Cross when they sinned?
They did, and the death was at times physical. And just to illustrate the harmony of God's dealing with sin, consider Ananias and Sapphira, as well as Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 11, where it is said of those who partake of Communion unworthily...that for this reason many are weak and sickly among them, and many sleep (have died).
The point is...physical death is still a possibility for the born again believer if he sins against God. That hasn't changed. However, eternal life is bestowed upon men through relationship with God, that is, through His eternal indwelling of the believer. So while one will not lose their salvation if they fall into grievous sin (which can be discerned through the entirety of God's Word), they do stand the risk of losing their physical lives.
But, it is just my belief that born again believers, even those still young in faith and knowledge, will not seek a license to sin, but seek to be found in obedience to God as best they can. And remember, just as God commands us to train up our children in the way they should go, even so He too will do this with His children. Sometimes that involves discipline, and sometimes that discipline can be to the point of ending our physical lives, but the fact remains that God holds the highest standard of parenting known to man, lol. He will not fail to do something He has commanded us to do ourselves, which should replicate His own character. It is true that we sin, and salvation carries with it a progressive growth in which we are ever learning what is sin, and seeking to cast that out of our lives that we might please God. We keep in mind Paul's exhortation for us to restore those that fall, but we also keep in mind that every believer has a responsibility to obedience to God which others cannot effect.
So do we "keep the Law?" Concerning the Covenant, no. The writer of Hebrews warns that this is rejection of both the Spirit of God and Christ. Concerning that which the Law, and all Scripture teaches? Yes, of course. The Christian is just as much under the command not to murder as the Jew under the Law, and as one member pointed out, even more so. Paul wrote in Romans 3:31 that we, Christians, do not negate or make void the Law, but we establish it. How? By coming into obedience to the will of God which has been set forth in both the Law as well as the record of the time prior to the Covenant of Law. We do not establish, for example, the Law by simply not murdering people, lol, but by not hating them without cause. The corollary being, of course...love. The Jew under the Law felt he had established the Law by refraining from certain things commanded not to be done, but, God's will for us is more than "Thou shalt not's" but expands into action and effort that is based on love. The "Good Samaritan" exampled what the Law taught, whereas those who should have had a better understanding did not.
Hope that helps.
Understanding the difference in Scripture when the Law (the Covenant) is in view, and the Law (the written Word)...is very important. The New Covenant is the culmination, up to this point, of the promises of God towards mankind and salvation. One member pointed out that Christ did not negate the Law, but fulfilled it, and He did this in two primary ways: He clarifies the spiritual understanding that should have resulted from the Word of God, as well as fulfilled that which was written in the Law (written Word) about Himself, which is the primary focus of the Word of God in both Testaments.
It is a misconception to think that God has drastically changed what He has always demanded from mankind: obedience to His Word. While we do distinguish between the Covenants, we can see the harmony in both that which God declares and promises throughout all of them. The (Covenant of) Law, Paul writes, did not nullify God's promises to Abraham and make them of none effect. The reason for the Law being given was sin.
Now consider the Old Testament, and let me ask you a question or two: did men receive eternal life by keeping the Law? Did they receive eternal life by keeping the commandments of God prior to the Law?
The answer is no, for before eternal life could be bestowed on man, on singular issue had to be dealt with: sin.
The Law was the most comprehensive treatment of sin and sacrifice, atonement and remission of sins...prior to the Cross. Not one person ever offered up the first sacrifice for sin which paid the debt of sin in full...until Christ offered up Himself. So too, not one person died prior to the Cross with the righteousness or remission for sins which would qualify them for eternal life, or make them suitable to come into God's presence.
Now, let me ask you another question: did men die prior to the Cross when they sinned?
They did, and the death was at times physical. And just to illustrate the harmony of God's dealing with sin, consider Ananias and Sapphira, as well as Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 11, where it is said of those who partake of Communion unworthily...that for this reason many are weak and sickly among them, and many sleep (have died).
The point is...physical death is still a possibility for the born again believer if he sins against God. That hasn't changed. However, eternal life is bestowed upon men through relationship with God, that is, through His eternal indwelling of the believer. So while one will not lose their salvation if they fall into grievous sin (which can be discerned through the entirety of God's Word), they do stand the risk of losing their physical lives.
But, it is just my belief that born again believers, even those still young in faith and knowledge, will not seek a license to sin, but seek to be found in obedience to God as best they can. And remember, just as God commands us to train up our children in the way they should go, even so He too will do this with His children. Sometimes that involves discipline, and sometimes that discipline can be to the point of ending our physical lives, but the fact remains that God holds the highest standard of parenting known to man, lol. He will not fail to do something He has commanded us to do ourselves, which should replicate His own character. It is true that we sin, and salvation carries with it a progressive growth in which we are ever learning what is sin, and seeking to cast that out of our lives that we might please God. We keep in mind Paul's exhortation for us to restore those that fall, but we also keep in mind that every believer has a responsibility to obedience to God which others cannot effect.
So do we "keep the Law?" Concerning the Covenant, no. The writer of Hebrews warns that this is rejection of both the Spirit of God and Christ. Concerning that which the Law, and all Scripture teaches? Yes, of course. The Christian is just as much under the command not to murder as the Jew under the Law, and as one member pointed out, even more so. Paul wrote in Romans 3:31 that we, Christians, do not negate or make void the Law, but we establish it. How? By coming into obedience to the will of God which has been set forth in both the Law as well as the record of the time prior to the Covenant of Law. We do not establish, for example, the Law by simply not murdering people, lol, but by not hating them without cause. The corollary being, of course...love. The Jew under the Law felt he had established the Law by refraining from certain things commanded not to be done, but, God's will for us is more than "Thou shalt not's" but expands into action and effort that is based on love. The "Good Samaritan" exampled what the Law taught, whereas those who should have had a better understanding did not.
Hope that helps.