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An Introduction about Laws in General.

The Oxford University Press Dictionary says that a "law" is this: " law >noun 1 a rule or system of rules recognized by a country or community as regulating the actions of its members and enforced by the imposition of penalties. 2 such rules as a subject of study or as the basis of the legal profession. 3 statute law and the common law. 4 a statement of fact to the effect that a particular natural or scientific phenomenon always occurs if certain conditions are present. 5 a rule defining correct procedure or behavior in a sport. 6 something having binding force or effect: his word was law. "

A law is a rule or system of rule that puts an higher authority's will over a people or person. Law both binds together the idea of a higher power's will being given, and the authority that they have in enforcing it. It also carries a penalty for disobedience to that authority by breaking that law.

There are 2 extremes that try to creep into Christianity over the issue of the "Law of God". And these 2 extremes are both error and miss what the Bible teaches us about the New Covenant and the Believer's walk. One is that we are not under any law at all. This is taught by a number of people who take half of a truth to prove their point and ignore the rest. There is another group that would try to bring us back under a Law for another time and people and ignore the authority and will of God for us in Jesus Christ. These are both in error and both are dangerous.

In lawlessness, you spite the authority of God over us which is a slap in God's face.

In legalism, you spite the law of the Kingdom that we are now under and make Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son's Covenant of none effect in your life... and try to rely upon your own righteousness in trying to keep the Law of Moses.

Both of these views are in serious error and can lead to a personal spiritual catastrophe depending on how deep the error is in the person's life.

We will not be speaking of laws or rules of society very much except to mention that in Western European Countries and outreaching countries from Europe such as the USA and Canada and Australia, the laws of the land are based to one degree or another on the morals set down from the Bible. You see much of what is held is the foundation of our laws of the land found in the foundation of the Law of Moses as set forth in the 10 Commandments. We shall start our exploration there in fact, since it is the foundation of the Law of Moses.

First, laws or rules are not given by God to give us a hard time or make life more difficult. The sin that is inherent in our flesh makes keeping God's will and law very difficult indeed. In fact, without the Holy Spirit within us and our willingness to submit to Jesus Christ, it is impossible to walk pleasing to God at all. There is no good thing in our flesh in fact.

ROMANS 7:18-24 " FOR I KNOW THAT IN ME (THAT IS, IN MY FLESH,) DWELLETH NO GOOD THING: FOR TO WILL IS PRESENT WITH ME; BUT [HOW] TO PERFORM THAT WHICH IS GOOD I FIND NOT. 19 FOR THE GOOD THAT I WOULD I DO NOT: BUT THE EVIL WHICH I WOULD NOT, THAT I DO. 20 NOW IF I DO THAT I WOULD NOT, IT IS NO MORE I THAT DO IT, BUT SIN THAT DWELLETH IN ME. 21 I FIND THEN A LAW, THAT, WHEN I WOULD DO GOOD, EVIL IS PRESENT WITH ME. 22 FOR I DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF GOD AFTER THE INWARD MAN: 23 BUT I SEE ANOTHER LAW IN MY MEMBERS, WARRING AGAINST THE LAW OF MY MIND, AND BRINGING ME INTO CAPTIVITY TO THE LAW OF SIN WHICH IS IN MY MEMBERS. 24 O WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM! WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH?"

Paul said that in his own flesh dwelled no good thing. He wanted to do good... he wanted to do right, but he found a law in that itself that no matter what he wanted, his flesh was always fighting him. And in fact, it will until the day that the flesh is redeemed also at the resurrection. The evil that he doesn't want to do, he wound up doing. It was a constant struggle with the man of God. In fact, the harder that he tried, the more that he discovered that sin dwelled in his flesh.

But the Law of God is greater than this. Is this the Law of Moses? Haha... read Galatians sometime or the next couple of verses in Romans 8. No, this is the Law of the Spirit or the Law of the Kingdom which is greater. The Law of Moses revealed the righteousness of God compared to man, but gave no way for us to come up to that mark. There is another Law under grace however.

The Law of God after the inward man is a law from God superseding the law or principle that he found warring him in his own flesh. The Law of God and the Law of his mind... these are principles that Paul found in his own life. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? He showed the frustration that I and I know you if you love God and find yourself being frustrated by your own fleshly desires at times can relate to.

ONE OTHER IMPORTANT NOTE TO INSERT HERE IS THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS MEANT BY THE OLD COVENANT. We speak of the Old Testament and Old Covenant. Understand that when we speak of the Old Covenant here, we are not confusing the Hebrew Old Testament side of the Bible Books with the actual Covenant made with the Children of Israel given by God to Moses.

When we say that we are under grace and the Kingdom and the Law of the Spirit and free from the LAW of Moses and the Old Covenant, that is not saying that we should not read and study the Old Testament books. I have seen some ludicrous notions about this forwarded from the confusion of what the Covenant actually is.

Note that not only does a study of the Old Covenant help us understand the New Covenant and grace through Jesus Christ that we are under now, but there are wonderful examples of faith and righteousness found in the Old Testament. There are wonderful songs and poems of praise and many with prophetic value. There are prophecies given that have been fulfilled historically accurately, and there are other Old Testament prophecies that are for the Last Days and are beginning to be fulfilled now and are for the future and need to be studied and not thrown out. There is wonderful history of the Earth and God's dealings with mankind and faith that should not be discarded.

Do not confuse the Old Testament Books with the idea that we are no longer under the Law and the Old Covenant. Let us be wise and not confused.

Lets see the conclusion however, and we will use the next verses as a KEY VERSE to help us understand the context of the Covenants and the Law that is connected to each and God's authority over us... and how that we can walk pleasing to God.

KEY VERSE: ROMANS 8:1-4 " 1 [THERE IS] THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT. 2 FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HATH MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. 3 FOR WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO, IN THAT IT WAS WEAK THROUGH THE FLESH, GOD SENDING HIS OWN SON IN THE LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLESH, AND FOR SIN, CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH: 4 THAT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT. "

We will continue in a more exploration of these scriptures going into more detail in the ones that follow this later. But for now, the Apostle Paul tells us that 'THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHO ARE "IN CHRIST JESUS", WHO WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT... AND NOT AFTER THE FLESH'.

ROMANS 8:1-4 (NAS) " 1 THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. 2 FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS SET YOU FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND OF DEATH. 3 FOR WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO, WEAK AS IT WAS THROUGH THE FLESH, GOD DID: SENDING HIS OWN SON IN THE LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLESH AND AS AN OFFERING FOR SIN, HE CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH, 4 IN ORDER THAT THE REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US, WHO DO NOT WALK ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT."

ROMANS 8:1-4 (PESHITTA MRD) 1 THERE IS THEREFORE NO CONDEMNATION, TO THEM WHO, IN JESUS MESSIAH, WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH. 2 FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN JESUS MESSIAH, HATH EMANCIPATED THEE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. 3 INASMUCH AS THE LAW WAS IMPOTENT, BY MEANS OF THE WEAKNESS OF THE FLESH, GOD SENT HIS SON IN THE LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLESH, ON ACCOUNT OF SIN; THAT HE MIGHT, IN HIS FLESH, CONDEMN SIN; 4 SO THAT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US; SINCE IT IS NOT IN THE FLESH THAT WE WALK, BUT IN THE SPIRIT."

Quick Points:

1. No condemnation or damnation to those of us who are in Christ Jesus or Jesus the Messiah.

Further Clarification of who is NOT condemned despite these physical warrings of the last chapter:

2. They don't walk after the FLESH. The flesh does not rule them. They do not live in sin.

3. Paul comes down to 2 LAWS here. One that brings condemnation and one that brings liberty from that condemnation and brings the power to walk in the Spirit. Both are from God, but their results oppose one another because they are based on two different things to keep them.

4. The Law of Sin and of Death. This is the Law of Moses. We will discuss this in detail very shortly. The Law of Moses brings death because it reveals the holiness of God but gives us no way to be saved or justified by it.

5. The Law of the SPIRIT OF LIFE.

6. This Law of the Spirit is IN JESUS the MESSIAH! This Law only is in effect or manifested to those who are IN JESUS CHRIST. That is pivotal!

7. If you are under the Law of the Spirit in Jesus Christ, then you are emancipated... saved... made free from the Law of Sin and of Death. We are emancipated or set free! It no longer has power over us at all. The authority of that Law was under a Covenant that is already fulfilled. We are under a New Covenant with a New Law from the same God.

NOTE: If you want to try and be righteous and "saved" by the law, all you have to do is live a perfect life and never sin from the day that you are born until the day that you die and keep all of the law and never stumble. If you broke even one of the over 600 laws, then you are guilty of it all and you blew that one. You had better turn to Jesus Christ in faith instead.

8. The Law of Moses was weak or impotent... without power to save anyone because of the flesh of man. Our flesh is simply not able to walk in the Law of God by itself. That made it weak.

9. This is why Jesus came. There could have never been any salvation if He had not. God took the sacrifices of animals looking ahead to Jesus Christ's death on the Cross. But if Jesus had not come, then we would all be condemned for the Law only brought death, and not life.

WHY THE WORD BECAME FLESH (JESUS CHRIST) AND DIED TO CUT THE NEW COVENANT:

10. He came in the likeness of sinful flesh, but he himself had no sin. He was the Last Adam.

11. He came on account of sin to fulfill the requirement of the Law. He became the offering for sin.

12. He condemned sin in His flesh (instead of the other way around) - he reversed the curse.

13. The righteousness of the Law is now fulfilled in us. Jesus kept the Law completely and was totally righteous of the Law... finished it, and not we by faith have His righteousness in us.

14. The Law before only brought death, but through Jesus Christ, the righteousness of the Law if fulfilled in us.

15. We no longer walk under the power of the sinful flesh.

16. Now, we walk in the Spirit. This is through the Holy Spirit and the fulfillment of the Law that Jesus completed through our faith in Him.

This will be the KEY SCRIPTURE that we will keep coming back to and will give flavor to this study.

AN ANALOGY WORTH NOTING:

J. Hampton Keathley III of Dallas Theological Institute and the Biblical Studies Foundation gave the best analogy for "being under the Law", and just which Law that we as Christians are under. If I may, I would like to reiterate his example with just a bit of changes here and there from myself.

If you were a Canadian citizen and decided to move to the United States and become an American. Up until this point in your life, you were under Canadian Law based on the Constitution of Canada. The laws of the land went back to the base authority of the Constitution of Canada and its authority. But then you move to Des Moines. You apply and receive citizenship in the United States of America. Suddenly, some things have changed.

Although the laws of the USA and Canada are similar, they are not the same. They might have the same roots as their origins, but the United States Laws are based on the Constitution of the United States, which is a totally different authority as that of Canada. Yes, there are similarities, but now as a US Citizen, you are no longer under the authority of Canada. You are now under the authority of the United States. It is no surprise that many things are the same since they both have a European origin and to a great degree, British roots. But now, you are under the authority of the United States established in the Constitution. And there will be differences, and the authority of the government over you is a different one that you started with.

IN THE SAME WAY, God gave both laws. It is not surprising that things like murder, adultery, idolatry, etc. are repeated in the New Testament, and in fact are further qualified many times under the Law of the Spirit (or Kingdom of God) under Jesus Christ than they were in the Old Testament or Covenant. In fact, Jesus let us know that you do not have to perform the act of adultery to have done it in your heart if you have thought it through with wicked imaginations. In God's eyes, if you have done that then you are guilty as if you did the act. Fornication and uncleanness is further qualified more so than it was in the Old Covenant Law. Many, but not all the parts of the Old Covenant Law are replicated in the New Testament or New Covenant. That makes sense since both came from God and reveal His Will. But some things were specifically for Israel and in the New Covenant they are different. We have left one Covenant and set of laws, and we have move into a better covenant under another set of laws from the same God. It is just like moving from one country to another.

You might think, well I have to do this and that because you had to as a Canadian. The problem is you are an American now, and some things are different. The same is true with the Covenants of God to man. The Covenant is a Covenant of the Law.

DEUTERONOMY 5:1-9 " 1 AND MOSES CALLED ALL ISRAEL, AND SAID UNTO THEM, HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE STATUTES AND JUDGMENTS WHICH I SPEAK IN YOUR EARS THIS DAY, THAT YE MAY LEARN THEM, AND KEEP, AND DO THEM. 2 THE LORD OUR GOD MADE A COVENANT WITH US IN HOREB. 3 THE LORD MADE NOT THIS COVENANT WITH OUR FATHERS, BUT WITH US, [EVEN] US, WHO [ARE] ALL OF US HERE ALIVE THIS DAY. 4 THE LORD TALKED WITH YOU FACE TO FACE IN THE MOUNT OUT OF THE MIDST OF THE FIRE, 5 (I STOOD BETWEEN THE LORD AND YOU AT THAT TIME, TO SHEW YOU THE WORD OF THE LORD: FOR YE WERE AFRAID BY REASON OF THE FIRE, AND WENT NOT UP INTO THE MOUNT;) SAYING,

6 I [AM] THE LORD THY GOD, WHICH BROUGHT THEE OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, FROM THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE. 7 THOU SHALT HAVE NONE OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. 8 THOU SHALT NOT MAKE THEE [ANY] GRAVEN IMAGE, [OR] ANY LIKENESS [OF ANY THING] THAT [IS] IN HEAVEN ABOVE, OR THAT [IS] IN THE EARTH BENEATH, OR THAT [IS] IN THE WATERS BENEATH THE EARTH: 9 THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF UNTO THEM, NOR SERVE THEM: FOR I THE LORD THY GOD [AM] A JEALOUS GOD, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH [GENERATION] OF THEM THAT HATE ME, "

YOU SEE HERE THAT THE LAW GIVEN IS OUT OF THE COVENANT THAT GOD MADE WITH ISRAEL. I WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT. THE LAW OF MOSES GIVEN AT THE FIRST COVENANT WAS FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL AND FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD BECOME A PART OF IT.

God literally gave these laws which were part of a body simply known as the LAW, or the Law of Moses since God gave it directly to Moses and through him to the people. God wrote the first 10 on tablets of stone which Moses broke in his anger (note we all have our weaknesses, and Moses had his as well). But the first 10 were only the foundation of the entire Law which would include 613 laws.

Our society has been breaking down because mainly... a lack of the presence and knowledge of God. We need revival. It is good to teach moral principles as the 10 Commandments... and robbing them from generation to generation of young people has contributed to the sinful erosion of our society. To some children, that was the only exposure that they had to Godly things (10 commandments, simple prayer in school, etc.).

But the problem we have in this country is more than just the 10 Commandments being removed. The reality and presence of God has been removed from homes... sometimes "churchgoing" homes.

We need revival. And although we look to the New Testament, we learn more about the New by studying the Old Testament. We are not under the Law... even the 10 Commandments. If we are, then we are doomed.

GALATIANS 3:1-5 " 1 O FOOLISH GALATIANS, WHO HATH BEWITCHED YOU, THAT YE SHOULD NOT OBEY THE TRUTH, BEFORE WHOSE EYES JESUS CHRIST HATH BEEN EVIDENTLY SET FORTH, CRUCIFIED AMONG YOU? 2 THIS ONLY WOULD I LEARN OF YOU, RECEIVED YE THE SPIRIT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW, OR BY THE HEARING OF FAITH? 3 ARE YE SO FOOLISH? HAVING BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT, ARE YE NOW MADE PERFECT BY THE FLESH? 4 HAVE YE SUFFERED SO MANY THINGS IN VAIN? IF [IT BE] YET IN VAIN. 5 HE THEREFORE THAT MINISTERETH TO YOU THE SPIRIT, AND WORKETH MIRACLES AMONG YOU, [DOETH HE IT] BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW, OR BY THE HEARING OF FAITH? "

GALATIANS 2:16 " KNOWING THAT A MAN IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW, BUT BY THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST, EVEN WE HAVE BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST, THAT WE MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED BY THE FAITH OF CHRIST, AND NOT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW: FOR BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED. "

HEBREWS 7:19 " FOR THE LAW MADE NOTHING PERFECT, BUT THE BRINGING IN OF A BETTER HOPE [DID]; BY THE WHICH WE DRAW NIGH UNTO GOD. "

ROMANS 8:2 " FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HATH MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. "

GALATIANS 5:1-3 " 1 STAND FAST THEREFORE IN THE LIBERTY WHEREWITH CHRIST HATH MADE US FREE, AND BE NOT ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH THE YOKE OF BONDAGE. 2 BEHOLD, I PAUL SAY UNTO YOU, THAT IF YE BE CIRCUMCISED, CHRIST SHALL PROFIT YOU NOTHING. 3 FOR I TESTIFY AGAIN TO EVERY MAN THAT IS CIRCUMCISED, THAT HE IS A DEBTOR TO DO THE WHOLE LAW. "

GALATIANS 3:24-26 " 24 WHEREFORE THE LAW WAS OUR SCHOOLMASTER [TO BRING US] UNTO CHRIST, THAT WE MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH. 25 BUT AFTER THAT FAITH IS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER. 26 FOR YE ARE ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. "


THE 10 COMMANDMENTS... THE FOUNDATION OF THE 613 LAWS OF MOSES... A FOUNDATION FOR UNDERSTANDING THE MORAL NATURE OF GOD.

MAIN TEXT: MATTHEW 22:36-40 " 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. "

EXODUS 20:1-3 " 1 AND GOD SPAKE ALL THESE WORDS, SAYING, 2 I [AM] THE LORD THY GOD, WHICH HAVE BROUGHT THEE OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE. 3 THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. "

We have lost our base that God has given to us in our society. All of our legal code was based upon the Judeo-Christian Law given to Moses. The 10 Commandments showed the fundamental personality and will of God to mankind.

And it isn't that we should look at them as a set of regulations that hang over our heads... we cannot keep the law in our flesh. That is one reason that Jesus came, no one could keep the law. And I am not advocating going back under the bondage of the law as some have, but if our heart is right toward God and toward others... those commandments will show as well.

Going back to the law will bring us under the curse, for no one can keep it all. GALATIANS 3:10-12 " 10 FOR AS MANY AS ARE OF THE WORKS OF THE LAW ARE UNDER THE CURSE: FOR IT IS WRITTEN, CURSED [IS] EVERY ONE THAT CONTINUETH NOT IN ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW TO DO THEM. 11 BUT THAT NO MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, [IT IS] EVIDENT: FOR, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. 12 AND THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH: BUT, THE MAN THAT DOETH THEM SHALL LIVE IN THEM. "

We tend to want to make the Law of God a spiritual buffet that we can reject part of and take the other as we please or it fits our own personal viewpoint. But the fact is, if you are under the "works of the LAW", then you are cursed. You have cursed yourself. If you dogmatically insist on holding on to even part of the Old Covenant, then you are cursed by those works of the Law that you have put yourself under.

I hear this expression sometimes, and it makes me cringe because at one time I remember me saying it myself, and I was wrong too at the time. This is it, "we are no longer under the ceremonial Law, but we are still under the moral Law of God." This just isn't so. This suggests that only part of the Old Covenant Law passed away and part of it is still in force. You cannot find this idea in scripture, but it has been invented by theologians and it is something that we latch onto because it helps us deal with some of these things easily. But it isn't the right way to deal with it because scripture doesn't back it up.

This suggests that we are under part of the Law of Moses still... the moral part including 9 out of the 10 first 10 commandments. First of all, it was all moral. Even the ceremonial Law was a shadow of spiritual things to come and was moral in its essence. You are going to run into some problems that just are not solvable if you hold to this notion. WE ARE NOT UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF ANY OF THE OLD COVENANT. WE ARE UNDER THE NEW COVENANT.


NOW, the moral character of God is repeated in the New Covenant in the commandments of Jesus Christ and the Apostles... the Law of the Spirit, so you do see the same moral law being repeated. But you must make the distinction of the authority of that Law being under the New Covenant cut by the blood of Jesus Christ, or you will miss the mark of what scripture teaches. And those who would try to make us lawless will grab onto the inconsistencies, and those legalists that would try and bring us back into the bondage of the Law of Moses will grab onto the inconsistencies as well. You can't change the rules half-way in.

There are a number of ceremonial laws that separated Israel from other Eastern nations in those times that God used to separate them, and others that had to do with keep good health through diet and other societal concerns that we call the ceremonial law. Some groups will concentrate on one part or another... but if you take one, you must take them all. [women wearing clothing pertaining to men... wearing clothing of mixed weaves (cotton & polyester for example)]

But the 10 commandments showed the will of God concerning sin and morality and the way that we are to conduct and live our lives. The 10 Commandments showed His righteousness and our sin.

We are justified by faith. Yet, the 10 Commandments were the basis of showing God's heart and will to man. They brought death however because man cannot keep them. But through faith in Jesus Christ, Christ brings His works through our lives. The Grace of God works it within us.

EPHESIANS 2:8-10 " 8 FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: [IT IS] THE GIFT OF GOD: 9 NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST. 10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM. "

Someone would say, well if we are justified by faith... then we don't need to worry about the law. And the 10 commandments are passed away. Jesus said that He came to fulfill and not to abolish the law. THE LAW POINTED TOWARD JESUS. We can learn much about what God is about by seeing these commandments so important that He wrote them Himself on stone tablets.

THE LAW SHOWED US THE PROBLEM, JESUS AND HIS GRACE GAVE US THE ANSWER. But we need to understand what is wrong in the eyes of God and how we as a country have departed from God's will. The 10 Commandments is the base of His revelation of His moral character to us.

ROMANS 6:14-18 " 14 FOR SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU: FOR YE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE. 15 WHAT THEN? SHALL WE SIN, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE? GOD FORBID. 16 KNOW YE NOT, THAT TO WHOM YE YIELD YOURSELVES SERVANTS TO OBEY, HIS SERVANTS YE ARE TO WHOM YE OBEY; WHETHER OF SIN UNTO DEATH, OR OF OBEDIENCE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS? 17 BUT GOD BE THANKED, THAT YE WERE THE SERVANTS OF SIN, BUT YE HAVE OBEYED FROM THE HEART THAT FORM OF DOCTRINE WHICH WAS DELIVERED YOU. 18 BEING THEN MADE FREE FROM SIN, YE BECAME THE SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. "

It takes a real lot of words, to refute but a few from the Lord.

Nice theory except all of what came above is a bible study and thus, from the mouth of the Lord... or through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the Bible to us. So, whose "words" are you refuting or claiming that I am? Since when is using God's Word trying to refute God? You are confused...

See, the above was taken in context... go back Paul... read it slowly and pray and let the HOLY SPIRIT speak to you... maybe you might begin to understand what it is literally and clearly saying. I am not playing a game with you or trying to be insulting... but you need to get real here. This is God's Word and you are just dismissing it out of hand...

attacking it because there is a lot of it is not wise. The point is that it is a Bible Study that is taken in context. It is what the Bible says.

There should be no confusing by the way when it is consistently saying what it does... that the Law of Moses was completed or finished on the Cross with Jesus Christ and those laws and ordinances died there on the cross when Jesus took them out of the way. Now, Jesus Christ is the WAY, and He has brought a new and better covenant with better promises. Galatia was warned not to go back under the Law of Moses... it is what it says, Paul.

The Law of Sin and Death was given by Moses. The Law of the Spirit was given by Jesus and passed down through His Apostles. Read Galatians through from beginning to end not taking anything out of it. Read Romans through... read Hebrews through... read Colossians through. Take it together and in context... it is there over and over and over again.

Yes the Law is holy... but the Law of Moses brought only death and following it now brings you under the curse... it is quoted above several times. Read the rest of Romans 7 and then read Romans 8... you cannot keep your viewpoint if you believe what the Word of God is saying.

I have an observation about you...

you say that you are not a Christian...

that is obvious...

you talk about the Bible as a holy book for Christians...

and YET... you quote parts of it out of context as it suits you. It must be nice for you to take the parts that suit you and just throw the rest away that you don't like... and then act superior because we actually believe it. If this is your attitude, then why on earth are you quoting that which you do not believe in the first place? I am not sure what that is... hypocritical does not seem to fit there, but its close.

The Law of Moses only brought death because it showed the holiness of God and gave absolutely no way to keep it. In fact, unless you have never ever sinned a sin and live your whole life like that, then that is the only way that you can be justified by the Law. If you have ever sinned... well, that's it for you by your beliefs. If you are guilty of one part, then you are guilty of it all.

Paul, you said this:

In Galations 5,
Paul again affirms we must do the law.

For I testify again
to every man that is circumcised,
that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Galations 5:3

I find this disturbing because you using this PROVES that you just don't know what you are talking about and what is really in the scriptures that you are quoting. Read the verses just before this and right after this and it shoots our own argument down. It would seem that you have a Bible Program and look up search strings and find things that seem to help your position without the trouble of seeing the context of what is really being said in the scriptures. HOW DO I KNOW THAT?

You have just proven it... look at the context of your own reference for it totally blows what you said out of the water.

Galatians 5:1-7 " 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. 7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

Paul, who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?

Paul says here that being a debtor to the Law is a bad thing... a tragic thing because then you are fallen from grace. You are not saved outside of grace, Paul. This is the road to apostasy. It is a falling away from Christ.

You have proven yourself wrong by your own biblical reference. It might be wiser if you actually read the bible where your references come from to see if they really help your case taken in context. This one proved you wrong, sir.

It might help you if you read the rest of Romans 2 as well... but I am tired and will leave it at that.

I challenge you Paul...

go back up and read the bible studies...

they are in context and there to help you understand. It is clear and they come right out of the Bible.

I use one example not in scriptures... the one I borrowed from Keathley... and then apply it to the Word so that you could understand through that little parable. We are under the Law of the New Covenant now... simple actually.

Are you a Jew following Judaism?

I could respect that a lot more if that is all that it was. That would mean that you do not believe that Jesus was the Messiah and are still waiting for the Messiah to come. Yet, that is not what you have said and you quote pieces here and there out of the New Testament all the time. You talk about Jesus and then reject what He did on the cross and His gospel (read that Romans 2 chapter again) and the hope of the gospel. You end up denying Jesus though you give Him lip service.

Someone has bewitched you, Paul.

And you are so bewitched and determined to push your beliefs on a board dedicated to Jesus and His teachings, that you have forced me to come down heavier-handed than I want to. But I will not allow you to bewitch some person coming here looking for truth and answers. Allowing such twistings of scriptures as you have presented in trying to push the Old Covenant and Jesus together (what those who bewitched the Galatians did) to be presented here would be wrong. I will not allow this forum to be used for that.

I can handle you and I talking like this one is... about this subject when it is on topic and I can bring the authority of the Word of God to bear behind what I am saying...

but you push it no matter what anyone is talking about or saying. What if someone who is not a believer or a weak new believer that has not learned much yet gets hold of some of this. If they did not know the truth, then they could be led astray. I just won't allow that.

See, we can disagree and we can discuss our different viewpoints and you don't have to agree with me or anyone else as far as that goes. But the VOTW forum is a Bible Study forum here to edify people with the study of God's Word. If you get in this one and push things that are out of and against God's Word... and push it no matter what the topic is supposed to be... then that is preaching "another gospel" and "another Jesus" than the one in God's Word. We are told not to allow that or promote that in any way or we will be held accountable as well. So, you can't do that here. There are a lot of New Age and Judaizer type boards who would love it, but we do teach and preach God's Word (the Bible) here.

So... this discussion on this one is fine between us... just understand that you do yourself or your position or understanding no good when you quote things out of the Bible out of context and don't even check to see what is being said all around it... to make sure that the meaning of the passage is not the exact opposite of what you said... which is what happened this time.

Try reading it again... let God's Word speak to you.

James