Galations: Paul on the Gospel

[mark kennedy]

I'm inviting some of my friends from the board to participate in an exposition of Galations. Specifically the relationship of the Mosaic Law and the gospel. I'm purposely avoiding long quotes from the Scriptures, instead I'll write out the name of the book along with the chapter and verse so the reader can see the verse simply by hovering over the link. The thread is the result of a discussion I had with a new member who is interested in making some new friends and getting into Bible study. This is aa crucial time for the church and the controversy of the relationship between the Law and the gospel was visited early and often by Christian scholars. I don't suppose we will answer all the questions regarding this vital issue in this thread, but by God's grace perhaps come to a better understanding of this timeless epistle. God willing this we will do.

The Apostle Paul and Barnabas returning from the first missionary journey in Cyprus and Galatia find the church in Jerusalem dealing with a controversy involving the Law and the gospel. The Pharisees, now professing believers contend that Gentiles must be circumcised in order to be saved. Peter strands up in defense of the gospel arguing that the Gentiles are purifying themselves by faith and that they should not lay a burden on them neither they nor their fathers could bear (Acts 15). In the wake of the Jerusalem Council, as it's come to be known, Paul writes the letter to the Galations in scathing terms. The churches in Asia Minor (Modern western Turkey), Macidinia, Arcadia and Greece had yet to be established. The church at Rome, founded at Pentecost was largely Jewish and had serious questions regarding the Law and the gospel Paul would later address in his letter to the Romans. This was a crucil moment in church history, the ministry to the Gentiles being in its early days. The future of Christian doctrine is at stake, Paul with a pointed urgency admonishes these believers that those under the Law are under the Law are under a curse (Galations 3:13)

Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead (Galations 1:1; Romans 6:4; 1 Corinthians 15:3). Empowering the believer by grace through faith (Galations 1:6; Romans 4:16; Acts 15:8-9; Acts 15:10:43). Which results 'justification' and fulfills the righteous requirements of the Law, apart from any human merit, except Christ alone (Galations 2:16; Romans 3:20-21).

Justification (Vines 1344) The legal and formal acquittal from God as Judge, the pronouncement of the sinner as righteous, who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ in Romans 3:24 the word translated justified literally means, 'being justified', is in the present continuous tense, indicating the contestant process of justification, in succession of those who believe and are justified. In Romans 5:1 justified is in the aorist, or point tense, indicate a definite time of which each person, upon the exercise of faith, was justified.​

That's an introduction, I did what I could to keep it simple and basic. With that I invite you to share your thought on Galations and if we could refrain from debate, or at least keep it mild I think that would be very helpful. Let all things be done unto edifying that God may be glorified in our midst.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[redleghunter]

Thanks Mark. In the backdrop we have the most forceful and curt epistle by the Apostle Paul. He not only rebukes the Galatians in shotgun fashion but pronounced a curse on anyone who would pervert the Gospel of Grace.

Glad you brought up the Council of Jerusalem. Some theologians and New Testament historians believe the Jews who were imposing Mosaic law on new Christian converts were showing up in cities after Paul planted a church. Meaning they were “dogging” his foot steps.

 

[mark kennedy]

Thanks Mark. In the backdrop we have the most forceful and curt epistle by the Apostle Paul. He not only rebukes the Galatians in shotgun fashion but pronounced a curse on anyone who would pervert the Gospel of Grace.

Glad you brought up the Council of Jerusalem. Some theologians and New Testament historians believe the Jews who were imposing Mosaic law on new Christian converts were showing up in cities after Paul planted a church. Meaning they were “dogging” his foot steps.

At the Council of Jerusalem it was the Pharisees that stood up and defended that Gentiles must be circumcised in order to be saved. In Lystra, Debre and Iconiom the Pharisees followed Paul around. One day the crowds wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods, the next the Pharisees convinced the crowd to kill Paul. Paul at his funeral jumps up and says to Barnabas and the disciple, come on let's go. So think that's where Paul had his vision of the third heaven that was the reason for his thorn in the flesh.

In the wAke of the Paul meets Peter and James and the infant Gentile church is being fitted with the shackles of Mosaic Judaism. Not the the Law was bad, but the legalism is phoney.

 

[Olboodog]

Thanks for the introduction. To recap so far we were just starting in with Paul's letter. We looked into his claim as an apostle and what it meant to him and those around him. We took a pause to look at Acts 15 for the council on the big turning point for the church and why it was important. Then continuing to his greeting, we saw how the simple phrase "grace and peace" he used had packed in the whole work of Christ and the results or the basis and fruit. Next i will be continuing in chapter 1 to take a closer look at Paul's opening statements to the church.

 

[mark kennedy]

By the way, #redleghunter is the originator of a small fellowship group I'm a part of, #Olboodog is a newbie looking to study the Scriptures and make some new friends.

So now you've been introduced. I thought I'd mention red and I both enjoy the sermons on Grace to You. John Macaurther has this awesome introduction to the book if your interested.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[redleghunter]

By the way, #redleghunter is the originator of a small fellowship group I'm a part of, #Olboodog is a newbie looking to study the Scriptures and make some new friends.

So now you've been introduced. I thought I'd mention red and I both enjoy the sermons on Grace to You. John Macaurther has this awesome introduction to the book if your interested.

Grace and peace,
Mark

Thanks Mark. I know you are on a cell so if you give me the title to the sermon I will post the link to the MacArthur intro.

 

[mark kennedy]

Thanks Mark. I know you are on a cell so if you give me the title to the sermon I will post the link to the MacArthur intro.

Its called, Getting the Gospel Right, on the site you just search by book and its at the top. His discussion of Job 7 was soul crushing, he made me see it in a whole new light. His friend tells him just do better and God can bless you. Job effectively says it doesn't matter how hard I try I'll never be good enough. He actually says why won't you leave me alone oh watcher of men, I'm paraphrasing. By works it's never good enough, your under a curse. Its grace that gives you confidence.

 

[redleghunter]

Here it is. Great read too. Heard it again heading to Houston yesterday.

https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/48-1/getting-the-gospel-right

 

[ewq1938]

I'm inviting some of my friends from the board to participate in an exposition of Galations. Specifically the relationship of the Mosaic Law and the gospel.

There is no relationship. Christ did away with the Mosaic law.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law- Galatians 3:13

the law entangles with the yoke of bondage- Galatians 5:1

if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law - Galatians 5:18

In his other writing Paul speaks of the law as decaying...which is what something does when it is dead. It's ok though, it was replaced by a better law that will never decay

 

[mark kennedy]

Here it is. Great read too. Heard it again heading to Houston yesterday.

https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/48-1/getting-the-gospel-right

Thanks red, its remarkably insightfull.

 

[mark kennedy]

There is no relationship. Christ did away with the Mosaic law.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law- Galatians 3:13

the law entangles with the yoke of bondage- Galatians 5:1

if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law - Galatians 5:18

In his other writing Paul speaks of the law as decaying...which is what something does when it is dead. It's ok though, it was replaced by a better law that will never decay

That's true up to a point, Jesus did say in the Sermon on the Mount he came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. The Law could not provide righteousness it just bore witness to it. As Paul explains in Romans 7, the Law is holy, righteous and good. Indeed the written code was nailed to the cross and the righteous requirements of the Law are fulfilled in Christ.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[Soyeong]

I'm inviting some of my friends from the board to participate in an exposition of Galations. Specifically the relationship of the Mosaic Law and the gospel. I'm purposely avoiding long quotes from the Scriptures, instead I'll write out the name of the book along with the chapter and verse so the reader can see the verse simply by hovering over the link. The thread is the result of a discussion I had with a new member who is interested in making some new friends and getting into Bible study. This is aa crucial time for the church and the controversy of the relationship between the Law and the gospel was visited early and often by Christian scholars. I don't suppose we will answer all the questions regarding this vital issue in this thread, but by God's grace perhaps come to a better understanding of this timeless epistle. God willing this we will do.

Hello,

Jesus began his ministry with the Gospel message to repent from our sins for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 4:17, 23), and the Mosaic Law is how his audience knew what sin was, so repenting from our disobedience to the Law is an integral part of the Gospel message.

The Apostle Paul and Barnabas returning from the first missionary journey in Cyprus and Galatia find the church in Jerusalem dealing with a controversy involving the Law and the gospel. The Pharisees, now professing believers contend that Gentiles must be circumcised in order to be saved.

God's Law does not command all Gentiles to become circumcised and the purpose that God commanded all Jews to become circumcised was not in order to become saved, so if God did not command it, then the Jerusalem Council was therefore upholding God's Law by rejecting that man-made requirement. In other word, the problem wasn't with God's Law, but with circumcision being used for a man-made purpose that God never intended, which was contrary to the purposes of God.

Peter strands up in defense of the gospel arguing that the Gentiles are purifying themselves by faith and that they should not lay a burden on them neither they nor their fathers could bear (Acts 15).

In Deuteronomy 30:11-14, God said that His Law was not too difficult for His people to obey, so if Acts 15:10 was speaking in regard to God's Law rather than man-made laws, then they would have been in direct disagreement with God and would therefore have been wrong. In 1 John 5:3, it also confirms to love God is to obey His commands, which are not burdensome, so ruling against Gentiles obeying God's commandments would have been that equivalent of saying that Gentiles shouldn't love God.

This was a crucil moment in church history, the ministry to the Gentiles being in its early days. The future of Christian doctrine is at stake, Paul with a pointed urgency admonishes these believers that those under the Law are under the Law are under a curse (Galations 3:13)

God is not an unloving Father who gave the Law in order to curse His children, but rather He said that the Law was given for our own good in order to bless us (Deuteronomy 10:12-16). In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, obedience to the Law brings life and a blessing while disobedience brings death and a curse, so being set free from the curse of the Law is being set free from living in disobedience to it so that we can be free to enjoy the blessing of the Law. Everyone in the OT being under a curse does not reflect the reality of what is recorded about those who served God, but only those who refuse to submit to His Law.

The opinion that someone has of the Law matches the opinion that they have of the Lawgiver, so for example, if someone thinks that God's Law is righteous, then it must be because God was righteous for giving it. So if someone has a such a low opinion of the Law that they consider it to be a curse, then they must have an equally low opinion of the Lawgiver. The Psalms contain extremely high praise for God's Law, which certainly matched David's opinion of the Lawgiver, and if you consider to the Psalms to be Scripture and to therefore express a correct view of God's Law, then you should share it instead of holding the polar opposite of the view expressed in Scripture. I believe that this verse is true, do you?:

Psalms 119:1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!

Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead (Galations 1:1; Romans 6:4; 1 Corinthians 15:3). Empowering the believer by grace through faith (Galations 1:6; Romans 4:16; Acts 15:8-9; Acts 15:10:43). Which results 'justification' and fulfills the righteous requirements of the Law, apart from any human merit, except Christ alone (Galations 2:16; Romans 3:20-21).

Justification (Vines 1344) The legal and formal acquittal from God as Judge, the pronouncement of the sinner as righteous, who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ in Romans 3:24 the word translated justified literally means, 'being justified', is in the present continuous tense, indicating the contestant process of justification, in succession of those who believe and are justified. In Romans 5:1 justified is in the aorist, or point tense, indicate a definite time of which each person, upon the exercise of faith, was justified.​

That's an introduction, I did what I could to keep it simple and basic. With that I invite you to share your thought on Galations and if we could refrain from debate, or at least keep it mild I think that would be very helpful. Let all things be done unto edifying that God may be glorified in our midst.

Grace and peace,
Mark

According to Psalms 119:29, David wanted God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His Law. According to Titus 2:11-14, our salvation is described as being trained by grace to do things that perfectly describe what God's Law was given to do. According to Romans 1:5, we have received grace in order to bring about the obedience that faith requires. According to 2 Peter 3:17-18, growing in grace is contrasted with being taken away with the error of Lawless men. According to John 1:16-17, grace was added upon grace, so the grace of Christ was added upon the grace of the Law. According to Jude 1:4, the ungodly pervert God's grace into license for immorality. According to Strong's, "grace" is defined as "the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life" and when God's will is reflected in our lives, it takes the form of obedience to His Law (Psalms 40:8), so grace is the power of God to overcome Lawlessness in our lives and it is by grace that God teaches us to walk in His ways in accordance with His Law.

In Matthew 23:23, Jesus said that faith is one of the weightier matters of the Law, so obedience to God's instructions is about having faith in Him to guide us in how to rightly live. Living by faith is always associated with having a willingness to obey God's instructions, such as with the examples of saving faith listed in Hebrews 11, whereas disobedience to God's instructions is referred to as breaking faith, such as in Numbers 5:6. In James 2:17-18, he said that faith without works is dead and that that he would show his faith by his works, so obedience to God's Law is what faith looks like, which is why Paul said in Romans 2:13 that it is only the doers of the Law who will be justified. However, we are not saved by our obedience to the Law, but rather we have received grace to bring about the obedience that faith requires, so the same grace and faith by which we are saved also requires our obedience, which is why Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-10 that we have been saved by grace through faith, not by works, but rather we have been made creations in Christ for the purpose of doing good works.

 

[ewq1938]

As Paul explains in Romans 7, the Law is holy, righteous and good.

He is speaking of the new law...of the old law he speaks negatively:

Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
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 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law- Galatians 3:13

the law entangles with the yoke of bondage- Galatians 5:1

if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law - Galatians 5:18

the strength of sin is the law- 1 Corinthians 15:56

the law worketh wrath- Romans 4:15

we are not under the law- Romans 6:15

we are delivered from the law- Romans 7:6

we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter- Romans 7:6


There's much more but we can see what Paul taught regarding the Mosaic law.

 

[Soyeong]

He is speaking of the new law...of the old law he speaks negatively:

Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
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 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law- Galatians 3:13

the law entangles with the yoke of bondage- Galatians 5:1

if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law - Galatians 5:18

the strength of sin is the law- 1 Corinthians 15:56

the law worketh wrath- Romans 4:15

we are not under the law- Romans 6:15

we are delivered from the law- Romans 7:6

we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter- Romans 7:6


There's much more but we can see what Paul taught regarding the Mosaic law.

Paul spoke about multiple different types of laws, such as God’s Law, the law of sin, and works of law, so it is important to correctly identify which law he was saying that we are not under. In Romans 7:21-25, Paul said that he delighted in obeying God's Law and that he served it with his mind, but contrasted that with the law of sin and death that held him captive and that he served with his flesh. This was a conclusion form what he said previously, so it is the law of sin that came about to stir up sinful passions to bear fruit unto death (7:5), that held us captive (7:6), that gave sin its power (7:8), that deceived Paul through the commandment and slew him (7:11), and that caused him not to do the good that he wanted to do (7:13-20), while God's Law is not sin, but reveals what sin is (7:7), is holy, righteous, and good (7:12), is the good that Paul did not blame for bringing death to him (7:13), and is the good that he wanted to do (7:13-20).

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Paul specified the Law that we aren't under was one where sin had dominion over us, which does not at all fit his description of God's holy, righteous, and good Law, which he delighted in obeying, which he directly said was not sinful, but rather it perfectly matches his description of the law of sin, and the same can be said for 1 Corinthians 15:56, Romans 5:20, and Galatians 5:18. In Psalms 119:29, David asked God to show his grace to him by teaching him to obey His Law and in Titus 2:11-14, our salvation involves being trained by grace to do what perfectly fits Paul's description of God's holy, righteous, and good Law, so when we are under grace we are under God's Law and not under the law of sin.

 

[ewq1938]

Paul is clear the law that we are freed from, and that held people in bondange is the Mosaic law:

Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Galatians 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Galatians 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

Paul spoke about multiple different types of laws, such as God’s Law, the law of sin, and works of law, so it is important to correctly identify which law he was saying that we are not under. In Romans 7:21-25, Paul said that he delighted in obeying God's Law and that he served it with his mind, but contrasted that with the law of sin and death that held him captive and that he served with his flesh. This was a conclusion form what he said previously, so it is the law of sin that came about to stir up sinful passions to bear fruit unto death (7:5), that held us captive (7:6), that gave sin its power (7:8), that deceived Paul through the commandment and slew him (7:11), and that caused him not to do the good that he wanted to do (7:13-20), while God's Law is not sin, but reveals what sin is (7:7), is holy, righteous, and good (7:12), is the good that Paul did not blame for bringing death to him (7:13), and is the good that he wanted to do (7:13-20).

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Paul specified the Law that we aren't under was one where sin had dominion over us, which does not at all fit his description of God's holy, righteous, and good Law, which he delighted in obeying, which he directly said was not sinful, but rather it perfectly matches his description of the law of sin, and the same can be said for 1 Corinthians 15:56, Romans 5:20, and Galatians 5:18. In Psalms 119:29, David asked God to show his grace to him by teaching him to obey His Law and in Titus 2:11-14, our salvation involves being trained by grace to do what perfectly fits Paul's description of God's holy, righteous, and good Law, so when we are under grace we are under God's Law and not under the law of sin.

 

[mark kennedy]

Hello,

Jesus began his ministry with the Gospel message to repent from our sins for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 4:17, 23), and the Mosaic Law is how his audience knew what sin was, so repenting from our disobedience to the Law is an integral part of the Gospel message.

An integral part of the gospel as it relates to the Mosaic Law is repentance. According to the beatitudes, you must be poor in spirit, mourning and meek, the reason being that you lack the righteousness you are hunkering and thirsting for. Those who are repentant and subsequently hungering and thrusting for righteousness will be satisfied and that's not my opinion that the promise of the gospel. The righteous requirements of the Law are fulfilled in Christ, we know the cross satisfied this requirement but if you notice in the OP there is a designated point in time when this happened, when the sinner is justified. There is a word William Tyndal could not translate into English so he invented a word, it was atonement. It literally means at one moments and we know that was at the cross, but when is that applied to my wretched hide? Most Christians can tell you of a moment in time, a time of decision, usually in prayer. They went in convicted of sin, throwing themselves on the mercy of the courts of heaven and God reaches down and accepts them into the beloved.

God's Law does not command all Gentiles to become circumcised and the purpose that God commanded all Jews to become circumcised was not in order to become saved, so if God did not command it, then the Jerusalem Council was therefore upholding God's Law by rejecting that man-made requirement. In other word, the problem wasn't with God's Law, but with circumcision being used for a man-made purpose that God never intended, which was contrary to the purposes of God.

In order to be in the Old Testament covenant you had to be circumcised. It was the sign and seal of the OF covenant but in the New Testament it's the Holy Spirit. The old nature has to be crucified, the death of the old man in order to walk in newness of life. Paul is redundant on this point, Romans 6band Ephesians 2 come to mind. Paul starts this epistle off talking about the blood of Christ and the forgiveness of sins. That should give us a clue.

In Deuteronomy 30:11-14, God said that His Law was not too difficult for His people to obey, so if Acts 15:10 was speaking in regard to God's Law rather than man-made laws, then they would have been in direct disagreement with God and would therefore have been wrong. In 1 John 5:3, it also confirms to love God is to obey His commands, which are not burdensome, so ruling against Gentiles obeying God's commandments would have been that equivalent of saying that Gentiles shouldn't love God.



God is not an unloving Father who gave the Law in order to curse His children, but rather He said that the Law was given for our own good in order to bless us (Deuteronomy 10:12-16). In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, obedience to the Law brings life and a blessing while disobedience brings death and a curse, so being set free from the curse of the Law is being set free from living in disobedience to it so that we can be free to enjoy the blessing of the Law. Everyone in the OT being under a curse does not reflect the reality of what is recorded about those who served God, but only those who refuse to submit to His Law.

The opinion that someone has of the Law matches the opinion that they have of the Lawgiver, so for example, if someone thinks that God's Law is righteous, then it must be because God was righteous for giving it. So if someone has a such a low opinion of the Law that they consider it to be a curse, then they must have an equally low opinion of the Lawgiver. The Psalms contain extremely high praise for God's Law, which certainly matched David's opinion of the Lawgiver, and if you consider to the Psalms to be Scripture and to therefore express a correct view of God's Law, then you should share it instead of holding the polar opposite of the view expressed in Scripture. I believe that this verse is true, do you?:

Psalms 119:1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!



According to Psalms 119:29, David wanted God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His Law. According to Titus 2:11-14, our salvation is described as being trained by grace to do things that perfectly describe what God's Law was given to do. According to Romans 1:5, we have received grace in order to bring about the obedience that faith requires. According to 2 Peter 3:17-18, growing in grace is contrasted with being taken away with the error of Lawless men. According to John 1:16-17, grace was added upon grace, so the grace of Christ was added upon the grace of the Law. According to Jude 1:4, the ungodly pervert God's grace into license for immorality. According to Strong's, "grace" is defined as "the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life" and when God's will is reflected in our lives, it takes the form of obedience to His Law (Psalms 40:8), so grace is the power of God to overcome Lawlessness in our lives and it is by grace that God teaches us to walk in His ways in accordance with His Law.

In Matthew 23:23, Jesus said that faith is one of the weightier matters of the Law, so obedience to God's instructions is about having faith in Him to guide us in how to rightly live. Living by faith is always associated with having a willingness to obey God's instructions, such as with the examples of saving faith listed in Hebrews 11, whereas disobedience to God's instructions is referred to as breaking faith, such as in Numbers 5:6. In James 2:17-18, he said that faith without works is dead and that that he would show his faith by his works, so obedience to God's Law is what faith looks like, which is why Paul said in Romans 2:13 that it is only the doers of the Law who will be justified. However, we are not saved by our obedience to the Law, but rather we have received grace to bring about the obedience that faith requires, so the same grace and faith by which we are saved also requires our obedience, which is why Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-10 that we have been saved by grace through faith, not by works, but rather we have been made creations in Christ for the purpose of doing good works.

A nice exposition, don't see anything I disagree with. Its not a tight rope but it's a narrow path. On one side we have legalism and on the other it's grace being a licence to sin. Somewhere in the middle is the righteousness that is by faith and we do well to avoid either extreame.

 

[mark kennedy]

He is speaking of the new law...of the old law he speaks negatively:

Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
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 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law- Galatians 3:13

the law entangles with the yoke of bondage- Galatians 5:1

if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law - Galatians 5:18

the strength of sin is the law- 1 Corinthians 15:56

the law worketh wrath- Romans 4:15

we are not under the law- Romans 6:15

we are delivered from the law- Romans 7:6

we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter- Romans 7:6


There's much more but we can see what Paul taught regarding the Mosaic law.

The way the story goes Martin Luther had a close call with a bolt of lightning, then for years lived an extreme monastic life style. He fasted till he starved, kicks his covers off at night, did everything to make himself suffer, confessions that went on for hours. In that frame of reference you can never do enough, God broke through with one verse, Galations 3:11, the just shall live by faith. Paul here is quoting Habakuk, the Hebrew word for faith literally means 'firmness', most often translated faithfulness, its often used to speak of God's trustworthiness and the faithfulness of his testimonies, which would include the Law. Clearly, Paul is emphasising justification by faith, but the problem was never the law, it was always our fallen nature. The moral fidelity required to keep the Law is not within ourselves, it is a righteousness that is by faith.

Olboodog and I were discussing what the new nature actually is when I decided to start the thread. Now I can't map the anatomy, complexity, and minute details of the new nature but Jesus described it as a seed. James calls it incorruptible seed and the new nature has a definitive point of origin, a time of decision where the blood of Christ cleanses us from sin and guilt forever. I've fielded two arguments in this thread, two very good and well established arguments about the Law. One emphasised that obedience is required, the other emphasises that the Law is deprecated in the New Testament. Can both be true, are they mutually exclusive, can we have saving faith and resign ourselves to moral infidelity regarding God's holy Law revealed so magnificently to the children of Israel.

This I'm sure of, the new nature is the righteousness of God. That means it must be a fulfillment of the righteous requirements of the Law. We can't keep it because of our fallen nature, but by grace through faith can recieve it.

 

[redleghunter]

This I'm sure of, the new nature is the righteousness of God. That means it must be a fulfillment of the righteous requirements of the Law. We can't keep it because of our fallen nature, but by grace through faith can recieve it.

I am reminded of the promises of the New Covenant in the OT:

Ezekiel 36: NASB
25I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.

 

[Archippus]

Galatians used to be my favourite book on this subject, but I think Romans covers it better. Law as we all understand law was abolished at Calvary. For the law comes in two parts. The law itself that is to be obeyed and the attached penalty for transgression of the law/sin. It truly is an amazing covenant. Christ died to pay the penalty of our sin/transgression of the law, but what is holy, just and good has not, nor will be abolished. The heart of the law(or moral law) is written in the minds and placed on the hearts of believers. Simply put, believers want to live as God desires them to live.

 

[mark kennedy]

I am reminded of the promises of the New Covenant in the OT:

Ezekiel 36: NASB
25I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.

Paul opens the letter talking about how Christ ransomed us and God raised him from the dead. That's critical, the same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us by faith so we can walk in newness of life. Now we do well to avoid the trappings of legalism but we also need to remember we do not abandon the righteousness testified to in the Law, we establish it. We Calvinists emphasis God's Soverign will in salvation and yet never argue againt human will at the time of decision.

My mind God back to when Nicodemus visited Jesus one enening, perhaps shortly after the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus didn't speak of the letter of the Law but by being born again. Nicodemus had never heard such a thing, a leader, a teacher, what we would call a disciple maker. How did he not know? The Law always had to be internalized, there is only one way for that to happen. You hear the gospel, believe and receive the Holy Spirit. We get that but it must have come as quite a shock for Nicodemus. Physically we don't change at conversion, but we enter into a relationship with God through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. The new nature is that relationship, it captures the will and pits itself against the fallen nature we all struggle with.