The Law

I dont think Jesus raised the stake at all.

De 11:13* And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

He just sort of showed them how imposs it is for man to fulfill the Law by reminding them that it is of the heart and mind too, not just outward form.

anyway, the Law was the schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. The Law when understd and full appreciated, drives man to his knees when he realises his hopelessness and need for a saviour.

It was to put nails in the coffin of any attempt to achieve righteousness by the law. It was to force everyone to see how lost they were and how badly they needed to be born again.

"...be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect"

That is the end of righteousness by the law... and the beginning of salvation by faith and grace alone.

 

I agree with the idea that Jesus spoke these words to show man his true perdicament and the futility of trying to follow the Law.

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Amen. The whole point was to achieve the chief end of the law, that was to show man his fallen nature and bring him to the cross and call on the name of the Lord Jesus.

 

Rom 3:19-21

 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Originally posted by TheBear
When I purposefully put in quotes, 'raise the stakes', I am refering to Christ saying things like, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)

See? The added qualifiers and standards were not in the Mosaic Law. There are a few more examples of this.

I agree with the idea that Jesus spoke these words to show man his true perdicament and the futility of trying to follow the Law.

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." (Gal 3:10)


John

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Hi TheBear,

Did Abraham live under the Law?

The Bible shows us that he lived by faith.

Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Galatians 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.



Yet still the Bible tells us that Abraham kept Jesus' commandments.

Genesis 26:4,5 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments , my statutes, and my laws.

Paul believed in keeping the commandments through faith, through the Holy Spirit. Not through his own efforts.

1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Galatians 5:18-23 _But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Notice how living in the flesh breaks the Commandments of Jesus, but living in the Spirit keeps the Commandments.

The Bible evidently teaches us that it is impossible to be saved through works; however, true faith bears fruit (the fruit of the Holy Spirit).


James 2:14 _What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Abraham kept the Lord's commandments because he was saved. Because Jesus' love (Holy Spirit) was in him and he loved Jesus .

Thanks,
TheTruthSeeker

Originally posted by TheBear
What was the purpose of Jesus 'raising the steaks', and making the Law more difficult to adhear to?

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We are under a new covenant. A new and living way. Because we live under grace, then we have the spirit of grace and truth in us. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law in us. But to answer your quetion, we are given more, and so more is expected of us. To whom much is given, much is expected.

Originally posted by JohnR7
We are under a new covenant. A new and living way. Because we live under grace, then we have the spirit of grace and truth in us. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law in us. But to answer your quetion, we are given more, and so more is expected of us. To whom much is given, much is expected.

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I've heard a lot of honest Christians referring to the New Covenant when asked about the Commandments.

I think that the clear definition of the 2 Covenants will unravel things for a lot of people.

Do you know what the purpose of the Old and New Covenants was and is (respectively)?

Originally posted by thetruthseeker
  I think that the clear definition of the 2 Covenants will unravel things for a lot of people.

Do you know what the purpose of the Old and New Covenants was and is (respectively)?

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I am still studying covenant theology. There were lots of covenants in the Old Testament. God had a covenant with Abraham, He established a covenant with Noah. Even He had a covenant with a lot of individuals in the Bible.

The one we refer to as the law, that was given to Moses is actually two covenants. One that was established at the foot of the mountain, and that is between God and man. The other covenant was given right before they entered the promised land, and that deals with the relationship between people.

That is why I feel the atonement is twofold. Jesus died not only to restore us to a right relationship with the Father, but also so our relationship with each other can be restored. Jesus also confirmed that there were two commandments, one deals with God, the other deals with our neighbor.

The law was a shadow and a type of things to come. On the passover if they ate the lamb and put the blood on the doorpost the death angel passed them over. Only they were given physical life. When we put the Blood of Jesus on the doorpost of our heart, and we eat his flesh then we are given eternal life.

The difference is the Spirit of Grace. Under the law it was a eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Now as we forgive we are forgiven, as we give so it is givein onto us. As we have faith and believe so we receive. That is why the 2000 year church age is know as the dispensation of Grace.

Originally posted by TheBear
What was the purpose of Jesus 'raising the stakes', and making the Law more difficult to adhear to?

I would love to hear everyone's views on this.

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Jesus is telling us that doing the right thing is not good enough if we are rotten on the inside. Righteousness is something that you are, not a series of actions.

Also, by demanding perfection out of those justified by the Law, He shows us that it is impossible to be justified by the Law.

Originally posted by JohnR7
I am still studying covenant theology. There were lots of covenants in the Old Testament. God had a covenant with Abraham, He established a covenant with Noah. Even He had a covenant with a lot of individuals in the Bible.

The one we refer to as the law, that was given to Moses is actually two covenants. One that was established at the foot of the mountain, and that is between God and man. The other covenant was given right before they entered the promised land, and that deals with the relationship between people.

That is why I feel the atonement is twofold. Jesus died not only to restore us to a right relationship with the Father, but also so our relationship with each other can be restored. Jesus also confirmed that there were two commandments, one deals with God, the other deals with our neighbor.

The law was a shadow and a type of things to come. On the passover if they ate the lamb and put the blood on the doorpost the death angel passed them over. Only they were given physical life. When we put the Blood of Jesus on the doorpost of our heart, and we eat his flesh then we are given eternal life.

The difference is the Spirit of Grace. Under the law it was a eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Now as we forgive we are forgiven, as we give so it is givein onto us. As we have faith and believe so we receive. That is why the 2000 year church age is know as the dispensation of Grace.

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Hi JohnR7,

Please see the link below for the definition of the Old and New Covenant.

http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=368826#post368826

Thanks, JohnR7.
TheTruthSeeker