(Moved) The law. Is it done away with? Is it, really?

[friend of]

It would be helpful if you could give your interpretation of those verses.

I don't have time

 

[DamianWarS]

Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5:

17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

In verse 18, He says that not until heaven and earth pass, shall the law have to be removed. Heaven and earth are still here, so not only does this mean that the law is still meant to be obeyed. In verse 19, He says that whoever shall refrain from the law, and teach others to do the same will be called the least in the kingdom, but whoever keeps the law, and teaches others to do the same, will be called great. Then in verse 20:

20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

This is saying that, the righteousness of the Pharisees, was by the letter, and not of faith. So, in order to have more righteousness than a Pharisee, one must only believe, and trust in God. But, we are to still keep the laws as the Pharisees said to, as stated by Jesus here: Matthew 23:1-3 - 1Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

He is saying that the Pharisees teach the law of Moses, and that His disciples are to obey and to keep that law. To listen to them, because they preach the law of Moses, but only not to do as they do, because they place their faith in justification in themselves, and in man, not in God.

The law was never done away with, because it's displaying the Character of God. God cannot change. What is sin against Him yesterday, is sin against Him today and forever. Satan has infiltrated us, and caused us to view the law as sinful, which it is not. Jesus literally tells us that it isn't to pass until after judgement. We are to keep the law, but out of faith. I don't mean, out of faith the way the world says out of faith, I mean, that by having faith that God will justify you when you fail at it. Because you will. This knowing of your impossibility to keep the law shouldn't deter you from desiring to keep it. Romans 7 is a testament to that. The whole chapter is about him struggling to keep the laws of God, because his flesh and spirit are constantly warring one against the other. As we do today.

The doctrinal teaching of all grace and no law, isn't biblical. Abraham was justified by faith, but still kept the law. Genesis 26:5

Noah knew about clean and unclean animals Genesis 7:2
He even sacrificed a burnt offering on an altar, and only used clean animals to offer up: Genesis 8:20

Abraham also sacrificed a clean animal for a burnt offering to God, Genesis 22:13. It's not the law of Moses, it's the law of God, and it is never changing, because God is never changing. Abraham, although he was justified by faith, still kept the law of God. Genesis 26:5

The law was in fact a shadow, but only because through it, a lot of men thought that they were justified, when in fact, God is the only one who can justify. All of the bible is written about Israel. Israel, are God's children. They are those that have faith in God to justify, and be merciful, while they keep and uphold His laws. That is quite literally, every single great man ever written about in the bible. They struggled to keep the laws, while being strengthened by a sound faith in God. Moses was subject to the law, but saw and talked with God because of faith. David was to keep the law, but was justified by faith. Abraham was to keep it, but was justified by faith, Noah was to keep it, but was justified by faith. The prophets were to keep it, but were justified by faith. Jesus, was to keep it, and did. He was justified by the law, because He is the law. He is the word made flesh.

People try to say that people after Moses were the only ones to have known the law, but this biblically speaking, isn't so. It can be shown, over and over again throughout the pre-exodus scriptures. Even when Lot was visited by the Angels of the Lord. What type of bread did he offer up to Them? Genesis 19:3 - Unleavened bread. How would he have known to offer up to this being, unleavened bread if it weren't for the law? How about how just a chapter previously, where Abraham gave the Angel of the Lord a grain offering Genesis 18:6? These things were written about first with Moses, but they didn't originate there. The offerings, were done away with in Jesus, but not the laws themselves. The keeping of the 7th day Sabbath, the keeping of the Feast days, they are to remain until the end of time.

Besides, the feast days should be something we should want to celebrate. They all point to Jesus. All of them. Jesus has already fulfilled the first 4, and the last three He will come to fulfill as well. The very next one He has to fulfill is the feast of Trumpets. He will come during that time. No one knows exactly the day or the hour, but we know the season. It will happen in the fall, but because of Satan's influence, we don't know the exact day, or hour, only the season. Revelations says that Jesus will come when the last trumpet sounds, and the feast of trumpets, is one of the 3 feast days He hasn't yet fulfilled. The last two deal with separation of good and bad seed, and the reunion of God with His children. Both things, that Jesus will fulfill after He returns. Instead, we follow man-made tradition, and celebrate the evolution of the feast of Saturnalia (Christmas) Although, I'll save you from reading about this, as I'll make another thread about the pagan origins of modern-day holidays we observe today. This thread is long enough haha. God bless, brothers and sisters. May the work and deception of Satan not deceive you from keeping, speaking, and living in truth.

the better question would be "Is the law fulfilled?" then the follow up "What is the product of a fulfilled law?"

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

No, Acts ch15 is about one thing only. Which Jewish laws gentile converts should be asked to observe.
I'm positive the Jerusalem Church would not have come up with an answer which would mean gentiles would be considered least in the kingdom of heaven

For many years after Pentecost it was widely believed that Christian conversion could only come through Judaism. So in the early days, Gentiles were expected to embrace Judaism as a prerequisite. Paul's revelation concerning the Gentiles not having to become Jews first in order to be truly converted brought a division between Jewish and Gentile believers right up to the destruction of the Temple in AD70. It was only after that the Church became one in Christ, and Judaism, centred around the Jewish synagogue, became separate from Christianity. The separation between Judaism and Christianity became even wider as the Church became more formalised and finally evolved into the Church of Rome after AD500.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

I don't think being justified necessarily has the implication that had had done something wrong. To justify is to show to be just or right or to declared to be guiltless, so I think it works.

I thought that was what you meant. I tried looking up the definition to be sure, but there were a few different definitions and it could have gone either way. That's why I asked.

 

[stuart lawrence]

I thought that was what you meant. I tried looking up the definition to be sure, but there were a few different definitions and it could have gone either way. That's why I asked.

If you are justified you are righteous, it means the same thing

 

[Janet777]

Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5:

17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

In verse 18, He says that not until heaven and earth pass, shall the law have to be removed. Heaven and earth are still here, so not only does this mean that the law is still meant to be obeyed. In verse 19, He says that whoever shall refrain from the law, and teach others to do the same will be called the least in the kingdom, but whoever keeps the law, and teaches others to do the same, will be called great. Then in verse 20:

20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

This is saying that, the righteousness of the Pharisees, was by the letter, and not of faith. So, in order to have more righteousness than a Pharisee, one must only believe, and trust in God. But, we are to still keep the laws as the Pharisees said to, as stated by Jesus here: Matthew 23:1-3 - 1Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

He is saying that the Pharisees teach the law of Moses, and that His disciples are to obey and to keep that law. To listen to them, because they preach the law of Moses, but only not to do as they do, because they place their faith in justification in themselves, and in man, not in God.

The law was never done away with, because it's displaying the Character of God. God cannot change. What is sin against Him yesterday, is sin against Him today and forever. Satan has infiltrated us, and caused us to view the law as sinful, which it is not. Jesus literally tells us that it isn't to pass until after judgement. We are to keep the law, but out of faith. I don't mean, out of faith the way the world says out of faith, I mean, that by having faith that God will justify you when you fail at it. Because you will. This knowing of your impossibility to keep the law shouldn't deter you from desiring to keep it. Romans 7 is a testament to that. The whole chapter is about him struggling to keep the laws of God, because his flesh and spirit are constantly warring one against the other. As we do today.

The doctrinal teaching of all grace and no law, isn't biblical. Abraham was justified by faith, but still kept the law. Genesis 26:5

Noah knew about clean and unclean animals Genesis 7:2
He even sacrificed a burnt offering on an altar, and only used clean animals to offer up: Genesis 8:20

Abraham also sacrificed a clean animal for a burnt offering to God, Genesis 22:13. It's not the law of Moses, it's the law of God, and it is never changing, because God is never changing. Abraham, although he was justified by faith, still kept the law of God. Genesis 26:5

The law was in fact a shadow, but only because through it, a lot of men thought that they were justified, when in fact, God is the only one who can justify. All of the bible is written about Israel. Israel, are God's children. They are those that have faith in God to justify, and be merciful, while they keep and uphold His laws. That is quite literally, every single great man ever written about in the bible. They struggled to keep the laws, while being strengthened by a sound faith in God. Moses was subject to the law, but saw and talked with God because of faith. David was to keep the law, but was justified by faith. Abraham was to keep it, but was justified by faith, Noah was to keep it, but was justified by faith. The prophets were to keep it, but were justified by faith. Jesus, was to keep it, and did. He was justified by the law, because He is the law. He is the word made flesh.

People try to say that people after Moses were the only ones to have known the law, but this biblically speaking, isn't so. It can be shown, over and over again throughout the pre-exodus scriptures. Even when Lot was visited by the Angels of the Lord. What type of bread did he offer up to Them? Genesis 19:3 - Unleavened bread. How would he have known to offer up to this being, unleavened bread if it weren't for the law? How about how just a chapter previously, where Abraham gave the Angel of the Lord a grain offering Genesis 18:6? These things were written about first with Moses, but they didn't originate there. The offerings, were done away with in Jesus, but not the laws themselves. The keeping of the 7th day Sabbath, the keeping of the Feast days, they are to remain until the end of time.

Besides, the feast days should be something we should want to celebrate. They all point to Jesus. All of them. Jesus has already fulfilled the first 4, and the last three He will come to fulfill as well. The very next one He has to fulfill is the feast of Trumpets. He will come during that time. No one knows exactly the day or the hour, but we know the season. It will happen in the fall, but because of Satan's influence, we don't know the exact day, or hour, only the season. Revelations says that Jesus will come when the last trumpet sounds, and the feast of trumpets, is one of the 3 feast days He hasn't yet fulfilled. The last two deal with separation of good and bad seed, and the reunion of God with His children. Both things, that Jesus will fulfill after He returns. Instead, we follow man-made tradition, and celebrate the evolution of the feast of Saturnalia (Christmas) Although, I'll save you from reading about this, as I'll make another thread about the pagan origins of modern-day holidays we observe today. This thread is long enough haha. God bless, brothers and sisters. May the work and deception of Satan not deceive you from keeping, speaking, and living in truth.

Only the law of Ordinance was nailed to the tree the Ten Commandments were not for God Himself wrote them with His own finger both times ; Moses was not permitted by God to write them and the Ten Commandments along with the Staff of Aaron and a certain amount of Manna was placed in the Ark. We know God did not changed His mind about the First Commandment nor any of the other nine if they were we would not read "Children obey your parents written in the New Testament" See Ephesians 2:15

 

[A_Thinker]

The way you described it as a list of rules that we can't keep does not fit with its goal of teaching us how to have an intimate relationship with Christ.

The Law does not teach us how to have an intimate relationship with God. The Law teaches us, as Paul taught, that we are incapable of meeting God's perfect standard for relationship with Him, aside from His redemptive work in us.

Paul was clear ... we cannot be SAVED (i.e., brought into intimate relationship with God) through any WORKS, ... but, rather, we must rely upon God's mercy, grace and forgiveness of our sin. Same as with Hosea and Gomer in the OT.

The lesson of the OT is summed up in the song of the Vinyard in Isaiah 5 ...

1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved
A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:
My Well-beloved has a vineyard
On a very fruitful hill.

2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also made a winepress in it;
So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.

Even with the BEST of external blessings ... and the gift of the Law, the Israelites were UNABLE to remain faithful to God.

If the OT hadn't demonstrated the Law was powerless to SAVE (as Paul taught), ... there would have been no need for a REDEEMER.

 

[Janet777]

As one who is in the Lord Jesus I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean then for him it is unclean
Rom14:14

Do not destroy the work if God for the sake of food. ALL food is clean but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes another to stumble
Verse20

God was referring to to gentiles when talking to Peter for Jews considered gentiles to be unclean . read again .
Now about food it was referring to a day('s) they were by law of "ordinance ' to eat certain meats on certain day like Fish and not some other meat.
But the clean and dirty foods remain .. would you eat a Buzzard ? Fish without scales and fins are like unto a Buzzard they are scavengers.. Sea life without scales and fins feed from the Ocean floor and eating such sea life can and does cause Parasites and only Cattle, Sheep and Deer have split hooves and chews crud .

 

[stuart lawrence]

God was referring to to gentiles when talking to Peter for Jews considered gentiles to be unclean . read again .
Now about food it was referring to a day('s) they were by law of "ordinance ' to eat certain meats on certain day like Fish and not some other meat.
But the clean and dirty foods remain .. would you eat a Buzzard ? Fish without scales and fins are like unto a Buzzard they are scavengers.. Sea life without scales and fins feed from the Ocean floor and eating such sea life can and does cause Parasites and only Cattle, Sheep and Deer have split hooves and chews crud .

I'm afraid not. Paul plainly states twice in rom ch14:
ALL food is clean.
Of course, you can reject what he plainly wrote, I wont

 

[Janet777]

The Law does not teach us how to have an intimate relationship with God. The Law teaches us, as Paul taught, that we are incapable of meeting God's perfect standard for relationship with Him, aside from His work in us.

Paul was clear ... we cannot be SAVED (i.e., brought into intimate relationship with God) through any WORKS, ... but, rather, we must rely upon God's mercy, grace and forgiveness of our sin. Same as with Hosea and Gomer in the OT.

The lesson of the OT is summed up in the song of the Vinyard in Isaiah 5 ...

1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved
A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:
My Well-beloved has a vineyard
On a very fruitful hill.

2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also made a winepress in it;
So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.

Even with the BEST of external blessings ... and the gift of the Law, the Israelites were UNABLE to remain faithful to God.

If the OT hadn't demonstrated the Law was powerless to SAVE (as Paul taught), ... there would have been no need for a REDEEMER.

Yes it does teach us to have and how to have an "Spiritual ' Intimate with Christ Yeshua ,its when we are born again of His Spirit.
God communes with our spirit not our flesh.God commands when we pray to pray in spirit and reason is "God communes with our spirit not our flesh " Our flesh cannot go before the Throne of Grace only our spirit conscience can for our physical (fleshly ) conscience cannot.
Christ Yeshua redeemed not our flesh if it was so we would never get sick or die even the Old Testament Saints could not enter their Sabbath rest though they lived their life according to the ways of God they could not on their own merits enter their Sabbath rest not until Christ's Calvary could they and those OT Saints were seen walking about by many after the Earth quake and graves opened . All are born in sin ;What is born of the flesh is flesh (sin) What is born of the Spirit is spirit and the spirit and the flesh wars one against the other " When we yield to the flesh we fail ,but to the Spirit within we sail" We're born against of the Holy Spirit of God ,we were given a new spirit and God communes with our spirit not our flesh and we pray we pray in spirit and commune with God and He with us .Yes we do have an intimate relationship with God .Remember Yeshua promised "I will never leave nor forsake you "

 

[Soyeong]

Only the law of Ordinance was nailed to the tree the Ten Commandments were not for God Himself wrote them with His own finger both times ; Moses was not permitted by God to write them and the Ten Commandments along with the Staff of Aaron and a certain amount of Manna was placed in the Ark. We know God did not changed His mind about the First Commandment nor any of the other nine if they were we would not read "Children obey your parents written in the New Testament" See Ephesians 2:15

Crosses were never used as a means of disposing of laws and they never had to legislate new laws to replace old ones every time someone was crucified. Rather, what was written on crosses were the charges against the person being crucified or the violations of the law in order to let everyone know why they were being executed (Matthew 27:37). This fits perfectly with the our violations of God's Law or the charges against us being nailed to Christ's cross and with him dying in our place to pay the penalty for our sins, but does not at fit at all with God doing away with away with his righteous standard. Likewise, it wouldn't make any sense to say in Ephesians 2:10 that we are new creations in Christ for the purpose of doing good works and then say a few verses later that Christ did away with his instructions for how to equip us for doing every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17), but rather Ephesians 2:15 refers to man-made laws that were causing divisions between Jews and Gentiles, such as mentioned in Acts 10:28.

 

[GingerBeer]

The law. Is it done away with? Is it, really?
Yes

 

[Janet777]

I'm afraid not. Paul plainly states twice in rom ch14:
ALL food is clean.
Of course, you can reject what he plainly wrote, I wont

I'm not rejecting what he wrote its what you read it to mean I reject . They were no longer under the law of ordinance as to what days to eat what meat ..but if someone still believed they were to only eat Fish on Friday and they saw someone eating beef they would stumble although they were no longer under the law of ordinance . They could eat fish every day or beef or lamb every day, but not do it if they knew it would cause someone to stumble.

 

[stuart lawrence]

I'm not rejecting what he wrote its what you read it to mean I reject . They were no longer under the law of ordinance as to what days to eat what meat ..but if someone still believed they were to only eat Fish on Friday and they saw someone eating beef they would stumble although they were no longer under the law of ordinance . They could eat fish every day or beef or lamb every day, but not do it if they knew it would cause someone to stumble.

Except that isn't what the verses state is it

 

[Lily of Valleys]

We are only not under the law PROVIDED THAT we are led by the Spirit. So instead of obeying the Laws, we obey the Holy Spirit:

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh (Galatians 5:13)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-25)

Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. (1 Peter 2:16)

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. (Ezekiel 36:27)

And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. But as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord God. (Ezekiel 11:19-21)

 

[Soyeong]

The Law does not teach us how to have an intimate relationship with God. The Law teaches us, as Paul taught, that we are incapable of meeting God's perfect standard for relationship with Him, aside from His redemptive work in us.

Paul was clear ... we cannot be SAVED (i.e., brought into intimate relationship with God) through any WORKS, ... but, rather, we must rely upon God's mercy, grace and forgiveness of our sin. Same as with Hosea and Gomer in the OT.

The lesson of the OT is summed up in the song of the Vinyard in Isaiah 5 ...

1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved
A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:
My Well-beloved has a vineyard
On a very fruitful hill.

2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also made a winepress in it;
So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.

Even with the BEST of external blessings ... and the gift of the Law, the Israelites were UNABLE to remain faithful to God.

If the OT hadn't demonstrated the Law was powerless to SAVE (as Paul taught), ... there would have been no need for a REDEEMER.

In John 14:23-24, Jesus said that if we love him, then we will obey his teaching, and his teaching is not his own, but that of the Father, so obedience to God has always been about showing our love for Him. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus said that faith is one of the weightier matters of the Law and obedience to it is straightforwardly about depending on God to guide us in how to rightly live. An intimate relationship with God is based on love and faith, so by acting out of love and faith in obedience to God's instructions we are growing in an intimate relationship with Him. However, I completely agree that we are not saved by any works. For example, the Law instructs us that helping the poor is a way to do what is righteous in accordance with God's righteousness, but no amount of helping the poor will ever cause someone who is not righteous to become righteous because the one and only way that there has ever been to become righteous is by faith, and by the same faith we are therefore required to do what is righteous. The Law was not God's instructions for how to become righteous, but rather it is His instructions for what to do because we have been declared righteous. As James 2:17 says, faith without works is dead.

Israel's good kings tended to live for much longer than the evil kings did, so if you add up the years, they were under a good king for roughly 80% of the time, which is far from perfect, but the majority of Israelites were perfectly capable of remaining faithful to God. The Law is powerless to save primarily because it was never given for that purpose in the first place.

 

[stuart lawrence]

We are only not under the law PROVIDED THAT we are led by the Spirit. So instead of obeying the Laws, we obey the Holy Spirit:

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh (Galatians 5:13)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-25)

Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. (1 Peter 2:16)

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. (Ezekiel 36:27)

And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. But as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord God. (Ezekiel 11:19-21)

This is the covenant I will make with them after that time says the Lord
I will write my laws in their minds
And place them in their hearts
Then he adds
Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more
Heb10:16&17

As the law is within you, discussions about which laws believers should follow, should be futile shouldn't they

 

[Soyeong]

We are only not under the law PROVIDED THAT we are led by the Spirit. So instead of obeying the Laws, we obey the Holy Spirit:

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh (Galatians 5:13)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-25)

Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. (1 Peter 2:16)

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. (Ezekiel 36:27)

And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. But as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord God. (Ezekiel 11:19-21)

Everything listed as works of the flesh that are against the Spirit are also against the Law, while everything listed as fruits of the Spirit are in accordance with the Law, which should make sense because the Spirit is God, the Law was give by God, and as Ezekiel 36:26-27 says the Spirit has the role of leading us in obedience to the Law. So it doesn't make much sense to interpret Galatians 5:18 as referring to us not being under God's Law while we are being lead by the Spirit to obey it, but rather Paul spoke elsewhere about a law of sin that stirred up sinful passions to bear fruit unto death, and it is this law that we are not under when we are led by the Spirit.

 

[Soyeong]

the better question would be "Is the law fulfilled?" then the follow up "What is the product of a fulfilled law?"

Pleroo:

1. to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment

In Matthew 5:17, Jesus said he came to fulfill the Law and then proceeded to fulfill is six times throughout the rest of the chapter by causing God's will (as made known in the Law) to be obeyed as it should be. In Galatians 5:14, it says that loving your neighbor fulfills the entire law, so everyone since Moses who has loved their neighbor has fulfilled the entire law, meaning that it does not refer to something unique that Jesus did. Likewise, Galatians 6:2 says that bearing one another's burdens fulfills the Law of Christ, which does not refer to doing away with it, but to obeying it as it should be. In Romans 15:18-19, it says that Paul fulfilled the Law, which again does not refer to doing away with it, but to causing the Gentiles to come to full obedience to it by word and by deed as it should be. So do answer you questions, the Law has been fulfilled by countless people that the product of a fulfilled law is obedience to it as it should be.

 

[Soyeong]

For many years after Pentecost it was widely believed that Christian conversion could only come through Judaism. So in the early days, Gentiles were expected to embrace Judaism as a prerequisite. Paul's revelation concerning the Gentiles not having to become Jews first in order to be truly converted brought a division between Jewish and Gentile believers right up to the destruction of the Temple in AD70. It was only after that the Church became one in Christ, and Judaism, centred around the Jewish synagogue, became separate from Christianity. The separation between Judaism and Christianity became even wider as the Church became more formalised and finally evolved into the Church of Rome after AD500.

It is rather interesting how the concern of the church in the 1st century was whether Gentiles had to become Jews in order to become followers of the Messiah of Judaism, but not the position has become reversed where many think that Jews need to stop being Jews in order to become followers of the Messiah of Judaism. However, Jesus did not come to start his own religion following a different God, but as the Messiah of Judaism, his followers would necessarily need to become part of Judaism, and Christianity was originally considered to be a sect of Judaism. So the concern of the church of the 1st century wasn't whether Gentiles had to convert to Judaism in order to follow the Messiah of Judaism, but whether Gentiles had to become Jews in order to convert to Judaism. By becoming a Jew, Gentiles were agreeing to become circumcised and were joining the group of people who agreed at Sinai to do everything Moses said (Exodus 20:19, Deuteronomy 5:22-33), so they were agreeing to live as Jews according to all of their oral laws, traditions, rulings, and fences passed down from Moses, which Jesus referred to as placing a heavy burden on the people (Matthew 23:2-4), and doing this all in order to become saved, and this is what the Jerusalem Council rejected. It is rather tragic how Christianity today as become separated from the Judaic roots of its faith and of our Messiah.