What did Christ say about the Law?

[reddogs]

Now the law is based on God's holy nature and as such scripture states are holy, just, and unchanging, and we see this in the Ten Commandments. But then you also have the ceremonial law which focused the people’s attention on God and gave the people signs that point to the coming Messiah, such as the Passover, and the sacrifices of the unblemished lamb by the priests. One was written with Gods own finger, and the other was from Moses.

Matthew 5:17-19 King James Version (KJV)
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For 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.
19 Whosoever 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.

We see here that Jesus stated "Think not that I am come to destroy the law..but to fulfill", what did He mean? Now, since Jesus knew what laws His death would fulfill, would He be saying this about the Ten Commandments if He were going to fulfill them? So what was He fulfilling, it seems clear it was what pointed to Him, Moses’ ceremonial law which is evident if we see what Jesus said when asked.

Mark 12:28-31 King James Version (KJV)
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Matthew 22:37-40 King James Version (KJV)
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.

The Ten Commandments are arranged in two groups, the first group (from 1-4) deal with our relationship to God, the second group (from 5-10) deal with our relationship to one another. When we read Matthew 22:37-40, it is obvious that it is the Ten Commandments Jesus is talking about. So did Jesus want to do away with the Ten Commandments or did He came to fulfill that which pointed to Him as the Lamb of God, the ceremonial law of Moses.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Now the law is based on God's holy nature and as such scripture states are holy, just, and unchanging, and we see this in the Ten Commandments. But then you also have the ceremonial law which focused the people’s attention on God and gave the people signs that point to the coming Messiah, such as the Passover, and the sacrifices of the unblemished lamb by the priests. One was written with Gods own finger, and the other was from Moses.

Matthew 5:17-19 King James Version (KJV)
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For 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.
19 Whosoever 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.

We see here that Jesus stated "Think not that I am come to destroy the law..but to fulfill", what did He mean? Now, since Jesus knew what laws His death would fulfill, would He be saying this about the Ten Commandments if He were going to fulfill them? So what was He fulfilling, it seems clear it was what pointed to Him, Moses’ ceremonial law which is evident if we see what Jesus said when asked.

Mark 12:28-31 King James Version (KJV)
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Matthew 22:37-40 King James Version (KJV)
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.

The Ten Commandments are arranged in two groups, the first group (from 1-4) deal with our relationship to God, the second group (from 5-10) deal with our relationship to one another. When we read Matthew 22:37-40, it is obvious that it is the Ten Commandments Jesus is talking about. So did Jesus want to do away with the Ten Commandments or did He came to fulfill that which pointed to Him as the Lamb of God, the ceremonial law of Moses.

The Ten Commandments are there to show us the holy character of God, and He has said, "Be holy, as I am holy". Therefore, God's requirement is that we live up to the standard of His holiness, which is a perfect observance of the Ten Commands without a single fault from the age of accountability to death. That is without dispute. One single fault in the observance of the Commandments brings down the wrath of God upon the person. This is because if a person sins one single sin no matter how small it is, he is in disobedience to the whole set of Commandments. That is also a settled fact.

But there is a problem.
"For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." (Galatians 3:10). What this means that we are expected to keep the Law in its entirety, otherwise we are under a curse.

Not one person has been able to ever keep any of the Commandments since the age of accountability. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23); and, "None is righteous, no, not one!" (Romans 3:10).

So, what can we do about that?

 

[Jonaitis]

Does SDA believe that everything except the sacrificial system still applies to the believer today?

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I read something interesting about the Law last night. It shows the difference between following the Law as an obligation and following it as a genuinely converted believer.

The Mosaic Law, including the Ten Commandments, was instituted to show God's standards of holiness, and to show how far mankind had fallen from those standards. In essence, the Law was to show how sinful mankind is, and the absolutely hopelessness of his position.

If the Law is to be followed as a legal set of laws, then there is an obligation to comply with them absolutely without fault. Once single fault brings condemnation and punishment. This is the same as the law of the land. A person can be totally law-abiding, but then decides to take a gun and rob a convenience store. He is then convicted and punished under the law for just that one crime, regardless of the perfect life he lived before. Even if he never breaks the law again, he is still a convicted criminal with a criminal record for the rest of his life.

This is the same wish compliance to the Law by commandment and obligation. For those who follow the Law in this way, the obligation starts when the person reaches the age where he or she knows accountability. From there on, total compliance without one single fault is necessary to be justified before God. One single, even minor sin, cancels the justification and brings down the wrath and punishment of God on the person.

Therefore, following the Law in that respect is for selfish motives - fear of punishment, hope of acceptance by God, wanting to keep out of hell and to get into heaven. Has anyone ever been able to love God with all his heart, mind and soul every moment of his life? No. This means that every single person living is under condemnation and punishment according to the Law.

So, the only way to be justified before God is to receive a free pardon from God, and that is only through faith in Christ. There is no other way. Jesus kept the Law perfectly, and He took our punishment for us, enabling God to give a free pardon, or a "get out of jail free card" to everyone who gives their heart to Christ as Saviour.

But it doesn't end there. Now, having received Christ as Saviour, and has received the free pardon from God, the punishment for failure to comply with the Law is taken away. But this does not mean that the converted Christian doesn't follow the Ten Commandments. He does, but with totally different motives. Because the punishment has been removed, there is no longer any fear of condemnation; and because God has already accepted him through Christ, he does not have to do anything to be justified or accepted into God's family, because he is already there.

He follows the law out of a great love for God and the desire to live a holy life pleasing to Him. Whereas the legal compliance to the law brought condemnation and punishment for failure, the justified believer confesses and repents of any failure and is forgiven and cleansed.

 

[Dave-W]

But there is a problem.
"For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written:

There is a big difference between obeying the Law, and relying on the works of the Law.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

There is a big difference between obeying the Law, and relying on the works of the Law.

Absolutely! Paul is talking about the relation of the Law to justification. James is talking about the relation of the Law to the way we live our Christian life.

Following the Law to keep out of hell, to get into heaven, ease the conscience, or to improve one's self spiritually, is from selfish motives and has no value to God at all. Such people follow the Law out of obligation for fear of the consequences. They feel compelled to follow it in order to please, and be accepted of God. It is sad that many church-goers do this and think they are good Christian believers.

The fact is, that justification (or God declaring us "not guilty") comes as a free pardon from God through our faith and trust in Christ alone. There is nothing we can do to receive it. It comes as a free gift. Also, our sanctification is also based on faith in Christ alone, which enables the Holy Spirit to work it in us. Therefore as Christian believers, we do not follow the Law in order to improve our spiritual state or to grow in grace, as many believers think we must do to be sanctified.

But we do follow God's Law (I mean God's moral law) voluntarily. There is no fear of guilt or punishment from God because that has been taken away. We follow it because we value God's honour and the Name of Christ. But if we do fall into temptation, God chastises us as sons so that we are led back on to the straight and narrow. I believe that the chastisement involves natural consequences rather than any sense of condemnation or guilt from God. He chastises and disciplines us in the same way we our children. We don't reject our child because he steals a cookie from the cookie jar. We ground him for a while. He is still part of the family. It is the same with God.

 

[reddogs]

There is a big difference between obeying the Law, and relying on the works of the Law.

Very well stated, we obey by faith and its Christ righteousness we put on, not our own.

Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Romans 13:12-14

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.