Is the Law still for today? Part 2
Paul reveals to us that the law produces sin, it doesn’t forgive sin. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in bondage to the letter.
What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.
Paul tells us that he had a problem with the sin of coveting, one of the Big 10 of the Law "Thou shalt not covet". So even the Ten Commandments stir up “coveting of every kind” (Rom. 7-8). If we use the Big 10 to live godly lives, would we not experience the same results as Paul did? Paul's conclusion is that “apart from the Law sin is dead” (Rom. 7:8).
Therefore, if believers seek victory over sin and use the Law as the measure of the victory we can expect to sin, be condemned, have guilt and end up in frustration and confusion. The Law cannot save us (Heb. 7:18), nor is there any use it as a guide to maintain our relationship with God and people in our daily living. For believers the Law is obsolete (Heb. 8:13).
Does that mean that the Law is good for nothing? Not according to Jesus in Matt, chapter 5: 17-18, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Therefore, what is the purpose of the Law? The Law has purpose post-cross, but I believe its purpose is misunderstood by the promoters of the grace gospel plus the law gospel as the gospel of Christ.
1 Tim. 7:9 states; desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for murderers.
This verses assures us that the law isn't for believers therefore, it applies to nonbelievers as Gal. 3:23-25 informs us...But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.
The law shows our sins as unbelievers and how futile it is for us to try not to commit sin by trying to live by the law. Once we receive the revelation of Jesus Christ and enter into a relationship with God our Father through Jesus, we have no further relationship with the Law as the exposure of our sinning or any requirement to try to live our relational journey with God by the Big Ten. So the Law will never be without validity for pointing out sin in unbelievers until heaven and earth are passed away and there is NO MORE SIN for the law to point out. But once we as unbelievers move into our new life in Christ, our relationship with the law is finished...over and done with. We are now living in the new way, the way of the Spirit.
Thank God we are;
Free from the Law (Rom. 6:7).
Dead to the Law (Rom. 7:4; Gal. 2:19).
Not under the Law (Rom. 6”:14).
Not tutored by the Law (Gal. 3:25).
We are to now live by the Spirit and in the freedom of the Spirit (Rom. 7; Gal 5:13).
The law is “holy and good” so much so that nobody can live up to it. It is designed to show our inability to be the victor over sin in and of ourselves.
Thank God that “Christ is the end of the Law”, for me (Rom. 10:4) and the beginning of freedom "He who the Son sets free is free indeed, (John 8:36)...is He the end of the Law for you, if not, you are not living in His freedom?
What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.
Paul tells us that he had a problem with the sin of coveting, one of the Big 10 of the Law "Thou shalt not covet". So even the Ten Commandments stir up “coveting of every kind” (Rom. 7-8). If we use the Big 10 to live godly lives, would we not experience the same results as Paul did? Paul's conclusion is that “apart from the Law sin is dead” (Rom. 7:8).
Therefore, if believers seek victory over sin and use the Law as the measure of the victory we can expect to sin, be condemned, have guilt and end up in frustration and confusion. The Law cannot save us (Heb. 7:18), nor is there any use it as a guide to maintain our relationship with God and people in our daily living. For believers the Law is obsolete (Heb. 8:13).
Does that mean that the Law is good for nothing? Not according to Jesus in Matt, chapter 5: 17-18, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Therefore, what is the purpose of the Law? The Law has purpose post-cross, but I believe its purpose is misunderstood by the promoters of the grace gospel plus the law gospel as the gospel of Christ.
1 Tim. 7:9 states; desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for murderers.
This verses assures us that the law isn't for believers therefore, it applies to nonbelievers as Gal. 3:23-25 informs us...But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.
The law shows our sins as unbelievers and how futile it is for us to try not to commit sin by trying to live by the law. Once we receive the revelation of Jesus Christ and enter into a relationship with God our Father through Jesus, we have no further relationship with the Law as the exposure of our sinning or any requirement to try to live our relational journey with God by the Big Ten. So the Law will never be without validity for pointing out sin in unbelievers until heaven and earth are passed away and there is NO MORE SIN for the law to point out. But once we as unbelievers move into our new life in Christ, our relationship with the law is finished...over and done with. We are now living in the new way, the way of the Spirit.
Thank God we are;
Free from the Law (Rom. 6:7).
Dead to the Law (Rom. 7:4; Gal. 2:19).
Not under the Law (Rom. 6”:14).
Not tutored by the Law (Gal. 3:25).
We are to now live by the Spirit and in the freedom of the Spirit (Rom. 7; Gal 5:13).
The law is “holy and good” so much so that nobody can live up to it. It is designed to show our inability to be the victor over sin in and of ourselves.
Thank God that “Christ is the end of the Law”, for me (Rom. 10:4) and the beginning of freedom "He who the Son sets free is free indeed, (John 8:36)...is He the end of the Law for you, if not, you are not living in His freedom?
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