The Bible: It's All About Jesus
The Purpose of the Law
The law was given so that man could see the condition of his relationship with God. To be acceptable to Him, we must be perfect, holy and righteous. The law shows just how imperfect, unholy and unrighteous we really are.
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6)
Contrary to what most of us have heard in church for years, attempting to follow the law is not intended to make us closer to God. Rather, it's to show us just how far away we are from Him. That's why there were all those rules and rituals for offerings and sacrifices in which blood had to be shed. They demonstrated the severity of the consequences of our sins. The penalty of sin is death and nothing less.
The law was established to shame and condemn us by pointing out our faults, our guilt, our sins. It is supposed to stop us from bragging about how good we are and to show us how desperately we need God's mercy. The law's goal is to break through our stubborn pride and lead us to Jesus Christ for salvation.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (Romans 3:19-20)
Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. (Galatians 3:23-25)
The law –the Ten Commandments which we Christians hold so dear– was only given to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai. More laws and statutes and regulations were added to govern their conduct, their worship, and even their diet. All of those laws had the one very special purpose: It was to show God's greatness to the nations around Israel by what He required of his people –perfection, holiness, righteousness –attributes that have always been unachievable by man. Israel's relationship with God was to be publicly expressed through humility and total reliance upon His grace and mercy.
What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? (Deuteronomy 4:7-8)
Although, the law was specifically given to the Israelites, we Gentiles have our own version of it written on our hearts. That's so everyone can recognize their spiritual condition and their need for God's gift through His Son.
Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. (Romans 2:14-15)
We all –both Jew and Gentile alike– know what it is that God desires for us. He wants all of us to have eternal life with Him. And to do that, we have to be perfectly righteous and completely sinless. The law leads us to Jesus Christ who is the only One who can make that become a reality.
The Old vs. The New
There are two ways to relate to God –each governed by a law. The first illustration of these laws is found in Genesis chapter 3 –through the story of two trees in the middle of the garden of Eden.
Laws have two parts –an action and a result. The "action" for both was the eating of fruit. The "result" of the action was dependent upon which tree's fruit was eaten. Eating the fruit from "the tree of life" resulted in life while eating the fruit from "the tree of knowledge of good and evil" resulted in death.
Romans 8:2 gives those laws descriptive names. "Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." God has given each one of us the choice of which law we use to determine our relationship with Him.
After experiencing life in the garden with God, Eve chose to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
The serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil ." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. (from Genesis 3:4-6)
She's typical of us all –wanting to be godlike in our choices –deciding for ourselves what is good and what is evil –claiming that our own way is right and anyone who disagrees with us is wrong. (Adam and Eve explains the implications of their choices.)
Israel was faced with the same choice. The people had a fresh start after coming out of Egypt, following Moses. But it wasn't long before they wanted to live their lives as they thought best. Time after time, they were urged to live life by faith –dependent upon God to lead them and to provide for them. After their many rebellious acts, He gave them the law so that they could see for themselves how un-godlike their wisdom really was. It was a very frustrated Moses that went before the entire assembly that day and said "Today I stand in front of you offering life and death, choose life!" (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Through Moses, God offered them one more opportunity. They could either display a broken and contrite heart for their wicked ways and turn to Him –living by faith. Or, they could remain proudly independent –attempting to be in control of their own lives –living by self-righteously obeying the law. With a single voice the entire nation shouted "We will obey God's law." They chose the list of fundamental standards of behavior –along with its death penalty for any violation. In the context of Romans 8:2, they chose to relate to God through "the law of sin and death" rather than "the law of the Spirit of life."
The passage below is from the first chapter of Romans. It's a summary of the law's standards along with its inseparable penalty of death for failing to fully comply with them.
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:29-32)
Jesus explained that the extent of the law was not limited to outward actions, but more importantly, it applied to the attitudes of the heart. When a person comprehends the law's fullness, all self-righteousness and all excuses are obliterated. No one can honestly say that they aren't guilty of committing at least one violation –thus deserving death. Those who choose to live under the Old Covenant –the law of sin and death– are waiting for Judgement Day when that death sentence will be carried out.
Knowing that mankind would never be able to live up to the strict demands of the law, God provided a new way –a New Covenant– that does not in any way rely on our goodness, but instead relies totally on His grace and mercy. The new way doesn't just improve the old one –or add more to it. The New Covenant is a complete replacement of the Old. The book of Hebrews clearly spells this out.
Since that time [Jesus' death and resurrection] he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. (Hebrews 10:13-18)
The Hebrews 10 passage above quotes Jeremiah 31. The words "after that time" refer to when the perfect sacrifice –Jesus, the Lamb of God– was to die. Even in the Old Testament, God was telling us that His Son's sacrifice is what makes us perfect and holy forever! Under the New Covenant, God refuses to even think about our sins. He remembered them one time –the day when His Son was executed on the cross. For you and me, He looked into the future and saw each and every sin we would ever commit. At the same time, He also saw that Jesus paid for them all –and He will never think about them again!
The message of the New Testament is this:
Because of Jesus' sacrifice, God no longer counts our sins against us.
He took away everything that could cause spiritual death so that
we can receive His everlasting life without fear of losing it ever again.
The modern term for testament (or covenant) is what we call a "last will and testament" –or more commonly, a "will." And of course, a will only becomes effective after the person who made it is dead. For that matter, only the last will that the person makes is the one that actually goes into effect.
In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. (Hebrews 9:16-17)
The gospels (Matthew through John) document Christ Jesus' life –concluding with His death and resurrection. The life experiences described in the gospels were before that "last will and testament " had gone into effect. Jesus was the One who made that will –and He hadn't died yet.
Did you ask yourself, "So what does that matter?" It matters because the familiar page identifying "The New Testament" –found in your Bible between Malachi and Matthew– really belongs between John and Acts! Again, you might ask, "So what?" The significance is that we have used that page –which claims to separate the Old and New Testaments– to shape our lives. We say that we are New Testament Christians, yet we miss what defines the New Testament by including the Old.
The Old Testament established in great detail, the requirements to remove the sin barrier between man and God –even to the extent of foreshadowing the One who would be the remedy for sin once and for all. The gospels focus on Jesus' life work of fulfilling all of God's requirements –the law– for holiness and righteousness. The final payment for "the law of sin and death" was made at the end of the gospels. The Old Testament concludes –at the end of the gospels– with the slaughter of His perfect Lamb so that there could be everlasting forgiveness and redemption for all who put their trust in Him.
Although the Old Testament is filled with hints and foreshadows of a life of faith in the One who was to come, that life is disclosed in the New Testament –beginning after the gospels. That is where you can read about how to live in a relationship with God that is completely based on trusting Him to be all that He has promised.
The Israelites were shown to be set apart from all the other nations of the world by their God-given law. The legal aspect of the law (based on the Ten Commandments) set up a system to determine offenses, rules about the testimony, and the punishment associated with the offenses.
The law is plainly laid out. Under it, anyone who is found to be guilty of breaking a single one of those commandments is to be punished. And "breaking one commandment" doesn't mean one today and another tomorrow; it means that he is to be punished if he ever breaks even one commandment in his entire lifetime! Every commandment has the same purpose. They each show that people choose to be god over the decisions in their lives –just like Eve and just like the Israelites.
The punishment for breaking any of "the Ten" is death. It's not the sacrificing of an animal or saying a prayer begging for forgiveness. It's being stoned to death at the city gate! Isn't it strange that we Christians want so much to be under the law that we forget that God says that anyone who lives under the law is under a curse?
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."1 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."2 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."3 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."4 (Galatians 3:10-13)
This passage in Galatians pieces together a most important truth quoting references from the Old Testament. The numbers in the passage above correspond to the numbered notes below.
It begins with Deuteronomy 27, explaining that if a person lives under the law –tries to obey the law– then he is to never deviate the slightest, else he will receive the curse –he will receive God's wrath. That person must continue to do everything the law demands –and that includes accepting the death sentence it prescribes.
The next piece comes from Habakkuk 2:4 which states that righteousness can only be received by living in faith –trusting in God's redemptive plan. It brings out that attempting to follow the law only puffs up a person –feeding his pride.
Leviticus 18 emphasizes that the person who tries to obey the law will make his life-choices based on those commandments –and failing to comply with any one of them will bring about his death.
Lastly, Deuteronomy 21:22-23 depicts the worst kind of death that the law requires. The one who is convicted of a capital offense must be hung on a tree. (It even says that he is not to be left on that tree overnight –a foreshadow of the crucifixion.) No one can live up to those demands –and live. That's why Jesus took on the curse –hung on the cross– for us all.
There is no reason for Christians to wave the Israelites' Ten Commandments like a banner to set us apart from the rest of the world. We are set apart by something so much better. We have the law of the Spirit of life in our hearts and written on our minds. God provided His Spirit to that lead us every step of our lives. The world will recognize us by our love for one another (John 13:35). Love –God's agape love– can not be commanded to happen. His love flows freely from Him –and then freely through us to others –all without compulsion.
It Is Finished!
If we are Israelites by descent then we have the Ten Commandments. If we are Gentiles then we have a similar law written on our hearts. In the last section we read that –either way– the law was given to lead us to Jesus Christ for salvation.
As Christians, we continually hear about the need for us to follow, adhere to, obey the law –and we also hear that Christ fulfilled the law. Does that sound like a contradiction? It should!
More often than not, we're told that we need to try to keep the law, but not to worry, because when we fail we can confess our sins and ask God to forgive us. This cycle of failing and asking for God's forgiveness has become a way of life for most of us. Jesus' words from the cross "It is finished!" were meant to break that religious cycle.
Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4)
Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. (Galatians 3:23-25)
Both of these Scriptures state that coming to faith in Jesus Christ ends the need for the law. We no longer need to compare our behavior to God's commandments. We were humbled and have seen our unrighteous, unholy selves for what we were: guilty and under a sentence of death. We needed –and subsequently received– His grace and mercy so that we now have eternal life through His Son.
Like the parables, the true meaning of the law is hidden. Obviously, the law describes the strict requirements for a person to live a perfect life and it also describes the penalty of death for not doing so. Yet the law also uses shadows –pictures hidden in words– to tell us about Jesus' perfect life and about His death for our sins!
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming –not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. (Hebrews 10:1)
These are a shadow of the things that we're to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. (Colossians 2:17)
The entire system of sacrifices showed that if we wanted to live, we needed to find someone who is perfect to take our place on that dreadful date with the executioner.
The fact that God set up a priesthood with a high priest as a mediator, showed that someone needed to stand between us and Him. That high priest had to be someone who knew what it was like to be a lowly man and also understand the righteousness that was required to stand before God. These were foreshadowings of what Jesus was coming to fulfill –being both Son of Man and Son of God!
Whenever the statement is made that the law's only purpose is to lead us to Jesus, the response is nearly always the same. "Well, if the law doesn't apply to us any more, then we have a license to sin –right?" That conversation must have been one that even Paul heard because he recorded the question and his response in Romans chapter 6. (As if any of us ever needed a license to sin. We have all managed to sin quite well without a license!)
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! (Romans 6:14-15)
Almost every one of Paul's letters reveals the continual battle that plagued him wherever he ministered. He taught about the grace of God and following right behind him came teachers of the law. He taught about the freedom we have by living in a trust-faith relationship with God –we are holy and righteous because of Jesus' sacrifice for us. They –the teachers of the law– taught that after being saved by grace, a Christian remains holy and righteous by following the law –at least to do as good as he can.
There's nearly always another discussion following the one about having a license to sin. It goes something like this: "You say that the law came to an end for believers –that it doesn't apply to us anymore. But didn't Jesus say that He didn't come to abolish the law? And didn't He also say that the law would never disappear? So, if what you say is true, then how do you explain Jesus' words?"
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished. (Matthew 5:17-18)
Did you notice that He said that the law wouldn't disappear "until everything is accomplished"? The solution to this mystery can be understood by knowing what needs to be accomplished. Jesus came as His Father's first-hand witness to explain:
The law works on each of us in one of two ways. It either lays a heavy burden of guilt and shame on our hearts; or it exposes a great emptiness that is in need of being filled by Him. I ask you, "Did the law (either the Ten Commandments or the one written on your heart) make you realize that you needed God? Did you accept His sacrificial death for you? Did you put your trust in Him so that you now have His gift of eternal life?" If the answers to these questions are "yes" then the law has done its work –it can do no more for you.
Although the law has come to an end and no longer applies to those who are saved, there are others that still need to be convicted by that law so that they too will come to faith in Jesus. Everything has not been accomplished until that last person is convicted and saved. And shortly thereafter, heaven and earth will go through an amazing transformation.
Jesus lived the perfectly sinless life that we can't so that He could become the perfect sacrifice in our place. Now, because of what He did, the law comes to an end for us –it disappears for everyone who is in Christ. It's because He has accomplished His purpose! He fulfilled the law. For us, "It is finished!"
This passage in Ephesians should settle the matter once and for all –Jews and Gentiles alike– about whether Jesus abolished the law or not:
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. (Ephesians 2:14-16)
Some might ask, "What about Romans 3:31 where it says 'Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law?'" The response is this: We can only "uphold" the law through faith in Christ Jesus' sacrifice, burial and resurrection. Keeping, upholding, living up to, or following the law is only accomplished by trusting that Jesus did it all –leaving absolutely nothing for us to do. –Nothing!
Take a close look at what was accomplished when Jesus died on that cross.
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
He disarmed the powers and authorities –that's the Devil and all of his helpers– by nailing our record of debt (the written code) and the law (the regulations we broke) to the cross –canceling them. We were forgiven at the cross and we have been made eternally alive –"It is finished!"
The Solution to Man's Real Problem
We inherited two things from our parents: physical life and a natural tendency to distrust others. It's even demonstrated in our very first relationship –the one with our own mother. She is the one who gave us life and cared for us. If anyone is worthy of trust, it should be her. But when we were infants, we didn't naturally trust mom to feed, clean and comfort us at just the right time. Instead, we demanded –even screamed for– what we "knew" was best. Mom should have been easy to trust, she was there holding and responding to our many needs. It's just not in our nature to trust anyone other than ourselves.
Realizing that it was difficult to trust mom –who was visibly with us– makes it easier to understand how we don't naturally trust God –who is invisible. This lack of trust describes our sin nature. Romans 5 explains that we have all sinned –not trusted God and demanded our own way– and therefore we have all subsequently died a spiritual death. Sin (lying, stealing, hating, killing...) is not the problem that separates us from God. No, it's spiritual death!
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned –for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. (Romans 5:12-14)
On the cross, Christ paid for all of those sins for all of us –yet God still holds everyone accountable for one thing. The single, deadly, unpardonable, unforgivable sin is not believing in His Son. "Believing in Him" means trusting Him for life in the hereafter and also relying on Him for life in the here-and-now. The world's sin is described in chapter 16 of John and it is the only obstacle blocking a perfect relationship between man and God.
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:7-11)
This bears repeating. It isn't that we need forgiveness for our sins. That was accomplished on the cross –once and for all –for all mankind –for all sins. Our problem is much worse than needing forgiveness! Spiritual death is what separates us from eternal spiritual life with God. Jesus explained the solution to Nicodemus; He called it being "born again."
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, You must be born again. (John 3:3-7)
Everyone has been "born of the flesh" –born physically from human parents. That's what being "born of water" describes in this passage. Physical birth began with immersion in water within our mother's sac before we emerged from her womb. Being born of the Spirit began when we accepted Jesus for salvation. It was then that we were completely immersed into the body of Christ by the Spirit. It is through this second immersion that we received spiritual life –not merely forgiveness!
The offer was presented in the Old Testament to the Israelites.
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
That very same offer was also presented to Adam and Eve. They were warned about choosing between the fruit of two trees in the garden of Eden: One was the tree of life; the other was the tree that brought death. (The section on Adam and Eve explains the implications of their choices.)
Now it's offered to each one today as God pleads with us to "Choose life through My Son!"
What Part Should It Play In Our Lives?
Certainly the law should be good for us in some way –shouldn't it? Can't it at least point out the flaws and weaknesses that we Christians have so that we can ask God for help in correcting them? No! The law has only one function, it's to tell dead people that they are in need of life through Jesus Christ. That's all and nothing more!
In First Timothy we are told that the law is only for those who are unrighteous –not for the righteous!
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers– and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. (1 Timothy 1:7-11)
The above Scripture says that only the unrighteous need the law. There is a difference between unrighteous behavior and an unrighteous person. All people have a fallen nature –that tendency to be our own god over what's right and wrong. That will not leave us until we pass from this earthly life. To emphasize this, here are a few passages describing what changed when you took on a new life –a new identity.
You are clothed with Christ...
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ . (Galatians 3:26-27)
You have been washed, sanctified and justified...
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
You exchanged your unrighteousness for the righteousness of God...
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
You were dead and now made alive in Christ...
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions –it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-5)
Why would you base your relationship with God on the law? This 1 Timothy passage goes on to say that those teachers –who say that you need to keep the law– don't know what they are talking about or at least don't know how the law relates to the gospel!
In chapter two of Galatians, Paul relates what happened to him when he realized that the good and perfect law –that to which he dedicated his life– condemned him. The law was what he lived for, but it essentially killed him.
"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:17-21)
Paul died to the law and he wasn't going to rebuild his relationship to God with it again. Its only purpose was to open his eyes to the fact that he needed to be saved God's way. His own efforts –as great as they seemed– were not sufficient to meet the righteous requirements of the law. The law that he thought he knew so well was full of examples showing the need for a perfect substitute to take on the death penalty that he –a law breaker– deserved. Once Christ became his Savior and took the death penalty for him, he had no more need for the law!
Chapter seven of Romans contains an illustration presented to the religious legal experts of the time using the law of marriage. It dictates that marrying while still being married is adultery. However, it is quite legal to remarry after the previous spouse dies.
Do you not know, brothers– for I am speaking to men who know the law– that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man. (Romans 7:1-3)
So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. (Romans 7:4-6)
Based on these Scriptures, "What is required in order for us to belong to Jesus?" We must die to our first spouse –the law– or else we are adulterers! And, "What is necessary before we can bear fruit to God?" Once again, the answer is, "Die to the law!"
When we put ourselves back under the law again –for example the Ten Commandments– we are committing spiritual adultery. It's having an affair with the law –while it's dead and buried in its casket– when our living spouse is Jesus. What a foolish way to exist!
Sin is an enemy, right? Of course it is –and we battle it continuously! Would you knowingly give any weapons to your enemy so that he could overpower you? No way! As you read the following passages, think about how you are doing just that –helping to defeat yourself– by just trying to follow God's law!
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:56)
What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. (Romans 7:7-8)
Could it possibly be that God's holy, righteous and good law can be fuel for sin? –Yes! Is it because the law is bad? –No! We have a fallen, rebellious nature which is naturally disobedient. And the law is God's mirror to show us that distrusting, rebellious nature. (You can continue reading about this in chapters 7 and 8 of Romans.)
For a Christian to live a victorious life, he must die to the law. How foolish it would be to maintain a relationship with a dead spouse after remarrying. We are to be faithful to the new, living spouse –not the one who is dead and rotting in the grave. The law has no place in a Christian's life. When dying to the law becomes a reality believed in the heart, not just words spoken by the mouth, then sin loses its power!
Let's set the record straight here before we go any further. The law that we've been talking about dying to is "the law of sin and death." It's that set of rules which point out our sins. For the Jews, it's the laws, statutes and regulations embodied by the Ten Commandments. For the Gentiles, it's basically the same thing but written on our hearts (Romans 2). And in both cases –for Jews and Gentiles– the penalty for breaking even one is death. There is another law to live under; it's the law of the Spirit of life.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)
We have been freed from the law of sin and death. Under that law, whoever sins is to be put to death. But we now serve God based on a new law. Whoever has the Spirit has been made alive –eternally alive!
Enter Into God's Sabbath Rest
The Sabbath rest is a description of God's promised relationship with Him. He wants us to be relaxing in what He has done and continues to do –as opposed to relying on our own works to be godly –our own efforts of living a proper, holy, righteous life. In fact, the only way to live a life that's pleasing to God is trusting –having faith– in Him.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
To stop a Christian from experiencing the Sabbath rest, Satan –the enemy of our souls– employs a battle plan comprised of a two-prong attack.
The first prong keeps us ignorant of the fact that God doesn't expect –or desire– for us to go through life following some form of the Ten Commandments. (I say "some form" because we typically try to translate them into a Christian version –such as by claiming that we celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday; or that the law applies but the death penalty doesn't because Jesus paid the price for us.) Those commandments had a single purpose –it was to get our attention –to show us that we were lost –dead in our sins and transgressions –in need of the Savior that He provided! The enemy uses our failures of keeping the commandments to distance us –in our minds– from God.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. (Colossians 1:21)
The second prong is more subtle. It's disguised in the form of religious expectations that we place upon ourselves and upon each other. They are a familiar set: church membership and participation; being the spiritual leader of the family or the submissive wife; being faithful to family and friends, having a regimented prayer time; consistently tithing and giving; reading the Bible daily. These are all admirable traits, but if we do them in order to appear more pleasing to God, to other Christians, or even to ourselves, then they are effectively a law –a law of religious performance.
Just like he uses our failures to keep the Ten Commandments, the enemy uses our failures to keep these religious expectations. He brandishes them in our face to weaken our relationship with God –to divide us from Him so that we become dependent upon ourselves rather than upon God. Although that division occurs only in our minds, it diverts our focus from Him onto ourselves –leaving us feeling insecure, worthless, empty and defeated.
Going through life trying to follow rules –or living up to religious expectations– is a feeble attempt to reach up to God by self-righteousness. On the contrary, we are to trust God to have reached down to us and totally removed our sins from us. When we accepted His Son as our Savior, God exchanged our sins for His righteousness.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Absolutely nothing can affect the reality of your relationship with Him. So don't believe those lies that bring in doubt –changing your perception of that relationship. As a part of God's gift of eternal life, He also made you blameless, perfect and righteous. You have a new identity in Christ.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (Galatians 5:18)
The way we are to live is by faith –trusting God –relying upon Him for all things. When we love one another, we are following where the Holy Spirit is leading us. According to 1 John 4, God is love.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. (1 John 4:16-17)
God is actively increasing His kingdom on earth –and the purpose of that kingdom is to bring glory to Himself. This is being accomplished through the building up the body of Christ –drawing men to Himself with love. He demonstrated His love for us through Jesus, who lived among us, gave up everything for us, and died in our place. So loving others –as He loved us– aids in fulfilling His purpose.
This 1 John 4 passage goes on to explain that loving one another can't happen as long as we continue to live under the law –the "law of sin and death." It's because the law instills fear by demanding the death penalty for every offense.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:18-19)
God not only wants the size of His kingdom to increase but also its depth –its closeness to Him– to also increase. That deeper relationship with Him can only occur if we aren't fearful of Him –fearful of being punished. "Going to hell" isn't the only punishment that we fear. We fear disappointing Him by not living up to His expectations and subsequently being distanced by Him –losing fellowship with Him.
We read in the previous section that the power of sin is the law. The law prevents us from trusting that God is at work in our lives today. Let's keep in mind a most important passage –Romans 8:1.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1)
The "obedience" referred to throughout the New Testament is not following a set of rules to live by; it's the natural response to believing and trusting God. In his prayers, Paul asks God to deepen our knowledge of God's love for us as it was expressed through His Son Jesus –and to grow in that knowledge.
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:18-19a)
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19)
It's only after understanding how much He loves us that we can then respond with our love for Him.
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Don't be fooled by the ever so common Sunday sermons which state that "Obedience is merely following the law without questioning because God gave the Ten Commandments out of His love for us." They continue saying such things as "If we are following the Spirit, then we will not be breaking the commandments." This logic exchanges "keeping the commandments" for "listening to the Spirit"! This all sounds so convincing, but the core problem is that it relies on our ability to keep the law. The law is the very thing that kills us; gives power to sin over us; and stops us from being fruitful to God. How deceptive these arguments can be!
As we grow in our understanding of God's love, our trust in Him will also grow. And the more we trust Him –all the while experiencing the magnitude of His love– the more we will love others. This sequence is just as He designed it. And it works because we become less and less afraid of the potential consequences –getting hurt by others. His love heals and covers over the troubles that other people can and will cause us. Isn't that all He asks us to do, "Love one another"? Loving others must be of utmost importance to Him for He says:
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6)
Love opens its heart to others. It's open for joy, but also open to be wounded. That's what happened to Jesus when He lived here as a man. The shortest verse in the Bible describes His tender heart: "Jesus wept." (John 11:35) It's a picture of a wounded heart. And He asks us to open our hearts in the same way.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)
Who Teaches that We Should Keep the Law?
A person who teaches that a Christian is to follow the law either lacks understanding –or he desires some kind of personal gain. And that gain can come in various manipulative forms –such as financial wealth –or control over people.
Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. (1 Timothy 1:5-11)
Did you find yourself –or at least some of the things you've done– in that list somewhere? Don't worry, it's intended to indict and convict everyone about what they have done at some point in their life. Remember –as you read the list of sinful acts in the passage above– that the lawbreakers, rebels, etc., are those who have not asked Christ to be their Savior –to have exchanged their sin for God's righteousness –and to be their new life. What changed when He saved us? Was it the fact that we've never sinned again since that day? Of course not –let's read on...
The same basic list of offenses is also shown in the passage below, but notice how it concludes with a description of the new identity we were given when we became "in Christ". As a Christian, we have been washed (cleansed of all unrighteousness), sanctified (made holy), and justified (declared innocent of all wrong doings) in His name and by His Spirit!
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
The New Testament uses the phrase (or words very similar to) "in Christ" over 170 times to describe our new identity. This passage from Romans chapter 6 uses spiritual baptism to summarize this identity change.
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin– because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:3-11)
Our righteousness is found in Christ. He completely fulfilled the law which uncovered our offenses –our unrighteous deeds were plain for us to see. He took away all our sins by paying the required death penalty.
God has chosen to never remember our sins again –they are behind His back, never to be seen again. He brought them all to mind once –all of them –even those in the future. And He put them all on His Son who was then crucified in our place. Now our sins are as far from us as the east is from the west. We are new creations in Christ.
If a person tells you that you need to try to keep the law –we read that the law can only show that you are a law breaker– then he's also telling you that Jesus' sacrifice was not sufficient for you. It follows that you are no longer washed, no longer sanctified, and no longer justified. Jesus and the Holy Spirit would be ineffective –unable to keep God's promise of providing eternal life.You would once again be dead and in need of that life.
So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28)
The teachers of the law use a lie to trap unsuspecting Christians. It goes something like this: "The death penalty no longer applies –instead we Christians merely fall out of fellowship with God." They try to use 1 John 1:9 to justify our need for asking God for forgiveness. They want us to use it like a bar of soap to cleanse ourselves. What a hoax –Jesus did that already! There is nothing we can add to what He has already done.
When you hear a teacher of the law, try to examine his motives.
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:3-6)
Is he just ignorantly following what he has heard from other religious people –or his seminary training? Or is he identified in that passage above –trying to get into your wallet to finance his ministry –to build a larger building or ...? No matter what the teacher of the law has for a motive, he is wrong! The gospel is about God's undeserved grace and limitless mercy which has been granted to all men who receive Jesus as their Savior! The law was just to get us onto the path leading to His Son so that we can eternally live with Him.
The Flesh –Our Sin Nature
In the garden of Eden, Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowlege of good and evil so that she would be like God –able to decide what was right and wrong for herself and everyone around her. As her children, we are all that very same way –opinionated and judgmental –gods of our own ways.
The flesh (or sin nature) desires what is pleasing to the senses. The aroma of a favorite food stirs a craving that grows in our mind –often enhancing the expectation of that food's taste beyond what it can possibly fulfill. The same is true for each of our senses. We are sensual beings. Our senses draw our attention to the things of this world that we do not already have: more education; a better job; new clothes; a bigger dwelling; more food; a shinier car; less demanding relationships; compassionate friends; children that are more respectful; a kinder, prettier, sexier and more accepting mate...
Even as Christians, sensual desires never leave us –not as long as we live in this world. It's normal, common, natural, for us to want to fulfill these desires. That's an inseparably part of who we are as human beings. When combined with the fact that we decide what is right or fair for us to have in life (inherited from Eve), our emotions clearly reveal that fallen, sensual nature. Desires that are not satisfied cause us to feel hurt, disappointed, rejected, frustrated, angry –and above all we are anxious in anticipation of what will happen next. The flesh is always worried about not getting its way –having what is good for us –having what we rightly deserve.
Up to this point we have looked at how the law entices us to sin. But taking the law away does not take away the desire to sin –to fulfill the desires of the flesh– and reap the associated emotions and anxieties.
Sin naturally lives in our flesh –like glowing embers smoldering within us– and the law is like gasoline. Attempting to follow the law corresponds to pouring that explosive fuel onto the embers. The result is disastrous and predictable –we all have experienced them time and time again. Paul talked about it in Romans 7.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:15-20)
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)
Although our thoughts can seem to be on many things at once, the fact is that we can only think about one thing at a time. Our minds merely jump from one thought to another in rapid succession. But by submitting to God's ways –as new creations in Christ– these desires can be displaced by turning our focus onto Jesus.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9)
Here are different ways to look at the same concept.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
Everyone says, "That sounds fine, but it's not that easy!" Of course it's not easy. There really is a war going on within your mind. But you can be the victor by submitting to God's thoughts about His Son. As you practice yielding to Him, the battles will become less and less intense. It takes practice –real effort and there will be many battles to face each day.
Saying to yourself "I will not think about my desires" absolutely will not achieve the wanted results. It's because that the very phrase "I will not..." becomes a law that your flesh will rebel against. You will be putting gasoline on those embers once again.
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (Galatians 5:16-18)
The only path to victory is through prayer and meditation on Jesus. When you are at at rest with Him in your mind, you will also be at rest from your desires.
In Summary ...
Tell a child "Don't touch that stove! It's hot!" It doesn't matter how emphatic are your warnings, or how stern are your threats, or how thorough are your explanations –if the opportunity arises, he will still try to touch the stove.
In this case, the words "Don't touch!" have become a law and the child touching the hot stove is the rebellious act –the sin. Ironically, the child may have been curious about the stove before you told him "Don't touch!" but after your law was given, he is tempted –he plots and plans the act over and over in his mind until he's done the very thing that will hurt him.
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:56)
Whether it's telling a child to not touch a hot stove, a woman to not desire new clothes or a man to not think about sex, it's human nature to dwell on –and often do– the things that we're told not to do. Once we recognize that the law is no longer a part of our Christian life, we are set free from the power of sin. It's because the law makes us want to sin all the more. By nature, we are in constant rebellion to the law –even though it seems so good for us.
For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. (Romans 7:5-6)
The law can not produce holiness nor give life nor cleanse the conscience nor make anyone righteous. It can only point out our faults –our guilt –our sinfulness.
The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. (Hebrews 7:18-19)
It has no power (being weak and useless) to actually change a person's heart. The best the law can do is to superficially affect external actions –while at the same time continuing to give power to sin!
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!" These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (Colossians 2:20-23)
God does not lead Christians with His Old Testament law –it's purpose was only to get us to Christ as our Savior. God then leads us with His Holy Spirit. It's the Spirit that shows us how to really love –letting God express His love at just the right time through our open arms and hearts; with His tears through our eyes, and with His words of encouragement through our mouths.
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14)
We look at ourselves and at others and see faults and sins, but God has already dealt with all of those –He punished His Son for them. Jesus was given the wages for all our sins –He died once for all of us!
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28)
The removal of our sins was prophesied throughout the Old Testament. That became a reality at the cross.
Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. (Isaiah 38:17)
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:11-12)
Trying to live under the law will only make a Christian frustrated at his inability to be pleasing to God –the One he wants to please the most. We can not love anyone who continually points out –and punishes– our wrong actions and thoughts. (Punishment includes the withdrawal from fellowship – 1 John 1:9.) Instead, the law leaves us with a guilty conscience and sense of fear in approaching God. The gospel –the good news– is that we have been set free from all of that!
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:18-19)
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)