God gave the Law to Israel at Mount Sinai. He gave the "Ten Commandments" to them directly. However, because of their fear, the rest of the Law He gave to Moses who in turn gave it to Israel. Moses stated that the intent of the Law was to enable God's people to enter into His purpose (Deuteronomy 30:16,20) by teaching them how to relate to God and to man. The Law is holy (Romans 7.12). The Law is righteous (Deuteronomy 4.8). Israel has lived by this Law for 3,500 years. While they have transgressed it many times, God has never abandoned His people. Through the sacrifices He provided a means by which they were able to atone for their sins in order to restore their position with Him and their fellow man. It is a Father's love for His children, to teach them the correct path to follow, to teach them how to live (Psalm 119.9,11,50,77,98, 105,118,144).
In most churches today this is a loaded question. But what do the Scriptures say? Is there anywhere in the 'New Testament' that Jesus or the disciples actually say that the Law has been cancelled? There are, in fact, no direct statements which say anything about canceling the Law. Jesus clearly says otherwise: "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17/see also 5.18-19; Luke 16.17). The word fulfill here is what many people use to argue that the Law has been fulfilled or has ended. The word means "to make full, to complete". In other words, Jesus walked out the Law completely, in full obedience to the commands given by God. He was the fulfillment of the sacrifices given in the Law. But He did not cancel it.
Another Scripture used to show that the Law has been cancelled is Galatians 5.18: "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law." Alone, by itself, this Scripture does look like the Law has now been cancelled. But we must look at it in the context in which it is given and in the context of the Scriptures as a whole. The Galatians were looking to be justified by the Law (Galatians 5.4). They thought that they would be justified by strict observance to Torah. Paul refutes that idea: "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus ... that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:16). We are justified by the blood of Jesus — by His works, not ours. Torah, from the beginning, was never intended to be used for justification. It is given to teach (torah = instruction) the individual how to live his life in relation to God and his fellow man. Paul is right when he says "However, the Law is not of faith…" (Galatians 3:12). It does not take faith to believe in something that you can see. This has nothing to do with the issue. Observance of the Law is based on obedience not faith. When a parent sets rules for his child the child does not need faith to obey. He obeys because he is in submission to the parent and wants to please the parent. The child does not pick and choose which rules he will follow. To do so means that he is in rebellion.
The statement "not under the Law" is used to declare that we do not have to obey the Law. However, the premise of this statement is incorrect. It is not the rule of the Law that Paul is speaking of; rather it is the condemnation of the Law, the penalty that was required for transgression of the Law. When we walked in the flesh we were condemned to death for our trespasses. It was by the blood of Jesus that we were justified, or released from the penalty of our sins. This is what is meant by He bore our sins. He took them on Himself and paid the price in our place. Just as in the world we must have some type of law to follow in order to prevent anarchy and maintain order, so it is within the Kingdom of God, except it is God alone Who makes the laws. The Church does not have the authority to declare or change any laws. Only God has that authority.
Are there inconsistencies in Scripture pertaining to the Law? First, we maintain that Scripture does not contradict Scripture. If it seems to do so, then the problem must be with the interpretation, not the Scripture. For example, Paul makes the statement, "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer" (1 Timothy 4:4). Does this mean that we no longer need to observe the Law concerning what to eat and what not to eat? In Torah the commandments regarding food have to do with a person being clean when approaching God. Because we are now seated with Jesus in the heavens (Ephesians 2.6), these statutes would no longer apply, especially in light of Paul's teaching. However, if we look closer, it would seem that there is more to what Paul is saying.
Just the fact that observance of the Law concerning what we are to eat (or any of the commandments regarding clean and unclean) is no longer necessary for those in Messiah is not the complete answer. The Passover sacrifice was fulfilled by Jesus' death yet God commands us to observe it forever (Exodus 12.14). The first members of the early Church were Jewish and lived in the midst of Jews. Hence, the distinction between clean and unclean foods was never really an issue. By following Torah they ate only clean foods (Acts 10.14). However, the Church was getting ready to be sent out in the midst of the Gentile world (Matthew 28.19, Acts 1.8). In order to effectively preach the message of the Kingdom of God it would be necessary for them to live among the Gentiles. With the understanding of the Law and its purpose, the disciples were now able to minister among the Gentiles. Remember, as we said previously, the intent of the Law was to allow God's people to enter into His purpose (Deuteronomy 30:16,20).
Notice that nowhere is the Law invalidated as a whole. The early Church still observed the Sabbath and the feasts, they still honored their mothers and fathers. In fact, the council in Jerusalem figured that each new disciple would learn Torah in the synagogues each Shabbat (Acts 15.19-21).
When the Church cast off God's Law, there was nothing but man's law to replace it. Because of our basic nature man's law is not holy nor is it righteous. Many would say that we know morally what is sin. The problem is that, in their basic essence, morals have nothing to do with Scripture. Morals are determined by society, not Scripture. The misunderstanding comes due to the fact that, in the United States for example, morals, in the past, were derived from the Bible. However, they do not necessarily follow that same pattern today. For instance, in Scripture it is never permissible to murder an unborn baby. Human life and death are in God's hands. Yet today, in our society, there are medically acceptable reasons for doing so. Another example would be homosexuality. The Bible clearly prohibits homosexuality, yet in our society today it is accepted as an "alternative" lifestyle. There are many other instances like these. In many Moslem societies it is morally acceptable to kill an unmarried daughter/sister who has had sexual intercourse. While you may not agree with what society says, it does, nevertheless, dictate what the morals are for those who live in it.
God commanded us to "be holy for I am holy" (Leviticus 11:45b). The term holy means to be consecrated, or set aside. In order to live the holy lives that God has commanded us to live we need a set of holy laws, hence Torah. Paul states: "So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good" (Romans 7:12). He goes on to state "that the Law is spiritual" (Romans 7.14a). In speaking of the warfare between the flesh and the spirit Paul says that he is serving in his mind the Law of God; it is his flesh that serves the law of sin (Romans 7.25). Jesus died for our souls not our flesh.
It is the Law that teaches us what is sin. Remember we are talking about leading holy (separated) lives here. The word used in Scripture for sin is chatah, meaning to "miss the mark"; to miss what God has directed us to do. John states that sin is the transgression of the Law (1 John 3:4). We are ministers before God. We must be separated from the world. Following Torah gives us instruction in how to do that. God states that by observing Torah we are holy — separated from the world — unto Him. It is the way in which we are to walk (Exodus 18.20).
By casting off the Law the Church has no set of instructions except for those set forth by man. It has decided to pick and choose which commandments it will follow. To its credit, the Church followed much of Torah for many years. Yet it still chose which ones it would follow. The Church has always claimed to follow the ten commandments but invalidated the fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8) from almost the beginning. Teachers and scholars have searched the Scriptures for centuries to prove they do not have to follow God's commandments. One reason given for not obeying Torah is that it was never given in the 'New Testament' (although, remember, the Church follows most of the Ten Commandments and a few others listed in the 'Old Testament'). As we study the Scriptures, it would seem evident that God does not use words carelessly. The Law was given 3,500 years ago at Mount Sinai and has been followed by Israel, for the most part, for that entire period. Why, after 1,500 years of observance, would God, through Jesus, give the same Law to His people again? Remember, it is because of the mercy of God that Gentiles have been included. They did not replace Israel.
The psalmist thought the Law was important enough to write 176 verses in one psalm alone! Psalm 119 tells of the beauty and depth of the Law. It tells of a Father's love for His children. A Father who knows the heart of man and the guidance and discipline that it requires in order to walk in righteousness. The psalmist declares "How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word" (Psalm 119:9). Not just any word but God's word, His Law, or instructions, His discipline. Torah teaches us discipline. God states that "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid" (Proverbs 12:1) and "A wise son accepts his father's discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke" (Proverbs 13:1).
John thought the Law was important enough that it was part of the witness of the Church, "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus" (Revelation 12:17).
If we study the Law we can see that there is nothing hard in it. Moses said, "For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you ... See, I have set before you today life and prosperity" (Deuteronomy 30.11a,15). There is no bondage in desiring to please our heavenly Father, the Creator of the universe. It is freedom when we know our boundaries. Jesus willingly followed Torah. Why shouldn't we? It would seem that the only reason for demanding that one does not have to follow God's commandments is rebellion (Psalm 119.51,85). By what law or instructions would we then live?
If it is still your opinion that observance of the Law puts one in bondage, then consider the bondage that God Himself must have been in when He sacrificed His only Son in accordance with the Laws concerning atonement which He Himself put forth. "Those who love Thy law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble" (Psalm 119:165). A Father's love ...
[ Published: 06 May 2003 ]