"Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes" (Rom. 10:4, NIV).
"[B]y setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations..." (Eph. 2:15, NIV).
The Law does have a place in the believer's life to be a mirror that shows us our sinfulness; however, we are not under the authority or tutelage of the Law (Rom. 6:14), which is only a shadow of the real thing--we walk in the Spirit and do the things against such there is no law (Heb. 10:1). I like the J. B. Phillips translation of Rom. 3:20 which reads realistically: "It is the straightedge of the Law that shows us how crooked we really are." "By the Law is the knowledge of sin," says Paul. We obey the spirit of the Law, and not necessarily the letter of it. And we are not to rely on it for our justification nor sanctification because there is a curse on everyone who does (Gal. 3:10). We don't have to become somewhat "Jewish" to be good Christians, says Chuck Swindoll--not good news to the new "Hebrew movement" sweeping Christendom.
The Law was made for "lawbreakers and rebels" (1 Tim. 1:9) and the unbeliever knows no law, while the believer needs no law. John Calvin said that the believer has the Law written on his heart. This is part of the New Covenant mentioned in Jer. 31. The Law should drive us to Christ for mercy and is our schoolmaster to brings us to a grace-oriented way of thinking ("For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty").
Gal. 2:21 says, "For if justification were through the Law, Christ died for nothing." The Law and the Old Covenant are now obsolete because Christ abolished it in His flesh "with its commandments and ordinances" (Eph. 2:15). Watchman Nee, who founded more than 200 churches in China before being imprisoned for the faith, said that the day he was delivered from the Law was a day of heaven on earth.
What basically is legalism, but adherence to the letter of the Law, without regard to its spirit, according to eminent theologian R. C. Sproul. The Law (which is a revelation of a perfect code reflecting a perfect God) measures men, it doesn't save them. When given the Law, Israel promised they would keep it, instead of asking for mercy, not realizing the vanity of it.
The first usage of the Law is to convict of sin and that is why Psalm 19 says the Law is perfect (note that it is God's job to do this--not ours), converting the soul--it is good as an evangelizing tool to show people they are sinners. John Bunyan says, "The man who does not know the nature of the Law does not know the nature of sin. The world at large is under the law until they are redeemed from its curse."
Paul warned Timothy in 1 Tim. 1:7 about those who want to be teachers of the Law. The scribes were experts in the Law and Jesus warned of their "leaven." "But avoid...arguments and quarrels about the Law" (Tit. 3:9). The Law has no more authority over us than a deceased husband has over his living wife--death cancels all contracts. "There is, therefore, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:1).
The Antinomians (literally against the law), say: "Free from the Law, O blessed condition, now I can sin all I want and still have remission," think the Law has no purpose and is in effect a law unto themselves. Grace doesn't give us the right to do whatever we think is right in our own eyes nor to do what Scripture condemns or what is plain wrong. They misinterpret the Scripture that says, "All things are lawful [or permissible]..." (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:13).
The antidote to legalism and Antinomianism, according to Sproul is a serious and legitimate study of the Word. The Moral Law, basically the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments, has not been rescinded, because, except for the Sabbath observance, they are reiterated in the New Testament. What was moral then is moral now. Many of the 613 commandments and prohibitions are merely elaborations of the Decalogue and common sense deductions. Christ specifically voided the kosher laws, et al.
Paul says the Law is good if one uses it righteously. The Jews couldn't handle the yoke of the Law and the early church in Acts 15 decided not to burden them. Obedience from the Christian should be a "want to" and not a "have to." It is not an "in order to," but a "therefore." The Law is summed up in Gal. 5:14 where it says love is the fulfillment of the Law. Jesus also said that the greatest commandments were to love God and our neighbor. The Law adjudicates the sinner (points out his shortcomings and failures), but does not exculpate (free him from guilt) him! The entire Law is summed up in the command: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
The Formula of Concord (1577), the Lutheran confession of faith, established the so-called three-fold purpose of the Law: To reveal sin; to establish decency in the society at large; and to provide a rule of life for the regenerated through faith in Christ, according to R. C. Sproul. It does have a purpose because of all Scripture, according to 2 Tim. 3:16, is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. Soli Deo Gloria!
"[B]y setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations..." (Eph. 2:15, NIV).
The Law does have a place in the believer's life to be a mirror that shows us our sinfulness; however, we are not under the authority or tutelage of the Law (Rom. 6:14), which is only a shadow of the real thing--we walk in the Spirit and do the things against such there is no law (Heb. 10:1). I like the J. B. Phillips translation of Rom. 3:20 which reads realistically: "It is the straightedge of the Law that shows us how crooked we really are." "By the Law is the knowledge of sin," says Paul. We obey the spirit of the Law, and not necessarily the letter of it. And we are not to rely on it for our justification nor sanctification because there is a curse on everyone who does (Gal. 3:10). We don't have to become somewhat "Jewish" to be good Christians, says Chuck Swindoll--not good news to the new "Hebrew movement" sweeping Christendom.
The Law was made for "lawbreakers and rebels" (1 Tim. 1:9) and the unbeliever knows no law, while the believer needs no law. John Calvin said that the believer has the Law written on his heart. This is part of the New Covenant mentioned in Jer. 31. The Law should drive us to Christ for mercy and is our schoolmaster to brings us to a grace-oriented way of thinking ("For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty").
Gal. 2:21 says, "For if justification were through the Law, Christ died for nothing." The Law and the Old Covenant are now obsolete because Christ abolished it in His flesh "with its commandments and ordinances" (Eph. 2:15). Watchman Nee, who founded more than 200 churches in China before being imprisoned for the faith, said that the day he was delivered from the Law was a day of heaven on earth.
What basically is legalism, but adherence to the letter of the Law, without regard to its spirit, according to eminent theologian R. C. Sproul. The Law (which is a revelation of a perfect code reflecting a perfect God) measures men, it doesn't save them. When given the Law, Israel promised they would keep it, instead of asking for mercy, not realizing the vanity of it.
The first usage of the Law is to convict of sin and that is why Psalm 19 says the Law is perfect (note that it is God's job to do this--not ours), converting the soul--it is good as an evangelizing tool to show people they are sinners. John Bunyan says, "The man who does not know the nature of the Law does not know the nature of sin. The world at large is under the law until they are redeemed from its curse."
Paul warned Timothy in 1 Tim. 1:7 about those who want to be teachers of the Law. The scribes were experts in the Law and Jesus warned of their "leaven." "But avoid...arguments and quarrels about the Law" (Tit. 3:9). The Law has no more authority over us than a deceased husband has over his living wife--death cancels all contracts. "There is, therefore, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:1).
The Antinomians (literally against the law), say: "Free from the Law, O blessed condition, now I can sin all I want and still have remission," think the Law has no purpose and is in effect a law unto themselves. Grace doesn't give us the right to do whatever we think is right in our own eyes nor to do what Scripture condemns or what is plain wrong. They misinterpret the Scripture that says, "All things are lawful [or permissible]..." (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:13).
The antidote to legalism and Antinomianism, according to Sproul is a serious and legitimate study of the Word. The Moral Law, basically the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments, has not been rescinded, because, except for the Sabbath observance, they are reiterated in the New Testament. What was moral then is moral now. Many of the 613 commandments and prohibitions are merely elaborations of the Decalogue and common sense deductions. Christ specifically voided the kosher laws, et al.
Paul says the Law is good if one uses it righteously. The Jews couldn't handle the yoke of the Law and the early church in Acts 15 decided not to burden them. Obedience from the Christian should be a "want to" and not a "have to." It is not an "in order to," but a "therefore." The Law is summed up in Gal. 5:14 where it says love is the fulfillment of the Law. Jesus also said that the greatest commandments were to love God and our neighbor. The Law adjudicates the sinner (points out his shortcomings and failures), but does not exculpate (free him from guilt) him! The entire Law is summed up in the command: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
The Formula of Concord (1577), the Lutheran confession of faith, established the so-called three-fold purpose of the Law: To reveal sin; to establish decency in the society at large; and to provide a rule of life for the regenerated through faith in Christ, according to R. C. Sproul. It does have a purpose because of all Scripture, according to 2 Tim. 3:16, is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. Soli Deo Gloria!
No comments:
Post a Comment