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I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Are Christians Obliged To Obey The Law?


Jesus not only was obliged as a Jew to keep the Mosaic Law, but He also fulfilled it. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” (cf. Gal. 3:24–25). “For the law is fulfilled in one word, even this: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (cf. Gal. 5:14). Love is the fulfillment of the Law (cf. Romans 13:10). Jesus summed up the whole law in loving God and our neighbor (cf. Mark 12:30–31).

We are not under the Law but under grace (cf. Romans 6:14). Jesus told us to obey His commandments and they are not burdensome, but His yoke is easy and burden light (cf Matt. 11:30). As Christians, the early church debated as to whether we were obligated to obey the Law like circumcision in Acts 15 and decided it was too heavy a yoke that even the Jews didn't and couldn’t keep. Jesus gave a new commandment, to love another as He loves us.

As Christians, our faith is a new religion from Judaism and whatever is not repeated in the New Testament holds no authority over us. We are not the continuation of Judaism but its fulfillment. “They cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the Law, (cf. Romans 10:4). The Formula of Concord in 1577 outlined the purpose of the Law and did not oblige us. Note, I’m not speaking of the moral code which is timeless and never changes: what God considered wrong is still wrong as to what sin is considering the Decalogue. The Ten Commandments have not been rescinded, expect the case that the Sabbath was not reinstated in the New Testament, and are not obliged to be Sabbatarians anymore (cf. Col. 2;16; Romans 14:5) Let no man judge you on your Sabbath-keeping!

Sin is many things, unbelief for one. (cf Romans 14:23) The law was never given to save us or to be our master but to measure us and convict us. Christians are not lawless but need no law for they are under the law of love. We do naturally what is right because we have the Spirit, not because we are educated in the Law of Moses and try to keep it. “Cursed is anyone who depends on the Law unto righteousness, (cf. Gal 3:10).
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