◄ Which Law? - Growing In Grace (26) ►

Growing In Grace - STUDY

God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Galatians 4:4-7

Laws of God

God has provided laws to live by in every period of human history. In Eden they were to be fruitful, multiply, subdue the earth, tend the garden and not eat of a certain tree, while the fathers and patriarchs like Job, Noah and Abraham showed evidence of obeying God and trusting His word. Israel’s rules for living were given to them in the wilderness through Moses and is called, The Law and this Law given to Moses is a most extensive code, with 613 commands: 365 of them are prohibitive [thou shalt not] and 248 are positive [thou shalt].

Indivisible Unit

The 10 Commandments is generally but incorrectly called the Mosaic Law, but the Law given to Moses contained hundreds of instructions from God and we discover that and the Law is one indivisible unit – this Law cannot be divided. God’s commands to Israel start in Exodus 20 but they continue on into Leviticus, through Numbers and on into Deuteronomy. The moral law [or ten commandments] cannot be divorced from the entire Law of Moses, for it is one complete unit.

All of Nothing

The Mosaic Law is a package. It is like a loaf of sliced bread! You do not remove and purchase 10 slices and leave the rest behind. You buy the whole loaf, or you do not buy anything, and it is the same with the Law. It is all or nothing. Christians who choose to live under moral section of the Mosaic Law, [the 10 commandments], instead of living under the law of the Spirit of life, [the Law of Christ] are living under the ministration of death rather than the ministration of life. You cannot do both. You cannot serve two masters.

Debtor to the Law

A Christian either lives under the Law, which means they have: fallen from grace, or they live under grace which means they are free from the bondage of the Law. A Christian living under the Law is still saved, but fallen from grace, how sad. Every born-again Christian has a choice: to live under the whole Law OR to live under grace, but they cant live under Law and grace at the same time. James tells us: if you stumble one just one point of the Law you are guilty of breaking all of it, James 2:10.  and Paul testifies that living under the Law makes one: a debtor to keep the whole law, Galatians 5:3.  which means if you try to keep the moral part of the Law you are under obligation to keep all 615 laws – and if you break one then you break the all.

Age of Grace

Romans, Galatians and much of the NT detail the error of this thinking. Christians would never consider trying to implement the code for living that was given in Eden, nor do believers have a hang up about living the code that was implemented in the period of the patriarchs. Christians would not attempt to implement the requirements for those living in the coming millennial kingdom, and yet many try to revert back to the commands given to Israel – placing themselves back under a system that enslaves them.

Law of Christ

The cross of Christ accomplished redemption, and so much more. Christ’s death, burial and resurrection ended the period called the age of law and introduced the age of grace – the Church dispensation. The cross of Christ started a new era / epoch / dispensation / code of conduct / standard of living. It is called the law of Christ – the royal law – the law of liberty and yet today there is a lot of confusion about law and grace. So why is there such confusion?

End of the Law

God sent His Son to be born into the nation of Israel and of the house of Judah, as prophesied by holy men of God. Christ was born during the dispensation of the Law and had to live a perfect life under the Law, so that He would could become the promised Days-man, who would redeem those  born under the law. By fulfilling the righteous requirements of the Law, Christ was qualified to die as the perfect sacrifice, so that we who believe could be redeemed from the bondage of the Law. By fulfilling the Law, Christ broke the power of the Law in the lives of all who would believe on Him – for we are identified with His death resurrection and righteousness.

Church Age Law

Some think only part of the Mosaic Law was set aside by Christ, but His sacrificial death  fulfilled the whole Law on our behalf, which has now been superseded by the Law of Christ. Living under grace is not a free-for-all license to do what you please. Indeed all but one of the 10 commandments are repeated in the Church age epistles, instructing believers how to life godly in Christ Jesus. Christians are called to live their lives as outlined in the church-age epistles, which are almost exclusively recorded in Romans to Revelation – and specifically those of the apostle Paul.

Command of Christ

Christians are called to keep the commands of Christ, and the instructions given to the Church: have set us free from law of sin and death, [which is the code given to Israel] – in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Christ has freed us from bondage to the Law, but Christians need to know how to live under: the law of Spirit and life. The law was given by Moses: but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Let us search through the epistles of Paul to discover how to live our lives under grace – how to abide in Christ – how to submit our lives to the Spirit – how to live our lives in spirit and truth: until it is not I that lives but Christ that lives through me. Galatians 2:20.