Even the Law
- Jake
- Apr 7
- 4 min read
Previously I have gone over in a blog and podcast how the term “legalism” will come up anytime that you bring up the Old Testament law. I want to show here why this is a mistake to in any way diminish the significance of the law by only linking it to legalism or to Israel. The law is worth studying and following in many ways. When speaking about this subject, most people will run to Romans 6:14 where Paul writes that we are no longer under the law, but like many verses in the Bible, this is being misused. If you just read the next verse he tells us what he is talking about.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Paul is clearly talking about the penalty for sin that the law demands. To look at it more practically (though I know this has a more deeper spiritual meaning), just because you can commit a sin as a Christian and do not need to sacrifice an animal to repent of it, does not mean that you should still sin by disobeying the morality written in the law. This is not a statement by Paul telling you not to follow the law, it’s actually a statement telling you to follow the law.
Now here is where we will have to get a bit more technical though. There are really two different concepts being addressed in the law. The first, is the ritual cleanliness needed, at that time, for Israel to be able to dwell around the presence of God and the second is morality. The cleanliness commandments are all about what is clean and unclean. These are commandments that are no longer necessary to adhere to thanks to the indwelling of the Holy Ghost (a topic for another time). The commandments relating to morality must be followed though! You would definitely agree that Christians should follow the ten commandments, right? The reason is because the ten commandments listed in Exodus 20 are having to do with objective moral absolutes. What is moral according to the law has not changed. This is what you should be following.
It is important to study the law so that you know how God commands us to live, but it’s also important because there is prophecy in the law. Right after the ten commandments in Exodus 20 we go into Exodus 21:2-6. This is a prophecy in the law that Jesus ends up fulfilling. To briefly touch on it, Jesus comes as a servant who loves his master, aka God, and his master has provided him with a bride, the Church. For the love of his master and his bride Jesus is pierced at the door post, or cross, to forever be with them. It is so amazing to see prophecy all over the Bible and the only way you see it is if you study the Old Testament, even the law.
Lastly, I want you to see that we are given the same titles that Israel was given as the reason that they should obey the law.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
They shall be a peculiar people, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Look at the language in the New Testament about the Church.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
If we are called the same, do you not think that we should probably act similarly? As a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people at the very least you would agree that we should love God. Well, if you agree with that then you would have to agree that you are supposed to follow his commandments for this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:3).
Where are these commandments located? They are all throughout the Bible, but most directly, they are located in the law. The law is scripture and all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16). It sounds like scripture points out what is good and what is evil. We find in Hebrews 5:13-14 that you must study the word, I would say especially the law, to be able to discern both good and evil, also known as morality.
Comments