PART 2: THE BOOK OF THE LAW
By Woodrow Oliver, Jr.
July 26, 1996 (Updated August 18, 1997)
Exodus 24:3-4a, 7-8: Moses wrote everything God told him and wrote it in a book. It is called the "book of the covenant". Deuteronomy 29:21: The book of the covenant is also called the book of the law. Deuteronomy 30:10: It contains statutes; Verse 16: and judgements. All the law was to be kept by hearkening "unto the voice of the Lord thy God". Joshua 1:7; 8:31: After Moses' death, the first five books he wrote began to be called the "law of Moses". It was the beginning of the Bible. Joshua was the first to begin to add to the book of the law, Joshua 24:26.
Luke 24:27,44-45: In the days of Christ, the Old Testament, as we call it, was the Bible of the day. It was referred to by the groups of books: The law of Moses; prophets; and Psalms. They were also called "scriptures" or holy writings (scriptures), 2 Timothy 3:15. So when these terms, and other terms like law or book, are used, they generally refer to the "written word of God". So, in Galatians and Romans when we read the word "law", we can take it to mean the Bible, or written word inspired of God. The concept of the "book of the law" is also in the New Testament, see Galatians 3:10. This verse actually refers back to Deuteronomy 27. 2 Peter 3:16: Paul's letters are called scripture. It appears that his writings and those of others were already being collected and added to the book of the law, in what we call the "New Testament".
Romans 8:1-2: Note here that two laws are mentioned: The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and the law of sin and death. These do not refer to two different laws, or Bibles; but to how we relate to the Bible. If we relate one way it brings life, the other way sin and death. WHAT IS MEANT??
1 John 3:4: Who ever commits sin, transgresses the law; Verse 6: Who ever abides in Christ sins not.Verse 8: Who ever sins is of the devil; Verse 9: Who ever is born of God does not commit sin. Romans 14:23: What ever is not of faith is sin. Therefore, what ever is not of faith is a transgression of the law.
Romans 3:19: What ever the book of the law says, it says to them who are "under the law". WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE "UNDER THE LAW"? Romans 6:14: Saying this verse in the opposite then, a person under the law is under the dominion of sin. Galatians 3:21-25: Is the law against the promises of God? No! But the law cannot give eternal life or make anyone righteous. Before faith came, the book of the law was our school master to bring us to Christ that we might be made righteous by faith. After faith is come, we are no longer under the law. In Romans 14:23 we read that what ever is not of faith is sin. So after faith is come, there is no more sin. WAIT A MINUTE! IS THE SCRIPTURE SAYING IF I HAVE FAITH I STOP SINNING?
Romans 6:14-18: When not under the law, we are under grace. We become servants of Christ instead of self and others. By obeying from the heart (mind) the instruction of the Spirit through the Bible, we are made free from sin and become the servants of righteousness. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? 2 Corinthians 3:6: It is the letter that kills you, the Spirit gives life. Romans 2:28-29: An outward Jew is a literal Christian, while one who is a Jew inwardly, is spiritual and circumcision is of the heart (spirit) in the Spirit, not in the letter, i.e., the true Christian is spiritual and keeps the law spiritually. He does not read the law literally and try to keep it himself. This puts him under condemnation of the law because he cannot keep it without the power of Christ in him. Philippians 3:9: We, like Paul, try to get our righteousness out of the law by reading and doing what we think it means. But true righteousness is through the FAITH OF CHRIST, which Christ obtained out of the Father by faith. Galatians 2:16: So we are not justified by our works of the law, neither are we justified by our faith. But only through the faith OF Christ are we justified.
Galatians 4:4-5: Christ came to redeem them that were under the law. Galatians 5:18: If led of the Spirit of Christ, you are not under the book of the law. Galatians 5:1-6: Paul is talking about literal circumcision here. The law is a "yoke of bondage" when you read and do. It is an overwhelming debt that cannot be paid. We are instructed to "hear and do", Matthew 7:24; Deuteronomy 30:10. The problem we have today is the same as was in the Apostolic church.
Acts 15:1, 5-10, 13, 19-22a: Members of the sect of the Pharisees, which were believers in Jesus Christ, were teaching that to be saved one had to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses (literally, according to Jewish custom), i.e., you are not to bear a burden on the Sabbath day; you are not to kindle a fire on the Sabbath day, etc. Today, the literalists say, "don't cook on Sabbath", or "you can't buy gasoline on Sabbath". But when you understand the Sabbath is spiritual and you keep it seven days a week, you stop the legalism. This legal interpretation was said to be a "yoke..which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear". Finally, the problem was resolved when James spoke up and said all that was required of the Gentiles was to abstain from pollution of idols, from fornication, from things strangled and from blood. (See also verse 29).
Philippians 3:1-6: Dogs are evil workers (Isaiah 56:10-12). They are governed by appetite, attitude and passion, which is self rule. The word "concision" means to cut up. He is referring to the Jews who preach literal circumcision. Then he makes the comparison of flesh and spirit. The true worshipers of God are circumcised in the mind by Jesus, Colossians 2:11, and not outwardly in the flesh. Paul goes on to use his life as an example. By the literal interpretation of the law, he was blameless when he persecuted the Christians. 1 John 2:18-19: Anti = in place of, or instead of Christ. A person taking the law literally is putting self in place of Christ. John calls them antichrists, and states that they left them. Remember, the true church at this time was a group of home churches, see Acts 2:46-47; 8:3; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30. Abiding in Christ we sin not, 1 John 3:6. By listening to His voice in our conscience, we abide in the law in Christ, 1 Corinthians 9:21. This is where the struggle of flesh against spirit comes in -- WILL WE LISTEN TO SELF, or Christ?
Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are created in "the Anointed'', Jesus, for good works from God. We have absolutely nothing to offer for our salvation, except to choose God. Choice is all that He has left for us to do. Anything else we do on our own is sin. IS IT ANY WONDER THE YOKE OF CHRIST IS EASY??
Part 3: The Righteousness of
the Law
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