The Law Was Not Abolished

KFLCC BIBLE STUDY

KINGDOM TRAINING: WEDNESDAY NIGHTS THE VALIDITY OF BIBLICAL LAW

Week 1

THE LAW (V S ) GRACE

Week 2

MAN ’ S LAW (V S ) BIBLICAL LAW

Week 3

NATURE OF GOD ’ S LAWS

Week 4

LAWS ON RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT

Week 5

CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER

Week 6

*Please Save all Question For End Of Study Where Time Has Been Allocated*

“ DISOVERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN YOU ” LUKE 17:21

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THE LAW

MATTHEW 5:17

WEEK I

Scripture: Matt 28:18-20, Matt 5:17, Gal 2:9, Rom 7:4, 8:2-7, Gen 1:28, 3:5, 1 Cor 15:45,

THE VALIDITY OF BIBLICAL LAW : A central characteristic of the churches and of modern preaching and Biblical teaching is antinomianism, an anti-law position. The antinomian believes that faith frees the Christian from the law, so that he is not outside the law but is rather dead to the law. There is no warrant whatsoever in Scripture for antinomianism. The expression, "dead to the law," is indeed in Scripture (Gal. 2:9; Rom. 7:4), but it has reference to the believer in relationship to the atoning work of Christ as the believer's representative and substitute; the believer is dead to the law as an indictment, a legal sentence of death against him, Christ having died for him, but the believer is alive to the law as the righteousness of God. The purpose of Christ's atoning work was to restore man to a position of covenant-keeping instead of covenant breaking, to enable man to keep the law by freeing man "from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2), "that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us" (Rom. 8:4). Man is restored to a position of law keeping. The law thus has a position of centrality in man's indictment (as a sentence of death against man the sinner), in man's redemption (in that Christ died, who although the perfect law-keeper as the new Adam, died as man's substitute), and in man's sanctification (in that man grows in grace as he grows in God law keeping, for the law is the way of sanctification).

For example: by God Law man needed a sacrifice to attorn for his sins ……… so Christ became that Atonement, thus fulfilling the Law of God. In so we no longer haft to make animal sacrifices for sin, thus by him obeying the Law he brought forth Redemption & Salvation.

“ DISOVERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN YOU ” LUKE 17:21

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established the laws of godly society, development for man under God, and of the true prophets repeatedly recalled Israel to this purpose. The purpose of Christ's coming was in terms of this same creation mandate. Christ as the new Adam (I Cor. 15:45) kept the law perfectly. As the sin-bearer of the elect, Christ died to make atonement for their sins, to restore them to their position of righteousness under God. The redeemed are recalled to the original purpose of man, to exercise dominion under God, to be covenant-keepers, and to fulfil "the righteousness of the law" (Rom. 8:4). The law remains central to God's purpose. Man has been re-established into God's original purpose and calling. Man's justification is by the grace of God in Jesus Christ; man's sanctification is by means of the law of God. As the new chosen people of God, the Christians are commanded to do that which Adam in Eden, and Israel in Canaan, failed to do. One and the same covenant, under differing administrations, still prevails. Man is summoned to create the society God requires. The determination of man and of history is from God, but the reference of God's law is to this world. "To be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Rom. 8:6), and to be spiritually minded does not mean to be other-worldly but to apply the mandates of the written word under the guidance of the Spirit to this world. Lawless Christianity is a contradiction in terms: it is anti-Christian. The purpose of grace is not to set aside the law but to fulfil the law and to enable man to keep the law. If the law was so serious in the sight of God that it would require the death of Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, to make atonement for man's sin, it seems strange for God then to proceed to abandon the law! The goal of the law is not lawlessness, nor the purpose of grace a lawless contempt of the giver of grace The increasing breakdown of law and order must first of all be attributed to the churches and their persistent antinomianism. If the churches are lax with respect to the law, will not the people follow suit?

Man, as a covenant-breaker is in "enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7) and is subject to "the law of sin and death" (Rom.8:2), whereas the believer is under "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ" (Rom. 8:2). The law is one law, the law of God. To the man on death row in a prison, the law is death; to the godly man, the same law which places another on death row is life, in that it protects him and his property from criminals. Without law, society would collapse into anarchy and fall into the hands of hoodlums. The faithful and full execution of the law is death to the murderer but life to the godly. Similarly, the law in its judgment upon God's enemies is death; the law in its sustaining care and blessings is for the law-abiding a principle of life. God, in creating man, ordered him to subdue the earth and to exercise dominion over the earth (Gen. 1: 28). Man, in attempting to establish separate dominion and autonomous jurisdiction over the earth (Gen. 3:5), fell into sin and death. God, in order to re-establish the Kingdom of God, called Abraham, and then Israel, to be His people, to subdue the earth, and to exercise dominion under God. The law, as given through Moses,

Theology and Law • Nomism considers the Holy Spirit insufficient and advances the need for a strict adherence to law. This approach includes Judaism, Arminianism, Pelagianism, and Rationalism. • Antinomianism considers the Law unnecessary for man's conduct and relies mystically on the Spirit. This approach includes Mystics and some Dispensationalists. (deeds of the Nicolaitans ) • Reformationism conclude the Law and the Spirit work together to convert the ungodly and to sanctify the believer. Three uses of the Law

And civil law cannot be separated from Biblical law, for the Biblical doctrine of law includes all law, civil, ecclesiastical, societal, familial, and all other forms of law. The social order which despises God's law places itself on death row: it is marked for judgment. The Law Defined 1. The Law is summarized in the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17).

1. Usus politicus or civilis: The Law serves a purpose of restraining sin and promoting righteousness.

2. Usus pedagogicus: The Law serves to bring sinful man under conviction of sin making him conscious of his inability to meet the demands of the law. 3. Usus didacticus (3rd use of the Law: tertius usus legis): The Law is the believer's a rule of conduct in order to make men holy.

2. There are 613 commands in the Torah. They can be reduced to 10 and even to three virtues.

Micah 6:8: "He hath shewed thee, 0 man, what is good; and what doth the LORD requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" During a day when men were cutting off fingers and testicles to gods, Micah's revelation was dynamic. No god ever required so little from man as YHWH! 3. The Law is summarized by three main virtues in the NT (Matthew 23:23): "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." [Matthew 23:23, Bible]

Three Types of Laws in the Torah

• Moral Laws: Laws that directly reflect the character of God (Most of the 10 Commandments).

• Civil Laws: Laws that governed polity in Israel (Laws on capital punishment)

• Cultic Laws: Laws that were designed to make Israel distinct from her neighbors till Christ was born (Dietary laws).

The Law And The New Testament Believer

The three main virtues that are the product of the law therefore are:

1. God's character as expressed objectively in the Law gives us the basis for saying there are absolutes. If there was no God, then there would be no ultimate right or wrong (Ps. 119:142). 2. The objective law defines and exposes sin in a fallen world. Without the Law sin is undefined, and depravity becomes "normal" behavior. The Law also exposes the sin in man and the truth of man's bondage in sin and his ultimate responsibility to God (Gal. 3:19, 22; Rom. 7:9-14; 2:5,6).

• Faithfulness to God • Justice toward men • Mercy toward man

4. The Law is summarized in two virtues as revealed by Jesus (Mt. 22:34-40):

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself [Matthew 22:34-36, Bible]

Mat 6:10 Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

“ DISOVERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN YOU ” LUKE 17:21

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Continue:

3. The righteousness of God (expressed in the law) is what God demands and will accomplish in His work in history (Psalm 96:1, 11-13, 97:1, 2; Is 9:6,7). 4. The Law has no life-giving properties. It defines what is right, but doesn't empower mankind to keep it (Romans 7).

5. The Christian is not under "the Law" as a means to attaining life (Rom. 6:13). However, believers can look to the law as an expression of the character of God to see what God wants to accomplish in him. (Galatians 3:21; 22; 5:13-14, 22,23). 6. Christ is the Living Torah. He is the ultimate model of right and wrong. The believer is to model Christ, and in modeling Christ, he will ultimately fulfill the law (Romans 8:2-4). 7. The believer is not free from the responsibility to keep the Ten Commandments because they reflect the character of God. The believer is responsible to reflect the character of God however it is expressed.

Law in the Book of Galatians

This section summarizes the approach to law outlined by the Apostle Paul in the Book of Galatians. It does so by listing the verses and then summarizing their purpose below:

Gal. 1:9 A curse is pronounced on those who pervert the gospel.

Gal. 2:15 Justification is by faith (sola fide), not by law keeping.

Gal. 3:3 Sanctification is by faith and Spirit.

“ DISOVERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN YOU ” LUKE 17:21

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FACTS ON LAW:

GAL. 3:5 LAW KEEPING IS NOT THE REASON FOR MIRACLES.

GAL. 3:6 THOSE UNDER LAW ARE UNDER A CURSE.

GAL. 3:7 LAW KEEPING WILL NEVER LEAD TO JUSTIFICATION.

GAL. 3:8 THE LAW DOES NOT SPRING FROM FAITH.

GAL. 3:13 CHRISTIANS ARE REDEEMED FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW.

GAL. 3:17 THE OLD COVENANT DOES NOT SET ASIDE THE ABRAHAMIC PROMISE THAT CHRIST WOULD BRING BLESSING TO ALL.

GAL. 3:18 LAW AND GRACE ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.

THE PURPOSE OF LAW (GAL. 3:19)?

FIVE PURPOSES OF LAW AS A PAIDAGOGON (S) (PAIDAGWGO,N)

1. TO SHOW WHAT BEHAVIORS ARE SINFUL (GAL. 3:19).

2. TO SHOW THE MISERY OF JUDGMENT FOR SIN (GAL. 3:10).

3. TO SHOW THE VANITY OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS (GAL. 3:21).

4. TO SHOW ALL MEN ARE SINNERS (GAL. 3:22).

5. TO SHOW US CHRIST, THE LIVING TORAH & REDEEMER (GAL. 3:24)

“ DISOVERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN YOU ” LUKE 17:21

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“ REFERENCES ”

King James Bible

Prepared by:

Apostle Gary Carter, Jr.

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