Love Acceptance Worth Security
March 9, 2022
Are You Living With A False Belief?
May 27, 2022
Isn’t the law our moral guide?
When we ask that question what we are really asking is; doesn’t God require us to follow the 10 commandments so we can be moral or have a sense of morality?
The short answer to that question is no and here’s why. That was never its purpose, to begin with.
When the law was given to Moses and presented to the people of Israel it may have appeared to the Israelites that this was the way back into a relationship with their God. They were more than willing to follow every command and obey. Exodus 24:7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it as the people listened; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”
But we know what the outcome of their excitement to follow God’s commands was. Continually disobeying and going their own way. Absolutely no one could keep the law, it wasn’t possible. Do you think this surprised God? Certainly not.
God’s true purpose for the law was much deeper than just following rules and would eventually lead everyone to Jesus.
We are only brought into right relationship with God one way; by faith. Not by following rules which are works. Jesus is the path to rightness with God. It’s through him and what he did that restores our relationship with the living God.
Paul reveals the true purpose of the law in Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. Also, in Romans 3:20 Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
So another purpose of the law was to give us the knowledge of sin. The purpose of the law is to give us the knowledge of sin and through the utter futility of trying to keep the law, was to lead us to the only one who can save us and restore our relationship with God.
Paul goes on to tell us in Galatians 3:25-26 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. What he is saying is that the law is of no more use to us who are in Jesus. We were led to him, we found him.
Are we saying the law is bad? Quite the opposite. If you are in Christ it served its purpose and you no longer need it. If you are not in Christ, the law is still a tutor leading men and women to the only one who can save. Jesus.
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."
Paul does not mince words in describing the law, 2 Corinthians 3:7-9 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones (the 10 commandments), came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation(the 10 commandments) has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
Paul calls the law “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation”. So, are you trusting in “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation” to be your moral compass?
It's important to understand where our “moral compass” is, right? Jeremiah 31:33 says; “For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
God’s law becomes internal. We now live from the inside out because we are united with Jesus. Our morality comes from Jesus in us and flows out from us.
We have direct knowledge of God through God’s word. We are a new dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. He guides us, teaches us, comforts us, and leads us into all truth.
We are forgiven. Our forgiveness with God is not progressive as it was in the old covenant. It’s once for all time. No repeat necessary. We are right with God because of Jesus. There’s no becoming unright.
Not anymore!
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
When we ask that question what we are really asking is; doesn’t God require us to follow the 10 commandments so we can be moral or have a sense of morality?
The short answer to that question is no and here’s why. That was never its purpose, to begin with.
When the law was given to Moses and presented to the people of Israel it may have appeared to the Israelites that this was the way back into a relationship with their God. They were more than willing to follow every command and obey. Exodus 24:7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it as the people listened; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”
But we know what the outcome of their excitement to follow God’s commands was. Continually disobeying and going their own way. Absolutely no one could keep the law, it wasn’t possible. Do you think this surprised God? Certainly not.
God’s true purpose for the law was much deeper than just following rules and would eventually lead everyone to Jesus.
We are only brought into right relationship with God one way; by faith. Not by following rules which are works. Jesus is the path to rightness with God. It’s through him and what he did that restores our relationship with the living God.
Paul reveals the true purpose of the law in Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. Also, in Romans 3:20 Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
So another purpose of the law was to give us the knowledge of sin. The purpose of the law is to give us the knowledge of sin and through the utter futility of trying to keep the law, was to lead us to the only one who can save us and restore our relationship with God.
Paul goes on to tell us in Galatians 3:25-26 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. What he is saying is that the law is of no more use to us who are in Jesus. We were led to him, we found him.
Are we saying the law is bad? Quite the opposite. If you are in Christ it served its purpose and you no longer need it. If you are not in Christ, the law is still a tutor leading men and women to the only one who can save. Jesus.
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."
Paul does not mince words in describing the law, 2 Corinthians 3:7-9 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones (the 10 commandments), came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation(the 10 commandments) has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
Paul calls the law “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation”. So, are you trusting in “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation” to be your moral compass?
It's important to understand where our “moral compass” is, right? Jeremiah 31:33 says; “For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
God’s law becomes internal. We now live from the inside out because we are united with Jesus. Our morality comes from Jesus in us and flows out from us.
We have direct knowledge of God through God’s word. We are a new dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. He guides us, teaches us, comforts us, and leads us into all truth.
We are forgiven. Our forgiveness with God is not progressive as it was in the old covenant. It’s once for all time. No repeat necessary. We are right with God because of Jesus. There’s no becoming unright.
Not anymore!
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
