The Law

[shawn]

My pastor asked the church to read John, Ephesians, and Romans 5 times.  I began doing so not fully understanding why.  While reading this passage on previous occasions I never fully understood it.


Romans Chapter 7

7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

I thought to myself, so the law is good because it brings death and because sin becomes utterly sinful?  That makes no sense. 

I know this is probably very basic to the rest of you but I think I finally understand it, and would love your insights.

I think this is saying the purpose of the Law, the whole reason it was spoken by God and given to the people of Israel is to bring us into true relationship.  We have ALL been called to die to self.  We have been called to become a reflection of Christ.  The Law is the vehicle which brings this into being.  By making it known to us, right and wrong we know sin.  Without sin, there is no death, and therefore we can not die to self.  In order for us to become like Christ, we must know right from wrong, suffer the wages of sin which is death and be resurrected with Christ into righteousness.  The Law brings condemnation by bringing awareness and without this awareness we can never come into relationship.  Therefore the Law is holy, righteous and good as it brings death, then maturity in relationship, and everlasting life.

[LS]

 :thumbsup: EXCELLENT expression, Shawn.

I think some of these concepts we kind of "get" but it's hard to put them into words - Paul himself sounds very convoluted sometimes as he attempts to express them. I think you nailed it and I was blessed by the way you expressed it. Thank you!

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Amen, "go Shawn"!   :happygrin:

[jabcat]

Other perspectives/aspects on the the Law.

1) Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to the Anointed One, so that we might be justifed on the basis of faith.  Yet now that this faith has come, we are no longer under the tutor.  Gal. 3:24,25


2) Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."  Gal. 3:11


3) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.. Eph 2:8


4) Now some people came down from Judea and began teaching the brother and sisters, "Unless you men are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you can't be saved."

...Yet some people from the sect [denomination] of the Pharisees, who had now become Believers, rose up and said, "They have to be circumcised and charged to keep the Law of Moses."

..Now after much questioning had occurred, Peter rose up and said to them, "Brothers and sisters, you have expertise in the fact that from the beginning days God chose among you, that through my mouth the pagans should hear the Word of the Good Message and believe.  Now God, who knows what is in hearts, testified to them, giving them the Pure Spirit, just as he also did to us, and discriminated in nothing between us and them, making their hearts clean by faith.  So then, why are you now testing God by placing a yoke upon the necks of the students that neither our forefathers nor we have been strong enough to carry?  Rather, we are continually believing that we are saved through the favor of the Master Yesu, in the same manner as they also..   Acts (last part of 14, first part of 15), The Christian Bible (1991)

[shawn]

We are no longer condemned by the Law.  However, I don't believe that nullifies the Law or makes it less holy.  I don't believe that means it doesn't correct and direct.  But, the difference?  The Law is now written on our hearts and minds.  We are not saved keeping the Law.  If we break one law we are guilty of breaking the whole.  Under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit directs and corrects in a manner in which the Law could not....without condemnation.

[jabcat]

More good info;

The difference between the Mosaic Law and the law of the Life in Christ Jesus is the difference  between life and death. I do not recall any particular article I've written or anyone else that lays down the differences well, I'm sure there are some good resources that clearly point to the differences. I know we have a Chart on the tentmaker site somewhere showing the differences between the Shadow of the Old Testament and the reality of the New. Perhaps someone can find it and post it here. But dear, brother and sister, a SERIOUS warning to you all, the law kills, whether written in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek when one understands how Paul used the phrase "the law." Cast out the woman and her son. The promises of God do not come to us by Moses. There is a higher law that the shadow of Moses cannot attain. - Gary Amirault


http://www.tentmaker.org/oldandnew.htm

[shawn]

More good info;

The difference between the Mosaic Law and the law of the Life in Christ Jesus is the difference  between life and death. I do not recall any particular article I've written or anyone else that lays down the differences well, I'm sure there are some good resources that clearly point to the differences. I know we have a Chart on the tentmaker site somewhere showing the differences between the Shadow of the Old Testament and the reality of the New. Perhaps someone can find it and post it here. But dear, brother and sister, a SERIOUS warning to you all, the law kills, whether written in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek when one understands how Paul used the phrase "the law." Cast out the woman and her son. The promises of God do not come to us by Moses. There is a higher law that the shadow of Moses cannot attain. - Gary Amirault


http://www.tentmaker.org/oldandnew.htm

Interesting read.  I don't think many of us would disagree that with the New Covenant came a higher law written on our hearts.  I don't see any of us lining up to sacrifice a goat.  But, there is still clearly right and wrong.  If we murder, rape, lie, steal are these not Old Covenant law and also part of the new higher law now written on the hearts and minds of believers?  There is an internal dialogue between the Holy Spirit and ourselves that leads us to truth, discernment, and the ability to know sin.  Without this there would be ignorance.  We could never die to self as we wouldn't know sin.

[jabcat]

[There is an internal dialogue between the Holy Spirit and ourselves that leads us to truth, discernment, and the ability to know sin.  Without this there would be ignorance.  We could never die to self as we wouldn't know sin.

:thumbsup: