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SUBJECT: Law
QUESTION: Are the Laws of God still in effect?
ANSWER:
This is a common question. The verse in question is
Ephesians 2:15 but I will include more of the passage here:
Ephesians 2:13-18
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are
made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath
broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in
himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by
the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off,
and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto
the Father.
Verse 13: Christ, and everything He stands for (law,
principle, salvation and access to the Father)
was afar off but is now nigh by His blood.
Question: Why
were we afar off? We were afar off prior to His
death...right? Even if the Law (10 commandments, etc.) were
being thrown away at His death, they were still around prior
to His death. So we have the Law in effect and yet we are
"afar" off. Afar off from what? Could it be possible that
what we were separated from was the Law itself? If true, we
put these verses in a whole new light.
In fact, something had happened that had separated man from
law. It is mentioned in verse 15. Before we go there,
we must mention that Christ had identified the factor that
had separated man from Law and came to set it straight but
He did much more. With His death, He makes it possible for
us to have direct access to the Father. He also came to put
the Law back to where it was supposed to be. Let us discuss
that...
Verse 14: Christ breaks down the partition between us and
the Father. In the temple there was a Holy of Holies which
is a small room which pictures the throne of God. Once a
year, the High Priest would go into this room. There was a
veil on this room. At the moment Christ died, this veil was
torn in two pieces showing that each man and women could
access God directly. This Great God, Creator of all things
and the Great Law Giver. This subject of something that was
a separation between us and God is mentioned in this verse
so that we could better understand something else that was a
separation between man and God. Notice verse 15....the
separator made by man.
Verse 15. The key to this verse is two phrases: 1) "the law
of commandments and 2) "contained in ordinances". If this
verse is about Christ doing away with the 10 commandments,
then why not just say: "Having abolished in his flesh the
law, even the 10 commandments and all the statues and
judgments of the Father; for to make in himself of twain one
new man, so making peace."? What those two specific
phrases? Ever hear of the Pharisees?
Since the giving of the Law (from
the creation of Adam and Eve, Moses and on) man
has done certain things to change it, modify it, repeal it
and generally turn it into something that it was not
designed for. By the time Christ came along, man had
primarily turn the Law into the focus of worship. Any study
of the Pharisees will show you this. They had so codified
the Law that they had added thousands of explanations to the
law...things called ordinances. The 4th commandment states
that we will remember (keep)
the Sabbath. The Pharisees had written so many "tag on" or
"add on" laws or ordinances to this law that every action
you could possibly take on the Sabbath was mentioned; what
you eat, how you prepare it, what you wear, what motions or
activities you did or avoided and how far you could walk
just to mention a few. There were so many ordinances that
man began making their focus of worship the Law rather than
the Law Giver. Further, the Law was designed to lead us to
something else. That thing is called Principle, but more
about that in a moment.
Now having shown that man had codified the law and made it a
focus of worship, look at verse 15 again: In our
language we would say something like this to restate this
verse:
"Christ abolished in his flesh the enmity (the
manifestation which is hated), even the
codification of the commandments, which are contained in
countless "add on" laws, explanations and ordinances for to
make in himself of twain, on new man, so making
peace....peace by taking away the codification and add on
laws and letting man see the true meaning and purpose of the
Law and commandments."
Verse 16: By doing this; the taking away of that which man
added to the law and taking away the worship of the
same, Christ reconciles man to God and man to the true
design and purpose of the law.
Verse 17: Here Christ explains that He did this for both
those that were a part of this system and even for those far
off that were not a part of this system. By extension, the
meaning is that what Christ is doing or what He did was for
all mankind.
Verse 18: We now have direct access. Why? Because we
understand the purpose; the true purpose of the Law, that
is, to point us toward something called Principle.
Verses 19-20 These verses are saying, "Now that I have done
this thing, putting the law back to where it was
supposed to be, we are of the household of God and are built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner stone."
Now if the Law had been done away, why are we laying this
"household of God" upon the foundation of apostles and
prophets? Why are we laying this "household of God" upon a
foundation of which Christ is the chief corner stone.
Notice these verses from the New Testament, written after
the death of Christ that talk about the Law including the 10
commandments:
1 Corinthians 14:37
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let
him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are
the commandments of the Lord.
1Thessalonians 4:2
For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
Titus 1:14
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men,
that turn from the truth.
Point: What
"commandments of men" do you think they are talking about?
I John 2:3-7
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of
God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to
walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old
commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old
commandment is the word which ye have heard from the
beginning.
1 John 3:22
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep
his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in
his sight.
Note: This verse
sure seems clear. How would you define "those things that
are pleasing in his sight"?
1 John 3:24
And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he
in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the
Spirit which he hath given us.
Note: We know we
are in Christ and He is in us if we keep the commandments.
Is this not the same Christ that is the chief corner stone
back in Ephesians. How can a commandment full Christ be the
foundation to a household of God that does not keep the law
or believes that Christ took it with Him in His death?
1 John 5:2-3
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we
love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Wow: The commandments are not grievous (they
bring no sorrow. they are not characterized by pain or
suffering). This being so, why would we need to
do away with them? Fact is, the "add on" laws ARE grievous
and DO cause pain and sorrow and suffering. Makes you
wonder what is being referred to in 1 John 5:3. Is John's
comment making a distinction between God's commandments and
those of men?
2 John 1:6-7
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.
This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the
beginning, ye should walk in it.
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess
not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a
deceiver and an antichrist.
Note: Clearly
showing (as do all the
verses here) that we are to keep the commandments
and also showing that some would come and confess not that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh which is to say that He
did not come to set the law back to the way it was designed.
Revelation 12:17
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make
war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the
commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Note: This is
from the book of Revelation....prophecy. If the law is done
away, why would Satan care about a bunch of people KEEPING
that law?
Revelation 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep
the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Note: This
stated after the return of Christ and speaking of the
144,000 people that are converted to the faith after the
heavenly signs. All these verses seem crazy if the Law and
Commandments are done away 2000 years ago.
Revelation 22:14-15
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the
gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers,
and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and
maketh a lie.
Note: This from
the very last book of the Bible. Those that keep this law
may enter in through the gates of the New
Jerusalem. But notice....those that do not get to enter
into the city..........those that would make a lie----about
what?
Maybe making a lie that says that the law is done away.
FINAL ARGUMENT
We read in the scriptures about God formulating this plan
about man long before the foundation of the world. Clearly,
the Great Almighty God who is more infinitely wise beyond
all comprehension would have conceived that this Law thing
would not work and therefore would scrap the whole idea.
The people that are saying that Christ came to do away with
something that God established is saying at least two
things: 1) God couldn't see it coming and 2) God said
"oops".
Matthew 13:35
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,
saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter
things which have been kept secret from the foundation of
the world.
Matthew 25:34
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come,
ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world:
John 17:24
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be
with me where I am; that they may behold my glory,
which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the
foundation of the world.
Ephesians 1:4-5
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of
his will,
Note: Notice
this is from Ephesians and is stated before Eph 2:15, our
verse in question.
1 Peter 1:20-21
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the
dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope
might be in God.
Romans 8:29-30
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called:
and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he
justified, them he also glorified.
All of these verses show that God is pretty wise and knew a
lot of things long, long before He made the planet which was
billions of years before the creation of man (There
is a lot of time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2).
The other argument is, of course, what is wrong with the Law
in the first place? Which of the 10 commandments
would you not like to see in place. Murder? Stealing?
Lying?....which.
NOW A WORD ABOUT THE PURPOSE
OF THE LAW
The law was design to point man toward something else. That
something else is a thing called Principle. Before I give
you some examples of a Principle, let me give you a
definition:
Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven
to have enduring, permanent value. They're fundamental.
They're essentially unarguable because they are
self-evident. One way to quickly grasp the self-evident
nature of principles is to simply consider the absurdity of
attempting to live an effective life based on their
opposites.
Principles are universal, that is, they apply to every
individual, family, marriage, partnership, business,
corporation, government and nation. There are no laws
against principles. Principles are "above the law". Laws
point the individual to the principle. Let us take an
example:
Honesty is a Principle. It applies to every situation we
can name, individual, corporation, government, etc. There
are no laws against Honesty. However there are laws that
point us toward the Principle of Honesty. Thou shalt not
lie and thou shalt not steal are just two. One can keep a
law but a Principle must be invoked. You can keep the law
and not steal all your life and no one will hardly know but
if you invoke Honesty people see that. All your life you
have heard people referred to as being Honest. Very few are
referred to as keeping the law about not stealing. See the
distinction?
Christ is the embodiment of all principle. When Romans
13:14 tells us to "put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ", it is
telling you to invoke the Principles that He is the
embodiment of. When we invoke Principle, people see Christ
in us. When we invoke Principle, we are letting our light
shine because Christ is the light in us.
More principles? Read Galatians 5:22-23
Galatians 5:22-25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with
the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
All of these are principles and notice verse 23...."against
such there is no law". Other examples of Principle are:
fairness, integrity, human dignity, service, excellence,
nurturance and encouragement.
All of the ordinances of the Pharisees miss the point. They
have you keeping laws NOT INVOKING PRINCIPLE. Christ knew
this. God knew this. Christ came to set the law back to
what it was and a little bit more. We now have God's Holy
Spirit that gives us the power to: 1) make direct contact
with God the Father and 2) to invoke Principle ...fruit.
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