"The Law was our schoolmaster" - What does it mean
Abraham's faith and justification through it (believing God's promises despite contrary circumstances) was manifested 430 years before Moses' law. And it is written that God in Christ made a covenant with Abraham 430 years before the law to be Abraham's God and of his seed after him. The law was added for the sake of the sons of Abraham that lacked his faith in Christ (to tutor them in faith toward Christ Abraham's God). Once that faith was birthed in them they were no longer under the tutor. The law is of use where faith is lacking. "The law is good if a man use it lawfully." The lawful use is to use it to tutor the wicked in faith toward Christ. It is evident that men had faith before the giving of the law and I think it happens today also without it.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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_Sam McNear
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The Moral Law
Homer,
I feel you are wrong about the Law in one way.
You say there are innumerable ways how you can "demonstrating the inferiority of the law for the purpose of convicting sinners."
The Bible says "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul" Psalms 19:7. When we find ourselves contradicting the Bible, we must humble ourselves and ask God for answers. I feel many don't understand the law of God completely, including myself. But there is no way I would say the law is not perfect in converting a soul or inadequate. This would contradict the Bible.
In the law of the Old Testament there are moral, civil, and ceremonial laws. The moral laws still need to be held today by Christians. Why? Because, Christ's commandments are what we follow today and He stated all the moral laws in His teachings and added to them. The Sermon on the Mount is a good example of Jesus confirming and adding to the moral law of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:21-22, 5:27-28, 5:33-37)
Under Christ we are no longer under “the oldness of the law” but under His laws and His laws do not contradict the laws of the past but add to them in more detail (He added to the moral laws) and He fulfilled them meaning He made it so we don't have to do all the ceremonies we use to (the ceremonial laws). The ceremonial laws He made null and void due to His sacrifice being the ultimate and final ceremonial sacrifice.
The civil laws where laws only for the nation of Israel. When we go from one nation to another we follow the laws in the nation we are in. Does that make the laws of the nation we left wrong? No, just null and void because we are no longer in the old nation. Does the nation we left and the nation we are in have some similar laws? Probably, and most likely they are the moral laws like, no stealing, no murder, etc… This is, I think, a great example of understanding the difference between the old and New Testament. The Bible explains it in a similar way in Romans 7.
Rom 7:2 “For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another--to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”
The Spirit writes the "new" law on our hearts. Is it the same law of the Old Testament? Yes, the moral part of if, but the Holy Spirit also takes us further in the true meaning of the law of God by adding to the old not taking away.
Just try using the law to convert a sinner. You will see it is superior to most modern evangelistic techniques, because it (the Law) is perfect in converting the soul.
God Bless
I feel you are wrong about the Law in one way.
You say there are innumerable ways how you can "demonstrating the inferiority of the law for the purpose of convicting sinners."The Bible says "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul" Psalms 19:7. When we find ourselves contradicting the Bible, we must humble ourselves and ask God for answers. I feel many don't understand the law of God completely, including myself. But there is no way I would say the law is not perfect in converting a soul or inadequate. This would contradict the Bible.
In the law of the Old Testament there are moral, civil, and ceremonial laws. The moral laws still need to be held today by Christians. Why? Because, Christ's commandments are what we follow today and He stated all the moral laws in His teachings and added to them. The Sermon on the Mount is a good example of Jesus confirming and adding to the moral law of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:21-22, 5:27-28, 5:33-37)
Under Christ we are no longer under “the oldness of the law” but under His laws and His laws do not contradict the laws of the past but add to them in more detail (He added to the moral laws) and He fulfilled them meaning He made it so we don't have to do all the ceremonies we use to (the ceremonial laws). The ceremonial laws He made null and void due to His sacrifice being the ultimate and final ceremonial sacrifice.
The civil laws where laws only for the nation of Israel. When we go from one nation to another we follow the laws in the nation we are in. Does that make the laws of the nation we left wrong? No, just null and void because we are no longer in the old nation. Does the nation we left and the nation we are in have some similar laws? Probably, and most likely they are the moral laws like, no stealing, no murder, etc… This is, I think, a great example of understanding the difference between the old and New Testament. The Bible explains it in a similar way in Romans 7.
Rom 7:2 “For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another--to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”
The Spirit writes the "new" law on our hearts. Is it the same law of the Old Testament? Yes, the moral part of if, but the Holy Spirit also takes us further in the true meaning of the law of God by adding to the old not taking away.
Just try using the law to convert a sinner. You will see it is superior to most modern evangelistic techniques, because it (the Law) is perfect in converting the soul.
God Bless
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:
Reason:
Sam McNear
To know God and to make Him known - that is the most important thing!
To know God and to make Him known - that is the most important thing!