SHEPHERD OF THE LOST SHEEP

BY THE LAW

"But that no man is justified by the law in the

sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall

live by faith."

(Galatians 3:11)

Chapter 9

  The old testament law has become a stumbling block for many. First for the Jews. Jesus showed and proved how they had perverted the laws of Moses for their own gain. The Pharisees hated that He made them see their own sin. Then the laws became a stumbling block for Christians. For some reason, many Christians want to live under old Jewish law. I do not understand this. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). Paul tells us that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law" (Galatians 3:13 a). It is a strange thing that Israel fell into apostasy while under the law. Christians are falling into apostasy trying to get under the law. How ironic!

  Jesus was made a curse to redeem us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). He did that so that the blessing of Abraham might come to Gentiles through Him. That we might receive the Holy Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:14). If the old testament laws are considered a curse by the Bible itself, why would you want to put yourself under them? Trust in Christ and let Him redeem you from that curse.

  God's laws were made hard to keep for a reason. Jesus made them even harder by telling the Jews that even if they think those things, they have transgressed the law. The laws are so hard, to make us realize without Christ we are hopeless. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10). Have you ever broken any of God's laws? Look back to Leviticus and see. Then look at the punishments and remember that if you broke one, you broke them all. Do you see how impossible it would be without the blood of Christ to wash clean our sins? Christ paid it all!

  The law does not save us. You can keep every law written and it will not matter without the blood covering you. Do we receive the Spirit by works of the law or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:2). Faith is of the Spirit and the law is of the flesh. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8,9, see ch. 13).

  "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24).

  Many people try to defend keeping the old testament law by quoting Jesus when He said "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5:18). There are two things to take note of here. First, we have another promise of preserving His Word because, sure enough, not one jot or tittle has passed from the law (unless you are Catholic). Second, is the fact that Jesus did fulfill the law at the cross. As the Bible says"For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator." (Hebrews 9:16). Jesus was the testator and therefore the new testament did not begin until His death.

  The only way that anyone could believe that keeping the law of Moses is what saves you or keeps you saved, is to completely deny all epistles of Paul. Paul explains it time and time again. It is a constant theme throughout his writings. The Jews trying to get Christians under the law was so common that it is mentioned in almost every epistle of the new testament.

  The law was even the reason for the church and the apostles coming together in Acts 15. Some Jews that believed Jesus was the Messiah but did not believe in His finished work, was trying to get Gentile Christians under the law. Paul rebuked these men and so they all met together with other apostles. After much disputing back and forth, Peter himself stated that Paul's message was correct. That both Jew and Gentile are saved by faith in the gospel of what Jesus did for us. If you remove Paul, you remove the gospel. If you remove the gospel, you remove salvation. Why would you want to do that?

  "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin." (Romans 7:14). I believe a lot of Christian's problem with understanding the law comes from the fact that they do not realize that there are God's physical laws and God's spiritual laws. The physical laws are the laws of Moses to the nation of Israel (God's physical kingdom). The spiritual laws, which is our conscience, is for His spiritual kingdom. There is a difference in these laws. There are just so many these days who down right deny this, even if you show them scriptures outright saying it. It is simple, there is a physical kingdom, promise, and laws. There is a spiritual kingdom, promise, and laws. Once you understand this, a lot of the scriptures will make more since to you.

  There is also another law that we must always be careful of. That is the law of sin. "I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." (Romans 7:21-23). This is the battle of the flesh and Spirit that Paul is explaining here. Even he struggled with sin. The law of sin is always seeking victims. It is never stopped, nor is it ever quenched. We must always battle the law of sin until our Lord redeems us from this sin lusting flesh. "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Romans 8:13).

  "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." (Romans 3:31). Just because we are not under the old testament law does not mean we are lawless. We are to show God's laws written in our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 10:16). When Jesus brings in the physical kingdom this will then also apply for the Jews who come back to God. We are to learn from the old testament laws. They will help us understand the things God hates and the things He loves.

  As mentioned, the law of God is written in our hearts. It is called our conscience. Knowing right from wrong. God gave everyone a conscience so that we would be without excuse when we stand before Him. So if one has never heard the gospel, God will judge them based off their moral decisions using their conscience to guide them (Romans 2:13-16). God is just and would never doom someone to hell that never had the chance to hear the gospel. However, if you are of good conscience, God will lead you to the gospel. We live in the age of the internet. Most of the world has access to God's Word now. It is up to them to seek out the truth.

  God's law is not void! We are not to be lawless. Keep in mind though, that Jesus Christ died on the cross for a reason and rose again the third day to justify us before the Father. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. The curse of the law was death. Through Christ we have eternal life. Praise His holy name, we have been redeemed through His own blood. Isn't that free gift from God much better than trying to keep impossible laws?