By Gary Ray Branscome
Since sin is a violation of the law, we need to
know what the law says (1John 3:4). And, the words, There is only one
lawgiver and judge, the one who is able to save and to destroy, tell us when
it comes to sin, Gods Law is the only law that counts (James.
The words, You shall not add to the word which I
command you, nor shall you take anything from it, that you may keep the
commandments of the LORD your God which I command you, warn Gods people
not to add to or take from what His law says (Deuteronomy 4:2). That coupled with the
words, Nor are you to be called masters: for you have one Master, even
Christ, tells us that no church, no matter how large, has any authority to
create new laws that are binding on Gods people, or do away with those God has
given us. (Matthew 23:10).
The words, Not one letter or stroke will pass from the
law, until everything has been fulfilled, tell us that the Law is still in
place (Matthew
At this point let me
digress from explaining the law in order to explain what the Bible says about
freedom from the law.
It is important to know that those who trust in Christ have
been freed from the law. As it is written, We have been released from the
law, having died to that which once bound us; that we should serve in newness
of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter (Romans 7:6). For that
reason, one of Satans greatest attacks on our faith is aimed at confusing
people as to what freedom from the law entails. On one hand Satan leads people
to wrongly assume that if they are free from the law they are free to sin. But,
the words, The law is not meant for a righteous man, but for those who are
lawless and rebellious, tell us that those who use Christian freedom as an
excuse to sin, wind up placing themselves back under the law and its
condemnation (1Timothy 1:9). On the other hand, Satan leads people to react to
Christian freedom by assuming that faith is not enough. Those under that
delusion place themselves back under the law by seeking righteousness through
the law. Against that error Paul warned, Stand fast in the liberty for
which Christ set us free, and never again allow yourselves to be ensnared by
the yoke of slavery
those of you who seek righteousness by the law; you
are fallen from grace (Galatians 5:1,4).
Many people have a hard time understanding the freedom we
have in Christ because they assume that the law makes them righteous. And,
because they think that the law makes them righteous, they wrongly assume that
freedom from the law is freedom to sin. However, nothing could be further from
the truth! As it is written, No one will ever become righteous in Gods
sight by the deeds of the law: because the knowledge of sin comes by the law
(Romans
The Ceremonial Law
By the time of Christs sojourn on earth Greek culture had
spread over much of the
In the third chapter of Galatians the Apostle Paul explains
why he did not require converts to become Jews by saying, Before faith
came, we were imprisoned by the law, kept under guard by the law for the faith
that would be revealed. Therefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to
Christ, that we might be declared righteous by faith. But now that faith has
come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster, for you are all the children of
God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians
The ceremonial law created a cultural barrier between Jews
and gentiles. During the Old Testament era that was important. However, after Christs
resurrection it hindered the spread of the gospel. That is why God inspired
Paul to say, If you died with Christ to the elemental things of this world,
why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules, Do not
touch; do not taste; do not handle // Do not let anyone judge you by
what you eat, or drink, or in regard to a holyday, or the new moon, or the
Sabbath day (Colossians 2:20-21 and 2:16). That is why Peter said, I
now realize how true it is that God is no respecter of persons, but in every
nation those who fear Him, and do what is right, are accepted by Him (Acts
10:34-35). And, that is why the Council of Jerusalem said to the gentile
converts, It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater
burden than these essential things: That you abstain from meats offered to
idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.
If you keep yourselves from these things you will do well (Acts
In addition to what was just said, the book of Hebrews
explains to the Jewish believers why animal sacrifice should be abolished,
saying, The law being only a shadow of good things to come, and not the
actual embodiment of those things, can never make those who come perfect by
offering the same sacrifices continually year after year
Thus He does
away with the first covenant, that He may establish the second. And by that
will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all (Hebrews 10:1,9,10).
Walking In Newness of
Life
So, what law should we
live by? Jesus answered that when He said, You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all
your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is
like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On
these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew
The words, That we
may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, tell us
that the freedom we have in Christ is not the freedom to sin, but the freedom,
to do what is right, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (1Timothy 2:2, Micah 6:8).
The words, Woe to those who call evil good, and good
evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, warn us that a
Christian should never excuse or justify wrongdoing (Isaiah 5:20). The words, We
are buried with Him [Christ] by baptism into death: that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk
in newness of life, tell us that we should walk in newness of life; conducting
ourselves as if sin has been removed from our nature (Romans 6:4). The
words, A bishop must be blameless, tell us that a Christian should
conduct himself in a way that is above reproach (1Timothy 3:2). The
words, Put aside all filthiness and every hint of naughtiness, tell us
that we should not do anything that looks shady (James
Government
The words,
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no
authority except by God, and those that exist are established by God, tell
us, not only that we should obey the law of the land, but that rulers are given
their authority by God (Romans 13:1). However, any laws enacted by men are
binding only if God Himself has given men authority to make them. And, God
has never given any ruler the authority to promote homosexuality or any other
form of wickedness. Nor has He given them the authority to require us to send
our children to schools that attack their faith and teach them the false
religion of secularism. In understanding how to deal with a government that
actively promotes evil, the words, You need to be subject, not only to
avoid wrath, but also for conscience sake, tell us that we need to work
for reform in a way that will not bring down the wrath of government upon
ourselves, or other Christians, and can be done with a clean conscience (Romans
13:5). If rulers actively try to force us to act contrary to Gods Word, the
rule is that, We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts
Parents
Paul tells us that the words, Honor your father and
your mother: that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God
gives you, // is the first commandment with promise (Exodus
Conscience
The words, I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus,
that there is nothing unclean of itself: but
if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. But if
your brother is grieved because of what you eat, you are not walking according
to love. Do not destroy with your food, him for whom Christ died, stress
the importance of doing nothing that you cannot do with a clean conscience
(Romans