Articles
Did the Law Pass Away?
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:21
The “spirit of antichrist” is never more clearly seen than when someone, an antichrist, seeks to put saved-by-grace through Christ NEW Testament saints back under law-keeping! (1 John 2:18; 4:1-3) “Anti” means in place of. So by putting people back under law-keeping for righteousness (impossible), they openly deny Christ’s perfect, sinless blood sacrifice was enough! This is an ultimate spit in the face of God. Why did God even send His only begotten Son to die for the sins of mankind if the law was sufficient? Make no mistake: This is the ultimate indictment from sinners to God!
“If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:21
“Law says try. Cross says die.”
The Old Covenant has been replaced by the New Covenant. The law is still in place to establish divine righteousness, to show us just how we’ve all broken it and sinned against God, and to be a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24; 1 John 3:4).
“For if that which is done away (old covenant is obsolete) was glorious, MUCH MORE that which remaineth is glorious.” 2 Corinthians 3:11
Read Hebrews 8-10 for a contrast between the infinitely inferior old covenant and the glorious, infinitely superior New Covenant which was ratified by the very blood of the Son of God!
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17
The law did not pass away and yet, the law convicts us of our sin yet is not the way of righteousness, not the way we are justified – other than we are justified by the only ONE who ever perfectly kept the law, then died, nailing it to the cross, taking it out of the way (Colossians 2:15-19). The law is not made for the righteous but rather for the unrighteous – to convict them of their sin and bring them to Christ (Galatians 3:24; 1 Timothy 1:7-11).
BUT WAIT, Jesus says “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil (means to expire). 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18)
Keep in mind that the words above were uttered by Jesus before He went to the cross.
ONLY Messiah kept the law perfectly….. no other man ever did…. only MESSIAH can save, not law…. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10
Jesus came to “fulfil” the law which means to expire the law…. by perfectly keeping it, nailing it to the cross, and taking it out of the way so His new creatures can walk by the Spirit, by grace to fulfill all righteousness (Romans 8:2-4; Colossians 2:14-19).
Breaking just 1 commandment makes us guilty of breaking the whole law – James 2:10.
WHEN Jesus says the law will not pass away, He’s speaking of the holy standard and not the way of righteousness! (Matthew 5:17-18) The law is “holy, and just, and good” and reveals just how wicked we are, bringing us to Christ, the only ONE who ever kept the law perfectly then nailed it to the cross, taking it out of the way-for righteousness! (Romans 7:12; Galatians 3:24; Colossians 2:14-19) “CHRIST is THE END of the law FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:4) Jesus Christ is the only One who kept the law perfectly! And when He did He nailed it to the cross and took it out of the way for righteousness (Colossians 2:14-19).
Memorize Romans 10:4 and Galatians 3:24 today.
Concerning this truth, Maureen Lundie offers the following:
Romans 10:3-4
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
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- “Rather than living by faith in God, the Jews established customs and traditions (in addition to God’s law) to try to make themselves acceptable in God’s sight. But human effort, no matter how sincere, can never substitute for the goodness God offers us by faith. The only way to earn salvation is to be perfect – and that is impossible. We can only hold out our empty hands and receive salvation as a gift.
- Christ is the “end of the law” in two ways. He fulfills the purpose and goal of the law (Matt 5:17) in that he perfectly exemplified God’s desires on earth. But he is also the termination of the law because in comparison to Christ, the law is powerless to save.”
Of this, one disciple writes:
“The law has not gone away but through our death, burial and resurrection with Christ we have died to its tyrannical hold and influence over us. We have been removed from its curse. Rom 7:6 and Gal 3:10-13. Also, the administers of the law, the principalities and powers, tyranny over us, thru the law, has been broken and we have been moved, thru the cross, beyond their evil reach. Col 2:15, 20.
The law however is still for unbelievers who have not died to it and are still slaves to it. 1 Tim 1 lists those still under it i. e. Whores, murderers, thieves (unbelievers), etc.
The true Christian’s spirit and soul has been freed from the law but his physical body is still under it. Therefore, if a believer breaks the speed limit law his physical body will get a traffic ticket but his inner spirit man is not condemned or punished.
The rule of life for the unbeliever is the law. The rule of life for the believer is the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Rom 8:1-4.
The unbeliever is only capable of conditional (performance-based) love. The believer is capable of unconditional, non-performance-based love. Matt 5:38-48.
The Mosaic law is the STRENGTH of Sin. 1 Cor 15:56. The law AROUSES sinful passions and causes sin to INCREASE. Rom 7:5; 5:20. It leads to sins of self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, arrogance, conditional love (that only loves conditionally based on performance) and religiosity. This is why the very legal and religious Judaizers were ENEMIES of the cross. Philippians 3.”
“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” Colossians 2:14-19
No one can be saved by law keeping but rather only by believing on the only ONE to ever kept the law perfectly – Jesus Christ – who then nailed it to the cross and “TOOK IT OUT OF THE WAY” for righteousness.
Only Jesus kept the law perfectly and then nailed it to the cross and “took it out of the way.” (Colossians 2:14-19)
Law-keeping can’t save anyone. The Law simply reveals to us just how wicked we are (Romans 7).
If law, law-keeping could save us, why did God send and allow His only begotten Son to be crucified for our sins?
Have you ever read Galatians 2:16, 21?
What about Romans 10:4?
Have you read Hebrews 8-10 to see how the infinitely inferior Old Covenant has been replaced by the infinitely superior NEW Covenant?
You are not good. “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10). You have personally sinned against a holy God in many ways and are fully guilty. God isn’t concerned about how good you think you are but rather that you would honor how good He is – that He would so love that world to give His only begotten Son for our sins! And, He calls you to repent and believe on the LORD Jesus Christ for salvation, the forgiveness of your sins – before it’s too late. Judgment Day is on the way. Are you ready to make peace with God? Click here.
Are New Testament Believers Under the Old Testament Law? | Deliverance from Works-Righteousness or Law-Keeping | Justification | Beware of the Modern Hebrew Roots Judaizers!
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