This is a long article and it comes from Triumph Prophetic Ministries,
Moses, was the one whom God used to lead the Israelites out of
Egyptian bondage. He was a type of Christ, who delivered us from sin. After crossing the Red Sea in awesome glory, the Israelites came to the Arabian desert, and the hot sweltering sun.
They began to murmur and complain, bellyache and grumble. It was not long before men openly
began complaining and plotting rebellion against Moses, and against God (Exo.16:2-8). They
were riled up, and in a flagrantly sinful attitude of mind!
What does God say? Notice!
"And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my
laws?" (verse 28).
Notice! This was weeks before they came to Mount Sinai! This was almost immediately
after they crossed the Red Sea! Yet, already, plainly, God's laws were in force -- and the
Israelites were found disobedient and rebellious.
Consequently, God did two things. He reiterated the basic spiritual Laws He had given
mankind -- the Ten Commandments, and statutes and judgments (Gen.26:5). Then He added an
entirely NEW Law -- a law involving the Levitical Priesthood, which He brought into service,
and laws concerning rituals, sacrifices, washings, and ordinances involving the Sanctuary or
Temple. This law was added because of DISOBEDIENCE to God�s spiritual Law � it was
added to TEACH them the habit of OBEDIENCE, and LESSONS regarding the enormity of sin,
and its forgiveness.
The entire body of Law was called "the Law of Moses," because God used Moses as His
mediator with Israel. The whole body or corpus of Law came through Moses. However, it was
divided into two distinct parts -- one consisting of statutes and civil laws for the community,
based on the Ten Commandments. The other was the ceremonial laws involving the Levitical
priesthood, sacrifices offerings, and rituals. Thus there were TWO LAWS given at Mount Sinai
-- the Ethical Law, or Moral Law, governing man's relationship with God and his neighbor -- and
the Sacrificial Law!
The sacrificial law consisted of ceremonial washings, various laws of offerings and
sacrifices, and carnal, physical ordinances enjoined upon the people and the Levitical Priesthood.
It was not a spiritual law. It could save no one.
Then why was it given to ancient Israel?
Let the apostle Paul give us the answer! [What purpose did the ritual law serve?] "It was
added because of transgressions, till the seed [Christ] should come to whom the promise was
made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator" (Galatians 3:19).
Did you catch that? The "law " that was added -- the Levitical Priesthood with all the
sacrifices and rituals -- was added -- why? "BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSIONS"!
For one law to be "added" becuase of "transgressions," then there had to be another Law
which was being transgressed, broken, by the Israelites! What Law?
Remember, God had said, "How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my
laws?" (Exodus 16.28). They had been breaking God's eternal spiritual law, the Ten
Commandments -- as well as all those Laws which are based on and derived from the Ten
Commandments!
Because Israel had been breaking God's Law, He added another special law -- the laws
involving the whole Levitical Priesthood, sacrifices and offerings! WHY? -- to teach them the
lesson of repentance and of obedience! To teach them to acknowledge their sins, He gave them
certain ceremonial washings, offerings, and commanded sacrifices, and carnal ordinances, as a
foreshadow of things to come. What things? The coming of the true sacrifice for our sins, Christ
Jesus Himself! And the Holy Spirit which cleans us up spiritually within. These duties,
sacrifices, washings, taught them their need for a coming Savior and Gods Holy Spirit.
As Paul tells us in Hebrews, this new law "stood only in meats and drinks [meal and
drink offerings], and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them UNTIL THE
TIME OF REFORMATION" (Hebrews 9:10). These rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices were "a
FIGURE for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not
make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience" (Heb.9:9).
Paul also wrote of this sacrificial law, "For the law having a shadow of good things to
come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered
year by year make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not cease to be offered?
because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. For in
those sacrifices there is a REMEMBRANCE again made of SINS every year" (Hebrews 10:1-3).
The sacrificial law did not atone for sin -- but it REMINDED THE PEOPLE of their sins,
and their need for proper, true atonement! With the coming of Christ,The true atonement!
The law is eternal. It existed before Moses. Even though it is given to Moses (made known to man.)
"Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." Genesis 26:5 What laws did Abraham obey? The Law that is given to Moses.
If there is no law, how can Adam and Eve be judged? What do we used to judge? the law.
You are making a statement that is contradictory to the scriptures.
Deut 5:1-3
1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.
(KJV)
3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers
Prior to Moses God had not given "The Law"/ The Mosaic Covenant and when He did it was to Israel only, not the world.
therefore i believe works cant save you unless youve able to keep every single law for as long as you live. never straying even for one tiny moment.. and i dont know anyone cept JESUS who was able to do so..
so i believe that we are saved by grace .. and not by works.. and i also believe works cant keep you saved as well..
but i do believe that once we are saved that good works will soon follow...
. and that we will do our best to be good to others around us , both the saved and the unsaved as well..
and that we will do good to follow the commands written in our hearts.. does that mean i think we will be perfect in following them all? no ,,as we are only perfected by the blood of JESUS CHRIST.. our LORD and SAVIOR.
When Jesus said to "keep HIS commandments" He was NOT referring to the Mosaic Laws. He was referring to The New Commandments He gave us starting in Mat 5,6 and 7. Additional ones after that. The Mosaic Covenant was replaced. Hebrews makes that more that abundantly clear. Paul said the Old Covenant was ABOLISHED and ready to "vanish away".
If anyone thinks that your salvation is dependent in any way by keeping any part of the Mosaic law or the whole Law then you are not saved according to Paul the Apostle who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit! He said in Galatians that you have "FALLEN FROM GRACE".
You are either under Grace and saved or under The Mosaic Law and condemned to eternal damnation! You cannot be under both! It is one or the other and not a combination of both.
I don't think the point is whether or not we are to obey the Laws of God for our salvation or not. I think you're kicking a dead horse on that one. However, It sounds to me like Jesus is not abolishing any of the commandments in Mat 5,6,7. In fact he is reiterating them and taking them to another level.
I think we can all agree that the OT is Scripture that was written by Jesus. So if the Law was written by Him and Mat 5:18 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. . . then the Law is still in effect and we are subject to obey it. Obeying the commandments of God is one thing. Depending on our obedience for our salvation is another. Yes we are saved by Grace but I ask you, does this mean that there was no Grace before the resurrection of Jesus? I think not. Grace is the empowering of God in us that brings His works to light through us. It is this power that saves us not our own power. There are more than 35 times that grace is spoken of in the OT. The idea that we are "under grace" now in New Testament times seems rather absurd to me. I know it comes from Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. But being under grace does not mean we no longer have to be obedient to God's Law.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
To be under the law means to be under obedience to it's entirety by our own power for salvation and therefore we would be under the curse for any breach of the Law. To be under grace is to be free from the burden of obedience to the law for salvation because grace is the power of God in us to be obedient. Therefore, under the Law we would be a slave to sin but under grace the curse of the law is lifted and we are free and sin has no dominion over us.
I do wonder though what you think is wrong with obeying the Law of God. Jesus encouraged us to keep the commandments in the Law and Prophets.
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Mat 22:36 Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?
Mat 22:37 And Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." Deut. 6:5
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Lev. 19:18
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments all the Law and the Prophets hang.
Luk 10:25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up, testing Him and saying, Teacher, What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
Luk 10:26 And He said to him, What has been written in the Law? How do you read it?
Luk 10:27 And answering, he said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength," and with all your mind, and "your neighbor as yourself." Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18
Luk 10:28 And He said to him, You have answered rightly; do this, and you shall live.
Luk 16:17 But it is easier for the heaven and the earth to pass away than one point of the Law to fail.
It is true that we Gentile Believers do not have to obey the entire Law. Act 21:23 Then do this, what we say to you: There are four men who have a vow on themselves;
Act 21:24 taking these, be purified with them, and be at expense on them, that they may shave the head. And all shall know that all what they have been told about you is nothing, but you yourself walk orderly, keeping the Law.
Act 21:25 And as to the believing nations, we joined in writing, judging them to observe no such thing, except to keep themselves from both idol sacrifice, and the blood, and a thing strangled, and from fornication.
But, the commandments having to do with our relationships with others and with God, we are to be obeyed. (Mt 22:40) If we love our God and love our neighbors we will be keeping all of the Law regarding these two things. How do we know what this means if we do not learn the Laws and become obedient to them? All of the Ten Commandments are about our relationship with God and our neighbors. Do we disregard these Laws because we are under grace? I don't think so.
Am I a Jews or Gentile? Neither. I am a new creation.
According to your, even the new covenant is only for the Jews "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel, after that time, declares the Lord." Hebrews 8:10. It specifically mentioned house of Israel. We are the spiritual descendant of Abraham.
Rom 2:28 For the true Jew is not the man who is simply a Jew outwardly, and true circumcision is not that which is outward and bodily.
Rom 2:29 But the true Jew is one inwardly, and true circumcision is heart-circumcision--not literal, but spiritual; and such people receive praise not from men, but from God.
I think according to this if you are born again you're a true Jew and therefore a member of the house of Israel, a descendant of Abraham.
mathew 22:34-40 34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"
37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
1 peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
folks, to me the law becomes very simple as JESUS made it simpler for us here. we tend to make things much harder than they need be at times i believe.. JESUS made the law to be known by even the simplest of men ..one such as myself..
ya see my ole memory aint so good and i surely cant remember all of the laws in the bible in my everyday actions towards GOD and others.. ..
and id say most folks around cant remember em all without lookin em up.. hehe
but i can surely remember these two greatest commandments spoken of by JESUS here..
and its simple ,,on these two commandments hang all the law and prophets..
see if you make sure you do these two , then you are fulfilling all the others.. for love will cover a multitude of sins..
matthew 22:37-40 37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
so make sure youve got these two covered..
as we know there are some laws and commandments that require us to take the offending parties out to the edge of town and us as a community are to stone them to death.
why do we not do that anymore? 2 reasons,,, 1 is its certainly not loving thy neighbor as thyself.. right? i mean you dont wanna be stoned to death by your family and friends and neighbors right? i know i dont.. them rocks hurt hehe..
2 is the government made laws that dont allow such actions to go unpunished.. so wed be breakin a law to do a law.. and the bible instructs us to obey our governing authorities..
so see folks, the laws are still there.. but ya gotta know which you are meant to keep now..... and as i said earlier JESUS made it simple for us.. remember keep the two greatest and do them and you will of kept the rest..
You are either a Jew or a Gentile and it is very disingenuous of you to make an obvious dodge to a direct question.
Which are you. Jew or Gentile?
Yes the New Covenant was given to Israel, but the mystery Paul revealed was that this New Covenant was extended to the Gentiles and even in the Old Testament there are scriptures showing this would occur.
