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LAW AN FAITH A NEW LOOK!
Posted : 1 Oct, 2009 12:43 PM
There Is NO CONTEST Between "Law and Faith"
Paul explains, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not,
And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that
the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, THE LAW, which was four hundred
and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if
the inheritance be of the law [keeping the added law of ceremonies and rituals and earthly
sacrifices], it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise" (Galatians 3:16-
18).
How plain! The only �law� that was �added� at Mt. Sinai was the ritualistic law of
animal sacrifices, and washings, the ceremonial law involving the Levitical Priesthood!
Paul continues: "What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was ADDED because of
transgressions UNTIL THE SEED to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put
into effect through angels by a mediator" (Gal.3:19). This "added law," often referred to as the
"Law of Moses," referred to the entire Old Covenant, and all the laws which Israel was
commanded to observe to be the nation and people of God. It included the rituals and
sacrifices, and ALL the laws God gave to Moses, as well as the covenant of circumcision!
The earlier laws were repeated at Sinai, the spiritual laws and statutes of God; but added to
them were the NEW laws which related to the Levitical priesthood and its work!
Why did God give this Law to Israel? "BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSIONS" (v.19).
Transgressions of what? There is only one thing that can be transgressed -- that is LAW! In
other words, God's spiritual Law was in effect from the beginning. This includes the Ten
Commandments, statutes and judgments (see Gen.26:5), which Abraham obeyed.
But while in slavery in Egypt, Israel had forgotten that Law, and had forgotten God's
Ways. Even when they came out of Egypt, they had to be REMINDED of which day was the
weekly Sabbath (Exodus 16). Even when God revealed this day to them, we read that some
Israelites insisted on gathering manna on the Sabbath day, which God had forbidden. Notice:
"Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be
none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to
gather, and they found none. And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep MY
COMMANDMENTS AND MY LAWS?" (Exodus 16:26-28).
Because Israel had forgotten, and disobeyed God's spiritual laws, at Mount Sinai, God
ADDED to that original law -- which itself included the Passover and Day of Unleavened
Bread (see Exodus 12:14-19), which had been given to Israel while they were still in Egypt,
months earlier. What "Law" did He "add"? He added the whole Levitical Priesthood, as a way
to deal with transgressions of the spiritual law -- with its sacrifices and rituals! For the time
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being, this Levitical Priesthood, and its system of rituals and purification of the earthly
sanctuary and temple, was added as a temporary "schoolmaster" to POINT the WAY to Christ,
and the Heavenly Sanctuary and Temple, of which it was merely an earthly TYPE!
Paul writes, "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions,
TILL THE SEED SHOULD COME [CHRIST] to whom the promise was made" (Gal.4:19).
That is, because Israel had been transgressing that original Law, God added the terms of the
Old Covenant to bring Israel into the complete knowledge of His laws and statutes, and even
provided a sacrificial system which symbolized the blood of the Lamb of God which would be
shed for the sins of the world.
Paul goes on, "Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? ABSOLUTELY
NOT! For if a law had been given that could [of itself] impart life, then righteousness would
certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner
of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to
those who believe" (Gal.3:21-22). "Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law,
locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to LEAD US TO
CHRIST that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under
the supervision of the law [the Old Covenant and all its rituals and sacrifices]" (Gal.3:23-25).
Are you following along, so far? Do you see what Paul is talking about up to this point?
Just remember, as we go through the book of Galatians, that Paul is combating the teachings of
these erring, false Pharisaical brethren who who teaching that Gentiles had to be circumcized
and keep the whole Old Covenant -- that is, become converts to Judaism -- in order to be
saved!
Paul's Digression
After discussing these issues of faith versus the entirety of the Old Covenant, including
circumcision, sacrifices and ritual aspects of the Law, and all its ramifications, Paul digresses
for a moment, and talks about the background of the Gentile Galatians. He says, "Formerly,
when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now
that you know God -- or rather are known by God -- how is it that you are turning back to those
weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are
observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have
wasted my efforts on you" (Gal.4:8-11).
What is Paul talking about here? What are these special "days and months and seasons
and years"? Contrary to Catholic and Protestant assumptions, these cannot refer to the weekly
Sabbath or the annual holy days of God! The weekly Sabbath was established at Creation, not
at Mount Sinai (Gen.2:1-2). At Sinai God did not give a NEW commandment to observe the
Sabbath, but rather said, "Remember the Sabbath . . ." This commandment had been in effect
from the time of Creation. Jesus said the sabbath was created for ALL mankind (Mark 2:27-
28). The prophet Isaiah foretold, "From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to
another, ALL MANKIND will come and bow down before me" (Isa.66:23).
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These observances which Paul condemned could not refer to the annual holy days of
God, which He established to be observed forever! God gave Israel His Passover and the Days
of Unleavened Bread holy days BEFORE ISRAEL EVEN LEFT EGYPT! They became part
of the Old Covenant, as did all the previous laws of God. But they did not end with it, any
more than the laws against murder, adultery, stealing, idolatry, or Sabbath-breaking, did!
Notice! God commanded His people to observe the Passover forever (Exodus 12:14).
The Feast of Unleavened Bread was also ordained forever (Exo.12:17-20). Both alien and
native-born were commanded to observe it by putting leaven out of their homes (verse 20) --
anyone who refused was to be "cut off" from the community. These laws were given long
before Israel ever appeared before God at Mount Sinai!
In Leviticus 23 all the holy days of God are enumerated. Each one of them is clearly
commanded to be observed "for ever" (Lev.23:4-14; 15-21; 23-32; 33-36, 39-42). These were
not "Israel's" feasts; they are "the LORD's appointed feasts" (verse 4). They belong to GOD,
not to men. And God commands that His people observe them faithfully -- including
Christians under the New Covenant! Jesus Himself observed them, setting us an example (see
Luke 2:41-42; 22:15; John 7:2-10; I Pet.2:21). The early Church at Jerusalem observed them
(Acts 12:3). Even Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, observed them (Acts 18:21; 20:6, 16), and
commanded Gentiles to do so (I Cor.5:7-8). In the Millennial reign of Christ, the whole world
will observe the Festival of Tabernacles (Zech.14:16-19).
Rather, these added burdens which the Galatians were allowing Judaizers to impose on
them were numerous fast days and commemorations of Judaism -- various strict "legalistic"
halakkah (religious "decisions" made by Pharisees and later Rabbinical courts) which diverged
from the Laws of the written Torah. The Jews over time came to celebrate a number of special
holidays and fast days and anniversaries in addition to the holy days of God. In addition, they
"fenced" the Laws of God with strict halachic interpretations of what was permissible on the
Sabbath day, washings, separate dishes for meat and dairy products, and a host of rituals.
Some of the Temple rituals were later incorporated into each Family's home worship, after the
Temple was destroyed, to bring the Jewish families in mind of the laws of God. Some were
added by the Pharisees even during Temple times, as a further inducement to "holiness" -- and
became a terrible BURDEN on the people. The Pharisees even fasted two days every week in
their quest for righteousness (Luke 18:10-12). In Zechariah, we read about some of these other
days which the Jews had begun celebrating, in addition to God's plain commandments. "This
is what the LORD Almighty says: 'The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will
become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah' " (Zech.8:19).
God never intended His spiritual Church, including newly converted Gentiles, to come
under a yoke of bondage by converting to Pharisaic Judaism, and celebrating all these
additional laws, halakkah, rules and restrictions, days, months, seasons and anniversaries.
Such multiple-fastings and observances and strict halakkich Judaism only leads to selfrighteousness
and have no benefit or power in making one truly righteous before God (see
Isaiah 58).
Paul said of his brethren among the Pharisees, "For I bear them record that they have a
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zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness,
and going about to establish their OWN righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the
righteousness of God. For Christ is the END [Greek, "goal," "purpose," "result"] of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth" (Rom.10:2-4). Christ used the same word when He
said to Pilate, "To this end
was I born, and for this cause came I into this world" (John 18:37). Peter used the word when
he wrote, "Receiving the END of your FAITH [i.e., purpose, goal, result of our faith], even the
salvation of your souls" (I Pet.1:9). The Greek word is telos and means, "to set out for a
definite point or goal," "the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by impl.) the conclusion of an act or
state, termination [lit., fig. or indef.], result [immediate, ultimate, or prophetic], purpose"
(Strong's Concordance, #5056).
That is, the Law points to Christ, who is its fulfillment, embodiment -- it�s fulness. He
was (and is) the LIVING LAW -- THE LIVING TORAH, OR REVELATION OF GOD THE
FATHER! Christ is the Logos of God (John 1:1-3), a Greek word meaning "Word" of God.
The Hebrew equivalent of "Logos" is the word Dabar, meaning "Word," but also translated
"Commandment." The "Ten Commandments" are called the "Words," or dabarim, in Hebrew.
Thus Christ is the PERFECTION OF THE LAW -- and while He was a human being, He was
the Word, Logos, or Law -- or Torah -- of God MADE FLESH (John 1:14).
Does this mean Christ terminated, abolished, and ENDED the "Law"? Not at all! He
came to BRING IT TO ITS FULLNESS of beauty and glory -- to MAGNIFY IT, and make it
honorable (Isaiah 42:21). He said, "Think NOT that I am come to DESTROY [Greek, kataluo,
meaning "to loosen down (disintegrate), demolish, halt" -- destroy, dissolve, come to nought,
overthrow, throw down�] the LAW, or the prophets [He didn't abolish any of the Old
Testament prophecies, either -- they are written for OUR DAY, TODAY!]: I am not come to
destroy, but to FULFILL" (Matt.5:17). The word "fulfill" here is the Greek pleroo and means
"make replete, cram (a net), level up (a hollow)," also "satisfy, execute (an office), verify" --
and "make full, complete, fully preach, perfect" (Strong's # 4137).
How could Christ do away with the Law when He was the embodiment of the Law -- the
Law or Logos in human form? To abolish or destroy the Law of God would have been
tantamount to committing spiritual harikari -- SUICIDE! Or, in His case, it would have been
committing the act of Deicide or Theocide -- God putting Himself to DEATH! -- destroying
Himself -- for all eternity! He is the LIVING TORAH of God! Therefore, there is no way He
could abolish the Torah -- for it is Himself, His character, in written form!
Jesus went on, to His disciples, "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"
(Matt.5:18). Not the smallest dot or dagesh, or mark shall pass from God's Law till the
WHOLE UNIVERSE is extinguished and disappears from existence!!!
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