Romans 7:12 “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.”
In this epistle (letter) written by the Apostle Paul we are being taught how to regard the laws of the Heavenly Father. Often people view the laws of God as invalid or believe that the scriptures teach to no longer uphold the laws to be holy, just, and good. However we are not to reject them as invalid to the faith of Christ. Today ask yourself, do you view the laws of God to be abolished (done away with)?
The Old Testament
The scripture says in Psalms 33:4 “For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.” A major problem with our people is that they refuse the word of the LORD; rejecting what is considered the so called Old Testament. As a result they lack the understanding of the Bible and their doctrines are not right. Let us examine the scriptures to see whether we should avoid what was written by the prophets of old (before Christ).
2nd Timothy 3:16 “ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” The Apostle Paul wrote to his dear fellow laborer Timothy reminding him that the entire word of God is to be accepted. When he spoke of scripture in this verse he especially meant what many consider the Old Testament.
2nd Timothy 3:15 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” When Timothy was a child taught by his mother the so called New Testament did not exist. Yet he explained that all those scriptures were good or profitable towards salvation by correcting what is wrong and receiving instruction to live righteously.
By experience he knew that within the holy scriptures we could read about the faith in Christ Jesus. Acts 28:23 “And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.” As Paul molded Timothy to be a man of God, he showed why it is vital to view all scriptures as inspired by God. 2nd Timothy 3:17 “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
John 5:46 “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.” Verse 47: “But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” Clearly Christ is teaching us not to reject the writings of Moses. In that case we should not reject the laws given by Moses, for if you do not believe in them how shall ye believe in Christ? Take heed to the word of the Lord for it is always right.
THINK NOT
Matthew 5:17 “THINK NOT that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am NOT come to destroy, but to fulfill.” Christ taught us not to even think that the Laws of the Heavenly Father are to be destroyed (abolished). Neither has he come to destroy the words of the Prophets. He only came to fulfill what was written of him in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets. Contrary to common belief Christ did not come to abolish the Laws but he came to fulfill prophecies written of him. Luke 24:44 “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”
The fulfillment that Christ was speaking of in Matthew 5:17 he explained it in Luke 24:44, that he came to carry out the prophecies concerning him. Many of our people today do not make a distinction between destroying and fulfilling, and have a need to understand that the fulfillment Jesus spoke of is not the removing (destroying) of the Laws. An example of a Law of Moses that Christ had to fulfill is in Deuteronomy 18:15 “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;” Verse 18: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” Verse 19: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”
Any person that does not keep this law by believing in Christ, their blood (destruction) the Heavenly Father will require for their sin. Acts 3:18 “But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” The Apostle Peter who was a witness of the teachings of Christ, explained to unbelievers how Christ was spoken of in the prophecies and that he fulfilled them. Acts 3:22 “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.” Verse 23: “And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”
Without hesitation Peter quoted the law that we read above in Deuteronomy; correcting the people of Israel stating that they were in sin by not believing in Christ. Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;” He instructed them to repent otherwise they will not be saved. By this reproof in the law he showed them the judgment; if they neglect to keep the commandment they will be destroyed. Did Christ “fulfill” this law so that we do not have to keep it? In other words since it was Moses that said it, are we not to hear that prophet that God raised for us which is Christ and not believe in him? As ridiculous as this sounds that is the doctrine that our people have today. To the point that if you mentioned the law as something to keep they will view you as a Pharisee.
In the presence of a multitude of people, Christ instructs his disciples telling them that the scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Matthew 23:1 “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,” Verse 2: “Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:” Meaning they were the teachers and leaders of Israel, just as Moses taught and led Israel to learn the laws. Malachi 4:4 “Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.”
Matthew 23:3 “ALL therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” Our King, commanded his disciples to observe ALL the laws that the Pharisees would teach them. Matthew 5:20 “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall EXCEED the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Obviously in Churchianity it is understood that the Pharisees sought to be righteous by the laws. Then there is no doubt that Christ wants us to keep the laws, statutes, and commandments. Unlike the Pharisees we can not be hypocrites; for they teach the laws of God but they do not follow them. Hence a person that is selective “and do not” keep the laws is actually worse than the Pharisee. Therefore if our righteousness does not exceed those of the Pharisees we shall “in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven”.
The false doctrine that is wide spread in Churchianity where they ignore not to “destroy the law” and corrupt the meaning of fulfill, leads to a sinful mind. We must comprehend that those same laws they claim are fulfilled and that we must no longer obey, are those that teach us to believe in Christ. Isaiah 8:16 “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” If a person picks and choose which laws they would observe and do; that is a manifestation that they are servants to sin (Satan) and not God. See, John 8:34 and 1st John 3:8.
The New Testament
Christ knowing all things had always in mind the will of the Heavenly Father which was written in the Prophets. Matthew 26:28 “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Popular belief is that the new testament is a section of the Bible, but this is incorrect. Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:” The word covenant means the same thing as testament; the blood of Christ was to establish a new testament or covenant. Please read Isaiah 55:3-4.
Jeremiah 31:32 “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:” Meaning this covenant was not to be according to the sacrificial laws given to our forefathers. Psalms 50:5 “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” The children of Israel had a covenant meaning an agreement with the Heavenly Father that was established by sacrifice. However they broke the agreement (covenant) that was like a marriage and God divorced them.
For God so loved Israel that he decided to make a new covenant with them for the purpose of showing them mercy. Luke 1:72 “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;” At this point we should ask ourselves, what changes is he going to make in the agreement to ensure Israel receives mercy? Is he going to remove the laws?
Jeremiah 31:33 “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Obviously the Heavenly Father is not intending to do away with his law because this verse would contradict that understanding. Instead Christ is establishing a new covenant in his blood according to God’s laws that were already given to the children of Israel. There was no confusion with Jeremiah of what law the Heavenly Father was speaking of, for he said “my law”.
Jeremiah 44:10 “They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.” It is the same laws that were given to our fathers that the most High wants us to have within our inward parts meaning minds. In the so called New Testament we are taught the same. Hebrews 8:10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:”
Romans 8:4 “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in US, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” I thought the law was fulfilled!?!? How come we are being told that we must keep the righteousness of the law? Christ shed his blood not so we could be wicked but to cleanse us from sin and give us a chance to be righteous like him. A believer of Christ would not follow their carnal and sinful mind. Instead they will be transformed by the Spirit into a new man living in obedience to the word of God.
Romans 8:5 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” Verse 6:“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Verse 7: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Those who are not subject to the laws of God are of a carnal mind and have made themselves the enemy of God.
The Lawgiver
Christ had understood that he did not come to destroy the law because all throughout the scriptures he is the lawgiver. Genesis 49:10 “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” This prophecy written by Moses is another example of what Christ had to fulfill. The sceptre (scepter) is the ruling stick of a king, that would be in the hands of a descendant of Judah. Hebrews 7:14 “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.” This scepter represents the dominion of Christ that “shall not depart” or end. Daniel 7:27 “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”
This prophecy could truly only apply to Christ as the lawgiver, since by his resurrection he will never depart from being the king and lawgiver. Moreover the name Shiloh which means rest or peace, is what Christ is giving us, therefore our nation will be gathered unto him. In fact as time drew near to the coming of Christ the most High declared to our forefathers what to expect in his teachings. Isaiah 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” In the book of Matthews it declared that Christ fulfilled this prophecy. Matthew 12:17 “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,” Verse 18: “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.” As we could clearly see, Matthew quoted the prophet Isaiah, if we were to keep reading, you will notice that he cited him all the way to the fourth verse.
As the first verse explained, Christ whom the most High blessed with the Holy Spirit was sent to show judgment, meaning the laws to those that were lost Israelites living as Gentiles. Isaiah 42:2 “He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.” Verse 3: “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.” Verse 4: “He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.” He went to the streets and did not lift up his voice to seek reputation for himself. Rather he focused on guiding his people back unto truth. Those of our nation that were weak like a bruised twig he did not purge (break) away and those that had exhausted their fire unto smoking fabric, he did not quench (extinguish) their spirit. Instead by his teachings they were encouraged to repent and learn the true judgments of the laws, by which he will judge this earth.
The Pharisees did not care for the people, often it is mentioned how they omitted judgment and mistreated those seeking to repent. Although they depicted themselves as those that upheld the laws they were in fact hypocrites that preferred to honor their own traditions than to keep the laws of God. See, Matthew 23:23 and Matthew 15:1-9. For this reason Christ commanded all believers to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees and to not follow after their example. It is a shame that today some read the gospels with the belief that Christ taught against the Sabbath (or laws) and consent to the accusations that the Pharisees had towards him.
Matthew 12:20 “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.” Verse 21: “And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.” The multitudes were happy to finally learn properly the laws and judgments. Instead of stating that they “shall wait for his law” he related how they trusted in Christ whom was given the Spirit of God to teach them the laws correctly. Isaiah 42:21 “The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.” We should acknowledge that all the accusations of the Pharisees against Christ were baseless, while the actions of Christ were all in accordance to what is written in the laws. The Messiah was a lawgiver to the lost sheep, magnifying the law by giving them understanding of judgment. This was a light to the people that guided them to salvation. Please read, Isaiah 51:1-8. Therefore to believe that Christ came to abolish God’s righteousness is to eliminate salvation and to believe in a false messiah.
As amazing as the prophecies of Christ are, our people are full of proverbs (sayings) of their own to justify their sin. One that we hear frequently is that “the times have changed, that is why the laws of God are not relevant to this generation”. But did not God speak of the last days? Hebrews 1:1 “God, who at sundry [various] times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,” Verse 2: “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”
According to the Bible the last days began when Christ taught repentance to the children of Israel. Thus with confidence we know that we are in the last days, waiting for the coming of our King. Let us read what is to be taught in the last days according to the Bible. Isaiah 2:2 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” This prophecy states that in the last days the mountain (kingdom) of God is going to be established above all.
Isaiah 2:3 “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” In these same last days there will be Israelites that are among the nations seeking the kingdom and desiring to learn the ways of God. In the house of God meaning the temple that doesn’t exist today in Jerusalem they were going to hear the word going forth out of the law. Clearly this prophecy shows us that the laws are in full effect in the last days. There is no question that in the last days the laws will be useful to the people of Zion (Israel), teaching them how to walk in the right path that leads to the kingdom.
Moreover the prophecy began to be fulfilled by Christ, after his death and resurrection the disciples continued to teach the laws until the destruction of the temple and people of Jerusalem. Clearly explaining to us the doctrine of Christ, that he taught in the temple. Again we must remind you that the laws of God are good, just, holy and perfect. Psalms 19:7 “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” If the laws were perfect, why would God remove them or even change them? Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Therefore regardless of what the current year is; the laws are to be observed.
Another proverb we hear as frequent as the one before, is that “all you need is faith in Christ and you shall be saved”. Let’s examine that statement to see whether it’s true according to the Bible. Romans 3:31 “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Paul addressed this issue with the Church of Rome and he stated that we should establish the law if we truly have faith. Therefore we must understand that faith alone without works is dead.
James 2:17 “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Verse 18: “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” Verse 19: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” Verse 20: “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” Verse 21: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” Verse 22: “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?”
What about grace? Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” Verse 2: “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is not so that we could continue in sin. This grace was given to us so that we may be able to keep the laws of God. Please read Isaiah 59:20.
They shall be judged by the same laws that they reject. Romans 2:12 “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;” Verse 13: “(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”
Must we keep all the laws? Matthew 22:36 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” Verse 37: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Verse 38: “This is the first and great commandment.” Verse 39: “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Verse 40: “On these two commandments HANG ALL THE LAW and the prophets.” The answer is yes we must keep all the laws. Especially if you want to love God with all your strength and love your neighbor as yourself.
Therefore brothers and sisters do not let any one deceive you into believing that the laws of God have been abolished. 1st John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” The only way to understand what is sin, is by the laws. Therefore to commit sin is to break the laws and to frustrate the purpose of Christ. 1st John 3:5 “And ye know that he [Christ] was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” Verse 6: “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” Any person could claim to be a believer in Christ, but those living in sin are liars and do not know his teachings. See, 1st John 2:3-4.
1st John 3:7 “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” To do righteousness is to keep the laws and follow after the example of Christ, who did not commit sin. The aim of the devil from the beginning was always to lead man away from being obedient to God and to commit sin. 1st John 3:8 “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
In the end the Bible is teaching us that if any one teaches contrary to the laws or the words of God they have no light (wisdom) in them. Isaiah 8:20 “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” A person that teaches such doctrine should be asked this question. Romans 7:7 “What shall we say then? Is the law sin [evil or bad]? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Shalam (Peace)!