64. Law And God's Holy People Series

IN GOD'S IMAGE 64 - LAW AND GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE

This message is part of a series of 90 sermons based on the title, “In God’s Image – God’s Purpose for humanity.” This series of free sermons or the equivalent free book format is designed to take the reader through an amazing process beginning with God in prehistory and finishing with humanity joining God in eternity as His loving sons and daughters. It is at times, a painful yet fascinating story, not only for humanity, but also for God. As the sermons follow a chronological view of the story of salvation, it is highly recommend they be presented in numerical order rather than jumping to the more “interesting” or “controversial” subjects as the material builds on what is presented earlier. We also recommend reading the introduction prior to using the material. The free book version along with any graphics or figures mentioned in this series can be downloaded at www.ingodsimage.site - Gary Regazzoli

The last couple of times we have spent quite a bit of time looking at the subject of the law, both in a general sense and then in a specific sense with the Law of Moses.

• 1) We have seen that the law is holy, just and good as it is a reflection of God’s very nature and character (Romans 7:12).

• 2) We saw how God was required to introduce the law as a new way of relating to sinful mankind after Adam and Eve’s sin if they were not to be consumed by His divine holiness.

• 3) We also saw “The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase” (Romans 5:20) and reveal the vast gulf between a holy God and sinful mankind.

• 4) And finally it provided the means by which the two parties would eventually be reconciled (Romans 8:3-4).

• When we look at each one of these four points regarding the law, we see each one is positive from humanity’s point of view.

• So it’s important to recognise the crucial role the law has played in God’s plan of salvation.

• And even though the age of the law has come to an end, as it has been replaced by the age of faith and grace as a result of Christ’s saving work, the question is, is there a role for the law to play in the development of maturity in God’s holy people? (Luke 16:16; Romans 3:20-22).

This is the subject we are going to begin to look at in more detail today.

• Controversy surrounding the role of the law in the age of the New Covenant is nothing new.

• Change always brings controversy and after living with the Mosaic Law for over 1200 years, this was bound to happen, as most of the early converts to Christianity were law-abiding Jews (Acts 2:41).

• But as Gentile converts were added who had no experience with the Mosaic Law and were correctly instructed that salvation was only possible through faith in Jesus Christ, the potential for controversy over the role of the law grew.

• This is the underlying dynamic with which we should view the books of the New Testament cannon that addresses the development of the early church, especially the writings of Paul.

• More than any of the other apostles, he, as the apostle to the Gentiles, was the one who had to juggle this dynamic as most of his churches had both Jew and Gentile converts.

• Not only that, but he faced a determined faction of Jews who insisted new Gentile converts adopt the teaching of the Law of Moses into their new Christian practice (Galatians 2; Galatians 5:7-12; Titus 3:9).

To further confuse the issue, there are times when Paul himself speaks positively about the law and times when he speaks negatively about it.

• On the negative side, to be under the law was, to be in slavery (Romans 7:22-23; Galatians 4:21-31), bought death and condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:7-9), is powerless to save us (Romans 8:3), those that promote the law are the enemies of Christ (Galatians 5:12), it came to an end with the introduction of the New Covenant (Romans 10:4; Galatians 5:18), and it produced self-righteousness rather than godly righteousness (Romans 10:3).

• On the positive side, Paul calls the law “holy, righteous and good” (Romans 7:12), faith does not nullify the law but upholds it (Romans 3:31) and although circumcision is out, keeping the commandments of God is not (1 Corinthians 7:19).

How are we then to reconcile these two points of view?

• The answer lies in Romans 8:1-2.

• Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.