The law part 1: Is the law obsolete

The law part 1: Is the law obsolete

Introduction

In a previous blog I analysed the question of if the law was for unbelievers, the few looked at was that held by some what have become known as hyper grace teachers. In this and the following few blogs, I am going to address the question of law and in what way is it for believers if indeed it is.

On one hand some believers think that we have actually been saved in order to follow Torah, on the other hand, the complete work of Christ means we can no longer gain much from the scriptures up to an including the life of Christ as this was still in the Old Testament period. As Christ fulfills the law and prophets, all you need is Jesus, not the scriptures. Both groups use scriptures to support their claims, so I am aiming to address both of these in the following blogs drawing from scriptures commonly used by both in support of their claims.

My purpose is not specifically to undermine these groups by being personal but I aim to simply draw from scripture and see what it says on the matter prayerfully and carefully. Please examine all passages quote for yourself as you join with me on this journey. And keep asking not only what does the Bible say, but what does the Bible not say, what do we think it is saying that it does not.

Obsolete law

Hebrews 8:13 'By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.'

These are bold words to use of the law. Taken in isolation without much investigation, it could seem like it is right to reject the law and the prophets completely. Are they not obsolete? Have they not been abolished?

First thing to note is that he didn't make the law obsolete, it was described in Hebrews as the covenant that was made obsolete. The covenant is the agreement talked of in Exodus 19 that the people made. It was agreed that they would do what they were told under God and that God would bless them if they followed him.

Now, their primary way of knowing God was the law, so the law was part of the agreement, but it doesn't imply that the law itself is what is obsolete, only what was agreed between God and the people.

If you changed a phone contract with the same company, in changing the contract the old contract is made obsolete, yet the vast majority of the new contract was the same as the old even though they were technically different contracts. The contract being obsolete was less about all the details of the content and more about the agreement in itself.

So being obsolete doesn't in itself mean the old has no meaning or relevance, just that the agreement has changed.

However it is obsolete in that the law cannot lead you to salvation. We cannot be saved by works, therefore the law cannot save, it is obsolete for the purposes of salvation.

Galatians 2:16d '...by observing the law, no one will be justified.'And again in Romans 3:20a 'Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law'.

But it is not obsolete in that it still speaks truth. Really? What does scripture say: Romans 7:12 'So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.' In Romans 7:14a 'We know that the Law is spiritual...'. Therefore as truth, the law still remains strong, and true and relevant. The truth the law reflects has not change, the fact that it was God's word has not changed. That hasn't changed just because the covenant has been made obsolete.

Ephesians 2:15 'For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create one new man out of the two, thus making peace.'

This does come across as a bit back and fourth, one verse seems positive, another really negative. It is easy to see how people and preachers who highlight only one set of verses can make a convincing argument. But as seen, the truth, goodness, spiritual nature of the law has not changed or stopped, just our relationship to it. The previous relationship to it has been wiped out, abolished, gone completely. But, the meaning, depth and truth that the law points to, which is Christ, hasn't changed and has therefore, this side of the law hasnot been abolished. It still points to Christ.

This previous relationship to the law has been abolished, because, as explained in Ephesians, it caused division. Where the law once said 'you have failed' Christ now stands saying 'i have nailed your failure to the cross'.

In the Old Testament, there were those who came under the law and those who didn't. If you did, you were 'in' if not, you were 'out'. Ephesians 2 discusses this whole issue, the gentiles were separate and without God because the law drew a clear line in the sand. But the line has gone and been replaced with Christ himself and now both, through faith in Christ, are welcome and included. This is what has been abolished. Not the truth, the Holiness, the goodness etc. of the law. But the division it caused and the condemnation it gave.

Jesus has essentially replaced what the law was

The reason for this necessary change in our relationship to the law is because we know that to be saved through law, obedience to the law would mean we have to be perfect in every way 100% of the time in thoughts, word, deeds and motivation. Therefore it brings death and condemnation for we would fail every time. Galatians 3:10 teaches us that those under the law are under curse '...for it is written "cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law". To put it bluntly if you try to live by the law and you fail even once, it puts you under a curse. James even goes so far as to say, anyone who breaks even one command is guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10). For it speaks the truth, but when it is over you it also brings judgement and condemnation. The law says 'Because you did this wrong thing, you are judged'. This is no different in a way to our own laws: if you break this or that law, there is judgement to follow.

To summarise part 1 -based on scriptures: The Law is good, right, truth, spiritual and Holy and it reveals our need for Jesus; it points us to him. It is therefore not obsolete nor abolished in any of these things. They remain. It is obsolete in terms of getting saved, or even staying saved, it has been abolished as a line in the sand or a method to get to God as it causes division and it has been replaced with Jesus himself. The condemnation the law gives is now no longer, through faith in Jesus.

Consider, discuss, Pray, be empowered.