The law part 6: Are the law and prophets useful for believers?

The important thing to remember here is balance. Focus all your beliefs and theology on only a few verses and you could reject the law. Yet, if we are to take the New Testament seriously, we need to actually ask if that is what New Testament authors did, in practice, especially those like Paul who made many of the bold claims that appear to challenge the law and Old Testament in general being significant in the life of the believer.

If, however, these same authors actually demonstrate in practice, a positive response to law, just using it properly (as mentioned in part 3 and unpacked further here), then we would do well to listen as this information needs to be drawn on to fully appreciate other scriptures such as the covenant is obsolete, the law brings death, abolished etc. Let's start.

1 Corinthians 9:9-10a 'For it is written in the law of Moses, "do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain". Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn't He? Yes...'

So here is Paul, who said the law has been abolished, who says that the law is a ministry of death explained earlier. Here he takes a law, literally talking about feeding animals, claims that it was written for us, and he interprets it according to the principle not the letter, he is addressing not restricting support for those in ministry. So is he treating the law as irrelevant here? No. He is not only drawing from the principle of the law (therefore treating the law as being useful and trustworthy), but he is also saying it is for us (pause on that for a moment and take it in)...for us, and applying it to Christian life and ministry now, since Christ.

In the same way there are a significant number of laws about not mixing different things, types of growing, types of materials etc. And in the New Testament we actually have the same principle emphasised where it is written in 2 Corinthians 6:14 'do not be yoked together with unbelievers'. Here we have again, the principle of Old Testament law being applied to the church. But it isn't just Paul.

James 2:12 'Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom'

In fact, James is quite positive about the law as a whole, while recognising that righteousness by the law is impossible when he says that breaking only one part you are guilty of breaking all of it as mentioned earlier. But he still communicates a positive approach to the law. He says things like:

- It gives freedom

-The law is perfect.

He writes about the importance of not only listening but following the law in 1:22-25. Which actually includes the prophets! (see also 1 Cor 14:21 It references the prophet Isaiah to talk of the gift of tongues which he also calls 'the law'). In fact it agrees with Paul as he writes in 1 Timothy 1:8 'We know that the law is good if one uses it properly' (my italics). So the issue here appears to not be about dismissing what is written in the law and prophets law out of hand, but using it properly, according to sound biblical, Holy Spirit revealed truth which is in Christ. And then there is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God mentioned in Ephesians 6:17.

Another issue is that while Paul doesn't quote the law directly, when it comes to sexual immorality, he lines up with the law and what it teaches on sexual behaviour. If anything, Paul lays out even stricter sets of morals on the subject (elders should be husbands of one wife as an example). Why did he do that if morals and setting boundaries was not relevant or important?

This is a common theme, the New Testament challenges sorcery, witchcraft, idolatry, sexual immorality, greed and challenges us to support the poor. All of these themes and many more are through the law and the prophets in different ways. While not always quoted, many aspects of the law and prophets are woven throughout the New Testament.

Further to this in 1 Cor 9:20 Paul shares with us that 'To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law.' Here, Paul uses the law to help preach the gospel. So we can see many positive Biblical examples of not only how to engage with the law properly, but how valuable it can be in the life of the believer, including, as with this example, reaching out to others.

There is also the book of Hebrews, the entire book unpacks the law and the temple in light of the gospel and actually links the former with the latter showing that they are one, as one demonstrates the other. This really shows how much we can learn from the law and the prophets and that outright rejection is clearly not what New Testament authors had in mind. It is not what they taught when all of the teaching is understood as covered in previous blogs, nor is it what they practised as briefly shown here.

And ultimately, the law and prophets show and teach us about God's hand and work throughout history, as he revealed Christ and the gospel continuously. It is very useful and profitable in that sense! Which leads us, most importantly, to look to Christ himself, who fulfilled the law and the prophets. You want to see what the law and prophets look like in a person, look to Christ. He shows their true goodness, Holiness and value. Want to understand the value of the law and the prophets, look to Christ. By dismissing them, we dismiss him, who he is, how he lived, even what he did on the cross and why. Balance, the New Testament is full of teaching that lines up with the law and prophets, which draws from the law and prophets, which unpacks the law and prophets and shows that it continues to be relevant for us, today. When used and understood properly, this is the evidence from the New testament and therefore needs to balance our understanding of previous discussed scriptures on the law.

(all references quoted are taken from the NIV 1984)