The Gospel and the Law
But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Romans 7:6
One of the dividing points of Christian denominations in history has been how the Law and the Gospel are connected. Or, to put it another way, what relevance is the Old Testament Law to the Christian today?
A brief history lesson, The Rise of Biblical Education: If we examine the history of the Reformation we will find many other secular influences that also shaped the changes and new understandings that came from it. When Martin Luther became a Catholic monk in 1505, he had already earned a master’s degree, yet he had hardly ever held a Bible, and certainly had never seen one in German. Eye-glasses were invented in Italy around 1300. Johannes Gutenberg had invented the printing press in 1440, and the spring-driven clock also was invented around 1500. By the time Luther had entered into the monastery his world was rapidly changing. A new sense of personal empowerment — driven by the mechanical means to overcome poor eye-sight, self-learning through books, and the ability of common men to own their own time-pieces and therefore to take more control of their lives.
The Protestant Reformation was almost a foregone conclusion, for much, if not most, of Western Society was being re-examined and reformed. People were no longer content to leave important theological discussions and decisions to the bishops, but rather they felt empowered to handle these matters themselves. Luther completed his translation of the Bible by 1534 and the German speaking world had the Word of God in their own vernacular. In 1539, “The Great Bible” in English was published and Henry VIII encouraged it to be read, which it was. It reached such a pinnacle of popularity that the king even had to issue another proclamation eight months later forbidding disruptive behavior in worship services, namely the reading of the Bible out loud in churches by lay people when the preacher was speaking.
Within a few short decades, almost every man educated enough to read could, at least to some extent, become his own theologian, so this caused to burst upon the scenes of history much discussion, much writing, much debating, and eventually clarification for our generation today. We today may make light of some of these theological discussions that they entered into, but had they not taken these subjects on, we would still be dealing with them ourselves.
These new freedoms also brought cultural clashes — the types of things that bothered many people. A new road to the future was being built, and people, as much as they liked their freedoms, were traveling on unmarked highways — religiously, politically, and morally. The Protestant Churches were mostly still state churches, and they saw that morality should be enforced by legal constraints on the people. The new sense of personal destiny and freedom brought moral concerns, and the Protestant church leaders were concerned that immorality remained under control. So they saw it essential — for the most part — that the Church retain the political power to punish evil-deeds.
Which also led to the discussion of the Christian and the Old Testament Law.
Identifying the Old Testament Law: When we speak of the “old testament” we use the term in two different ways: the first half of the Bible, and the Mosaic Covenant. When someone asks, “Is the Old Testament relevant for us today?” He may be asking simply about the Word of God, and to that we say, without any hesitation, “Yes!” The Bible says,
Romans 15:4: For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
2 Timothy 3:16–17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
But if someone asks, “Is the Old Testament Law relevant for us today?”, well, that is a very different question. We need to understand what the Law is, what grace is, and how God works today in our lives and in our world.
There were three basic types of Old Testament laws: (1) political laws, (2) ceremonial laws, and (3) moral laws. The political laws were meant to govern Israel in the Old Testament. From the political laws we learn many concepts and practices of fairness and justice — principles that modern nations today still hold to. But, according to the Bible we are not to impose the Old Testament political laws upon other nations — other than to, as citizens, use the means at our disposal to promote moral laws.
Jeremiah 29:7: But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Romans 13:1: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
So a Christian has the obligation to obey the laws of the nation in which he lives, the only exception being those laws that conflict with our obedience to God.
The ceremonial laws were numerous and included: holiday observances, dietary laws, forbidding eating certain foods; Sabbath laws; and the sacrificial laws. These are those laws that are said to be made obsolete by Christ. In Mark 7:19, for example, it is said that Christ declared all foods clean — so the dietary laws are no longer in effect. Regarding holidays and the Sabbath we read:
Colossians 2:16–17: Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
Hebrews 8:13: In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews 9:24: For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
So Christ’s sacrifice was the perfect sacrifice, and the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament (and before), were merely “shadows” or examples of His sacrifice. Therefore, we do not need to continue to have animal sacrifices, since Christ has already come and died for our sins. Today Christians observe believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper to commemorate His death.
The moral laws, however, are still in effect, for they reveal the character of God. And all of the moral laws of the Old Testament are re-enforced in the New Testament. For example, “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15), is re-enforced in Ephesians 4:29, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”
Understanding Law and Grace
As a means of salvation obedience to the moral Law of the Old Testament is worthless. Repeatedly this point is made in the New Testament:
Galatians 2:21: I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Ephesians 2:8–9: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 3:23–24: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
So if anyone suggests that we must obey the moral laws of God to be saved, he is teaching a false doctrine. The only means of salvation is repentance from sin and faith in Christ Jesus.
The life of the Christian is now made new by the presence of the Holy Spirit who is transforming us into the spiritual image and character of Christ. We have within us a new nature that is “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). The Holy Spirit bears fruit in our lives, reproducing Himself, the fruit of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, meekness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23). So, do we need the Law at all? Is it of any value to us? Or are we simply to follow the leadership of the Spirit?
Clearly from the passages above about the usefulness of the Word of God, there is a benefit to us to know what the Law says. “All scripture is … profitable” (2 Tim. 3:16). We can identify three positive uses of the Law for the Christian today.
The Law as a Deterrent: The Law helps us understand those things that God says are wrong. As the Spirit is at work in us shaping us into the spiritual image of Christ, He uses His Word to help us to see those things that are dangerous and unholy, and therefore unhealthy. For example, we read in Ephesians 6:2, “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise).” That is a reference to the promise of Exodus 20:12: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” No society can long endure when the family breaks down, when children no longer respect and honor their parents.
The Law as a Mirror: The Law also helps us to understand the character of God and what He intended mankind to be like, as we were originally created in His image. Christ said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48) (See also Leviticus 11:45; 19:2; 20:7; 1 Peter 1:15–16). The psalmist asked, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word” (Psalm 119:11). James used this illustration of the Word of God being like a mirror, that reflects back to us who we ought to be:
James 1:23–25: For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
The Law as a Guide: Here is an application that is the exclusive domain of a Christian, only the Christian knows the Law as another guide in His Christian life. The other uses — as a deterrent and as a mirror — have some benefit to the lost world, in that it might lead them to Christ. And obedience to the Law of God is a blessing in society in general. Even if a lost individual seeks to obey these laws — though obedience only, without faith in Christ, will not save him — it still becomes a blessing to the world.
Moses revealed this concept when he prayed and asked God to show him His ways: “Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight” (Exod 33:13). The concept of the Word of God as revealing the “ways of God” is well established in Scripture.
Proverbs 3:5–6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
If we would acknowledge Him in all of our ways, then we need the knowledge of His ways. His law becomes a guide to us as we follow Christ.
The Spirit and the Law: The Word of God and the Spirit of God are the two inner voices from God in believers’ hearts. There is no conflict between the Spirit of God and the Word of God, because He is the Author of the Book. Seeing these two voices in agreement and not in conflict is essential to understanding how He guides us. The written Word is a safety to us, to help prevent us from getting carried away with our own emotions. The Spirit of God guides us into all truth but the means by which He does this is His Word. Christ prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
The Spirit of God, however, enlivens our holy imaginations so that we are able to do more than minimally obey the written word. Once we know what he has written, we begin to think about what else we can do for Him along those same lines: “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal. 5:14).
The danger of pride: We need to be careful as Christians that we do not imagine our obedience to the Law makes us more acceptable to God. God looks to bless obedience. He searches the world for those whose hearts are perfect toward Him, so that He might show Himself strong on their behalf (2 Chron. 16:9). But we also need to be careful that we do not see that our obedience makes us more acceptable. We are acceptable to Him only through Christ, and we come humbly to Him at all times through Christ.
