You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:2, 3), God meant: "Remember how I demonstrated my love for you and my incomparable power on your behalf! That means thinking about the Bible deliberately and consciously, seeking God's wisdom. It takes no Christian grace whatever to live in peace where everyone thinks and feels the same. The law itself is against "the works of the law." I could site some examples, but many should be obvious. Knowing the fall made us stubborn enough to believe we can get right with Him by doing enough good works to “outweigh” our bad ones, God gave the Mosaic law to Israel in order to refute this belief. The point is this: to whatever degree we achieve this divine love for each other, it will be owing to faith in the liberating promises of God. God wants to bless all the people of the earth. Make good use of God’s law as you live your life coram Deo. On the contrary, we uphold the law.". There are three significant decisions we will probably make by the end of January: whether to buy the house next door for future expansion or parking, whether to amend the church covenant, and whether to call an assistant pastor for educational and young adult ministries and a children's worker in September 1982. To be sure, genuine love will lead to great labor. We follow the law by obeying it but we can only be truly free when we believe in Christ who is the law Himself. Specifically, it can refer to that part of the OT written by Moses, the first five books, called the Torah. So I invite you to read these words anew, words … Only God's grace can save us . It shows clearly that Paul did not believe that God ever intended the law to be obeyed by "works." First, the law is fulfilled when we love our neighbor. . God does not make any promises that He does not intend to keep. Therefore, God sent Christ to atone for sin (Romans 8:3), that he might pour the Holy Spirit into our hearts, "in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:4). This is made clear in Deuteronomy 1:29–32 where Moses recounts why Israel refused to enter the promised land and was forced to wander 40 years in the desert. And the third point was that, therefore, the law itself does not demand meritorious works, but only the obedience which comes from faith. We may change our minds as we age, or our situation changes or we get more information. The Law “was added because of transgressions” (Gal. Second, love is the outworking of genuine, saving faith. Fifth, we should delight in God's law, meditate on it day and night, and sing of its value unto all generations. By no means! Let me start from basic principles. We will close by singing the beauty of God's law with Psalm 19. Unlike us, God never changes in his person or his purposes. What, then, was the purpose of the law? For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law" . What can we learn about God from the story we just read?” Possible Answers: God makes big promises. It is deeper than labor and prior to labor and enables labor. . Youth Group Game and Lesson on Promises. The Bible is filled with the promises of God. The third point, therefore, is that the law did not call for meritorious works, but for the obedience which flows from faith. Lesson: God’s Promises Main text: Psalm 145:13 Description: God is trustworthy and faithful in all that He promises us.His promises do not rely on us; they rely on Him. Fourth, therefore we must obey the OT commandments the same way we obey the NT commandments—not in order to win God's favor, but because we already depend on his free grace and trust that his commands will lead to full and lasting joy. . Send me a message and I will add it to the list. The most important thing it does is to force us to recognize our need for righteousness, forgiveness, and salvation. You can't abuse others for self-gain by killing or lying or seducing another's spouse or dishonoring your parents, if you really believe the God of the exodus and the God of Easter is at work to give you the future that is best for you. Is The Law Of God Valid Today? It is a matter of demonstrating His character and nature to us. Further down in Galatians 5:22, love is called the fruit of the Spirit. The Mosaic Law did not state a penalty for failing to tithe. Moreover, because the law exposes our sins, it continually drives us back to faith as the only way to achieve life. Love looks people in the eye and communicates goodwill. God is spirit (John 4:24 John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.American King James Version ×), existing in a different realm from that of humans, who are flesh.Our understanding and perception of God, therefore, are based on God's revelation to us through His … The law of Moses simply spells out the way Israelites will live if they genuinely feel their future is secure in God. But I also know there are some who are opposed to one, some opposed to two, and some opposed to all three of these proposals. Promises like: I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. All these sins come from not believing God. And if I am all taken care of, then it feels very natural to want to take care of you, to look you in the eye and smile and want only your good. Therefore, love is the fruit of the Spirit and the outworking of faith. Knowing the fall made us stubborn enough to believe we can get right with Him by doing enough good works to “outweigh” our bad ones, God gave the Mosaic law to Israel in order to refute this belief. This will keep us from giving such bad press to the Mosaic law when really it is the legalistic distortion of law that should get the bad press. Jeremiah 29:11 by type shows us how God commits to his promise to save and the hope of the resurrection and entrance into the true Promised Land. What will love look like between those of us who disagree over the next three months, and where will it come from? This is what has been overlooked so often. How might the vision’s setting on a high mountain have moved people to godly shame? In Hebrews 6:13 it says, "For when God made a promise to Abraham since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself." These promises are sealed by the highest authority, God's word. Today, Christ has sent the Holy Spirit so that the hearts of all His followers may be touched, allowing them to fully love others and love God, fulfilling the law that God put into place at the very beginning of the story. It does not seek to avoid a brother who differs, it does not wear a scowl, it does not spread rumors or speak evil of a neighbor, it does not close its ears to the evidences. God is not going to give you a promise and then say, “You know, maybe I didn’t mean that.” And when He does answer, He wants us to give Him glory and praise because He truly has worked on our behalf. The difference, they say, is this: in the Abrahamic covenant and New Covenant salvation is promised freely to be received by faith apart from works of law. That's why Paul can say in 1 Corinthians 13:3, "If I give away all I have and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.". As Christians we need to be aware that the Law does not apply directly to us. Many of you might have one of your own. Paul said now that the new covenant has come, we are no longer under the law’s supervision. Tithing was a moral obligation. 3:19) to imprison “everything under sin” (v. 22). John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. The letter kills; it is the Spirit that gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6). The law was given 430 years after Abraham entered the Promised Land, and thus was added to the promise. By Glenn Davis. The Holy Spirit tells us through the apostolic memoirs and writing. The exodus was a sign that God would take care of Israel in the future. But it can be shown from Paul's teaching and from the law itself. We know that in the Old Testament, God speaks to us in the Son. So the first point in our theology of the law was that love fulfills the law. What then was the law’s purpose? Thus Paul teaches that we should not leave the law behind, not reject the law for something else, but fulfill the law in the power of the Holy Spirit through faith which works itself out in love. In Hebrews 6:13 it says, "For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself." (Isaiah 55:10, 11). It can refer to part of the OT, as when Jesus says, "I have not come to abolish the law and the prophets" (Matthew 5:17). That is legalism. So whenever you read the word "law" in the New Testament, ask yourself: is this the OT, or the writings of Moses, or the legalistic distortion of Moses' teaching? I must buttress my faith with some promises. The Law’s condemnation does not fall on us, because “the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). The final point, then, is that we should delight in God's law, meditate on it day and night (Psalm 119:97), and sing of his value to all generations (Psalm 19:7–14). ." They are above us and beyond us. that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." In conclusion, then, the points are these: first, the law is fulfilled in us when we love our neighbor as ourselves. I think we can illustrate the way this works by our present situation here at Bethlehem. Two major gifts of grace are the unmerited mercy God grants us by His loving nature and His spiritual law the apostle Paul said he took “delight in” (Romans 7:22). In other words, it is something we cannot produce without God's enablement. And so the time of controversy in which we find ourselves is not bad; it is a good occasion to test whether there is really grace within us or not. The point is this: to whatever degree we achieve this divine love for each other, it will be owing to faith in the liberating promises of God. Trust in me now, and look to no other source for help." The Law “was added because of transgressions” (Gal. These promises are sealed by the highest authority, God's word. Bible verses about Law. But many Bible teachers say (or imply) that the law of Moses offers a way of salvation different than the way offered in the gospel. And so through him, the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV. When we receive God’s forgiveness through our confession of faith in Jesus’ sacrificial death, the Law is fulfilled for us, and “there is no longer any sacrifice for sin” (Hebrews 10:18). (Romans 7:12). It makes a legalistic Pharisee out of Moses, turns the Torah into the very heresy Paul condemned at Galatia, and (worst of all) it makes God into his own enemy, commanding that people try to merit his blessing (and thus exalt themselves) instead of resting in his all sufficient mercy (and thus exalt him). God’s law is important to us today for several reasons. This is very nearly the definition of coram Deo—to live before the face of God, under His authority and unto His glory. well, because sometimes it isn't as obvious as it should be. Does the Law disagree with God's promises? The fourth point follows naturally, namely: we must therefore obey (or fulfill) the OT commandments the same way we must obey the NT commandments—not to win God's favor, but because we already depend on his free grace and trust that his commands will lead to full and lasting joy. We’re on a mission to change that. Certainly not! So Exodus 14:31 says, "And Israel saw the great work which the Lord did against the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord; and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.". When you claim the promises of God, it may have come from your past, but it is always for the future. Today, he still addresses us by his Spirit. Rather, the law was designed to show the way for redeemed people to please God. The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes . The Old Testament does give us the basic laws, although Biblical law and its applications are found in both Testaments. God knows the future and can tell Abraham what will happen. The Law, in Calling for Love, Calls for Faith. Since only perfect works could merit salvation from a perfectly holy God and nobody can achieve that, the law simply makes us aware of our sin and misery and pronounces our condemnation. The Ligonier Ministries site requires Javascript, but you’ve got Javascript disabled. From Genesis to Revelation we read of normal people that received the promises of God. This week focuses on the rainbow and God’s promises. We will see that this does not mean: you don't have to keep the law. Whether or not you have the patience to look with me for half an hour at Galatians 3:15–18depends in large measure on the way you live your life. For example, Jesus said in Luke 24:44, "These are my words which I spoke to you . The proper function of the law is to put before us the right way of living before God. The importance of these verses is crucial because it explains that while our calling to salvation is gifted from God himself, by having knowledge of him, it is the exceeding great and precious promises that enable us to partake of the divine nature (eternal life). The Importance and Power In Our Words. God’s mysteries are unsearchable and inscrutable. Considered as a covenant, the law was designed as a prison, to keep the people locked up so that their sins would not get out of hand (3:22– 23). Shadows are not the same as the reality but even in the shadows of death we have no fear of evil for He is with us wherever we go. God is the Sovereign of the universe, existing supremely above all else. That means thinking about the Bible deliberately and consciously, seeking God's wisdom. In 1 Timothy 1:5 Paul puts it like this, "The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith." Psalms 40:8, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” King David said he mediated in God's Word day and night (Psalm 1:2). 1 Timothy 1:8-10 ESV / 70 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Sin is inherently destructive-both to the perpetrator and to those affected by the perpetrator. . So the first point in our theology of the law was that love fulfills the law. The law of God is often equated with Old Testament law. Thankfully, where Israel (and all of the mankind) has failed, Christ succeeded, demonstrating love even unto death. The high mountain. Promises of God – Which ones are for me? . Jesus Christ has made this possible through His sacrifice on the cross that is sufficient to pay for our sins once and for all (Hebrews 9:11-12). Now I know that hardly anyone says that God saved people differently in the OT than he does today. But there is no Greek word for legalism, so when Paul wanted to refer to this distortion of the Mosaic law, he often used the phrase, "works of law" (e.g., Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16, 3:2, 5). system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and may enforce by the imposition of penalties2 He tells us about God’s power that gives us everything we need for life and godliness. (See Romans 3:31; Matthew 23:23. But under the Mosaic covenant salvation (or God's blessing) is not offered freely to faith, but instead is offered as a reward for the works of the law. Pursue … This is probably the most popular view of the Mosaic law in the church today, and it is wrong. First of all then, love is a fulfilling of the law. For permissions, view our Copyright Policy. The ten commandments are based on a call for faith in the God of the exodus, just like the moral teachings of the NT are based on a call for faith in the Lord of Good Friday and Easter. The law which God gave to Moses at Mount Sinai a few months after bringing the people out of Egypt has been the victim of some very bad press in the past several hundred years. But this in itself didn’t come with a promise of power to obey what the law commanded. James said it a bit differently (2:8), "If you really fulfill the royal law according to scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well." Paul has established that Abraham and his children, including the Gentiles, are saved by faith in God’s promise. The path on which the Spirit comes to us is faith in God's promises; and when he comes, the fruit he produces is love. It's a huge topic, but sometimes if we press things together into a nut-size outline, we can plant it in the corner of our mind until it grows into a big tree of insight. The keeping of the Law is an impossibility to man in the flesh; no one can be justified before God through it. Where would we be today, or in a thousand years, if God were not rich in mercy? There are many people laboring for God and neighbor who are not doing it out of love. And in Scripture, God has made them known. He is author of. Have something you would like covered? Part of our confusion is caused by the simple fact that the word "law" in the New Testament has at least three different meanings when used in different contexts. I don't feel threatened anymore. I am eager for all three of these things to happen. God never promises to keep us from the storms of life, nor to take us around them or to take us above them but He does promise to go with us through them. . Love does not pout, is not self-pitying, does not use ultimatums to get its own way. James 1:5 teaches to pray for wisdom and God will give it to us. And He comes into our hearts by the Holy Spirit and makes them His dwelling place (John 14:23,26), if we open the door to Him when He knocks (Revelation 3:20). That day, I just “happened” to have brought in my little promise Bible. Pursue the law for Christian growth, and in so doing, please God. The law is a description of the obedience of faith; it is not a job description for how to earn the wages of God's blessings. Is there a way to know which promises of God are for us today? The past event of the exodus is a sign of God's willingness to help Israel in the future. 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