How To Understand The Law Of God In The New Covenant
Part 4: Understanding Esoteric Law and Commandment References in the New Testament
1 Corinthians 9:20-21
(Children’s Sheet for Sermon Interaction is at bottom. Notes for young children to answer are throughout sermon)Pastor Kerry Kinchen, Bridgeway Bible Church
Please turn to 1 Corinthians 9:29-21. This is the last sermon in a series based off 1 Corinthians 9:19-21. We have been exploring how to understand the Law of God in the New Covenant. We have established that we are not under the Old Covenant Mosaic Law given to genetic Israelites at Mount Sinai. We are in the New Covenant which was instituted in Christ’s crucifixion on Mount Golgotha, which is an institution that also included his resurrection from the dead three days later. The Law of God that we have is the Law of Christ that we are under in being in-lawed into its jurisdiction. With these things in mind, let’s read our main passage together starting in verse 19,
“... 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law, as under the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law though not being myself under the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law, so that I might win those who are under the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law; 21 to those who are without [Old Covenant] Law, as without Law, though not being without the Law of God [The law of God which is in operation in the New Covenant] but under the Law of Christ [The Law of the New Covenant is the Law of God Christians are under], so that I might win those [Gentiles] who are without Law [without both the Old Covenant or New Covenant Law of God].” 1 Corinthians 9:19-21
Please prepare your heart to learn along with me in this sermon study with the them title,
How To Understand The Law Of God In The New Covenant
Part 4: Understanding Esoteric Law and Commandment References in the New Testament
[prayer]
After getting a good sense of how to understand the Law of God in the New Covenant, we still need to explore New Testament passages that use law type language. We also need to look at some New Testament passages that use commandment type language. This is necessary for this series because law and commandment language in the Bible is often quickly associated with the Old Covenant Mosaic Law. But law and commandment language is used by the New Testament writers in other ways too. Sometimes those ways can be confusing. My hope is to help us to get pointed in the right direction with those passages. To do so, I am going to offer what I consider to be the most exegetically viable interpretation of certain key texts. But on some of the hard to understand texts we will cover in this sermon, I will offer more than one view of what they mean. It will become more apparent why I think it is necessary to do this as we proceed into each passage. But even though I will explain more than one view of certain esoteric sections, the views I will explain will be serious and sufficient. More importantly for our purposes, they will be sufficient to show that the law and commandment language in those sections should not be associated with apostolic writers trying to bring Christians back under keeping the Old Covenant Mosaic Law commands.
Most of the law references are in Romans, so I want to say a few things about Romans before we look into it. Whenever we approach Romans, we need to understand Paul's unique fingerprint style of writing that he used in the epistle. The Spirit inspired Paul to use an ancient Greek rhetorical style of writing called diatribe which he blended with his influence from the Jewish Midrash style of commentary. The diatribe kind of writing style was a very popular method of getting a point across in the Hellenized Roman world of the time. In diatribe, we find literary devices such as hyperbole, sarcasm, and metaphor in which the writer presents an argument in the tone of a kind of debate where the focus is the pronoun "you" audience. The "you" can be "you" Gentiles like in Romans 11:13, or "you" Jews, in Romans 2:17, or simply "you will say" as in Romans 9:19, or ‘who are you, O man, who answers back to God?” in the next verse, Romans 9:20. Jewish Midrash styled teaching concerned interpreting Bible texts, and commentary, with a strong doctrinal emphasis. In the rabbinical setting that Paul was schooled in as a Pharisee, such doctrinal teachings and discussions involved quite a bit of debate. In Romans, we see a synthesis of both genres as Paul is reasoning with his audience in his own unique rhetorical style through questions propositions, comparisons, analogies, metaphors, and quotes. One such device Paul used as a form of word play is the word “law” which is nomos in the Greek. Paul uses the word all throughout Romans. As he does, he makes doctrinal statements that first century Israelites would easily understand in the transition generation into the New Covenant by faith. For us, the doctrinal statements may not be as readily understood, but the essential idea that the Spirit inspired Paul to convey can be discerned enough to get the ordained edification intended.
/1/
The first place that Paul uses the law language that we will examine is in Romans 2:12-16. It is where Paul explains an important point about sin and righteousness to Jews who pride themselves in being keepers of the Old Covenant Mosaic Law. Paul explains to them that when Gentiles who do not have the Mosaic Law, happen to do the things of the Mosaic Law, they, though not having the Mosaic Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Mosaic Law written in their hearts (not showing that the actual Mosaic Law is written there, but show certain works that match parts of the Old Covenant Law that the Jews had and prided themselves as the keepers of). Reading Romans 2:12-16, we see the flow of the contextual passage,
“12 For all who have sinned without the [Mosaic] Law will also perish without the [Mosaic] Law, and all who have sinned under the [Mosaic] Law will be judged by the [Mosaic] Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the [Mosaic] Law who are just [righteous] before God, but the doers of the [Mosaic] Law will be declared righteous [righteousified, justified]. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the [Mosaic] Law do by nature [or “naturally do,” from fusei in the Greek] the things of the [Mosaic] Law, these, not having the [Mosaic] Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work [or to clarify--they show certain works which match part] of the [Mosaic] Law written in their hearts [they show some Mosaic Law things, though they are a law unto themselves, meaning they write by nature what they show as work which may match some Mosaic Law code], their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my good news [gospel message], God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.” Romans 2:12-16
We want to understand what Paul means, so as a first consideration, we notice that Paul states clearly that there are those without the Mosaic Law in verse 12. Then in verse 14, Paul identifies who they are. Paul indicated that all the ethnic bloodlines of the world that were not genetic Israelites, were the ones who did not have the Mosaic Law. They are Gentiles. For any Gentile to have been under the Old Covenant Law of Moses, he must have had to first become a proselyte according to the stipulations like in Exodus 12:48-49. These facts are important, because this one passage quickly and easily refutes the claim that the Old Covenant statutes are for all nations [ethne in the Greek, ie. Gentiles]. But let’s consider Paul’s fuller point. In the context, Paul is explaining to Jews who have the Old Covenant Law, that none is righteous--no not one, Romans 3:9-10. Paul is making a theological point to Jews by quoting the prophetic Psalm 14:1-3, and its parallel, Psalm 53:1-3. This is one of Paul’s main theological revelations in Romans 2 and 3. When Paul explains the natural inclinations of unrighteous Gentiles, he is saying that though Gentiles do not have the Mosaic Law, they sometimes do some things naturally that were listed in the Mosaic Law statutes that the Jews had. They show that this can naturally happen at times, for example, when they decide it is wrong to steal. They show that this can naturally happen at times when they decide that it is wrong to commit murder. They show that this can naturally happen at times when they decide that it is wrong to bear false witness, and so forth. Certainly Gentiles are lost in their nature of sin. But, though naturally lost, and by nature children of wrath in sin (Ephesians 2:3), they sometimes do by nature, as a matter coincidence, some secular ethical law standard things that happen to match up with the Jew’s Old Covenant law statute things. Not having the Mosaic Law, they do these mirrored kinds of things from humanism, as Paul says
“... these, not having the [Mosaic] Law, are a law to themselves,”
This is how to understand the phrase in Paul’s point when Paul speaks about work that they show of the law written or inscribed, in their hearts. What is written in themselves by themselves (in which they are a law unto themselves) is their own natural philosophical foundation of what is right and wrong. They are, in a sense, anthro-nomians living according to auto-nomian sensibilities, meaning that they live in the world according to human generated laws, and yet they legislate in their own sinful hearts which laws they philosophically agree with. So in respect to this, just because Gentiles show a work by their lost nature which also happens to match something in the Old Covenant Mosaic Law codes that Jews worked in obedience to God, such mirrored works do not make Gentiles righteous. To see this, we must stay with Paul’s contextual flow. Notice what Paul says in verse 14,
“14 For when Gentiles who do not have the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law do by nature the things of the [Mosaic] Law,”
[The fact that they do those things which may resemble something in the Mosaic Law "by nature" in natural ethical ideologies, shows that it is not by supernatural revelation (or writing by the agency of God). The immediate point is that whatever they show that they do, it is still according to their sin nature which is absent of the supernatural Spirit of righteousness. This is Paul’s equalizing point that those Jews needed to see over the first 3 chapters. So Paul went on explaining what all Jews need to know. Since some philosophical ethics of Gentiles happen to match something that was in the Old Covenant Mosaic Law codes that Jews are familiar with, then the Gentiles show that they have their own sense of morality in some instances that looks a lot like Old Covenant Law based morality that Jews understand by divine revelation. Paul knew that he needed to knock down the works based righteousness pride of the Jews who have inherited the sin of Adam just like Gentiles have. So Paul continues his point]
“these, not having the [Mosaic] Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show”
[“Show” here means they manifest, demonstrate, and show forth outwardly, works of what being a law to themselves produces, which as Paul says next is]
“the work of the law written in their hearts,”
[Some interpreters miss Paul’s distinct clarification in his point which only serves to confuse people. It is wrongly said by some that God wrote their law into their gentile hearts. Further, some try to label which law they think it is that God supposedly wrote there. It is suggested that it is either the Mosaic Law, the law of love, or some ethical moral law code kind of sense, etc.. But we notice that Paul does not say that God is the writer who wrote their law unto themselves in their hearts. We also notice that Paul does not say that they show that the Mosaic Law is what is written in their hearts either. Further, we notice that Paul does not say that God wrote something like The Law Of Love on their hearts. According to Hebrews 7:12-8:10, it is clear that God only writes that particular Law on His Holy Spirit regenerated people of God in His New and Better Everlasting Covenant. Plainly, the view that God supposedly wrote their law into their hearts is a view that must be artificially forced into the text, partially made evident in the view’s clumsiness in regards to exegeting the full wording. The view simply does not fit Paul’s fluid point to point phrasing in the context. This is important to recognize so that the Spirit’s true meaning can be gleaned which is namely that Paul is talking about the law written in their unregenerate hearts in the category of anthronomianism manifested in autonomianism. In it, they randomly and concurrently show the same works that Jews would do who actually had the Mosaic Law of God’s previous Old Covenant, and this is the key. But those interpreters who wrongly surmise that God is the one who writes this type of self-law on the hearts of all spiritually dead Gentiles, bolster their interpretive case by pointing back to Paul’s introduction in Romans 1:16-23 about people who do not live by faith, and therefor are not righteous. Those people are the ones who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because what is known about God is evident within them. The problem with building their view with materials borrowed from Romans 1, is that Paul was making a different point with a hugely different meaning as the actual wording of Romans 1:16-23 demonstrates. In other words, the materials are different. When we look back at Paul’s epistle introduction in Romans 1:16-23, the actual point there becomes clear,
“16 ... I [Paul] am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘but the righteous man shall live by faith.’ 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.” Romans 1:16-23
Notice that Paul’s earlier point has to do with a faith issue (cf. vv. 16-17, 23). It has to do with people being without excuse because of what God had made evident since the creation of the world about His invisible attributes, His eternal power, and His divine nature being clearly seen and being understood from the created order; from what has been made by Him. They “knew God” but they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks to Him. This is the original sin of Adam and Eve, and it is the deadly inheritance of all humanity void of the Spirit. Paul says that in faithlessness, they exchanged the glory of the truly incorruptible God for an image in the form of created and corruptible man, birds, animals and so forth. Paul’s point is that belief in the One true God was replaced by unrighteous people with idolatrous faith in those things which are not truly gods. This is clearly the suppression of truth in unrighteousness which is the enemy of the faith the righteous live by. And we notice that Paul also says that God is the One Who made all the substantiation concerning Himself evident to them. So His general revelation of “that which is known about God ... His invisible attributes, His eternal power, and divine nature [which] have been clearly seen [and] understood through what has been made” is why it is evident “within them.” It is righteous to embrace what God has made evident, as Abraham demonstrated in Paul’s later illustration point in chapter 4. On the other hand, like Adam and Eve at the beginning of the creation of the world, the unrighteousness of faithlessness suppresses these things which are made evident to them by the God they reject. Yet, Paul’s actual point over in our Romans 2:12-16 text, is that all people really do have a moral standard regardless of their genetic or covenantal heritage. The unstable law that Gentiles come up with from themselves, is written there by the futility of the Gentile mind, Ephesians 4:17. They are the ones who are a law unto themselves, so the imagery suggests that it is written from, and with, their own philosophical pens of what they think is right and wrong. The purposeful point of contrast that Paul is wanting to convey to Jews is that the natural ethical standards of Gentiles, are not written by God who engraved the ten commandments on stone tablets as the Old Covenant for genetic Israelites on Mount Sinai. Further, this humanistic phenomenon of being a law unto one’s self happens with all who are in the world which is all who are in the domain of darkness, Colossians 1:13. More, Paul’s point here is consistent with the central passage he wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:21-22 which this sermon series is based upon. Remember, Paul describes lost Gentiles as being “without the law of God.” He says they are a-nomos, meaning without God’s law. God’s Law is not in them in any form. Again, that bears repeating:
Gentiles are “without the law of God” according to 1 Corinthians 9:21 which means that they are a-nomos; God’s Law is not written in them.
And so the lost, being a-nomos in respect to the Law of God, are the mavericks who are a law unto themselves. Accordingly, what they have engraved in their own dead hearts (Greek, kardia, which is sometimes translated as minds) in accord with their own sin-bound consciences and thinking processes is merely shown forth as their own work that may happen to randomly match up with God’s Old Covenant Law. Paul goes on with his focused point,]
“their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,”
[The conscience of lost Gentiles was not trying to answer, or remotely consider, an Old Covenant Law that God engraved on stones. Neither was their own conscience, in Paul's point, arguing with God. They were reasoning with their own selves in philosophical speculation of what is right and what is wrong. The imagery suggests that they go back and forth in the legislative chambers of their heart of stone (absent of the Spirit) by arguing their case in self defense, or even accusation, concerning their self-embraced law ethics. All of us are familiar with this. Paul is describing the situational ethics of humanism that we are so accustomed to seeing today. It is situational because it changes based upon the argument that minds of the lost world culture happen to believe is the best at the moment. This is why every law jurisdiction of every nation differs. In one nation, killing unborn babies is considered infanticide. In another, like ours, it is considered routine birth control protected by the police. If you don’t believe me, then just try and go down to an abortuary and try to stop a mother from murdering her unborn child. In one nation homosexuality is a crime punishable by death. In another, it is a so-called “right” and so forth. It is the same way with individuals in those nations too. The law in the heart changes from individual to individual, from nation to nation. Nevertheless, there is a huge commonality. Without regeneration in Christ, all are in Adam and lost in sin. This is why Paul goes on to say in verse 16,]
“16 on the day when, according to my good news [gospel message of the New Covenant], God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. ...” Romans 2:
@1 God is the one who judges the _______________ of men through Jesus Christ according to the gospel. Romans 12:16
[This is the main point of the context; both Jews and Gentiles are guilty before God no matter who they are, or what they do. No matter if the Jew is trying to pursue righteousness by works of the Old Covenant Law engraved on stones by God, and no matter if Gentiles are living according to their self defined humanistic ethics that may happen to mimic something that God wrote and gave to Moses, all are under the dominion of sin in need of the good news of salvation through Christ. All will be judged, as Paul says, in the flow of thought into chapter 3, when he says next,]
“9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all.
[That right there is the million dollar statement. Paul goes on to explain,]
For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks [Gentiles], are under sin, 10 as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one;
@2 Everyone is under the curse of sin. This means that no one is ____________. This is why we need Christ Jesus as our Savior. Romans 3:9-10
[Jews under the Old Covenant Mosaic Law are under sin, and Gentiles who are a law unto themselves, and are without the Old Covenant law are under sin. All humanity without Christ is on equal footing in Adam. Paul goes on,]
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. ... 19 Now we know that whatever the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law says it speaks to those who are under the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law, [which were genetic Israelites of the past and Gentile proselytes to Judaism of the past] so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God [Israelites and Gentile proselytes to Judaism will be held accountable to God in sin like everyone else among the nations who are a law unto themselves]. 20 For by works of the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law no human being [Israelites or proselytes] will be declared righteous [righteousified, justified] in his sight, since through the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law comes knowledge of sin. [rather than deliverance from sin which some Jews believed] 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the [Mosaic] Law, although the [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law and the Prophets bear witness to it--22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” Romans 3:9-22
@3 The righteousness of __________ is applied through ___________ in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for all who believe. Romans 3:21-22
With all of this said, the summation is that this law language describes the way the world comes up with their own ethical law codes in sin, and some of those codes happen to match up with God’s Old Covenant He gave to Israelites on Sinai according to His righteousness. But this fact still doesn't mean that Gentiles have attained merit before God. Paul wants the Jews that he started out addressing in chapter 2, to realize this fact. He also wants the Jews to realize that they do not have an upper hand of righteousness either. When it comes to the sin nature, everyone is in the same arena. Both Jews and Gentiles will be judged according to the New Covenant gospel of Christ in the end. They will not be judged according to the Old Covenant Mosaic Law. And they will not be judged according to the standard that Gentiles come up with in their own minds either.
/2/
This leads us to examine another section out of Romans which has some esoteric law language in it. It is in the same flow of what we have just examined. It is a reference to “a law of faith” in Romans 3:27. Let’s read through Romans 3:21 to 3:31, and as we do, I will comment,
“21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from [Mosaic] Law, although the [Mosaic] Law and the Prophets [Tanakh] bear witness to it--22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are declared righteous by his grace as a gift, through the redemption [purchase of the elect] that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation [absorber of the wrath that elect sinners deserve] by his blood, to be received through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be righteous while declaring righteous the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. Through what kind of law? Of works? No, but through a law of faith.
[Right here in verse 27 is that term “a law of faith.” Paul goes on and I want us to notice that he is going to give the definition of “a law of faith”]
“28 For we hold that one is declared righteous through faith apart from works of [Mosaic] law.”
[Right there in verse 28 is what defines “a law of faith.” It is that one is declared righteous through faith apart from works of the Mosaic Law--particularly faith in Christ Jesus. Paul goes on,]
“29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one--who will declare righteous the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through this faith.
[That declaration right there is a restatement of the essence of “a law of faith.” Paul continues,]
“31 Do we then overthrow law through this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we establish law.” Romans 3:21-31
There are a few interpretations of what Paul means by asking whether “we,” who are not in the New Covenant, overthrow law and establish law. Of course only God made the Old Covenant Mosaic Law obsolete according to Hebrews 8:13. God abolished, in Christ’s flesh, the enmity which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances so that Jews and Gentiles would, through Christ, both have access in one Spirit to the Father, according to Ephesians 2:15-18. So we do not overthrow the Mosaic Law, because we do not need to.
--2a--
Knowing this, there is one interpretation of this that says that in God’s plan, the Old Covenant Mosaic Law was an essential forerunner of righteousness by faith. It developed a consciousness for God’s people,
1) of covenant,
2) of law,
and
3) of the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
All of those things were forerunners of Christ who ushered in the ministry of the Spirit, 2 Corinthians 5:8. Righteousness through faith in Christ, then, attained the righteousness that the Old Covenant Law demanded, but did not, and could not, supply. This view, suggests that Paul is saying that the first century Christians established the Mosaic Law’s ultimate purpose in leading them to salvation by grace through faith in the promised Messiah. So that is one way to look at what Paul means, and it has merit.
--2b--
Another way is to recognize that when Paul says “we establish law, he is talking about the contextual fact that we establish law as a law of faith through this faith that we have, which through it (a law of faith) we are declared righteous by God. That view has merit too.
Either way, whichever of those two plausible views is the more accurate one, the main point is that in Paul’s continued flow, he explains that this faith is what declared Abraham righteous, which was also a demonstration of a law of faith as is declared in Romans 4:9. This means that this law of faith is an unbreakable law which we New Covenant people establish in our faith in Christ for righteousness. It is a law of faith, then, in the sense that it is a decree by God in respect to how righteousness is declared apart from the works of the Mosaic Law. We see it all made even more understandable when we look at Paul’s continuing flow in chapter 4 where he says,
“9 Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, ‘Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.’
[This is a law of faith which we establish in the New Covenant as our means of being declared righteousness. Paul goes on,]
... 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the [Mosaic] Law, but through the righteousness of faith. ... 16 For this reason it is of [no Gk. word, so “of” NKJV] faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the [Mosaic] Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,” Romans 4:9-
In summation, “a law of faith” is that in accordance with grace, the righteousness of faith is what saves--not a law of works in which no man is declared righteous.
/3/
This leads us to consider another reference to law language. It is also found in Romans. The third statement refers to “the law of the Spirit of life.” We find it in Romans 8. Let’s read Romans 8:1-4 to get the sense,
“1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the [Old Covenant] law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the [Old Covenant] law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the [Old Covenant] law might be fulfilled in us [the people of God of the first generation who were previously under the existing Old Covenant Mosaic Law that had just been fulfilled in Christ, and abolished on the cross in His accomplishment. Paul goes on], who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1-4
In looking at this passage, two question need to be answered. The first is;
"What is the law of the Spirit of life which has set the Israelites free from the Old Covenant Mosaic law of sin and death?"
This one goes hand in hand with answering the second question which is,
"Why is the Old Covenant law called the law of sin and death?"
In previous sermons, I have comprehensively explained why the Old Covenant Law is the law of sin and death. But it needs to be explained again. So I will answer the second question first. Briefly, the Old Covenant Law could not impart the required righteousness that Israelites and proselytes needed for salvation. Why? Because the power of sin was in the Mosaic Law,
“56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the [Old Covenant] law;” 1 Corinthians 15:56
In Paul’s flow of thought coming into Romans 8, Paul mentioned in Romans 5 that the Law came in with its power of sin, so that sin would increase,
“20 The [Old Covenant Mosaic] Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:19-21
In respect to this, the Mosaic Law brought a curse with it that rendered people unable to be declared righteous, Galatians 3:10-13
“10 For as many as are of the works of the [Mosaic] Law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them.’ 11 Now that no one is declared righteous [made righteous unto God, justified, righteousified] by the [Mosaic] Law before God is evident; for, ‘The righteous man shall live by faith.’ 12 However, the [Mosaic] Law is not of faith; on the contrary, ‘He who practices them shall live by them.’ 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the [Mosaic] Law, having become a curse for us--” Galatians 3:10-13
Because of this the Mosaic Law was enmity between God’s people and Himself,
“15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, ... thus establishing peace, 16 ... in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity [of the Mosaic Law]. ... 18 for through Him we [Jews and Gentiles] have our access in one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:15-18
Because of this, the Mosaic Law consisted of decrees against us--not for us. They were hostile to us, Colossians 2:13-14
“13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses ... God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us [Old Covenant Mosaic Law and its enmity], which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14
The Mosaic Law, then, was a ministry of death,
“5 ... God 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a New Covenant, not of the letter [of the Old Covenant Mosaic Law] but of the Spirit; for the letter [of the Old Covenant] kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, [The letters engraved on stones are the Ten Commandments as the Old Covenant representation. Paul goes on,] came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit [The ministry of the Spirit is the ministry of the New Covenant in Christ] fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation [which is the Old Covenant Law] has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory, [which was the Old Covenant Ten Commandments engraved on stone] in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it.” 2 Corinthians 5:5-10
And so the Old Covenant Law was a law of sin and death which is Paul’s point in our passage. And the New Covenant is a ministry of life in which the Spirit gives life. The New Covenant is the ministry of righteousness in which the Spirit imparts the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. So this is the background of the curse of the Old Covenant Law. Now what about that main question which needs to be answered? Remember, we are seeking to determine the identity of the law of the Spirit of life which has set the Israelites free from the Old Covenant Mosaic law of sin and death. There are two avenues we can go down in answering this, and I think that both have merit, so I will cover both. But I also think that both have more than just merit. I also tend to think that what seems to be two avenues, may actually be the same one.
--3a--
The first one which looks like it could be a distinct avenue to consider, has to do with the Roman epistle context in which Paul has already explained a law of faith that we establish in New Covenant salvation in Christ. Notice again in 3:21,
“21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from [Mosaic] Law, ... 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. ... 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are declared righteous by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received through faith. ...
@4 God put forward Jesus as the wrath absorbing sacrifice by his ___________, to be received through faith. Romans 3:25
26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be righteous while declaring righteous the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. Through what kind of law? Of works? No, but through a law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is declared righteous through faith apart from works of [Mosaic] Law.” Romans 3:21-28
So in this respect, the law of the Spirit of life which has set the Israelites free from the Old Covenant Mosaic Law of sin and death, is a law of faith that the Christians establish in believing in Christ Jesus as Lord, Redeemer, Propitiator, and Savior. To me this avenue seems like a very plausible answer to our question.
--3b--
But there is that other avenue to consider. And again, we may find that it is not really a separate avenue after all. It is to understand the Law of the Spirit of life to be “the Law of Christ” of 1 Corinthians 9:21, and Galatians 6:2. Remember, the essence of the Law of Christ is love God and love His people. I want to keep us in the Romans context on this by pointing back to Romans 5 again. There we see that the love of God, in His saving grace, has been poured out within our hearts as Christians. There is a spiritual connection between His love and the love we now have because of His indwelling Spirit. Notice in 5:5,
“... the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5
Now when we fast forward about 10 chapters to 15:30, we see that love referenced again when Paul urges,
"Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me ..." Romans 15:30
Paul is talking about the fruit that comes out of us by the Spirit,
“the fruit of the Spirit is love,” Galatians 5:22
The importance of this seems to be significant. An allusion can be seen here in which this love of this Law of the Spirit of Life is a manifestation of the Spirit Who dwells in us as God’s temples, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19. In this sense, then, the law of the Spirit of life is the law of God that God writes on regenerated hearts in the New Covenant which was prophesied in Ezekiel 36:25-33, and in Jeremiah 31:27-34, and Isaiah 42:1-6 as the New Covenant Law of Christ. It would be the fulfillment of the unbreakable thread of which the whole Old Covenant Law depended, which is identified in Deuteronomy 6:5, and Leviticus 19:18,
“5 You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5
“18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself;” Leviticus 19:18
With this in mind, Jesus would be seen as the one who gave this revelational theme which prophetically pictured the Law of Christ of the New Covenant to come when He said, in Matthew 22:35-40,
“35 ... a lawyer [concerning the Old Covenant Mosaic Law], asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the [Mosaic] Law?’ 37And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38"This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:35-40
It is especially significant when we look at more in the context of Romans. In Romans 13, Paul explained elements of this higher law principle that all the Old Covenant Law statutes also had to depend upon as a matter of God’s design necessity. In Romans 13, Paul urged Christians to manifest the Law of Christ of the Spirit. In doing so, he used an analogy by pointing back to the Old Covenant Law for His metaphoric point. He did this for those Christian Jews and proselytes in Rome who were familiar with the Old Covenant Law when he said,
“8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law.
[This is simply a point of fact. He who loves his neighbor in respect to the “sons of his people” (cf. Leviticus 19:18) has fulfilled what Jesus said the Old Covenant depended upon in Matthew 22:40. And as the Law of God in the New Covenant, it has now remained as the Law of Christ. The analogous point then for New Covenant saints, is that to love one another in actions is to fulfill the Law of Christ. Paul continues to give his analogy]
“9 For this, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the [Mosaic] Law.” Romans 13:8-10
The meaning is that in God’s intended design of the Older Covenant in which it depended upon loving God and loving others, love fulfilled its outworking. By implication, love is now the fulfillment of the New Covenant Law of Christ for New Covenant people who had crossed over from the Old Covenant to the New which is the audience that Paul was reaching with this metaphoric illustration. Then in respect to this, John went on to describe more details of what this means in the New Covenant Law of Christ. Remember, to love God means to “believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ.” To love others is to “love our brothers and sisters in Christ.” Notice the defined clarification in 1 John 3:23,
"This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He [Christ] commanded us." 1 John 3:23
The outworking of this is even more precisely defined as manifesting Messiah from within, by manifesting His own High standard that He commanded in His new commandment, John 13:34
“34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I [Christ] have loved you” John 13:34
@5 Christ’s new commandment is that you _____________ other Christians as Christ loves you. John 13:34
When we do these commands, we are certainly manifesting the law of the Spirit of life that has set us free from sin and death. The Spirit of Christ shines forth in supernomian glory. I want us to also notice that this law of the Spirit of life that Paul talks about, has set us free,
“2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the [Old Covenant] law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2
This freedom is the “liberty” that James refers to in respect to the perfect Law of Christ the King as the royal law in James 1:25, 2:8, 2:12. Notice that James identifies the kingly (royal) liberty law as perfect,
“1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. ... 2:8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. ... 2:12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.” James 1:25, 2:8, 2:12
So in looking at our passage in respect to the Law of the Spirit of life which has set us free in Christ Jesus from the Old Covenant Law of sin and death, we recognize that Paul is talking about the jurisdiction of the ministry of the Spirit of the New Covenant. In this respect, what we call the Law that we establish which is a Law of faith, and what we call the of Law of Christ, which is to believe in God’s Son in faith by the Spirit, and to love our brothers and sisters in Christ the way Christ loves us, may both be more closely connected than we may fully recognize.
/4/
A couple more “law” references we will look at are 1 Corinthians 14:21 and 34. It is where Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14:21,
“21 In the Law it is written, By men of strange languages and by lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to me,’ says the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 14:21
And 1 Corinthians 14:34,
“34 The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.” 1 Corinthians 14:34
Paul's reference to the Law as his theological foundation for these two passages, is a reference to what the Jews would also call the Tanakh, which is the Old Testament books. Sometimes the Old Testament was referred to as the Law. We know that this is what Paul is doing, because you can not find any statute in the Old Covenant Mosaic Law codes that reflects what Paul is saying. We also know that Paul is not talking about the Law of Christ of the New Covenant which is to love God made manifest in believing in Christ, and in loving the brothers and sisters in Christ as Christ loves us. But further, in 1 Corinthians 14:21, Paul is citing Isaiah the prophet from Isaiah 28:11-12 In this certain respect, Isaiah is part of "the Law" as the anachronistic Jewish designation. In 1 Corinthians 14:34 there is nothing concrete in the Old Testament that can be cited for the directive. It is generally considered to be a reference to the whole sense of how woman’s roles are demonstrated in the historic record in respect to authority, which in the 1 Corinthians 14 context, there is a unique application that must be gleaned from the actual context, and I will do so in a couple of weeks when I preach from 1 Corinthians 14.
/5/
As we finish up this morning, there is also some commandment language used throughout the New Testament. It typically has to do with some things that the apostles wrote in their epistles. The commandments that the apostles gave were given by the authority of the Lord Jesus. In this sense, they are also the Lord's commands as the will of God. Essentially, what this means is that whenever we see imperative commands that tell us what we are supposed to do in the New Testament, such commands are God's way of helping us to live out the manifestation of the indwelling Spirit in godly living. As we proceed, I want to mention that there are two Greek words that the apostolic writers generally used which English Interpreters will sometimes translate as command. One is entole. Entole is usually translated as command, commandment, or precept. Typically when this word is used, we find that it is in reference to a commandment given from God. The law of Christ and its statutes are referred to by this word in 1st and 2nd John (see Footnote 1 below) The other Greek word is paraggelia. Paraggelia is usually an instructional charge, or a command in that sense. This word is usually used by the apostles in referring to the rules that they taught the church to follow which are rules from God. With this little bit of background info out of the way, let’s look at some important examples. First we will look at uses of entole. In our central epistle of 1 Corinthians we find Paul saying,
“18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments [entolon] of God. 20 Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.” 1 Corinthians 7:18-20
We know that the moral requirement of circumcision was commanded in the Old Covenant Mosaic Law in Leviticus 12:3. Yet Paul clearly says here that circumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. Because we have a good grasp of New Covenant orientation, we recognize that Paul is not confused. There are two routes in the immediate context of 1 Corinthians that we can explore for Paul’s meaning in teaching that to keep the entole-commandment of God is what matters for New Covenant people of God.
--5a--
One route we can explore is what Paul says a little later in 1 Corinthians 14:37 concerning church order in respect to prophesying, and speaking in tongues,
“If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment [entole].” 1 Corinthians 14:37
@6 The Scriptures that Paul wrote are the _________________ commandment. Spiritual people recognize this fact. 1 Corinthians 14:37
Essentially what Paul is doing is asserting His apostolic authority to relate God’s express will as both indicatives and imperatives for order in the church.
--5b--
The other route we must explore from this same epistle’s context for 1 Corinthians 7:19, is the Spirit’s constant urging toward the higher law of love which is “the Law of God” called “the Law of Christ” of 1 Corinthians 9:20-21 (cf. Galatians 6:2). In respect to keeping the commandments of God, Paul mentioned the necessity of both statutes in 1 Corinthians 13:3, and 1 Corinthians 16:22. In 1 Corinthians 16:22, it is to love God. In 1 Corinthians 13:3, it is to love others tangibly. 1 Corinthians 14 is a continuation of the theme to do all for edification out of love, especially in practicing the miraculous gifts. With these things in mind, either interpretive route we take keeps us in the realm of the New Covenant commandments (entole) of God (not the Old Covenant) and that is what matters for the purpose of this sermon series. But there is more. In 2 Peter 2:21, we see Peter’s reference to false prophets who reject the holy commandment of the Lord,
“For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment [entoles] handed on to them.” 2 Peter 2:21
False prophets infiltrated the church. Subsequently, they--primarily Jews--had learned the way of righteousness from Christians, which is the gospel of the grace covenant of Christ. The false Christians learned the holy commandment handed on to them to love the Messiah as Lord and Savior in believing in Him, and to truly love his people which are the spiritually regenerated body of Christ. Peter repeats the same commandment reference in the next chapter when he says,
“... I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment [entoles] of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.” 2 Peter 3:1-2
Peter is urging the saints to remember the commandment spoken by their Lord and Savior, which was recorded for memory, and is clear,
"34 A new commandment [entolen] I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this [new commandment] all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35
Of course, this is the Law of Christ. Then there is that other word, paraggelia (instructions, directives). We find it used in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8,
"1 Finally then, brothers, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. 2 For you know what commandments [parangelias, instructions] we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 and that no man transgress and defraud [wrong ESV, take advantage of NET, NIV] his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. 8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you. ... 10 ... make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded [parengeilamen, instructed] you, 12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders" 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, 10-12
Paul is asserting the commandment authority of the Lord in instructing the Thessalonians concerning the will of God to abstain from sexual immorality; and also that no man transgress and wrong his brother in respect to sexual sins. To reject this instruction is to not reject Paul, but the God who gives His Spirit to Christians. But notice that this command is essentially to love one another in outworking the inner reality. This is the point. It is to manifest the Spirit. Then Paul’s instructive command to work in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 has the same sense of an urging to love behind it in behaving properly toward outsiders. The same thing is seen in the second letter to the Thessalonians,
“4 We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command [parengellomen, instructed]. ... 6 Now we command [Parengellomen, instruct] you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. ... 12 Now such persons we command [parengellomen, instruct] and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.” 2 Thessalonians 3:4-12
This command authority is the apostolic privilege to tell Christians what to do. Then we see in 1 Timothy where Paul uses the same word,
"... the goal of our commandment [parangeiles, instruction] is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5
The commandment language here is the same Greek word of 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8. It is essentially a declaration that the goal of the apostles instructive commandment is that people love. A little later in 1 Timothy 1:18, Paul uses the same word again where he commands Timothy to fight the good fight according to the prophecies concerning him, saying,
"This command [parangelian, instruction] I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight," 1 Timothy 1:18
Paul, who described himself as Timothy’s spiritual father, gave His son the directive to fight the good fight of a Christian soldier evangelist according to his ministry that was prophesied. Finally, while I am pointing out the use of paraggelia-instruction in 1 Timothy, I want to mention entole-commandment once again. We notice that Paul uses entole at the end of the epistle in 1 Timothy 6:13-14,
“13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment [entolen] without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Timothy 6:13-14
I used to think that the commandment that Paul alludes to at the end of the epistle might possibly be Paul’s charge to Timothy that he mentioned at the beginning to fight the good fight. But in that charge, Paul used the Greek word, paraggelia, implying Paul’s instruction. It is more likely that by using entole at the end of the epistle in this last urging, that Paul is urging Timothy toward fulfilling the law of Christ in loving others in an exemplary manner. In other words, Timothy already loves Christians as God’s people because it is impossible for him to hate them; but like all of us, Timothy needs to love them in consistent actions. He needs to love them without stain or reproach, so that the love comes out as precious fruits of the Spirit.
Let’s briefly recap: This is the last sermon in the series on how to understand the Law of God in the New Covenant. We have been looking at understanding esoteric law and commandment references in the New Testament. We looked at Romans 2:12-16. It is where Gentiles who happen to do the things of the Mosaic Law, though not having the Mosaic Law, are a law to themselves. In being a law unto themselves, they author their own humanistic laws. Sometimes those laws can match a statute in the Old Covenant Mosaic Law Codes. Then we looked at the reference to “a law of faith” in Romans 3:27. It is a reference to the fact that righteousness comes by faith in the gospel of Christ. Then we looked at “the law of the Spirit of life” in Romans 8:2. There is merit in interpreting it as a law of faith that the Christians establish in believing in Christ Jesus as Lord, Redeemer, Propitiator, and Savior. There is also merit in interpreting it as being “the Law of Christ” of 1 Corinthians 9:21, and Galatians 6:2. After all, to believe in Christ is to love God. To love others is to manifest the fruit of the Spirit. Finally, we looked at commandment language. The apostles gave commanding instructions. The Lord gives commanding instructions too. Such commands are God's way of helping us to live out the manifestation of the indwelling Spirit in godly living. Amen
@1 God is the one who judges the _______________ of men through Jesus Christ according to the gospel. Romans 12:16
@2 Everyone is under the curse of sin. This means that no one is ____________. This is why we need Christ Jesus as our Savior. Romans 3:9-10
@3 The righteousness of __________ is applied through ___________ in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for all who believe. Romans 3:21-22
@4 God put forward Jesus as the wrath absorbing sacrifice by his ___________, to be received through faith. Romans 3:25
@5 Christ’s new commandment is that you _____________ other Christians as Christ loves you. John 13:34
@6 The Scriptures that Paul wrote are the _________________ commandment. Spiritual people recognize this fact. 1 Corinthians 14:37
=========
FOOTNOTES:
Consistent usage of entole is seen in 1-2 John below:
“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments [entolas]. The one who says, " I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments [entolas], is a liar, and the truth is not in him;” 1 John 2:3-4
“Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment [entolen] to you, but an old commandment [entolen] which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment [entole] is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment [entolen] to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.” 1 John 2:7-8
“and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments [entolas] and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. This is His commandment [entole], that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded [entolen] us. The one who keeps His commandments [entolas] abides in Him, and He in him We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” 1 John 3:22-24
“And this commandment [entolen] we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.” 1 John 4:21
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments [entolas]. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments [entolas]; and His commandments [entolai] are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:2-3
“I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment [entolen] to do from the Father. Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment [entolen], but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments [entolas] This is the commandment [entolen], just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.” 2 John 1:4-6
