"Free from the law, O, HAPPY CONDITION!"
How many times have I sung that song and been ignorant of its implications? How many times have I thought and lived as that I was still required to keep part of God's law for His acceptance of me? The Lord has begun to give me understanding concerning this truth - that I am free from obligation to keep the law - and I wanted to share it with you all. Now, before you wind up your springs and prepare to pounce, give me a chance to explain what I mean.
The path to understanding began last month when, asking the Lord to reveal what I should prepare for the ladies in Poland, He gave me the book of Galatians. The theme of the book: sanctification through law versus sanctification through faith was something I misunderstood. I always thought that it was referring to salvation through works verses salvation through faith. I could argue the point that salvation was through the vehicle of faith, not through the vehicle of works and obedience to the law. I had given mental assent to this truth. What I did not understand was that Paul was discussing my sanctification, NOT my salvation.
Ok, when was the last time you got jumping up and down, about. to. burst. excited about something the Lord showed you from His word?! When was the last time something clicked, the light bulb turned on and the whole room flooded with light!? When was the last time that you were amazed-ly humbled by the goodness and grace of your God?
My pastor preached a sermon last Sunday morning in which he made the statement that the believer is not obligated to keep the Ten Commandments (the text was Christ being Lord of the Sabbath, as found in Matt. 12:1-14). That was a radical concept for me! So many godly men down through the ages and even Christians today will sub-divide the law into three categories: the civil, the ceremonial, and the moral. They have said and do say that Christ fulfilled the first two parts of the law, but not the last or that He fulfilled all three but that I am still obligated to keep the third. (Why?) The Bible does not so divide the law - we have made those divisions ourselves for the sake of categorization, simplification. If I say that I am still obligated to keep some part of the law, then I am subjecting myself to keeping the whole law and and placing upon myself the burden or responsibility for my own justification/sanctification. James says that if I keep the whole law but break one of the commandments, I am liable for breaking them all. Paul quotes OT passages referring to the curse placed on those that strive but cannot keep the whole law. Why, then, do I strive/put myself under the obligation of keeping certain aspects of it?
Christ fulfilled all three 'aspects/parts' - He perfectly kept the 10 Commandments and kept Himself above reproach in regards to the 'civil' and 'ceremonial' aspects of it as well. So, did Christ keep the whole law completely or did He leave part of it for me to do? Did Christ fulfill the requirements for every aspect of the law or did He miss some of it? Take a look at these passages and tell me what you think:
Romans 10:4
"For Christ is the end (the goal, the target) of the law for righteousness (as a means of obtaining it) to everyone who believes."
and
Galatians 3:23-24
"Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith."
and
2 Corinthians 3:7-11
"Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters of stone [the 10 Commandments], came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze on Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory."
If Christ completed the requirements the moral law, why then do I put myself under obligation to keep them? This is what Paul is arguing in Galatians, especially chapters three and four. Christ condensed, simplified the Ten Commandments into two, and then into one - love. Paul, in 1 Cor. 9:21 and Galatians 6:2 refers to this as the 'law of Christ.' Christ tells us that if we love Him we will keep His commandments - we will love. John argues this in his first epistle, in chapter 15 verses 1-17. Paul argues that 'for freedom (from the curse and bondage that comes from trying to keep the law), Christ has set us free' and he commands us to 'not submit again to the yoke of slavery' (Galatians 5:1). When this truth clicked, it EXPLODED in my heart! Christ's obedience is the end of my obligation to keep the 10 Commandments and the rest of the laws of God! PRAISE GOD! Now, if I walk by the Spirit the inevitable result is that I will be keeping the 10 Commandments. But, my focus is not on striving to obey them - it is living in love, being patient, kind, etc. - submitting to the freedom that comes with submission to the Spirit. PRAISE GOD!
Ponder this. Rejoice in it. Wallow in it! Search out the Scriptures to see if these things be true and please share what you find. So many passages come to mind that make sense for the first time because of my understanding of this truth. I'm looking forward to reading them. :)
It is truly well with my soul.
The path to understanding began last month when, asking the Lord to reveal what I should prepare for the ladies in Poland, He gave me the book of Galatians. The theme of the book: sanctification through law versus sanctification through faith was something I misunderstood. I always thought that it was referring to salvation through works verses salvation through faith. I could argue the point that salvation was through the vehicle of faith, not through the vehicle of works and obedience to the law. I had given mental assent to this truth. What I did not understand was that Paul was discussing my sanctification, NOT my salvation.
Ok, when was the last time you got jumping up and down, about. to. burst. excited about something the Lord showed you from His word?! When was the last time something clicked, the light bulb turned on and the whole room flooded with light!? When was the last time that you were amazed-ly humbled by the goodness and grace of your God?
My pastor preached a sermon last Sunday morning in which he made the statement that the believer is not obligated to keep the Ten Commandments (the text was Christ being Lord of the Sabbath, as found in Matt. 12:1-14). That was a radical concept for me! So many godly men down through the ages and even Christians today will sub-divide the law into three categories: the civil, the ceremonial, and the moral. They have said and do say that Christ fulfilled the first two parts of the law, but not the last or that He fulfilled all three but that I am still obligated to keep the third. (Why?) The Bible does not so divide the law - we have made those divisions ourselves for the sake of categorization, simplification. If I say that I am still obligated to keep some part of the law, then I am subjecting myself to keeping the whole law and and placing upon myself the burden or responsibility for my own justification/sanctification. James says that if I keep the whole law but break one of the commandments, I am liable for breaking them all. Paul quotes OT passages referring to the curse placed on those that strive but cannot keep the whole law. Why, then, do I strive/put myself under the obligation of keeping certain aspects of it?
Christ fulfilled all three 'aspects/parts' - He perfectly kept the 10 Commandments and kept Himself above reproach in regards to the 'civil' and 'ceremonial' aspects of it as well. So, did Christ keep the whole law completely or did He leave part of it for me to do? Did Christ fulfill the requirements for every aspect of the law or did He miss some of it? Take a look at these passages and tell me what you think:
Romans 10:4
"For Christ is the end (the goal, the target) of the law for righteousness (as a means of obtaining it) to everyone who believes."
and
Galatians 3:23-24
"Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith."
and
2 Corinthians 3:7-11
"Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters of stone [the 10 Commandments], came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze on Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory."
If Christ completed the requirements the moral law, why then do I put myself under obligation to keep them? This is what Paul is arguing in Galatians, especially chapters three and four. Christ condensed, simplified the Ten Commandments into two, and then into one - love. Paul, in 1 Cor. 9:21 and Galatians 6:2 refers to this as the 'law of Christ.' Christ tells us that if we love Him we will keep His commandments - we will love. John argues this in his first epistle, in chapter 15 verses 1-17. Paul argues that 'for freedom (from the curse and bondage that comes from trying to keep the law), Christ has set us free' and he commands us to 'not submit again to the yoke of slavery' (Galatians 5:1). When this truth clicked, it EXPLODED in my heart! Christ's obedience is the end of my obligation to keep the 10 Commandments and the rest of the laws of God! PRAISE GOD! Now, if I walk by the Spirit the inevitable result is that I will be keeping the 10 Commandments. But, my focus is not on striving to obey them - it is living in love, being patient, kind, etc. - submitting to the freedom that comes with submission to the Spirit. PRAISE GOD!
Ponder this. Rejoice in it. Wallow in it! Search out the Scriptures to see if these things be true and please share what you find. So many passages come to mind that make sense for the first time because of my understanding of this truth. I'm looking forward to reading them. :)
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