05. The Law
SECTION TWO The Law
CHAPTER V The Law Introductory Remarks In section one we have definitely and positively seen that man’s condition apart from the divine remedy for sin is a state of utter helplessness and hopelessness--a situation beyond human repair.
Through the years, men, conscious of their lost condition and undone estate, have tried various remedies for their plight. These attempts bring to mind the words of the Apostle Paul when he says, "For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3). This he says about his own kinsmen, the Jews: but many others are occupied with the same futile efforts.
Today, to some under conviction of sin, comes an exhortation to "forget about it, you are not so bad that you need be so concerned." Another one says, "You must assert your better self (whatever that is); fight against the evil you are tempted to do." "Clean up your past and start all over again," is the advice of many. Some one else suggests that the troubled one busy himself with social service.
Along comes another, a very solemn appearing one, who suggests to the afflicted one that, if he but spend more time saying his prayers and engaging in religious activities, all will be well.
Many are the remedies prepared and advocated by all kinds of religious quacks. A Christian to many of these is one who has been born in a so-called Christian land. Others, in an effort to become Christians, endeavor to imitate Christ; to be His followers, to stand for His ideals and to follow His example.
Perhaps the most common of all is the old, old remedy, "Do the best you can to keep the Ten commandments, and to live according to the Sermon on the Mount." This seems very reasonable and appeals to the flesh, because it gives man something to glory in, but not before God. This is but an attempt to establish a righteousness of his own, and in so doing, he does not submit to the righteousness of God.
Because of the almost universal confusion and uncertainty prevalent today concerning the true and scriptural teaching about the Law, it is of the utmost importance and very necessary to be informed as to its true character and purpose. When the Apostle Paul writes, "Moreover the law entered," he implies that there was a time when there was no Law; when he writes, "It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made" (Galatians 3:19), he reveals that the Law was a temporary institution. We shall consider this subject under four sub-divisions.
Conditions Before the Law When Adam sinned in the garden he transgressed the express commandment of God. That is why the Apostle Paul refers to his original sin as a transgression, which means an overstepping of the Law, the divine boundary between good and evil. He also makes it known that there was no Law from Adam to Moses. He says, "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come" (Romans 5:14). Some see in this statement of the apostle a reference to infants only. However in another place Paul says, "For where no law is, there is no transgression" (Romans 4:15). That God and His demands were the same we do not question for a moment; also that sin was as sinful from Adam to Moses, as it now is and ever will be, we are sure no one will question. God cannot demand less during one age than in another. He is immutable; His infinitely perfect character does not change. When we say there was a time when there was no Law, we refer to the Mosaic Law. The Law in any form whatsoever is a reflection of His inherent Law--His infinitely holy and righteous character. To prove that Adam’s original sin was imputed to his posterity, Paul says, "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression." The Nature of the Law
"But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine" (1 Timothy 1:8-10).
"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin" (Romans 7:12; Romans 7:14). The Law is unrelated to faith. Paul writes, "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:2). Paul wrote the Epistle to the Galatians as God’s answer to legalism.
Law and works are inseparably linked together; Israel’s blessings were conditional. When Moses restated the Law, he said to the people, "Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: that thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged" (Deuteronomy 6:1-2). In the Epistle to the Galatians we read, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:16). "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Galatians 3:10). The Law was given to Israel as God’s covenant people, and not to make them such. Before the Law was given Israel was under grace. God said to them, "I bare you on eagle’s wings, and brought you unto myself" (Exodus 19:4). The only responsibility imposed upon man under the Abrahamic covenant was that he remain in the place of blessing--the Land, Palestine.
God proposed the Law, and Israel accepted it. They said, "All that the LORD hath spoken we will do" (Exodus 19:8), thus taking an impossible merit system in exchange for pure grace. It was given to that nation as God’s rule of life for His earthly people.
Under the Law God said, "If you will be good, I will bless you." Under grace He says, "I have blessed you, now you be good." The Law was given by Moses, who also was its chief exponent (John 1:17). It came by the disposition of angels (Acts 7:53). Paul says, "It was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator" (Galatians 3:19). As it was given the first time, the Law contained only the Ten Commandments. Have you ever stopped to consider what would have happened to Israel if the Law had remained in its original form? Without any provision in the Law for the forgiveness of sins, the nation would soon have perished. When Moses received the Law the second time there was added to it the means by which a transgressor could be forgiven. It was in three parts: the Ten Commandments, expressing the holy and righteous will of God (Exodus 20:1-26); the judgments, governing the civil or social life of Israel (Exodus 21:1-24:11); the ordinances, governing the religious life of the covenant people (Exodus 24:12-31:18).
Remember the Law was, and is, as inflexible as God’s infinitely holy and righteous character. Under the Law it was not a matter of trying to keep the Law. The one who did not obey it had to suffer the consequence. The ordinances prescribed the offering the sinning Israelite was to provide when he sinned. But there were sins for which there was no offering or sacrifice. There were some things from which man could not be justified by the Law of Moses (Acts 13:39).