We must understand that our deliverance from the yoke of the law is essential to be fully free from the power of sin. The Law of Moses was given in the Old Testament, while Grace was brought into the New Covenant. Once we comprehend the full requirements of the Law of Moses, we can see the power of the grace of God. The law refers to all actions a person does in an attempt to be righteous.
Click here for Part I: The Grace of God Part I
Note from the Author:
This is a multi-part series of explanations of the powerful and deep truths about the grace of God. Grace is all about abundance and there is an abundance of descriptions to fully understand what the grace of God is.
What is the Law of Moses?
The Law in the Old and New Testament scriptures is the 613 laws given to the children of Israelites by God under Moses’ leadership. The Ten Commandments summarize these: the first 5 are about God and the last five are about your neighbor. Along with these, the Israelites were commanded to give sacrifices, be circumcised, and honor certain feast days. Each ritual in the Old Testament symbolized what was coming in the New Testament.
The whole Law is all the commands from God including 613 laws, circumcision, sacrifices, and feast days —there is no separation of the Ten Commandments and the rest of the laws. The Ten Commandments are a summary of the 613. Jesus summarizes further by saying that the whole law rests on two commands: “Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:40). It is again summarized with this verse: “love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Romans 13:9-10 ESV
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
The Nature of the Law
As it became known, the Law of Moses were commandments handed directly from God to show the people’s sins. The Law of God (as it truly is) reflects God’s holy character. God’s covenant with the children of Israel was, “Do this and live” (Lev. 18:5, Gal. 3:12). God’s standard for holiness may never be lowered, so the Law is a rigid line that can never be crossed. The punishment for failing to uphold a single law was a curse (Deut. 27:26). There was (and still is) no mercy under the law; if you seek to attain righteousness by the law and fail one time, you are guilty of the entire law and condemned (James 2:10).
Galatians 3:10 ESV
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”
Jesus and the Law
Jesus constantly battled with the religious leaders and teachers of the Law during His ministry. The elders, scribes, and Pharisees were all zealous experts of the law and the traditions of the elders, which were extra purification rules and commands passed down from leaders before them. However, their view of the Law proved to be a watered-down account of the original commands of God. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus places the Law back to its original meaning (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28). He re-established the holy commands of God and showed the Pharisees that they were condemned under the high and holy law.
The Apostle Paul and the Law
The Apostle Paul fought mightily against Israelites who continued to insist that you must keep the law for salvation after receiving Jesus Christ (the Holy Ghost). Paul declared that attempted salvation under the law would cancel Christ out and make His work on the cross ineffective in you (Gal. 5:4). The issue of righteousness through the Law is its demands of perfect obedience from sinful flesh. We are that sinful flesh; any action of righteousness that comes from a corrupted source is not acceptable in God’s sight —it is tainted. The apostle reminds us that the Law is spiritual, good, just, and holy (Rom. 7:12,14), and we are not. Therefore, God’s way of righteousness for us must come without the law.
Romans 3:21-22a NLT
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ …
Jesus, The Law, and Grace
In the New Testament, the words law, sin, and flesh are always together, mentioned in nearby verses. It’s a consistent cycle at work: whenever the flesh (us) steps up to “do righteously”, the sin nature (which operates from the flesh) takes the opportunity to work unrighteousness in us. The Law of God is not given to mankind for salvation. No one has ever kept the law, as Jesus, Paul, and Stephen have told us in the Scripture [John 7:19, Rom. 3:19, Acts 7:53]. Jesus was the only one who fulfilled the law: God is the only One who can keep His holy standard.
Romans 3:30 NLT
There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.
The term “testament” means a covenant, agreement, or pact. The divisions in the Bible, Old and New Testament, speak of God’s first and second covenant with mankind. The church is under the New Covenant from God, which began after Jesus’ death on the cross.
Salvation in the New Testament
Under the Old Covenant, God said, “Do this and live.” In the New Covenant, Romans 4:5 says, “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” God’s way of righteousness is for us to believe Him for our righteous standing. We are only right with God because of the faith of Jesus, when He made a perfect sacrifice once, for us all. As Paul said, “if it is by grace, it is no longer based on works; otherwise, grace would no longer be grace” (Romans 11:6). The grace of God is the power of God working through us. We are justified in His sight and saved from wrath through Him by grace. We follow Christ and He says, “… apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
John 15:4 NLT
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
Conclusion
There is more explanation about the law to come in another post. No one has ever been saved by keeping the law because no one ever kept it. The Pharisees are examples of those who trust in their good works for salvation. We are saved as we identify with Jesus Christ and His work. Jesus fulfilled the whole law for us and gave us the reward of eternal life through Him.
Acts 13:39 ESV
and by [Jesus] everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
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