Jesus and the Law of Moses

[liberty]

One of the most misinterpretations of scpriture is the killing of the Law of Moses. Both the Old and New Testaments taught that God's Law in the Old Teatament is the principle and way of life.

“Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.” (Deut. 4:1) Moreover, Jesus promised eternal life by knowing and living the law found in the Old Testament, he said: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39) (the only scriptures available at the time of Christ was the Old Testament)

What the vast majority of people fail to understand that under the Old Testament application it was perceived to judge and condemn. Under Christ, by applying the correct motives and intents, the Law of Moses is exalting. The Law of Moses as interpreted to judge and condemn is what came to an end.

Christ made the Law of Moses complete (fulfilled) by teaching us the proper motives and intents to live it.

James McCune wrote, “Modern Christians are eager to get out from under the Mosaic Law and be free to serve Christ. But in their zeal to be free of Moses’ requirements they don’t bother to fully understand Jesus’ requirements. The best way to summarize the “Law of Christ” is to say it is the Mosaic Law amplified, extended, and intensified. The Law of Moses regulated actions and behavior; the Law of Christ regulates the attitudes and thoughts that precede actions and behavior:…” (God’s Law: The Neglected Element in Religious and Civil Life, p. xvi)

HofL

[Franktalk]

Then explain this.

Act 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Act 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

It was not the intent of the apostles to make the gentiles Jews. And the law clearly did not pass to the gentiles. And from what Paul says the law did not apply to him anymore. Him being a Jew and a Pharisee.

[liberty]

The Apostle Pauls teachings are confusing. In one instant, he quotes the law and in another he says it is dead. I consider the writings of Paul a lesser authority. I usually only use Paul as a second authority. Thomas Jefferson is recorded as saying that "the Apostle Paul was the first corruptor of the teachings of Jesus".

HofL

[Franktalk]

In my view it is Paul that received the higher education in doctrine. It is up to us to figure it out with the help of the Holy Spirit. Peter writes about Paul's writings and indicates that what Paul writes about is difficult to understand. So I happen to agree with Peter once he matured in age. I say this because Jesus tells us that the older Peter would walk in the Spirit.

Here are the verses I refer to.

2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

and

Joh 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

[Franktalk]

Would you explain why it is that you think that Paul is a lessor authority?

[Dannyk]

Moreover, Jesus promised eternal life by knowing and living the law found in the Old Testament, he said: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39) (the only scriptures available at the time of Christ was the Old Testament)

I think I might read this verse a little bit differently. Is he perhaps saying "you obviously need to search the scriptures harder, because you THINK you know them, and you think that in the laws they offer that you will have eternal life, but you obviously don't know them...if you knew them you'd know that they testify of me, and that I am that living water." I used to read it as praising scripture...but I kept coming across the words "for in them you think you have eternal life" and came to realize it was a condemnation of those who thought the knew the scriptures so well, and yet missed the whole point.

Yes, he was commanding them to look at the scriptures, but not so they could have more laws...but so that they could know that the one who is before them now is the lawgiver and the law fulfiller, and that there is a new covenant about to break forth.

That being said, I do agree that the law of Moses focused on correct action, whereas Christ focused on motive and intent. Christ said it isn't good enough to not kill, I don't want you to even be angry, etc. I have come to greatly appreciate the sermon on the mount and have become much more aware of my own intentions and motives, and as I've done so, I have drawn nearer to God in ways that before (when I focused more on right action and how I was perceived by others).

Aligning my motives with faith hope and love (and ridding myself of the natural man counterparts of fear, doubt and anger/enmity), aligns me with the God who is a perfect embodiment of those virtues. In a very real way, developing those virtues as my response and motive and intent allows me to At-One with God, and abide in His Peace.

[Jeremy]

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (New Testament, Galatians, Galatians 3)

The Spirit whispers this to me and tells me it is true,
And tells me it is true.- even if Paul wrote it.

The Apostle Pauls teachings are confusing. In one instant, he quotes the law and in another he says it is dead. I consider the writings of Paul a lesser authority. I usually only use Paul as a second authority. Thomas Jefferson is recorded as saying that "the Apostle Paul was the first corruptor of the teachings of Jesus".

I consider Thomas Jefferson a lesser authority on the gospel and the principles of liberty when compared to Paul.

[liberty]

Lets consider this subject from another perspective - one of covenants. The Law of Moses or Sinai Covenant is a collective covenant where it took a community of believers to qualify for the blessings - see Due 28. The New Covenant under Christ is an individual covenant where a believer is promised the Spirit that will lead to truth. Moreover, the US Constitution is a collective covenant - we can see how a few acting immorally has violated this covenant and we are headed for bondage.

In order for us to raise ourselves to higher spiritual level, we at some point must live a collective covenant - the blessings are greater. Though the US Constitution was an effort to move America to a more righteous nation, it was not a full blown theocracy. The Sinai Covenant is still available and effective if a community of believers so desire to live. Consider what Abraham Gileadi has said:

"75. The Sinai Covenant—Operative in the End-Time
The Sinai Covenant—God’s covenant with his people Israel as a nation—although a conditional covenant (whose blessings and privileges depended on whether God’s people kept the terms of the covenant), was never done away even when they transgressed and ultimately apostatized. Even today, the Sinai Covenant still forms the basis on which any people may become God’s covenant people. Moreover, the Sinai Covenant constitutes a steppingstone toward attaining the spiritual heights attained by Israel’s ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and toward a people’s enjoyment—as a nation—of the supernal blessings and privileges many ancient persons enjoyed.

Although (to our current knowledge) no descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have yet attained the spiritual heights of their ancestors as a nation—walking and talking with God, playing host to heavenly companions, etc.—Isaiah predicts that such will indeed occur. As a result of the mission of God’s end-time servant, a “nation” of God’s people that will be “born in a day”—God’s Day of Judgment (Isaiah 66:7–9)—will respond to the servant’s summons to return from dispersion (Isaiah 43:5–8; 49:5–22; 55:4–5) and gather in an exodus to Zion (Isaiah 11:10–16; 51:9–11), there to await the coming of their God to reign upon the earth (Isaiah 52:8–12; 59:18–20)."
Isaiah Report Jan 25, 2012


HofL

[Franktalk]

Those under the law are under the curse of the law. The curse being they must obey the law. But once someone moves past the law to faith then that person lives under the promise given to Abraham. As Jeremy pointed out this is clearly described in Gal 3. But those under the law and not faith can not see the scriptures pointing to anything but the law. Spiritual blindness comes in all forms. I accept that I am blind to many things and I do have hope that in time Father will open my eyes so I can receive more parts of the fulness of the scriptures. But until that day what I believe and what has been revealed to me I must hold as truth and I must hold my behavior in accord to those beliefs.

We all must walk before we run and so it is that we walk in the law before we run in faith. God has given this progression for us and we must take this trip at some point.