Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: davidbu@tekigm2.men.tek.com (David Buxton) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: To Fulfill the Law Message-ID: Date: 24 Nov 89 03:19:46 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or. Lines: 63 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , firth@sei.cmu.edu writes: > [The Christian and the Law] > {The Analogy of slave laws and these slave laws becoming obsolete when slavery was abolished.} I saw this as a very good analogy but wish to modify the application. Those laws, ordinances and ceremonies that were 'shadows' of the cross to come became obsolete at the cross. This is why we no longer sacrifice lambs. Another set of laws became obsolete for a different reason. Moses wrote the laws - cited as laws that are against us - with which to administer the camp of Israel. These were local ordinances. Israel was also in the context of a theocracy. God was their God and their King. Under a theocracy rule they were ruled by the word of prophets of God under the direction of God. Later they came to insist upon having kings. Later they rejected and killed the Son of God. The theocracy relationship was utterly broken. These Mosaic laws of administration became obsolete as the theocracy relationship dissolved. Certainly - if you were to break a Mosaic law that called for the death penalty - your church would not convene to administer this penalty. These laws of death, these laws that were against us, were done away with. They became obsolete. The laws of each particular country convene to condemn you if you break them. You are obligated to these laws of the land as long as they do not rule against the law of God. You should obey God rather than man. How can you judge when man's law comes in conflict with God's law unless you know what is God's law. At the core center stands the decalogue written by the hand of God and clearly not made obsolete. Outside of this core center it is not quite so clear what laws are obsolete, what are worth learning from, and what can directly be applied today. At the core center - the decalogue - there should be no argument - this is eternal law written by the hand of God. Outside of that core center there may well be some uncertainty from person to person as to which particular law still stands. I believe a study of the whole is worth each persons time so as to personally, guided by the Holy Spirit, each can make his own choices. Reading the NT I believe it is clear that when Jesus said the law would not change He was clearly including all of the Decalogue. Do as Paul advised - he sited the Bereans as an example - study the scriptures to see if these things are true. Study the writings of Paul in the context of the whole Bible. > But the change is not in the Law, but in us: we that were > slaves to sin are now free men in Christ. I agree with this statement as long as you date the cross correctly. If I come to the cross today then today is the day on which I am freed of having to keep the law. Now I can ask my Lord Jesus Christ to keep the law in me. I am not saved by the works that I do. I am saved by the works that Jesus performs in me. I am not saved by a keeping of the law. I am saved by the law that Jesus keeps in me. The NT makes it abundantly clear that I am held accountable to the law. I cannot keep it and so I am doomed. Christ can keep it in me and that is the vital difference between legalism and a Christ filled, spirit filled, love filled - keeping of the law. This is the only type of law keeping that can save. Dave (David E. Buxton) davidbu@tekigm2.MEN.TEK.COM