The law we don’t have to obey

RESPECTED preacher Billy Graham, writing in his column ‘My Answer’, once dealt with the following question:

Question: Some religious people I know tell me that the Ten Commandments are part of the Law and do not apply to us today. They say that as Christians we’re free from the Law, is this right?

Billy Graham: “No, it is not right and I hope you’re not misled by these false opinions. It is very important to understand what the New Testament means when it says that Christians are free from the Law. It certainly does not mean they are free from obligations the moral Law of God and are at liberty to sin.

You see, the word ‘Law’ is used by the New Testament writers in two senses. Sometimes it refers to the ceremonial law of the Old Testament, which is concerned about ritual matters and regulations regarding food and drinks and things of that kind. The ceremonial law was of a passing character and was done away when Christ came. From this Law, Christians are indeed free.

But the New Testament also speaks of the moral law which is of a permanent, unchanging character and is summarised in the Ten Commandments. This law sets forth God’s demands on human life and man’s duty to God and his neighbour. That it definitely applies to the Christian is made clear in Roman 13:8-10.”

We start this way because some folks will readily believe Dr Billy Graham before they believe God. Let us look at some texts that seem to confuse folks.

“… Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths” [Colossians 2:14,16].

Add a little bit more confusion: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace” [Ephesians 2:13-15].

“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” [Roman 8:3-4].

By now, some folks may be thoroughly confused. What then did Christ mean when He said: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” [Matthew 5:17-19].

The understood subject is ‘you’. So it is “You do not think that I come to destroy the Law or the Prophet …” The word ‘least’ means that if you pick one you deem is of little significance and break it, you will be least in the kingdom. Folks say to kill (Thou shalt not kill) is wrong but what’s in a day (The Sabbath commandment)?

Billy Graham said there were two laws; indeed I could have quoted from John Wesley (Methodist) and Martin Luther (Lutheran), Mrs S Booth (Salvation Army) to the same effect; it is well to remember that there was a law written by Moses in a book – usually called “the law of Moses” and the Royal Law – written by the finger of God, we must distinguish between these two laws.

“You came down also on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. You made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them precepts, statutes and laws, by the hand of Moses Your servant” [Nehemiah 9:13-14].

“Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him.” Daniel 9:11
“and I will not make the feet of Israel wander anymore from the land which I gave their fathers—only if they are careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them” [2 kings 21:8].

Watch: God’s law and Moses’ law. Note that God gave Moses even the so-called Law of Moses. It dealt with local Jewish ceremonies of meats and drinks, washings of purification, sacrifices, etc. It specified what kind of animal to bring for a sacrifice and all those things that we read about in the book of Leviticus and wonder what was going on, including how to observe the Passover, Pentecost, Feast of trumpets, the Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, feast of unleavened bread, circumcision, trespass offering, peace offering etc.

“Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the lay people, to offer to the LORD, as it is written in the Book of Moses. And so they did with the cattle” [2 Chronicles 35:12].

These ceremonial days came on a particular date once a year and were also called Sabbath days. This means that the Day of Atonement or the Passover could be on a Monday this year, the next year it could be on a Tuesday then Wednesday etc much like Christmas or our birthdays. By contrast, the Sabbath day of rest comes once every week on Saturday, consistently.

“So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel … So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying: “Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you” [Deuteronomy 31:9; 24; 25; 26].

The Law of Moses: (1) Is called “the Law … contained in ordinances” [Ephesians 2:15]. (2) Was spoken by Moses. Leviticus 1:1-3 (3) was “the handwriting of requirements” [Colossians 2:14]. (4) Was written by Moses in a book [2 Chronicles 35:12]. (5) Was placed in the side of the ark [Deuteronomy 31:24-26]. (6) “Made nothing perfect” [Hebrews 7:19]. (7) Was nailed to the cross [Colossians 2:14]. (8) was abolished by Christ [Ephesians 2:14]. (9) Was taken out of the way by Christ [Colossians 2:14]. (10) Was instituted in consequence of sin [Leviticus 3-7].

On the other hand, the Law of God (1) Is called the “royal law” [James 2:8]. (2) Was spoken by God [Deuteronomy 4:12-13]. (3) Was written by God on tables of stone [Exodus 24:12]. (4) Was written “with the finger of God” [Exodus 31:18]. (5) Was placed in the ark [Exodus 40:20; 1 Kings 8:9; Hebrews 9:4]. (6) Is “perfect” [Psalm 19:7]. (7) Is to “stand fast for ever and ever” [Psalm 117:7-8]. (8) Was not destroyed by Christ [Matthew 5:17]. (9) Was to be magnified by Christ [Isaiah 42:21]. (10) Gives knowledge to sin [Romans 3:20; 7:7].

Remember Exodus 20:1: “And God spoke all these words, saying,” and proceeded to give in ten clear, crisp commands, the Ten Commandments, which deal with the great principles of man’s relationship to God and to his fellowmen. This law is applicable to all men in all ages. But the Law of Moses was entirely different. It was like the constitution of a country, applicable to the citizens of that country at that time.

The Jews of the time considered it extremely important, and had added many laws and traditions of their own until it became a tremendous burden to the people. They considered the law of ceremonies to be almost equal with the Ten Commandments and indeed at times exalted it above the Decalogue.

They had a temple, other nations did not; they had the holy services of God, other nations did not. They had the sacrifices, the laws of purification, and the priesthood; therefore, they felt that they were far above other peoples, and that the Law of Moses was God’s special gift to them.

In one sense it was, but they had added to the original Mosaic ordinances until the people groaned under the burden. Jesus finally said: “Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition” [Matthew 15:6]. The traditions that they had added had destroyed the whole spirit not only of the Law of Moses, which, with its sacrifices and offerings, pointed forward to Christ, but also of the Ten Commandments.

Christ died as the Passover lamb, the earth quakes and darkness shrouds the earth, and (Matthew 27:51) “the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom” exposing the two compartments of the temple which had always been out of bounds for everyone else except the priesthood, and the priest drops his knife in shock and the little lamb that was prepared for slaughter escapes for its life.

There is no need for such sacrifices any more. The real Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world had died up on Mount Calvary! Praise God for giving us His Son to be nailed as the sacrificial lamb on the cross! Imagine how it would be for us if we were required to slaughter so many lambs and bulls everyday. Some cannot stand the sight of blood; even killing a chicken is too much. Not to mention funding three pilgrimages a year to Jerusalem for Passover, Pentecost and Day of Atonement, when we can ill afford to go to Skegness once a year?

Three days after the Passover (now The Lord’s Supper) was the Wave Offering. Folks would go to the fields and get the first crop before it was even ripe and take it to the temple. They would then wave it before the alter by faith thanking God for a bountiful harvest they would have.

On resurrection after three days, Christ became the first fruit. When He rose that Sunday morning, Mary of Magdala sought to touch Him but He would not let her. He hadn’t been to the Father. Only after He had gotten His Father’s approbation that His sacrifice was efficacious did He come and spend 40 days with the disciples expounding to them the Scriptures. Wave Offering has been fulfilled in Jesus at the cross.

Pentecost comes 50 days after the Passover. Jesus spent 40 days with His disciples, then was taken in a cloud to Heaven. He instructed them not to go anywhere or preach anything but wait for the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon them like a mighty rushing wind. We need not go to Israel for that as Pentecost was fulfilled in Jesus! The Holy Spirit has been here since and waiting upon us to ask Him into our lives.

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, (Passover, Pentecost, day of atonement, feast of tabernacles etc) Colossians 2:16 They have been nailed to the cross.

We do not need all these because Christ is the Living Water (tabernacles), and the Prince of Peace (peace offerings) etc. All we need to do for atonement is come to this “fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins and sinners plunge beneath the flood lose all their guilty stains.” No need to fool around with the blood of goats and pigeons. We can come boldly to the throne room of God because of what Christ did on Calvary.

According to Dr Billy Graham, “the moral law which is of a permanent, unchanging character and is summarise in the 10 Commandments. This law sets forth God’s demands on human life and man’s duty to God and his neighbour.”

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” [Revelation 22:14].