Christians are not lawless or without law. We are alive not only the New Testament perfect law of liberty and its’ letter, but alive also to the Spirit of God that works that law in our heart.
Christians are dead to the Old Covenant law (the first 5 books of the Bible) which is done away (2Cor 3:7,11), commanded to be cast out (Gal 4:24,30), has been fulfilled and passed (Mat 5:17,18, Luk 24:44, Act 13:29), was and still is faulty (Heb 8:7,8), has decayed and waxed old back in the first century (Heb 8:13), was added until Christ (Gal 3:19), we are no longer under (Gal 3:24,25,5:18; Rom 6:14), has been taken away (Heb 9:1,18,10:9), has ended (Rom 10:4), and was only until John (Luk 16:16).
However, the Old Covenant was replaced with a better covenant (Heb 7:22), that has better promises (Heb 8:6), that has a better priesthood (Heb 7:12), with a better hope (Heb 7:19), we are now under the perfect law of liberty (Jas 1:25), the law of Christ (Gal 6:2) as is found in the New Testament scriptures.
The Old Covenant scriptures are still profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and instructions (2Tim 3:16), and offers us patience and comfort so we may have hope (Rom 15:4). The Old Covenant experience left the people in bondage to the law of sin and death (Rom 7:23). The Spirit of life in Christ set the converted free from the law of sin (Rom 8:2), as the law was weak and couldn’t deliver (Rom 8:3). You now – that are converted�- are freed from all the things which you couldn’t be freed from under the law (Act 13:39).
November 9th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
You might want to think about re-wording the part that says above “christians are dead to the old covenant law (the first 5 books of the bible)” while the law has no hold on the believer, it is equally true, according to Paul, that the law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. In addition, the bulk of the book of Genesis says great amounts about the life of faith i.e. Abraham, who like us was justified by faith apart from works of the law, (Rom ch 4). You would be much wiser to say that while the law has no hold on the believer, the first five books of the bible teach us greatly about the Lord Jesus in multiple types, the life of faith, the depth of our sin and the heights of the holiness of God. The bible says that ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. To suggest that a part of the bible is dead to a believer goes far in the wrong direction.
Blessings 2U
November 10th, 2009 at 7:57 am
Hi Nelson,
I will take some time to meditate on your point this week and see if I can’t convey my position better. Thank you for pointing this error out!
Christian love and prayers,
Bob.
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Hi,
I’ve been studying this topic recently, over maybe the past few months, and this article looks like it may be very helpful with my studying of this topic. This article seems to be FILLED with scriptural evidence to back up what it is saying. Thank you!
May the Lord’s peace and blessings be with His people. Amen.