THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE - II

WBS.027

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE - II

Hebrews 10:9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O Elohim. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

The last posting ended with:  “Not then, nor now has the gentile ever been under the Law of Moses.”  This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans:

Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

The Ten Commandments were not a series of radical ideas, laws that uniquely separated the Jew from the Gentile.  They were simply the codification of what was already written in man’s DNA.  IAUE created within man an awareness of these basic common sense rules for human life.  They did not need to be written on tablets of stone to be obvious to man.  We have an instinctive knowledge that we should do or should not do the things contained in the law.

As we saw last week, the Law was not an end unto itself.  It is the covenant with IAUE that is important. The Law has absolutely nothing to do with the covenant.  It is a restraint, a bit in the horse’s mouth, a collar on a disobedient dog. The Law was required to restrain a rebellious and stiff-necked people until IAUE could bring His son into the world.  It controlled the outward behavior, only.  The inward man of the heart still raged on in rebellion, replacing obedience to IAUE with obedience to the Law; and moving one’s confidence to stand before IAUE away from obeying His will (which required a change of heart) to obeying words on a page (which leaves the heart to its own devices). 

Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

The Law was a shadow.  Messiah is the substance.  IAUE is the Light, which cast upon the substance of His son, casts that shadow.  The shadow was designed to bring the Hebrews to His son…to the substance.  Now that the substance has come, why would anyone want to remain with the shadow?  The answer is both obvious and frightening.  It is to be able to retain control of our own hearts.  We can keep the Law and still be selfish, pursuing our own interests and desires, loving only ourselves, all the while deceiving ourselves that we are right in the center of Elohim’s will.

It is my belief that it was the inability of the early Jewish believers to understand and walk in the freedom from the Law that Messiah brought to them that resulted in a virtually exclusively gentile expression of the church for the past 2,000 years.  For the first 25 years, the body of Messiah was comprised almost exclusively of believing Jews; but they were Jews who continued to keep “Torah.” 

Acts 21:17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
18  And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
19  And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things IAUE had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
20  And when they heard it, they glorified IAUE, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
21  And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

James, the pastor of the church in Jerusalem, and all the elders explained that ALL of the believing Jews were still fierce Law-keepers.  Because of this, they instructed Paul to comply with the Law in a way that all could see that he, too, was a Law-keeper.  This was willful, premeditated deception; and the ultimate consequence of this action was two years imprisonment in Ceasarea, a two week battle against a raging hurricane in the Mediterranean Sea, a shipwreck, a poisonous snake bite, and finally, incarceration in Rome.

Paul tells us in Philippians 3, that he was the ultimate Jew.  As a Pharisee, he was a dedicated Law-keeper.  If anyone had reason to have confidence before Elohim based on his keeping the Law, it was Paul; but Paul said he counted his faithfulness to keeping the Law as dung in contrast to knowing Messiah (the objective of the Law).  Paul no longer recognized any need at all to keep the Torah, because through Messiah, he had been separated from the Law/

Rom 6:7 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

2  For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

3  So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

4  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Messiah; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto Elohim.

5  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

6  But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Many believers have read this passage and have completely misunderstood its implications.  Paul explains that the Law has dominion over a person as love as he is alive.  He then uses the illustration of marriage.  A woman is under the law to her husband as long as he is alive.  However, should the man die, she is freed from the law of that marriage to be able to marry another.  If she marries another before the man dies, she is an adulteress.  Paul explains that we are the man in this illustration, not the woman.  The woman represents the Law.  Both Jew and Gentile became free from the law (for the Jew, the tablets written in stone; for the Gentile, the law written in his heart) through death.  We died in Messiah, and were raised a new man in Messiah.  When we died through our identification with Messiah, the law of the marriage to the Torah ended.  When we were resurrected in Messiah, we were introduced to “new law.”

 Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things…

Hebrews 9:11 But Messiah being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12  For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
13  For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14  For it is evident that our Master sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16  Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17  For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18  For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19  For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto Elohim.

The Law was under the administration of the Levitical priesthood.  Yahushua, our High Priest of the new covenant, is of the tribe of Judah.  It is apparent that a high priest that is from a tribe other than Levi does not have the position to continue to administer a body of Law that was given to the Levitical priesthood. “The priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”  Therefore, if any man be “in Messiah,” he is under NEW LAW.  What is this new law?

Romans 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Messiah Yahushua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yahushua hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, Elohim sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The new law administered by our High Priest from the tribe of Judah is called, “the law of the Spirit of Life.”  Notice the difference between this law and the Law of Moses.  If the Spirit instructs you to fast today, or visit your brother today, or give an amount of money to someone, the will of IAUE has been revealed, and your obedience is required.  If you are under the Law of Moses, you can say, “The Law does not require me to do this, so I don’t have to do it.”

Hebrews 10:6  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O IAUE.

8  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O IAUE. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Yahushua Messiah once for all.

Messiah revealed the purpose of IAUE in renewing the covenant.  He demonstrated that man’s purpose was to do the will of IAUE.  This cannot be accomplished while straddled with the Law of Moses.

THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE - I

WBS.026

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE – I

Hebrews 10:9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O Elohim. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

There is a very disturbing movement impacting the church of Yahushua in the earth, today.  It demonstrates the persistence of the enemy of our soul to entangle our lives in distractions that interfere with our restoration to obedience to the will of Elohim. 

We have seen in earlier postings that the congregational expression of the church is a box that proscribes very limited possibilities for our lives in Messiah, and constrains our ability to consider the revelation of Truths that are “outside the box.”  We have been told there is security in doing what the masses are doing, in believing what the masses believe; but the fact is, Scripture tells us to buy the truth and sell it not; and very few within the box of congregational Christianity are paying any price for what they believe, suggesting very strongly that what they believe is not the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.

We have seen that the false names and titles we have been given for the Father and our Master (God, LORD, Jesus, Christ) have both limited our ability to understand Scripture and have prevented us from understanding the fear of IAUE (which Scripture says is the BEGINNING of knowledge and wisdom). 

One would think that freedom from both of these traps would be rescue enough to free a soul to do the will of IAUE and enjoy the liberty that is in Yahushua Messiah; but what I have seen all too often is believers moving outside of the box of congregational Christianity and discovering the truth about the names of IAUE and Yahushua, only to congregate back into an inside-the-box expression and fall prey to one of the most dangerous and damaging errors of all: law-keeping; or as they prefer to call it, torah-keeping.  Of course, the word “torah” is the Hebrew word for “law,” but as these gentile believers race back into the bondage of the law, they prefer to “sanctify” their error by subscribing to all things Jewish.  Hence, law is torah; a good deed is a mitzvah; the Holy Spirit is the Kodesh Ruach, etc.  By converting terms to Hebrew instead of using their valid English translations; and observing the Jewish memorial festival celebrations, they think they are returning to a lifestyle that is more faithful to IAUE.  Instead, what they are doing is returning to a lifestyle they can control, and thereby remove themselves from the responsibility of listening to the voice of the Spirit and obeying him on a moment by moment basis.

Law-keeping was never the ultimate objective of IAUE.  Men with criminal hearts can still observe the speed limit or refrain from stealing or killing; in the same way a smoker can refrain from smoking; but it doesn’t mean they don’t WANT to smoke.  Such is the law.  It can only regulate the outward behavior of the body.  It has no power to regulate the inner man of the heart.  Messiah made this clear in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

33  Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

34  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Over and over again, Messiah recited what they had heard in the Law of Moses; then stated, “But I say…”  The Law of Moses merely regulated the outward behavior of man.  The law of Messiah held the heart accountable for its thoughts and motives, its desires and intentions.  The Law of Moses was to keep the social order within the camp of Israel.  The Law of Messiah is to define the social order of the Kingdom of Elohim.  The Law of Moses is powerless to do this.

What was the purpose of the Law?  The first thing we must understand is that the Law and the Covenant are not connected.  They are not related to each other in any way.

Gal 3:17  And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of IAUE in Messiah, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

IAUE cut the covenant with Abraham 430 years before there ever was a written “torah” to keep.  So, why was the law given to Moses?

Gal 3:19  Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

The first purpose of the law was to restrain the outward behavior of the Hebrew people; to bring order to their society and to prevent them from descending into abject paganism like all the nations around them.  It kept the people conscious of Elohim, conscious of their accountability before Him, and conscious of their need for the Messiah.

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Rom 6:9   For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10  And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12  Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
13  Was then that which is good made death unto me? Elohim forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

The second purpose of the Law was to convince the Hebrews that they are sinners.  The Law arouses an awareness of the nature within man, one that does not desire to do the will of Elohim.  The Law awakens man to the realization of the depth of his own selfishness.  When man becomes aware of his own wicked nature, he is also awakened to the inevitability of the judgment.  This prepares man for the solution IAUE has provided for his wicked nature.

The Apostle Paul tells us that “the law is not of faith” (Gal 3:17), which is to say, it does not take faith to keep the law.  Anyone can endeavor to abide by law.  It merely requires discipline to do what it says to do, and not do what it says not to do.  Life in Messiah, however, IS by faith.

Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Messiah, that we might be justified by faith.

25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

The third purpose of the Law was to bring the Hebrews unto Messiah.  Paul likened the Law to a family servant (a schoolmaster, or pedagogue) whose job was to overlook the social, moral and intellectual training and upbringing of a minor child, teaching him everything he needs to know in life.  Everyone in Paul’s day understood the comparison.  Once a child became mature and responsible, the servant was no longer needed. It would be deemed foolish and inappropriate for a young adult to still have a personal trainer whose job was to bring him to adulthood.  It would be an embarrassment.  It would mean he is still not grown up. 

The Hebrew graduates from the schoolmaster (the Law of Moses) when he comes to Messiah.  That is the ultimate objective of the Law…to bring the Hebrew unto Messiah.  As we see in the verses above, Paul told the Romans that the Law makes one conscious of his sinfulness; but once one comes to Messiah, the Law loses its power to condemn.

Rom 6:4  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? Elohim forbid.

This was not an easy concept for the early church to comprehend.  The Jews had been torah keepers for 1,300 years.  For the first 25 years, from the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) forward, the church of Yahushua Messiah was almost exclusively Jewish.  They continued meeting in the synagogues, and they continued keeping torah.  When Peter first preached to the household of Cornelius (Acts 10), he was called on the carpet for being in a Gentile’s home; a violation of torah. 

When Paul began preaching to the gentiles, it created quite a stir in Jerusalem. “Judaizers” followed his ministry everywhere he went.  They would go behind Paul and try to convince the new disciples that they needed to keep torah as well.  Peter declared to the church in Jerusalem that neither they nor their fathers were able to keep-torah; and it was senseless to place the same insurmountable burden upon the gentile converts.

Acts 15:7  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago Elohim made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8  And Elohim, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;
9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10  Now therefore why tempt ye Elohim, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11  But we believe that through the grace of the Master Yahushua Messiah, we shall be saved, even as they.

You will notice that I have identified these three purposes of the Law of Moses as being exclusively for the Hebrews.  Why is that?  It is because the gentiles were never under the Law of Moses.  The Law was given to the Hebrew; not to the gentile.  Not then, nor now has the gentile ever been under the Law of Moses.  We will discuss this and more, next week.