Quote:
Originally Posted by Truthseeker
How do you come to that conclusion? The law never applied to gentiles?
|
The Law (OT Law) still stands to condemn the sin of the wicked and unbelieving. However, Christ fulfilled the Law on behalf of the elect, His church. Therefore, the Law is fulfilled as it relates to the Christian. However, Jesus didn't fulfill the Law on our behalf to set us free without any law or guidance. In fact, Jesus set us free to live according to the Law more perfectly. Instead of being bound by the letter of the Law with it's beggarly elements, we are set free to obey the spirit and intent of the Law which is... love.
Matthew 22:37-40
King James Version (KJV)
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Romans 13:8-10
King James Version (KJV)
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Galatians 5:14
King James Version (KJV)
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The Born Again Christian is living by a higher law, the Law of Love. The Law of Love is a law that fulfills the very spirit and intent of the inferior OT Law. The Law of Love, aka Law of Christ, aka Law of Liberty, is embodied in two commandments:
1.) Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
2.) Love thy neighbor as thyself.
So, we love God with all of our being... and we demonstrate that love by loving others as ourselves.
Jesus is the true vine... and we are the branches. A branch the vine are not separate organisms, they are one organism. We are to live a life of divine love, walking as living extensions of Jesus Himself.
This is a righteousness that far exceeds the righteousness of the entire Law.
How is that?
Just look at the Ten Commandments. Frankly, they can be obeyed by any ethical person in their sleep. Also notice, the Ten Commandments say nothing about providing for the poor, the widow, or the orphan. The Ten Commandments say nothing about feeding the hungry. I could go on and on to demonstrate how the Ten Commandments are insufficient and far below the Christian Law of Love. Therefore, they are a bare minimum at best. A "basement righteousness". The Law of Love is therefore infinitely greater than the Ten Commandments.
Notice... the Law says: "Thou shalt not steal."
Ah, but just because I don't steal from my neighbor... it doesn't mean that I love him. Yet, if I just love my neighbor... I'll never even conceive of stealing from him or harming him in any way. Therefore, love fulfills the demands of the Law. There isn't a single law that can be presented that love doesn't fulfill in spirit and intent. However, the Law doesn't fulfill the demands of love.
Review the following few verses slowly... and perhaps God Himself will reveal to you how love fulfills the Law:
Romans 13:8-10
King James Version (KJV)
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Therefore, loving God with all one's being and demonstrating that love by loving one's neighbor as one's self fulfills the spirit and intent of the entire Old Testament Law more perfectly.