Christian Law?

Many Christians are undecided as what to do with the Law that is found in the five books of Moses. This Law was given to Moses for the Israelites and subsequently was known as the Law of Moses[i].  How is this Law related to the Christian believers? Christians are divided over this question. Answers to this question vary from people to people with different conviction.  Some say that this Law of Moses is applicable to the Christians and some say that it is not applicable.  The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith has an answer of its own. First of all, it divides the Law of Moses into the moral law (the 10 Commandments), the ceremonial laws, and the judicial laws[ii]. Then, it indicates that this moral law was first written in Adam’s heart and continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness after the fall of Adam, and eventually to Moses in the form of 10 Commandments. Finally, it concludes that it is binding on all men until the end of the world, both those who have been justified by God and those who have not been justified by God[iii].

This conclusion is genius, because it does not only provide an answer for the Christian believers to keep the Law of Moses, but it also enable the believers to avoid the tough sections of the “ceremonial and judicial laws” by concentrating only on the moral law. The “ceremonial and judicial laws” are tough because they contain the calling of religious war[iv] and archaic capital punishment and some severe criminal punishments[v]  which are abhorrent to the modern society. Christians definitely cannot be associated with such laws. However, this approach to the Law of Moses raises two problems. Firstly, how a simple command given to Adam can be interpreted as “a law of universal obedience” and how can this same command “continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness after Adam sinned”? Secondly, why we have the liberty to divide and subdivide the Law and then throw away what we feel might embarrass us and keep those that are save to handle.

How the Scripture views the Law of Moses?

The proposition to divide the Law of Moses into three branches of laws is not new.  It was probably taught way before the Reformation period. The reformed believers and evangelicals today have simply adopted it as theirs and accepted it as the right approach in handling the Law. This has become a norm and nobody bothers or dares to ask any question. This attitude has violates the reformed principle of “sola scriptura” and hinders the progress in the hermeneutical and exegetical study of the scripture.  We cannot prolong this violation and so we have to search the scripture to find out the answer.

First and foremost, let us look at this “law of universal obedience written in his heart”[vi] within the given context. Bear in mind that a text without its context is only a prove text for a pretext. God commanded Adam in the Garden of Eden, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen.2.16-17). This command was given specifically to Adam about not to eat the fruit of knowledge and it was broken and removed the moment Adam disobeyed it. The access to the tree was subsequently sealed. The command was not meant to be repeated at any time in human history once death entered into the realm of human life. The context of the command does not suggest a moral law and a sense of perpetuity as a law that would later tie up with the 10 Commandments. There is a difference between the two. The command to Adam, who knew no death, came with the punishment of death. Whereas the 10 Commandments given to Israel, who knew no immortality, with a curse should they break the covenant. This proposition of “a law of universal obedience” is not based on straightforward exegesis. It is more like a pretext being pressed into the text.

It is very clear that “a law of universal obedience” was not intended when Moses jolted down Adam’s disobedience. Instead a clear message of the entrance of death into the realm of human life by his disobedience was intended. Ever since then, disobedience has ruled the hearts of men and death has over powered the life of men. Paul observed correctly when he said, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come” (Rom.5.12-14). It is definitely a message about the principle of universal disobedience and beginning of death. The confession should have approached this particular doctrine from this angle and it would have been in agreement with the gospel.

The confession also quoted this short passage, “Truly, this only I have found; that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes” (Eccl. 7.29). How does this verse support the proposition of “a law of universal obedience”? Presumably, according to the Confession, God has created every man “upright” (with the law of universal obedience written in their hearts), but they have turned away from God.

We need to answer some questions before we can be clear about what the Preacher had observed. Is the “man” (Adam) in the rhetoric refers to Adam In the creation record or refers to the whole of mankind? Most would interpret the “man” (Adam) together with the pronoun (they) as to refer to the whole mankind. But this interpretation does not fit in well with the context. Or could it be that the “man” (Adam) and those who “sought out many schemes” are two different groups of people. Bear in mind that, the book of Ecclesiastes is a piece of paradoxical rhetoric or rhetoric of contrast. The preacher expresses his observation of everything under the sun by paradoxical ideas. To the Preacher, a good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. To him, it is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, because sorrow is better than laughter. Looking at the sentence from this angle, the Preacher’s discovery would fit in well to the context of a paradoxical rhetoric. His discovery then can be expressed in a paradox between the “man” who was made upright and “those who sought out many schemes”.

Besides that, the word “upright” (yashar) is applied specifically to the man of faith, or to the man who knew God, or the man who was blameless. Job was such a man and he was “blameless and upright (yashar), and one who feared God and shun evil (Job 1.1; 8). An upright person is not associated with evil. Similarly, when Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him and He said to him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit” (Jn.1.47). It is either black or white, and there is no grey area. Presuming the act of “seeking out many schemes” was evil and naturally it cannot be associated with the upright.

Arm with this information we can now interpret the Preacher’s discovery. Most probably he has discovered that it was God who made man upright, but there were those who sought out evil schemes. God did not make everyone upright but only some. The rest remain in their evil way. If God has only made His faithful upright, then we cannot say that there is a law of universal obedience being the perfect rule of righteousness over everyone.

The Confession has the third prove text, “For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law….for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them” (Rom.2.12a, 14-15) Paul, from the beginning of his letter to the Romans, has established three important truths. The first one is that in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith and the second is that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Rom.1.17-32). The third truth is that there is no partiality with God and He will judge everyone by Christ Jesus according to the gospel. God will render to each one according to his deeds; eternal life to those who obey the truth, but condemnation to those who are self seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness (2.6-16).

The prove text quoted by the Confession falls within the context of this third truth. The rule of thumb in interpreting the word “law” in the letter to the Romans is to regard it as the Law of Moses when no qualification is given and we have to interpret it differently when it is qualified. The word “law” is used seven times in this short sentence. Only two of them are qualified, while the other five are not qualified and can be positively confirmed as the Law of Moses.

 Paul pointed out that, the conduct of the Gentiles shows two things. Firstly, it shows that they do have a law to themselves. This “law” is qualified by “to themselves” and so it cannot be interpreted as a written law code. It should be the knowledge of right and wrong influences by their moral awareness of right and wrong and religious affiliation and obligations. This knowledge appears to be in agreement with the Law in a certain way. It is this knowledge that guides their conduct and in turn their conduct reflects the existence of this knowledge.

Secondly, their conduct also shows there is this “work of the law written in their hearts”.  The “law” here is the same knowledge of right and wrong, and it qualifies the “work”. We need to understand two things to continue our interpretation. Firstly, what is this “written their hearts”? Usually, it is a good thing when the law is written in men’s heart and not on the stone, and it means God is showing mercy by changing the heart and mind of a rebellious people so that they may come back to Him[vii]. But in the present context it is about the Gentiles facing God’s judgment. It is not something to be happy about. It indicates a condition in which they are trapped and cannot argue their way out.

Then, what is this “work” of the law? Is it good or bad? It has to be bad since it is written in the hearts in the context of judgment. It occurs only once in Romans in its singular form. In its plural form, works of the Law is the opposite of faith. Paul declares that man is justified by faith but the Jews sought to establish their righteousness by works of the Law. Works of the Law is basically self seeking and disobey the gospel truth and obey unrighteousness. If the singular form is referring to the same thing, then whatever is found in the hearts of the Gentiles is the same desire that want to establish their righteousness rather than seeking God’s. Their conduct proves that the work of the law is in them and their conscience confirms it. This work of the law would place the Gentiles in the same condition with the Jews because they both prefer to seek their own righteousness instead of God’s.

We can summarize the study now. Firstly, the command given to Adam not to eat the fruit of knowledge was very specific in its context. It has a specific message and the message was about how one man’s disobedience that brought about sin and disobedience and death to all men. Secondly, the text from Ecclesiastes also proved to be inappropriate for the purpose. The Preacher did not say that God had created man with a moral law stuffed in their hearts. Instead he was making a distinction between man who was made upright and man who sought out their own schemes. Thirdly, the text from the letter to the Romans speaks of a different issue. It stated the fact that the Gentiles who do not have the Law would perish without it. It reminded the Gentiles that though they may not have the Law, but their conduct that agrees with some of the demands of the Law shows that they do have a law of their own, and further more the work of the law is written in their hearts. Their conscience also confirms that this work of the law is in them. It is obvious that all the three prove texts do not say anything about a moral law. There is no evidence that supports the doctrine of a law of universal obedience.

Secondly, the Confession stated that the ceremonial laws were abrogated and taken away[viii] and the judicial laws were expired together with the state of that people[ix], and only “the moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others.”[x] The question is do we have the liberty to divide and sub-divide the Law of Moses and keep what we like and throw away what we do not like? To answer this question we will first of all examine the prove texts provided by the Confession, and then we will find out how the scripture views this Law of Moses.

Have the ceremonial laws abrogated?

The Confession quoted these sayings, “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, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. (Col.2.14, 16-17); and “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,  and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity” (Eph.2. 14-16). It is indeed very interesting to know that the Confession regards “the handwriting of requirements” and “the law of commandments” as refer to the ceremonial laws.

Let us look at the first prove text. There are various reasons why “the handwriting of requirements” should not be interpreted as the ceremonial laws (or as the Law of Moses) in the Colossians text. Firstly, the Law cannot be divided in this manner and then let the ceremonial laws be abrogated on the cross. Secondly, the Law (even the ceremonial laws) only magnifies and confirms sinners’ quilt and reminds the believers the activities of the remaining sins in their bodies, but against and contrary to the believers is not part of its designated function. Besides that, the works of the Law opposes the gospel as a system of justification, but never opposes the believers. Thirdly, Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law but never mentioned that He came to abolish it by nailing it to the cross.

Paul was concerned that the believers in Colossae would be misled to do silly things. He warned them four times that they should not be deceived by persuasive words, or cheated by human philosophy and empty deceit, or judged by anyone, or cheated of their reward. All these could happen to them if they did not know what Christ had done for them. Paul told them that they were complete in Christ and they were circumcised and baptized in Christ. And Christ had made them alive with Him, after having forgiven them all trespasses, and having wiped out the handwriting of requirements and nailed it on the cross, and having disarmed principalities and powers.

The text shows that, “the handwriting of requirement” is placed side by side with “all trespasses” and “principalities and powers”. These three are closely associated with one another. These three, Christ Jesus had defeated before He made the believers alive. We know that the trespasses that have been forgiven by itself could not go against or contrary to the believers. We also know that the Devil and his armies (the principalities and powers) would accuse the believers until the end of the world and the only ground for them to accuse the believers would be their previous trespasses.

As the context suggest, it is more accurate to interpret the “handwriting” as an accounting book where all the previous sins were recorded. Christ Jesus had destroyed it when forgiveness is granted and before He made alive the believers. Paul noted in a similar effect but in a different way that, Christ Jesus “whom God set forth as propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed” (Rom.3.25).

Then on the second prove text, we must read carefully that Paul did not say Jesus had abolished “the law of commandments contained in ordinances” in His flesh. What Jesus had abolished was the enmity between the Jews and the Gentiles, in order to break down the middle wall of separation and to make a new man from the two and establish peace between the two, and reconcile this new man to God. What actually had created this enmity? It was not the ceremonial laws and it has no such power to cause the enmity. It was the Law of Moses which was the foundation of the Jewish race and nation and the institution of worship that the Jewish people took pride. Yet it was not the Law was abolished but the pride and arrogance resulted from the possession of the Law. It was the near arrogant confidence of the Jews on their religious culture. It was exactly this attitude of confidence and arrogance that caused enmity between the Jews and the Gentiles. Everywhere the Jews went they despised the Gentiles and in return they were hated by the Gentiles. Even a Gentile who wishes to come to God must become a proselyte. But when the gospel of Christ Jesus arrived everything was different, “since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith” (Rom.3.30).

Have the judicial laws expired?

The Confession has provided a list of prove texts (Lk.21-20-24; Acts 6.13-14; Heb.9.18-19; 8.7, 13; 9.10; 10.1) but unfortunately they are irrelevant to the issue at hand. The texts from Hebrew may be the closest we can get.  But on closer examination, they were talking about the first covenant and the new covenant and not about the judicial laws and its expiry. Then it also explains on the nature of the Law and says that it has “a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things….can never…make those who approach perfect” (Heb.10.1). It is about the Law of Moses and not the judicial laws that the author of Hebrews had in mind.

So we conclude that, the division of a moral law, the ceremonial laws and the judicial laws as proposed by the Confession does not have any support from the prove texts it has provided. The prove texts also do not support the idea of abrogation and expiry of the ceremonial laws and judicial laws, while a moral law continued to be binding on all men.

Now we shall look at some texts selected from different sections of the Old and New Testaments. These are straight forward passages and we can understand them easily how they view the Law of Moses is.

The Old Testaments records:

1.       After Moses had passed away, the Lord spoke to Joshua, “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you, do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left that you may prosper wherever you go. This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Josh.1.7-8)

2.       Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the LORD burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the Law of Moses.  All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel. Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law.  There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them. (Josh. 8.30-35)

3.       David gave his parting words to Solomon before he passed away saying, “I go the way of all the earth, be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God, and to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments,, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.” (1 Kings 2.3)

4.       Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak^[a] and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. (Ezra 3.2)

5.       And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God. (Neh.9.3)

6.       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 the precepts, statutes and laws, by the hand of Moses your servant. (Neh.9. 13-14)

7.       The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
         The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
  The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
         The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
         The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. (Ps.19.7-9)

8.       The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, 
      because they have transgressed the laws, 
      Changed the ordinance, 
      Broken the everlasting covenant. (Is.24.5)

The New Testament records:

1.       Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  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. (Mt.5.17-19)

2.       And by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses. (Ac.13.39)

3.       For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law; for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified. (Rom.2.12-13)

4.       For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.”  Is it oxen God is concerned about? (1 Cor. 9.9)

5.       If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well. (James 2.8)

6.       For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.  For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.”Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.  So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. (James 2.10-12)

We can observe from these records that the scripture regards the Law of Moses as a complete unit. Though it contains God’s commandments, laws, statutes, ordinances, but they are not divided. Definitely the scripture does not divide the Law into moral law, ceremonial laws and judiciary laws. It definitely does not give the impression at all that while one section of the Law would be expired and another section would remain and bind all men under its authority. It is a foreign idea to the scripture.

What is the Law of Moses to the Christians?

We can now shake off the old norm and approach the Law afresh from the gospel point of view. We will treat the Law of Moses as the Law of Moses. We should approach the Law with the following points:

1.       The Law of Moses was the legal document for the nation of Israel from Moses till the Dispersion. There were moments when this Law was disregarded by the palace administration before the Dispersion[xi].The Law was revived as the legal constitution of the autonomous state when the Jews returned to the land under King Cyrus, and it continued to be so through the Greek Empire and the Roman Empire. Then the Jewish people rebelled against the Romans in the 70 AD and were defeated and eventually dispersed from Palestine. The Law ceased to be the legal document for Israel as long as Israel ceased to be a nation or an autonomous state. Ironically, today there is a new nation Israel occupies the land in Palestine but the Law is no longer referred to as the national legal document.  The Law of Moses as the legal document for the old Israel is history.

2.       But this Law of Moses was also a document of spiritual message from the first day. The Jews were aware of this spiritual message beneath the Law. The Jews have over the centuries developed a theology of justification based on the Law. The gospel calls it a theology of justification by works of the Law. This was the theology that opposes the gospel message of justification by faith.

3.       The Confession is aware that the spiritual message and not the legal document that is relevant to the Christians. It has done its best to separate the spiritual from the legal by dividing it into three branches of laws. But its interpretation is not in line with the gospel.

4.       The gospel has reinterpreted the Law and drawn out the spiritual message for us. We have to approach it from the gospel point of view. We have to drop the framework of interpretation provided by the Confession. We cannot divide the Law into three branches and claim that God only retains the moral law and has abolished the other two. Both the Old and New Testaments view the Law as a complete unit and so we have to do the same. We have to discover the spiritual message from the Law as a whole.

5.       Now, this is the two prongs message from the gospel:

·         The Law was established when the Jews (and the Gentiles) believed in the gospel[xii]. Because sin has spread to all men and death was the chief evidence of their sin. But sin was not known as sin until God has assigned the Law to define sin as sin. God has also assigned the Law to the Jews as their tutor and guardian until faith came. God then used the knowledge of the Law to remind them about the destructive activities of the remaining sins in their bodies[xiii]. God did not design the Law to be the basis of justification or to set them free form sin and death, but He intended that “the just shall live by faith”. So when they believed in the gospel they confirmed the spiritual function of the Law as designed by God was true.

·         The spiritual demand of the Law was fulfilled when the believers lived a life in the Spirit[xiv]. A life in the Spirit is a life of love. Love is the labor of the Spirit and ultimately the Holy Spirit would fulfill the spiritual demand of the Law[xv]. The Jews knew very well that the good way to understand the Law was to summarize it with “love”[xvi].  But the idea about love fulfills the Law puzzled them. They could not grasp what has this “love” to do with the demands of the Law. Paul explained that, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision avails anything, but faith working through love”[xvii]. Again he stressed that, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”[xviii]. Paul applied this truth in a very lively manner when he told the believers in Rome “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.  For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law”[xix]. Peter also reminded the believers that, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart”[xx].

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[i] Joshua 8.31, 1 Kings 2.3

[ii] Confession, chapter 19, Of the law of God

[iii] ibid, articles 1,2, & 5

[iv] e.g. Dt.20.16-18

[v] see Num.25; Lev.20.2, 27; 24.16

[vi] ibid, chapter 19,article 1

[vii] Jer.31.33; Heb.8.10 & 10.16

[viii] ibid, article 3

[ix] ibid, article 4

[x] Ibid article 5

[xi] 2 Kings 22.8 in the context of chapters 22-23

[xii] Rom.3.31

[xiii] Rom.7

[xiv] Rom.8.4 in the context of chapter 8

[xv] Gal.5.22-23

[xvi] Mt.22.37; Mk.12.30; Lk.10.27; Dt.6.5; Lev.19.18

[xvii] Gal.5.6

[xviii] Gal.5.13-14

[xix][xix] Rom.13.8-10

[xx] 1 Pet.1.22; see also James 2.8