God's Law

Articles on the Eternal Covenant of God click Bible Study Series by Rev. Charles King, D.Min.

God's Law ....... Chapter 6 .... God's Eternal Covenant

Moses called the people of Israel together and told them about God’s covenant with them, made at Mount Sinai. Moses told them to listen carefully to all the laws and regulations that God has given. He told them to learn them and obey the laws and regulations! Moses said that the LORD did not make this covenant with their ancestors only, but with all that are living today.

Moses told the people of Israel that the Laws given from Mt. Sinai not only were for their ancestors, those who died in the forty-year wilderness experience, but also for the succeeding generations which included us. The covenant through Moses was given for to all mankind for the good of mankind and is still in effect. Jesus said that the heavens and earth would pass away but not the Word of God (Law) given to Moses until it was fulfilled.

Did God really say that the Old Testament is for the New Testament believers? Satan is still asking of us the same question he asked of Adam and Eve, “Did God really say?” Satan desires to caste doubt upon both the truth of God’s Word and its relevance to us today. He wants us to doubt God just as he did to Eve.

Many today are deceived into believing that the Old Testament is not relevant, has no value to the New Testament believer. Satan knows once we doubt God’s Word or its relevance to us, he can easily defeat us as he did Adam and Eve. Satan led Eve through the steps of deception, doubt, desire, disobedience, and to separation from God and physical death coming to mankind. We can learn from the examples of Jesus when tested by Satan. Jesus overcame Satan’s temptations by standing on God’s Word, “it is written. ”

God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt is a picture, example, or shadow of our deliverance from the bondage of sin. The Bible says that God heard their cry and delivered them from Egypt. Both our deliverance and Israel’s took the “blood of the Passover Lamb”. The New Testament calls Jesus our Passover.

Both involved the person, presence, power, protection, and provision of God through Christ. Jesus is that “Passover lamb”. Just as the lamb’s blood was sprinkled on the door post to protect the firstborn of Israel, Jesus’ blood has to be sprinkled on the “mercy seat” for you and I. To receive this deliverance we must cry out to God for deliverance, just as Israel did.

Many Bible scholars say that Israel’s exodus from Egypt is a picture of salvation (justification) and their desert experience a picture of sanctification. Based on this understanding you see that God gave them the written Law of Moses after He had delivered them out of Egypt. The Law was not critical for salvation (justification) only in working out their faith, the applying the “blood of the lamb”. The written Law was given later to govern them after deliverance.

Satan’s lie today is that the Law is given only to Israel. The Bible says, the Law is a schoolmaster that points us to Christ and then trains us in righteousness (how to live). In other words the Law has a benefit for everyone. As believers, we are under its blessings (grace) and unbelievers are under its curse (judgement). Jesus said, I have come not to abolish the law but fulfil it.

In Timothy the Bible tells us that Timothy had been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have provided the wisdom for him to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. It then states that all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It teaches us to do what is right. God's Word is His way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped us for every good thing that God desires we do.

These Holy Scriptures that Paul was referring to are the Old Testament Scriptures. Not only did Paul stress their importance, but Jesus also said I have come not to abolish the law and the prophets but fulfil them.

God’s Word (the Law) shows us; (1) God’s character, (2) God’s Expectations, (3) God’s desired Fellowship, (4) God’s People, and (5) God’s required Service.

God wants us to be a peculiar treasure a nation of priests. His Word says that if we will obey His voice, and keep His covenant, then we will be a peculiar treasure unto Him above all people of the earth.” This verse is found in both the Old Testament referring to Israel and New Testament referring to the church. Notice the conditional if requirement.

Condemns Us -Wisdom unto Salvation

As Paul told Timothy that the Scriptures had made him wise unto salvation. Jesus made the same claim a number of times as He spoke of “Moses and the Prophets”, referring to the Old Testament. He specifically says that the Scriptures can make one wise unto salvation as He refers to them in Luke 24 (Road to Emmaus) and Luke 16 (Parable of Rich Man and Lazarus).

On the road to Emmaus Jesus tells the two that they are foolish because they had not believed what the prophets had written predicting that the Messiah would suffer all these things before entering His glory. Jesus then starts with Moses and the prophets (the Scriptures) explaining what they said about Himself.

In telling the parable of the “Rich Man and Lazarus” Jesus responds to the rich man’s request to send Lazarus from the dead to warn his brothers by stating that Moses and the prophets (the Scriptures) had warned his brothers and if they would not listen to the Scriptures they would not listen from someone from the dead.

God desires a relationship with man, but it must be under His terms. He is a covenant God. His eternal covenant is revealed to mankind initially as a mystery until Jesus’ crucifixion. God says if He had not concealed it they would not have crucified Jesus. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection initiates a new phase in God’s covenant relationship. This new phase is so radical that it is called a New Covenant even though it is an accumulation of all the other revelations.

It does not produce a substitute nor remove the requirement that obedience to the Law flows from salvation. However, It does include as change in the Law. This change revolves around Jesus as the mediator of a better covenant based on better promises.

As we become a member of His kingdom, we are born again of the Holy Spirit. God provides a helpmate (Holy Spirit) to enable us to obey. The Holy Spirit writes God’s law on our hearts and minds. Our triune God is our God, we are His people, and He dwells with us in the form of the Holy Spirit.

In Exodus as God is delivering Israel from Egypt, we find Him telling Israel if they will obey Him, He will be their God and they will be His people. Jesus says if we are His, we will keep His commandments.

In Corinthians the Bible states that Jesus is our Passover. Faith in His death, burial, and resurrection is equivalent to applying the “blood on the door post.” When we profess faith in Him, Jesus sprinkles His blood on the mercy seat for us. In so doing He delivers us from our slavery to sin. He pays our sin debt. He dies in our place.

From the example that God draws with Israel we see that the correct sequence is salvation (justification by faith/trust) and then sanctification (obey). The Law is a schoolmaster that points us to Christ for both salvation (justification) and then is a tutor correcting, rebuking and directing us into righteousness, which is sanctification.

Teaches Us What Is Right

In the Old Testament Israel is asked the question is asked what does the Lord require of them. Then the Bible answers the question with the statement they are to love God with all their hearts and soul and they are to fear God and obey His commands. Jesus tells us that this required of us today.

In the New Testament we find this same truth stated as all Scripture is from God and is for the purpose showing us what is wrong in our lives and teaches us to do what is right.

Solomon, the wises man that ever lived, states that we are to fear God and keep His commandments and that our actions will be brought into judgement. Solomon goes on to say that all else is vanity, foolishness.

In Psalm 119 we find this truth about God’s Word when it states that God’s Word is to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path and that if we will hid it in our hearts we will not be as likely to sin against God. God desires that we be holy for He is holy . This is to be our goal aided by the Word of God and His Spirit, we are to make every effort to keep His commandments.

Equips Us for Good Works

Studying and obeying the Word of God is God's way of preparing and equipping us for the good works that God wants us to do.

A number of places in the Scriptures Jesus summarizes the “Law and Prophets” with the statement that we are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind and we are to love your neighbors as yourselves. Jesus goes on to say, do this and live!

Similarly we can view the Ten Commandments in this same relationship. The first four commandments focus on our vertical relationship with God and the last six commandments focus on our horizontal relationship with fellow man. These relationships form a picture of the cross, a vertical and horizontal, with the support for the horizontal coming from the vertical relationship. In other words our love for fellow man flows from our love of God.

The Old and New Testament is consistent in teaching that God’s Law is a schoolmaster that points one to Christ. It shows us that we are like Adam and Eve and are unable to keep it and must turn to Christ as the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world. Since all of us sin and fall short, we must depend on the “blood of the Lamb.” Therefore, we need Jesus’ sacrificial death as a payment for our missing the mark.

The grace of God that provides salvation through Jesus is made available to all who believe. While we wait for His appearing it sanctifies us by instructing us to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures and live in this sinful world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God.

If we are to be used by the Master, we must make every effort to keep ourselves clean. We must turn from anything that stimulates our lust and yield to anything that makes us want to do right. We are to pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

If we want to hear the statement “well done they good and faithful servant” , we must put to work the talents that God has given us for His service. The Word of God points us to salvation and then under the illumination and power of the Holy Spirit it transforms us into His image. All this is for His glory!

Bottom line is that the Law was given through Moses, pointing to Jesus the vehicle through which God provides grace and truth. God had told the nation of Israel at Mt Sinai that they would be His own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth, if they would obey Him and keep His covenant. He also said that they would be to Him a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. When Moses gave the people of Israel this message from God, they responded with the statement, "We will do everything the LORD asks of us."

However, as we study the Bible we see that Israel broke God’s covenant time and again. Finally God fulfills the curses of the covenant relationship with Israel. All of the things that happened to Israel were for our (the church) example. Israel like the law was a shadow, Jesus and the church was God’s mystery that is now revealed.

The Bible is consistent in showing a close coupling between grace, faith, and works. Ephesians state that it is by grace through faith unto good works one is saved, and not by good works. Good works flow from faith.

God provided Abraham the land and the son Isaac by grace, but it was by faith that Abraham left Ur and it was by faith that he offered Isaac. James calls Abraham’s act of faith when he offers Isaac a work (an act of obedience). Abraham’s act of faith on Mt Moriah was a picture (shadow) of Christ’s crucifixion which was to take place there two thousand years later. “God will provide the lamb my son.” John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world. ” The book of Revelation says, “Worthy is the lamb that was slain. ”

Jesus is the “Passover Lamb” for those who cry out. Have you cried out for deliverance, “Lord have mercy on me a sinner.

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