Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Ephesians 2:15 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/eph.2.15.KJV
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:15 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.14.15.KJV
If you’re like me, you’ve heard that the Mosaic law was either ceremonial (sacrifices), civic (census), or moral (don’t kill). We’re told that the moral law still applies today. But identifying what law is ‘moral’ is rather subjective. We’re told that Christians can skip circumcision but we just have to follow the Ten Commandments.
While Moses is rightly recognized within the US Supreme Court as the Great Lawgiver, and while Ten Commandments monuments are helpful to remind the people that our laws are rooted in a divine law, we need to discover the truth about the law.
But why worry about the law anyways? If we’re going to get past the Ten Commandments then let’s dwell under the Grace Awakening – we’re free from the law O blessed condition, sin all I want with Jesus’ permission! Are we antinomian?
No, it’s clear in scripture that Jesus wants us to keep His commandments.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
John 15:10 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.15.10.KJV
Interestingly this is not limited to just Jesus’ commands but also those of His apostles:
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
2 Thessalonians 3:14 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/2th.3.14.KJV
What enabled Paul to claim the ability to bind people’s consciences? What was so special about the Apostles?
After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1 Corinthians 15:7-9 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/1co.15.7-9.KJV
He was not just someone who saw Jesus, but was personally taught by Him for three years in the desert.
For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
Galatians 1:12, 17-18 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/gal.1.12-18.KJV
This apostolic authority allowed Paul and Peter to write Scripture!
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2 Peter 3:15-16 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/2pe.3.15-16.KJV
As we continue we’ll look at how we can track the development of God’s law thru the different stages of human history.
Dispensationalism and the Law 