Confessions, Covenants, and Law

Confessions, Covenants, and Law

Latest publication from Brogden's Books! Four authors on four related topics. 

Daniel Chamberlin on Confessions and Confessionalism.

Isaac Backus on covenants, from Galatians 4.

William Huntington on the rule of life for the saints.

Stuart L. Brogden on The Children of Abraham.

Comprehending the covenants in Scripture lays the foundation for structuring confessions of faith and rightly understanding how the various laws in the Bible relate to the covenant in which they were given and to people who were or are not in that given covenant.

Law is Not Faith

Law is Not Faith

In Law Is Not Faith, Stuart L. Brogden presents a robust, Scripture-saturated exploration of the place of the Mosaic Law in the life of the New Covenant believer. With theological clarity, Brogden dismantles the assumption that Christians are bound to the Law of Moses, arguing instead that we live under the law of Christ, which is written not on tablets of stone but on hearts made new by the Spirit. Each chapter challenges long-held traditions with bold exposition, urging readers to interpret Old Covenant commands through the lens of Christ’s finished work. For those weary of legalistic religion or confused by the role of the Decalogue today, this book offers both freedom and clarity grounded in the Word of God. Brogden’s deep reverence for Scripture and unwavering commitment to the sufficiency of Christ are evident throughout this book. This is an essential read for pastors, teachers, and any believer seeking to walk more faithfully in the grace of the New Covenant.

This thought-provoking book challenges many assumptions about the role of the Mosaic Law in the Christian life. Brogden writes with clarity, conviction, and a deep commitment to Scripture, guiding readers through the differences between the Old and New Covenants with theological insight.

What you have is not a dry academic treatise. It’s a readable, accessible, and Scripture-rich exploration of how Christ ends the old covenant and brings His people into a better covenant with better promises. Brogden reminds us that our rule of life is not found in stone tablets, but in the living Word and the law of Christ written on our hearts.

Law Is Not Faith is essential reading for pastors looking to preach and teach the gospel of grace clearly, and for any believer who desires to understand their freedom in Christ more deeply. It will strengthen your grasp of New Covenant theology and renew your confidence in the sufficiency of Christ’s finished work.

Robbie Jeffries

Pastor, Rye Patch Baptist Church

Founder and Chairman of the board of directors of New Covenant College. 

Hebrews 9:1-10; Shadowland

Chapter 8 revealed that the Levitical religion and all its rites were a shadow of the heavenlies. Shadows can be very detailed, but they lack substance. The first half chapter 9 reviews the pattern of the tabernacle and what it consisted of; then it reviews the practice within that tabernacle. This is to provide a contrast between the shadow and the substance, which follows. 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. 2:16-17) 

Hebrews 7:11-28 The Priest We Need

The opening phrase presupposes that perfection is not possible through the Levitical priesthood – it was a temporal priesthood that only covered sins for a season. This point is emphasized by the observation that the Mosaic Law was received under that priesthood. Law is tied to covenant; both are dependent on the priesthood given. Since the Levitical priesthood was unable to bring eternal life, there was a need for a priesthood that could do so – we see, again, this reference to the man of mystery, Melchizedek. We need a priest from his order, not that of Aaron! The author specifies that he speaks about the One, He, the Lord Jesus, being from a different tribe than Aaron’s – a tribe from which no one has served at the altar in the Hebrew sanctuary. He sums up by observing that Christ came from the tribe of Judah and that Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe. We have the perfect priest from that tribe; a priest Who is a lion. This was said about Him: The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. (Gen .49:10) The scepter, meaning rule, will always be His; the obedience of the redeemed people will be His. Consider Him!

The Law is not Faith

Galatians 4:21-31

Tell me, those of you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. These things are illustrations, for the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery — this is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

Speaking to those who thought Mosaic Law was the rule of life for Christians, Paul asks if they actually hear the law. The implication is that they either haven’t heard it or they are pursuing a law of their own making. Paul’s concern is that they learn what the law actually says.

Even an unregenerate person can see in Scripture that Abram had the two sons mentioned here, but Paul presses the point law is slavery and grace is liberty. He expressed this idea plainly in Romans 11:6 Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace. He had already told the Galatians that the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them (Gal. 3:12).

Here in chapter 4, he uses Hagar and Sarah as metaphors to describe two covenants. Hagar is slavery (which is what she was – Sarah’s slave) and her children are born into slavery. Ismael is the antitype – he was not the child of promise. Paul sets Hagar up as then present-day Jerusalem, from Mt. Sinai – she is in slaver with her children. John the baptizer picked up this theme in Matthew 3:9 And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! He said this to people with stone hearts! People who rested on fleshly procreation had no reason to think they are children of God.

Contrary to the slavery of Mt. Sinai and ancient Jerusalem, Sarah (not named in our passage) represents freedom; she is the mother of all who have faith in Christ, just as Abraham is the father of all who believe. Paul was clear, setting up faith as the basis for peace with God, not having the “right” parents: those who have faith are Abraham’s sons. (Gal. 3:9) He was just as clear in saying law-keeping is not based on faith (Gal. 3:12); and puts period on the idea:

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as then the child born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so also now. But what does the Scripture say? Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman. Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. (Gal. 4:28-31)

Here, and everywhere, the Mosaic Law is spoken of with singularity – not described as being divided up into two or three parts. Break one and you’ve broken them all. The law – its capstone being the stone tablets – was given on Mt. Sinai. Paul said the law was good and holy – it was designed and intended to serve as the guardian for national Israel until “the faith” – Christ Jesus – came in the flesh.

Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:23-26). Paul said the law is spiritual, meaning one cannot understand rightly apart from the Spirit of God. By the Spirit, Paul said the law, written on tablets of stone, was the ministry of death. The law, by design, is weak unable to enable one unto salvation or unto good works. An unregenerate man can keep a law. Laws have punishments for violations. Carnal man is kept somewhat civilized by such constructs.

But the spiritual man is the son of the King, and the King and His household are not under law. We who have believed on the Son of God have not come to the mountain of blazing fire, darkness, gloom, and storm but we have come to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), the assembly of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven (Heb. 12:18-24).

We, brethren, are not children of the law, enslaved to obey it; we are children of the free woman, set to liberty to love the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. Set to liberty to do the good works set out for us before time, equipped and enabled by the Spirit of the living God. 

What is Sin?

What is Sin?

Definition: From Easton's Dictionary. Sin is "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" (1Jn 3:4; Rom 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom 6:12-17; Rom 7:5-24)." It is "not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties." (quote from Hodge - with no explanation as to what "the law of God" is)

1 John 3 vs 4 does not state: “Whoever commits sin transgresses the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.”

… it says: “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness”

The words ‘transgress’ or ‘break’ the law are not in the original at all. They were added in, originally by the Geneva Bible translators, in order to insist that believers were still under the Decalogue. Other translations (KJV, Jubilee 2000, American KJV) simply followed suit. On the other hand, the NIV, NKJV, ESV, Berean Literal, NASB, CSB, NET, NAS1977, ASV, ERV, Young's Literal all agree: sin is lawlessness.

Other translators think that the word ‘anomia’ (Strong's #458) should be translated ‘lawbreaking’, not ‘lawlessness’. There is a critical difference. The one assumes the existence of an applied law that is being broken, the other says there is no law in place.

Prominent and obvious is his use of a parallel expression by contrast: “Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.” (vs 7) We can see that the sentence structure is identical. The point being that it is the ‘doers doing’ that indicates the nature of the ‘doer’. Thus, it would seem that ‘anomia’ generally is synonymous with ‘wicked’ and ‘anomia’ means ‘wickedness’ – moral deficit. It is not a specific reference to the law of God being broken … UNLESS the context, as in Romans 2, indicates specifically that that is what is being spoken of.

A disregard for law reveals a lawless attitude. Breaking a law you are under is a sin, but living without regard for the law is the essence of sin. Far deeper than an act, the desire of one’s heart reveals righteousness or wickedness. Do not covet is far more insidious than do not murder because man can detect and prosecute murder but God alone can see our motives, comprehend our hearts. We can endanger ourselves thinking we have avoided man’s detection, forgetting that no creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account. This is why we must resist the call of our flesh to push “hidden sins” out of our minds; there is One to whom we must give account, and nothing is hidden from Him.

Romans 13:1-7 (HCSB) Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience. And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s public servants, continually attending to these tasks. Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.

Paul’s focus in this passage is not “God’s law” but the laws of men. He did not write this to people living under a benevolent Roman government, but a ruthless one which demanded everyone to confess that Caesar was divine. We see several reasons to submit to the state – we bring judgment upon ourselves if we disregard its laws.

Peter had the same message, to people in similar trying circumstances. 1 Peter 2:13-20 (HCSB) Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the Emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. As God’s slaves, live as free people, but don’t use your freedom as a way to conceal evil. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor. Household slaves, submit with all fear to your masters, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel. For it brings favor if, mindful of God’s will, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if you sin and are punished, and you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God.

Neither Paul nor Peter provides an excuse to not submit to every human authority because it’s inconvenient, unpleasant, or costly. We have clear teaching in the Bible that we do not have to submit to human authority if they demand we disobey God or forbid us from obeying Him. But taxes are required to be paid, even if we think them unjust. Speed limits are to be obeyed, even if we think them unreasonable. Aren’t you happy most people obey traffic regulations, so we can enjoy a reasonable amount of safety on public roads? If we ignore Scripture because we think the human authorities are unjust, we are walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit. And whatever is not of faith (trusting in God) is sin.

James 4:17 So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it. James is not speaking here of violating a written law, but of violating one’s conscience. The child of God has the law of Christ embedded in the center of his being – the two great commands that demand we love God and our neighbor. Jesus and His apostles taught what this Holy Spirit enabled love looks like; not a list of do and do not instructions. When we do not love God, when we fail to love one another, we violate the Holy Spirit enabled conscience He has given us – we are not walking by faith.

When we think about sin, we tend to think of the big sins – murder, adultery, blasphemy, and so on. These are big sins; but if we do not consider “small sins” of our everyday life, we will grow a bit hard-hearted about sin. Jesus died to pay for our ALL our sins, not only the “big” ones that we are likely not to physically commit. But we need to bear in mind that coveting another’s spouse is adultery and being unjustly angry is murder. Avoiding taxes is patriotic; evading them is sinful.

We all stumble in myriad ways every day – not only one those days when we yell at our spouses. Playing games about “small sins” hurts us and others. Being honest about sin is helpful in keeping our hearts tender before God and man. We need one another in this life, because, left alone, we can justify all sorts of “small sins” just accommodate our selfishness. It’s been said that trying to domesticate sin is like trying to make a rattlesnake a pet. It simply can’t be done. May God help us to live and walk with a right understanding of sin – for that is what had to be placed upon our Lord when He hung on the cross. Our sin filled up the cup of God’s wrath that He had to drink – all of it, down to the dregs. Jesus doesn’t condemn us when we sin; He grants us sorrow and repentance. Each of us sins in many ways in a given week; hence we are told to lay aside the sin that so easily entangles us and press on toward the prize that will not perish. Let us not wallow in our sin but rejoice that we have Jesus. Hallelujah! what a Savior! 

God's Law

I was listening to an old sermon while driving to town today. The brother read this:

1Cor 9:19-21 (HCSB)

"Although I am a free man and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law — though I myself am not under the law — to win those under the law. To those who are without that law, like one without the law — not being without God’s law but within Christ’s law — to win those without the law."

And then he observed: Paul described himself as not under the Jewish law (Mosaic) but would ACT like he was, in order not to offend them. Then he said he would ACT like those who do not have that law (Gentiles) so it would not be a stumbling block.

And Paul said that he was not without God's law but within Christ's law. This shows that the law given to Moses is not longer God's law, but the the law of Christ is now God's law.

This lines up with this:

Heb 7:11-12 (HCSB)

"If then, perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well."

The New Covenant has a new priesthood, which requires a new law. The New Covenant has different entry requirements than did the Old Covenant. Faith in God was not required to enter the Mosaic Covenant - obedience to a few religious rites were all that was required. New birth which brings faith in Christ is required to enter into the New Covenant - the flesh profits nothing! Shadows were fulfilled in the substance, which is Christ. 

Hebrews 2:1-4 Our Great Salvation

Our Great Salvation

 Heb 2:1-4 (HCSB)  (click the link above for the sermon)

We must, therefore, pay even more attention to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to His will. 

Sin and Law

This puzzles me.

So many properly recognize that the big problem with sin is not the various actions, but the nature of sin - rebellion against God.

So many who recognize that, fail to understand the same aspect about law.

What makes a law "moral" is not the content of the law or the actions prohibited by it, but the character of the One Who gave the law.

There is at least one religion that categorizes sin into several buckets. I guess it's the same logic that others use to categorize law into several buckets. Both are a way to reduce what God has revealed into something more manageable by man. 

A Time of Transition

Transition

During His earthly ministry, Jesus was announcing the kingdom of God, showing it to be something different from the nation of Israel. Before the cross, He declared the kingdom was not discernable with the eye, but was in their midst as He stood with the Pharisees (Luke 17:20-21). A kingdom not of this world but present - in part - upon it. Scripture provides four clear statements about Jesus’ position regarding the Mosaic Covenant:

Matt 12:6 Jesus is greater than the temple

Matt 12:41-42 Jesus is greater than Jonah and Solomon

Matt 12:2, 5, 7, 8 Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

Heb 3:3 Jesus has greater glory than Moses

In this transition from Old Covenant to New Covenant, Jesus was unveiling His kingdom while on earth, revealing Himself as the Greater Prophet and Son of God. When He was crucified and raised from the dead, this kingdom was inaugurated and is extant in His people. It will be consummated when He returns to judge the nations, gather His people, and make all things new.

Let us now take a look at these transitionary passages, showing how Jesus revealed what was coming: a kingdom not of this world, under a new ruler with a new rule.

Luke 2:41-50 (HCSB) Every year His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. When He was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents did not know it. Assuming He was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers. When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.” “Why were you searching for Me?” He asked them. “Didn’t you know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand what He said to them.

The Mosaic Covenant commanded utmost respect for parents, with death required for those who went so far as to curse their parents (Lev 20:9). We see in Luke 2 the response of Jesus’ mother – shock at her son’s failure to treat them with respect, by staying behind without permission. This was based on the Mosaic law’s harsh stance against disobedience to parents. Jesus was at the cusp of being recognized as an adult and knew He had a higher calling from His heavenly Father, no longer a child under the guardianship of the Mosaic Law. His earthly parents did not understand this; it would appear many of His spiritual children have failed to look into this.

Luke 5:12-14 (HCSB) While He was in one of the towns, a man was there who had a serious skin disease all over him. He saw Jesus, fell facedown, and begged Him: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Reaching out His hand, He touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean,” and immediately the disease left him. Then He ordered him to tell no one: “But go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses prescribed for your cleansing as a testimony to them.”

Scripture moves quickly into the ministry of Jesus, 20 years after the first incident noted above. It was against the Mosaic Law for a healthy person to touch one with leprosy (Lev 5:3). By touching this man, Jesus was demonstrating that He was not bound by the Mosaic Covenant but answered to a higher calling. When Jesus began His kingdom ministry, He was no longer under the Mosaic Law as He was as a minor child, else He would not have touched the man. He was working to show the Jews that their Messiah was greater than Moses, bringing a new and better covenant founded on better promises to His spiritual people. True cleanliness is of the inner man, not the outer man.

Matt 17:24-27 (HCSB) When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the double-drachma tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your Teacher pay the double-drachma tax?” “Yes,” he said. When he went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, “What do you think, Simon? Who do earthly kings collect tariffs or taxes from? From their sons or from strangers?” “From strangers,” he said. “Then the sons are free,” Jesus told him. “But, so we won’t offend them, go to the sea, cast in a fishhook, and take the first fish that you catch. When you open its mouth you’ll find a coin. Take it and give it to them for Me and you.”

The clear meaning of this passage is that His disciples are sons of the King and not required to pay the temple tax. This is another demonstration that He and His people are not ruled by the Mosaic Covenant. Jesus explains why it will be paid this one time – to avoid giving offense. This is the same motive and method we hear from Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 where he acts like those under the law of Moses, though he is not under the law; he acts like those NOT under the law of Moses though he is not without law – he is under the law of Christ. No offense other than the cross. Christians, including redeemed Jews, are not under the law of Moses.

Several other passages of Scripture reinforce this idea. In Luke 8:19-56 Jesus touched a dead child and raised her to life; touching the dead was prohibited by the law (Num 19:11-12). The Mosaic Law forbade spitting on a person: Numbers 12:14 declares one unclean who has been spit-on; Deuteronomy 25:9 refers to spitting in in another's face as a curse on the person. Jesus spit on the ground, made clay to apply to a blind man's eyes to bring healing (John 9:6); He spit on a mute man's tongue to heal him (Mark 7:33); and He spit in a blind man's eyes to heal him (Mark 8:22-25), contrary to Mosaic Law. Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:15, 19), contrary to the Levitical law; He healed a paralytic on the Sabbath (John 5:7-10).

For these things they wanted to kill Him (John 5:18), for He not only violated their Sabbath, He made Himself equal with God. John did not write that the Jews claimed Jesus was breaking their Sabbath; he wrote that Jesus broke the Sabbath. In Matthew 12, Jesus defended His disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, positioning Himself as greater than David (who had eaten bread meant only for priests) and greater than (Lord of/over) the Sabbath. David was not prosecuted for violating this law because he was king of Israel; Jesus is King of kings! In this instance, He cites Hosea 6:6, "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice." The law was not full of mercy, it provided no specific exceptions to the weekly Sabbath for acts of mercy. Healing was required in the law but no provision for doing so on the Sabbath was given. Circumcision was required on the 8th day, which sometimes happened on a Sabbath. Jesus pointed out the priests recognized that the law of circumcision must not be broken, even if it was performed on the Sabbath (John 7:22-23). The Sabbath law gave no exception for circumcision, just like it gave no exception for baking the bread that was required by the law. I think these points of tension were there to lead the Jews to seek guidance from YHWH, but they built up a system of rules that they thought they keep and be pleasing to God. Of old He told them, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice."

All of these incidents reveal the tension between the covenant that was growing old and nearing its end and the New Covenant that was being revealed and would soon be in place. Jesus was showing by word and deed how His people were to live – not bound by the letter of the law, but guided by the Spirit of God.

The Latin phrase, “Ex Lex,” is sometimes used to describe God as being “without law” or “not under law.” We see this in the Old Testament when the One Who declared the taking of man’s life was forbidden (Gen 9:5-6; Ex 20:13; Deut 5:17) killed many (Ex 4:12, 29; Deut 4:3; 1 Sam 6:19). There are other examples, but the idea is established: God is not bound by the laws He gives man; He is bound by His character and will. He makes alive and He kills. He cannot lie nor can He sin. Note this: One who is not bound by a law cannot break it. This is why when Jesus “broke the Sabbath” He did not break any law – He had removed Himself from being “under the law” as part of His bringing His kingdom into being.

Many teach, as I used to, that Jesus came to keep the Mosaic Law perfectly. I taught that the law-giver became the law-keeper to save the law-breakers. But the Bible does not teach this. Jesus said “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34); He further stated “I can do nothing on My own. I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 5:30) He came to do the will of the Father – but what is this? The answer is also in John’s gospel: "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me: that I should lose none of those He has given Me but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:38-40) This is the will of the Father regarding the Son, not law-keeping but soul-saving; to redeem every lost sheep, to lose none of those the Father has given Him.

In each of the instances cited, Jesus is acting and speaking as one who is not under the law of Moses, but above it; just as Paul said he was not under the Law of Moses but under the Law of Christ (1 Cor 9:19-22). Jesus was teaching His people that life in the New Covenant, the kingdom which is not of this world, does not require devotion to the Mosaic Law but devotion to the Son of Man.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5 – 8, Jesus was explaining to the Jews this new kingdom, which was not what most of them were expecting. He reviewed commands from the Old Covenant and contrasted them with instructions and commands from the kingdom. One saying which most claim was not in the Mosaic Covenant is in verse 43, “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” That is not found verbatim in the Old Covenant. But go read: Deut 7:1-2 “When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, and He drives out many nations before you — the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and powerful than you — and when the LORD your God delivers them over to you and you defeat them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.” And Psalms 139:19-22 God, if only You would kill the wicked — you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me — who invoke You deceitfully. Your enemies swear by You falsely. LORD, don’t I hate those who hate You, and detest those who rebel against You? I hate them with extreme hatred; I consider them my enemies. Kind of sheds new light on what Jesus said. Indeed, they had heard that they should hate their enemies.

Another thing that Jesus said needs explanation: Matt 5:17 “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” All throughout Matthew’s gospel the word “fulfill” has an eschatological meaning; he is telling us the Law and the Prophets (the entire Old Testament as we call it) had by Jesus been brought to its intended end point or culmination. At no point in this gospel does “fulfill” mean “to keep” or “obey.” As we read in 1 Corinthians, the Law and the Prophets were written for our edification; in Luke 24 we read that they testify about Jesus. But their role as the guardian for national Israel is over (Galatians 3:23-24 Speaking to those who wanted to live as Jews, Paul said: Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith.). Luke 16:16 tells us the law and the prophets were proclaimed or in force until John (the baptizer); since then (a new thing), the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed and all are urged to enter in. The law and prophets were for a time, but since Christ came, the gospel is proclaimed to every person. The Law and Prophets remain as revelation even as their role of regulation came to its intended, planned end.

What is man’s part, in the New Covenant? Many teach that the Mosaic Law, in part, is to be our rule of life. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commands.” (John 14:15) Further, “The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” (John 14:19) Does Jesus lead us to the Mosaic Law, is that where His commands are found? In part, yes – but not as presented in the Mosaic Covenant. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt 22:37-39) He observed that “All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” (Matt 22:40) To properly love God and those made in His image is higher than the entire collection of teaching in the Old Testament. And to understand how to love God we must look unto and hear Christ rightly.

Hear ye Him: “This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:12-14) We do not look to the Tablets of Stone to discover how to love, we look to the completed canon to see how Christ and His Apostles taught and lived. All of the “one another” passages shed light on this idea. We are not ruled by a list of “do this” and “don’t do that” commands; we are ruled by the Law of Christ, which is the fulfillment of the two greatest commands. We have the New Covenant Scriptures which show and instruct us how to love, including Galatians 6:2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. In many of the epistles we see practical instructions for how to live: Romans 14, all of 1 Corinthians, James, etc. In none of them are we told to return to Moses and read and apply the Law and the Prophets as national Israel was commanded. In fact, we are told NOT to do so in Galatians 3:1-3 “You foolish Galatians! Who has hypnotized you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified? I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh?” The Mosaic Law was fit for a people living in the flesh. The Law of Christ is fit for a people walking in the Spirit.

The Spirit of God will illuminate our understanding of Scripture and by His willing and equipping (Philippians 2:13) we will to do what is pleasing to our heavenly Father. 

What do we learn from Acts 15?

The problem addressed by the council in Acts 15 was two-fold. Converted Jews had began teaching everyone that 1.) salvation and 2.) life was according to the custom and law of Moses.

Vs 1 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved!”

Vs 5 But some of the believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses!”

The matter of salvation dealt with primarily by Peter, a converted Jew himself. In verse 9 he noted, “He (God) made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.” No circumcision or any other religious rite – faith in the Son of God is what saves sinners, whether Jew or Gentile.

The matter of life lived before God in the New Covenant was dealt with by the letter sent out, which was previewed in verses 19 & 20.

Acts 15:19-20 “Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood.”

The apostolic instructions for life in the New Covenant were not commands for them to keep the law of Moses. They gave instruction on everyday things that they encountered in life. The dietary restrictions reflect what God told Noah. When Jesus was unveiling His kingdom, He taught a new ethic, life based on having a humble heart, loving God and neighbor, seeking heavenly rather than earthly wealth. When the Apostles later wrote about this topic (Romans 14, 1 Corinthians, James, 1 & 2 Peter, etc.), the teaching has roots in the Old Testament but is interpreted and applied differently. Rather than a sexual pervert being killed, he is thrown out of the assembly of saints until he repents. Rather than being forced by the sword to carry another’s burden, the Christian seeks to serve his fellow man by bearing his burdens – and in so doing, fulfilling the Law of Christ. 

Genesis 8:20 - 9:7 Promise and Law

 God has never left His people without law, instruction, guidance for how they are to live. Just as in the garden, with the provision that they may eat of every tree, except the one; here man may eat any creature – but there’s a limit: no eating flesh with the blood still in it. There’s a lesson in the blood.

Galatians 3:22-29 - A Short Teaching

 Gal 3:22-29 (HCSB)

But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin’s power, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. 

God’s plan was for everything to be imprisoned by sin to ensure only those who believe would inherit the promise. Only the One who could defeat sin would have reason to boast; all children of promise would have their clenched fist opened up to receive His gift. The Jewish nation was imprisoned by their Mosaic Law until the promised Messiah was revealed. For freedom He came to set the prisoners free!

There are two points in verse 24 that need to be clarified. The NKJV has verse 24 saying, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ.”  The phrase “to bring us to” is not in the Greek; it’s in italics. The Greek says that law was until Christ, the idea of bringing us to Christ is simply not there. The word pedagogue means “disciplinarian,” “custodian,” or “guide.” According to Greek/English Lexicon, “the man, usually a slave whose duty it was to conduct a boy or youth to and from school and to superintend his conduct generally; he was not a ‘teacher’ despite the present meaning of the derivative ‘pedagogue’…When the young man became of age, the guardian was no longer needed.”

The Mosaic Law was a guardian for national Israel, designed to keep that nation until the fulfillment came, until faith came. This code was never meant to provide salvation to the Jews, it was meant to keep the Jews so that from them salvation would come to the world. When Jesus came, in the fullness of time, the Law no longer served this purpose.

All who have been baptized into Christ have put Him on like a garment – clothed in divine righteousness. All fleshly identifications are gone, for Christ is our identity. This is why Paul said he no longer regarded anyone according to the flesh; skin color, ethnicity, culture; all the things men war over are of no value in God’s kingdom. And since we belong to Christ, we are Abraham’s seed and heirs to the promise! All this is from Christ and for His glory.

What the Law could not do and was never intended to do, the promised seed, the offspring of Abraham brought to completion. Christ Jesus, born under the curse of the Law, was obedient to every aspect of the Father’s will so He could bring many sons to glory. Jesus is the promise by which God would fulfill the promises made to Abraham. The covenant with Abraham is foundational to the Christian faith. It was the foundation of the Old Covenant, giving the promise of the One Who would prove Himself to be the cornerstone of the New Covenant.

Four Characteristics of the local church

I was blessed to preach recently at Heritage Baptist in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The morning sermon was on the nature of the local assembly of saints:

1. The identity of that assembly.

2. The structure of that assembly.

3. The function of that assembly.

4. The rule governing that assembly.

The audio of the sermon is here.

If we do not get our identity right, we will not get any of the other points right.

May the Lord be glorified and His people equipped.

Not Under Law!

Not Under Law

Reading Zanchius' Absolute Predestination, he observes that Abram didn't think ill of God's command to slay his son (Gen 22), though mankind knew such an act was evil (Gen 4). Abram knew the expressed will of God was better than the prohibition against taking a life without cause. Similar to the order to plunder Egypt (Ex 3) contrasted with the word to not steal (Ex 20). Is God of two minds? Perish the thought. His purpose and plan are often hidden from us, but ever being worked out to bring Him glory and do good for His own.

We read time and again how Jesus came to do the Father's will - echoing Abram! In John 4:34 Jesus said His food was to do the Father's will; in John 6:38 He said He came from heaven to do His Father's will. And in Matt 7:21 we read that those who do the Father's will are the ones who inherit heaven; For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me: that I should lose none of those He has given Me but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”  (John 6:38-40). God desires mercy, not the sacrifices demanded by the law. The One Who made a pleasing sacrifice on our account gives us His righteousness and provides mercy, day-by-day.  As our call to worship reminds us, Moses was faithful as a servant in the house but Jesus is a Son over His own house. When Peter asked Him about paying the temple tax (Matt 17:24-27), Jesus said strangers pay the tax but the sons are free. God the Father was not subject to the Mosaic Law; the Son is Lord over His house and is free. All the sons and daughters are free! When Jesus began His public ministry, He was showing people a better way, revealing a covenant built on better promises. He did not lead people to the Old Covenant, He led people away from it as it was being brought to its end. He left the Old Covenant to show us the way to the New.

We also read of God violating laws of nature that He established, making the sun stand still (Joshua 10:13) and giving life to that which was dead (John 11). He cured leprosy with dirty water (2 Kings 5).

God is not bound the laws He gives man!

It was against the Mosaic Law for a healthy person to touch one with leprosy (Lev 5:3 - page 127).  Some lepers were healed in the Old Covenant era, but the lepers were not touched. They were not touched when declared clean by the Levitical priests. Jesus was sending a message by touching this man. When Jesus began His kingdom ministry, He was no longer under the Mosaic Law as He was as a minor child, else He would not have touched the man. He was working to show the Jews that their Messiah was greater than Moses, even God in the flesh, bringing a new and better covenant founded on better promises to His spiritual people. In Luke 8:19-56 Jesus touched a dead child and raised her to life; touching the dead was prohibited by the law (Num 19:11). The Mosaic Law forbade spitting on a person: Num 12:14 declares one unclean who has been spit-on; Deut 25:9 refers to spitting in in another's face as a curse on the person. Jesus spit on the ground, made clay to apply to a blind man's eyes to bring healing (John 9:6); He spit on a mute man's tongue to heal him (Mark 7:33); and He spit in a blind man's eyes to heal him (Mark 8:22-25), contrary to Mosaic Law. Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:15, 19), contrary to the Levitical law; He healed a paralytic on the Sabbath (John 5:7-10), for which they wanted to kill Him (John 5:18), for He not only violated their Sabbath, He made Himself equal with God. In Matt 12, Jesus defended His disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, positioning Himself as greater than David (who had eaten bread meant only for priests) and greater than (Lord of/over) the Sabbath. In this instance, He cites Hosea 6:6, "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice." While the law was not full of mercy, it provided no specific exceptions to the weekly Sabbath for acts of mercy. Healing was required in the law but no provision for doing so on the Sabbath was given. Circumcision was required on the 8th day, which sometimes happened on a Sabbath. Jesus pointed out the priests broke the Sabbath to keep the law of circumcision. I think these points of tension were there to lead the Jews to seek guidance from YHWH, but they built up a system of rules that they thought they keep and be pleasing to God. Of old He told them, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice."

God is not bound the laws He gives man - He is Lord over both man and law!

New Covenant, New Law

We're all familiar with the New Covenant reference in Jeremiah 31:31-33 (HCSB) “Look, the days are coming”—⌊this is⌋ the LORD’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. ⌊This one will⌋ not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke even though I had married them”—the LORD’s declaration. “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the LORD’s declaration. “I will put My teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Many WCF Reformers deny the newness of the New Covenant, but that error is not my point right now.

Notice what the Spirit said through the prophet: The New Covenant will NOT BE LIKE the Old Covenant; that covenant made with the forefathers when He brought them out of Egypt. The New Covenant, established with the death of Christ, is a better covenant than the Old one (Hebrews 7:22).

Here's the question: SINCE the New Covenant is NOT LIKE the Old Covenant, WHY would His teaching (KJV says "law" - the Hebrew word can mean law, instruction, precept) be the same as that of the Old Covenant?  

In the epistle to the Hebrews, we read of differences between the Old and New Covenants. In chapter 7 the Spirit contrasts the priesthoods of the two covenants. In verse 11 we see that the Mosaic Law was received under the Levitical priesthood. Verses 13 - 17 tells us the priesthood of the New Covenant is different and indescribably superior to the priesthood of the Mosaic Covenant. Verse 12 tells us that the change of priesthood from old to new covenants REQUIRES a change of law. And then we read, Hebrews 7:18-19 (HCSB) "So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God." The "previous command" is the Mosaic Law (of which the Decalogue is the testimony) which was annulled. This aligns with Jesus' statement that He came to "fulfill" the law - which is to bring it to its intended end or goal. This aligns with Paul's statement that the law of Moses was a guardian of ethnic Israel until the coming of the promised Messiah.

We recognize that Jeremiah 29:11 is not directly applicable to us, though we learn much about man and about God in that entire passage. Why do so many not recognize this same reality with the law of Moses? The Decalogue was written on stone tablets, given to people with stone hearts who worshiped God in a stone temple. All of these stony things are gone, are not the substance of the New Covenant. The law of Christ is not a codified list of commands. Paul said of the fruit of the Spirit that against these things there is no law. Rather than a list of prohibitions and attending promises of punishment, the law of Christ is the law of love; written on fleshy hearts which are in spiritual people who are the temple of God.  Yes, the New Covenant Scriptures have many imperatives - written with pen on paper. These help us understand the law of Christ as we are still in these sinful bodies of flesh.

The narrow path is the path of love - since we are first loved by Christ, we love Him and one another. His written Word guides us, His spirit wills and equips us to do what is pleasing to Him. There is a ditch on either side of the narrow path: one side is the heavy yoke of the Mosaic Law, which no man can bear (Acts 15:10); the other side is antinomianism, the sin of thinking and living as is there is no law (1 John 3:4 - often wrongly translated as saying "sin is the breaking of the law". It says, “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” There is no reference to ‘transgressing’ in that verse – it was added by the Geneva Bible translators, and other translations (KJV, Jubilee 2000, American KJV) simply followed suit. On the other hand, the NIV, New KJV, ESV, Berean Literal, NASB, CSB, NET, NAS1977, ASV, ERV, Young's Literal all agree: sin is lawlessness.)

The narrow path is Christ focused as He leads; we walk with Moses, not led by him.

Is the Decalogue the rule of life for Christians?

The beloved Puritan, Thomas Watson, described the Decalogue as a golden chain hung around the necks of the saints, a rule of life for God's children. And he called all who disagreed with him, antinomians.

One can search the Scriptures to see if YHWH describes these tablets in such terms, but that search will be in vain. He describes the Decalogue as the Tablets of Testimony of the Mosaic Covenant; as the ministry of death. His Word tells us the law was given to INCREASE sin.

Laws given to natural, carnal, unregenerate man are normally written against certain behaviors - do not murder, do not steal, etc. The Decalogue is MAINLY such law: do not make idols, do not worship idols, do not murder, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not covet what ain't yours.  8 of the 10 words on the Decalogue are against something. The two positive words command people to rest in their homes and to obey their parents. Which of these commands require faith in God to perform? None of them. They are fit for the unregenerate community (yes, there were some believers therein, but only a few) to which they were given.

What instructions are given to the saints? We read that we are to worship God in spirit and truth; love one another as Christ has loved us; bear one another's burdens; be humble; weep and rejoice with one another; etc. Against these things, Paul said, there is no law. Such commands CANNOT be kept by those without the Holy Spirit. New Covenant, new priesthood, new law.

The Spirit's law of Life has set us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8). The Law of Moses could not bring about obedience because it was limited by the flesh. The Spirit of God brings obedience, willing and equipping us to do what is pleasing to Him.

Contrary to Andy Stanley's view, we do not throw away or "unhinge" the Hebrew Scriptures. All of what was written is for our benefit (Romans 15, 1 Cor 10). Contrary to Thomas Watson's view, the apostles declared it was contrary to the faith to require the saints to keep the Law of Moses (Acts 15). 

I do not understand why so many people claim we must go back to the Mosaic Law to know what morality is, to live by it as rule for life. Paul had perfect opportunity to make it clear, if living by Mosaic Law was our charge:

Titus 2 gives qualifications for elders, encouragement for godly living to young men, exhortation to slaves to be faithful, and finishes with this:

Titus 2:11-15 (HCSB) For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works. Say these things, and encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Not a smidgen of Moses. It's all grace. All the work of the Spirit in our lives. No written code of death that was given to an unregenerate community.

The right path is to fix our eyes on Christ, trust Him, seek wisdom to walk as Children of the light, and take care not to fall into the ditch on either side of the road.

Colquhoun's The Law and the Gospel, part 1

Years ago I read John Colquhoun's book, A Treatise on the Law and the Gospel, written in the early 1800s and recently published (2009) by Soli Deo Gloria Publications.

I decided to re-read this book, having studied many aspects of theology in the past 8 years. Below are my observations of the first half of chapter one. Lord willing, I will write up notes on the balance of the book over the coming weeks.

In the Publisher' Introduction to the 2009 edition published by Soli Deo Gloria Publications, Joel Beeke said "Colquhoun was a Reformed experiential preacher. His sermons and writings reflect those of the Marrow brethren".

In chapter 1, Colquhoun recognizes that "law" has diverse meanings in Scripture. He says law "is used to signify the declared will of God, directing and obliging mankind to do that which please Him, and to abstain from that which displeases Him. This, in the strict and proper sense of the word, is that law of God; and it is divided into the natural law and the positive law."  (page 1) He uses the classic papists and Reformed terms of moral, ceremonial, and civil law but does not divide them in the usual way; this makes following his arguments somewhat difficult.

He says the Old Testament Sabbath, which took place on the 7th day of the week, was altered to the first day under the New Testament (page 2) - but this is a passing comment with no reference to Scripture. There is no Scripture which supports this idea. He repeats this assertion on page 3, saying "It was upon moral ground that Christ the Mediator proceeded when He changed the seals of the covenant of grace, altered the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week, and instituted new ordinances of worship and government for His Church." Note this "standard Reformed fare" as Joel Beeke calls it: the covenant of grace encompasses everything and is only modified by the advent and sacrifice of Christ; whereas the Scripture tells us the Old Covenant was ended as the New Covenant pushed it aside (Hebrews 8:7 & 13). Why Reformed paedobaptists do this becomes clear as one reads more of their material: they must draw equivalence between the ekklesia of the New Covenant and that of the Old in order to establish a connection between circumcision of the flesh and water baptism. They ignore that the ekklesia of the New Covenant is all and only the believing while the ekklesia of the Old Covenant included all who underwent that religious rite of fleshly circumcision. And entrance into the New Covenant comes by circumcision of the heart, not water baptism. There are similarities but there are differences; this is the case in comparing shadow and substance.

Colquhoun goes on to say Adam was as the redeemed are, using Col 3:10 and Eph 4:24 to claim "God, then, created man in His own moral image by inscribing His law, the transcript of His own righteousness and holiness, on man's mind and heart." (page 3). Note how he inserts "moral" to modify image to make a connection to his "moral law." I find nothing in the Bible that hints at any law being inscribed on Adam's heart; we have Reformed presupposition so they can build their case to strap the Law of Moses on the backs of the saints.

On page 8 our author that the law transcribed on Adam's heart was "much obliterated" and "continues still to be, in a great degree, defaced and even obliterated in the mind of all His unregenerate offspring." Hence, when Jesus said (Hebrews 8:10) that He would write His laws on the hearts of His people, Colquhoun claims this means the law given to all men is merely inscribed "anew on the hearts of the elect." If this were true, would not we read that Jesus would re-new the law on our hearts? The author tells us "The law of creation, or the Ten Commandments, was, in the form of a covenant of works, given to the first Adam after he had been put into the garden of Eden. ... An express threatening of death, and a gracious promise of life, annexed to the law of creation, made it to Adam a covenant of works proposed; and his consent, which he as a sinless creature could not refuse, made it a covenant of works accepted." (pages 10 & 11) Pay attention to the theology of the white space: nowhere do we read that Adam was promised life if he obeyed the ONE COMMAND (not ten) given to him; nowhere do we read that Adam was given the opportunity to accept (or reject) the one command. "And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”" (Genesis 2:16-17). No promise of eternal life upon obedience, but a sober warning that death would come if he disobeyed that one command which is NOT written on the tablets of stone. Yet Colquhoun asserts that this passage "was, in effect, a summary of all the commands of the natural or moral law; obedience to it included obedience to them all, and disobedience to it was a transgression of them all at once." (page 12) This shows up on pages 18 and 22 as well. When you derive your theology from your system, rather than from the Bible, you will make bold, unsupportable claims that must be blindly accepted or taken in merely by human wisdom; those "good and necessary inferences" which are used to paper over the white spaces upon which the system rests.

Further, if Adam had been given the Decalogue, he would have known good and evil before the Fall for the law brings knowledge of sin. He did not know both good and evil until after he ate the forbidden fruit. After the Fall, after the curses spoken by God, we read, "The LORD God said, “Since man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat, and live forever.”" (Genesis 3:22) Adam was in a state of innocence before the Fall, not knowing good and evil. He knew the goodness of God and when he sinned, he knew good and evil, for evil was in his being.

Colquhoun's covenant of grace, being "standard Reformed fare," includes the Old Covenant, as he references obligations therein, found in Romans 9:31-32. He claims that every man is in this covenant and subject to its curses for disobedience! He continues with his alleged promise of life to Adam, saying, "That a promise of life was made to the first Adam, and to all his natural descendants in him, on condition of his perfect obedience during the time of his probation." (pages 14 & 15).  This latter statement is "supported" by a citation of Matthew 19:17 and Luke 10:28 wherein Jesus told Jews they would have life if they obeyed the law of Moses perfectly (page 16). He ignores the context of these passages and asserts they describe Adam's situation, as if redemptive history was an all-in-one bucket that applies to everyone at all times.

Our author is not bereft of solid teaching; we read this on page 19 speaking of those trusting in their own works for justification: "they perverted both the law and the gospel, and formed them for themselves into a motley covenant of works."

Again he asserts that the "law of nature" given to all men is the Decalogue (page 25), contradicting the biblical witness that the tablets of stone were given to national Israel and not to any other people. It IS true that the "law of nature" (which I term God's universal law) is from God and reflects the same character, but the law is not the same as that given to national Israel. Why is it inconceivable for some to see that God DOES give different laws to different people? There's no record of the Mosaic Law, in part or whole, being given to the Syrians or any other pagan nation. Why insist the Decalogue is anything more than what the Bible clearly teaches it to be - the testimony of the covenant with national Israel (Exodus 31:18, 32:15, 34:27 - 29). Consider this one aspect: the Bible tells us the weekly Sabbath was a sign between God and national Israel of the covenant He had made with them (Exodus 31:12-18; Ezekiel 20:11-13; 18-21). With this being a biblical fact, how could the Sabbath be a sign to national Israel if it was given to all mankind?

Colquhoun digs this hole deeper by claiming (page 27) that "The Apostle Paul accordingly call it (the Decalogue) "the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2)." Consider the nature of the law written on the stone tablets: 8 prohibitions; one command to rest; one command to honor one's parents. This law was written on stone, given to people with stone hearts, who ended up worshiping God in a stone temple.

When the New Covenant came, the stone temple was destroyed, the stone tablets had been lost in anticipation of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 3:14-17), and all the members of this New Covenant have new hearts of flesh (the heart is not renewed, a new one is implanted - Ezekiel 36:24-32) with the new law written thereupon. And these people are the temple of the living God! Do you see the change from shadow to substance? The priesthood was also changed and with that change, a change of law was required: Hebrews 7:12 (HCSB) "For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well." Jesus became the guarantee of a better covenant (Hebrews 7:22). Jesus obtained a superior ministry and to that degree (superior) He has become the mediator of a better covenant which has been legally enacted on better promises (Hebrews 8:6). For if that first ⌊covenant⌋ had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one. By saying, a new ⌊covenant⌋, He has declared that the first is old. And what is old and aging is about to disappear." (Hebrews 8:7 & 13) To say that the New Covenant is merely another part of the mythical "covenant of grace" which includes the Old Covenant is to ignore the explicit Biblical witness in favor of "good and necessary inferences." This is very bad theology and cannot be accepted.

Why, then, the Law?

I’m sure you have run across those who claim Paul was speaking to us in the present tense in  Galatians 3:24 when he wrote that the law was our nanny until we came to faith in Christ. There is a two-fold problem with this understanding: First, the context from the middle of chapter 2 through chapter 5 aligns with the passage in chapter 3 which provides explicit language to clarify Paul’s rhetorical question in verse 19 of chapter 3: why, then, the law? Second, a misunderstanding of the answer to this question can lead to believing just what Paul argued against in this letter.

First, does verse 24 in chapter 3 tell us the law was our nanny until we came to faith in Christ? Here’s how the KJV reads: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” In case the formatting doesn’t show up, the phrase “to bring us” is in italics, meaning it was added in by the translation team. Read the verse without that phrase: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The law did not, does not, bring anyone to Christ – the Spirit does that through the proclamation of the gospel! But that phrase was added to make it appear the law carried people to the Lord.

It is clear from the context that Paul is speaking of the Mosaic Law here. As is the case in all the New Covenant passages, the Mosaic Law is spoken of as a unit. We don’t read about this part or that division of the law. Simply the law. We read in Exodus that before Moses went up Mt Sinai to get the second set of tablets, he “came and told the people all the commands of the Lord and all the ordinances. … He then took the covenant scroll and read it aloud to the people.” (Ex 24:3 & 7) And in verse 12 we see YHWH telling Moses “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there so that I may give you the stone tablets with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.” All the law and commandments, not just the Decalogue nor everything other than the Decalogue; all the law and commandments. This is what Paul was referring to.

The word interpreted “schoolmaster” is the Greek word from which we get our word “pedagogue.” While modern definitions, such as used by the KJV, claim that word means tutor, the ancient definition referred to one who was a slave guardian of his master’s child, to make sure the child was where he needed to be, when he was supposed to be there. He was NOT a tutor or schoolmaster, but one charged with the safety of his charge.

Here’s how several other translations render that verse: “The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith.” (HCSB) The law of Moses was “our guardian” – whose guardian? Go back to chapter 2 and verse 15: “We who are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners”” The law of Moses was a guardian for the Jews by birth – national, ethnic Israel, and not to “Gentile sinners.” Some of the folk in the assembly of saints at Galatia wanted to retreat from the milk of the gospel and embrace the heavy yoke that the council in Acts 15 would overthrow. These were called “foolish Galatians” (3:1), followed up by “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh?” (vs 3) If the law brings people to Christ, why would Paul call people foolish who wanted to live under it?

This brings us to verse 19 and the question – Why, then the law? And the answer: “It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come.” Even the KJV agrees with this. The law of Moses was given because of transgressions and only until the promised Seed came. Jesus came and did His work of redemption and is with the Father on high. The law as it was given to national Israel, as a binding legal code with sanctions for violations, was only until Christ came. Paul sums up the condition of his kinsmen of the flesh in verse 23: “Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed.” Some translations do not have “this” before “faith.” No matter – the apostle is restating his message from verse 19, explaining why and when the law was given.

The law was added – had not been given before this, not to Adam, not to Abraham – to remain in place until the promised Seed came. And until faith came, for the law granted faith to nobody, Jews were in chains under the law. But when faith came, when the Messiah was glorified, verse 25 tells the good news to those who were in bondage – “we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” (verse 26)

Now back to verse 22: “But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin’s power, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” This verse does not say “the law has imprisoned everything under/in sin’s power” – it says Scripture has. Scripture tells us the entire creation was cursed when Adam fell. Scripture tells us there is no salvation except in Christ. Scripture tells us creation groans in anticipation of its new birth, when Christ returns to gather His saints on the new earth. We know that everything IS under sin’s power because of sin. Sickness and death stalk each of us. But the promise given to Abraham, that he would be the father of many nations, is incrementally consummated every time one of God’s elect is raised up to new life in Christ Jesus.

This message is given different views in chapters 4 & 5 but the message is the same: present day (in Paul’s day) Jerusalem represented the slavery of the Mosaic Law; freedom from sin comes only in Christ, the heavenly Jerusalem. The law was added until the promised Seed came. Hebrews tells us the religious rites given through Moses served as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things (Heb 8:5). When the fullness of time came, the promised Seed came and conquered sin and death and the shadows, those types found in the law, came to their end.

Why, then, the law? To show the nation of stiff-necked, loop-hole finding, law-loving Jews how wicked they were; to keep them as a nation to display God’s holiness to them and the pagan nations; to make sure they were around when the fullness of time came and the promised Seed arrived. The law was Israel’s guardian until faith came, because Israel could not keep itself. Their history shows that, if left themselves, they were every bit as wicked as the Syrians, or you and me before we were redeemed.

Once the promised Seed came, the guardian is no longer needed. Faith and the promise do not depend on fleshly procreation. By faith we become children of Abraham. Now that Christ has come, the Spirit keeps His people. The law fulfilled its role, its time is past. The covenant based on shadows and types, with fire and threats of punishment for violations of its law has ended. Faith has come in the person of the promised Seed. The law and all the other shadows of the Old Covenant no longer bind anyone with chains but, as the Spirit gives the light of understanding, serve to instruct us about our innate weakness and need for humility before God and fellow man. Just as we read with New Covenant clarity from Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John.

No need to “un-hitch” the Old Testament from our faith – all of it is from God for us. We belong to heavenly country which has different laws; given by the same God but intended for a people with hearts of flesh, not stone; people who, having been loved by God can and will love Him and one another. No need to tell one another, “know the Lord” for we all know Him. The Mosaic Law was chains for a people who needed to be told “know the Lord.” We in the New Covenant are not that people. We can see the law did not restrain national Israel from doing evil. So God gave His Spirit to will and equip us to do what is pleasing to Him.

Not under the yoke of law, which could not save nor can it lead us to Christ; it can only condemn. Therein is the danger of wrongly interpreting this passage.

New heart, new mediator, new priesthood, new covenant, new law from the new Lawgiver.  That’s the difference being in the New Covenant makes.