Law of God *What is the Law of God? This incorporates all rules and commands issued by God for humans. These rules and commands are in three different forms today: 1. The first being the natural Law of God. Or, better put, this is God's creation. God speaks to us in many ways just through His creation. For example the law of gravity, God created and maintains its existence. So if you're under a falling object, you know that God's Law states that it will fall straight down unless either one of two conditions occur. Either, another of God's Laws, like wind, diverts its coarse or God provides a miracle. 2. The second being the written Law of God. The Bible is full of rules and commands handed down by God. The most significant ones are the Ten Commandments given to Moses. In general, though, most of the written laws were written to aid the people during the time period of the writing. People during those days were very naïve. Unlike us today, they weren't aware of germs, spoilage, disease, or many other aspects of life that could shorten their own. God wanted people to live a long time without having to die for a very easily preventable act. So God issued numerous rules and commands as well as judgments for Judges to follow. 3. The third is the spoken Law of God. Like Abraham and the burning bush or Moses and the Ten Commandments, God spoke directly issuing His directives. Today, it might be done in a dream or an event. However it is done, God is dispensing very important information directly to the individual/s. *How is it that we can be under grace rather than the Law of God? The laws that God created, for all of us humans, were created knowing that we would break them. The Old Testament believers, primarily the Jewish community, were required to perform certain acts for the remission of sins. When Jesus came to earth those old requirements were replaced by us believing in Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus paid the price, He shed His blood so we would not have to go through any ritualistic shedding of blood as they did in the Old Testament times. --- Matthew Henry's commentary on Romans 3:31 Romans 3:28-31 "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law." (from New International Version) As if this doctrine did nullify the law, which they knew came from God: "No," says he, "though we do say that the law will not justify us, yet we do not therefore say that it was given in vain, or is of no use to us; no, we establish the right use of the law, and secure its standing, by fixing it on the right basis. The law is still of use to convince us of what is past, and to direct us for the future; though we cannot be saved by it as a covenant, yet we own it, and submit to it, as a rule in the hand of the Mediator, subordinate to the law of grace; and so are so far from overthrowing that we establish the law." Let those consider this who deny the obligation of the moral law on believers. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.) --- *What was the first Law of God? In Genesis 1:28 "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (from New International Version) *What was the first Law of God that was broken? The first Law of God that was ever broken was the one issued to both Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This was the command not to eat from a particular tree Genesis 2:15-17 "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (from New International Version) Of which both, Adam and Eve, disobeyed. With this command, God also included the ultimate result for disobedience "you will surely die". Not necessarily that it was punishment, but more the fact that it was a requirement. [refer to "Original Sin"] *Bible References: Romans 2:12-13 "All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." (from New International Version) Romans 3:19-20 "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." (from New International Version) Romans 3:28-31 "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law." (from New International Version) Romans 4:13-15 "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, 15 because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression." (from New International Version) Romans 5:20-21 "The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (from New International Version) Collations 2:20-23 "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." (from New International Version) Galatians 2:15-16 "We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' 16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified." (from New International Version) Galatians 3:19-22 "What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. 21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe." (from New International Version) 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 "For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." (from New International Version) 1 John 3:4 "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness." (from New International Version) *Non-Biblical References: blank *Overview: We are not justified by observing the law, but justified by faith in Christ. We also know that we died with Christ. Yet, we know that everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. *Additional Links: blank