I’m writing more on the Law today! I’m realizing how important it is to get certain aspects of Bible Theology correct. What we believe to be truth from the Word of God and how we interpret the Bible into our Truth Belief Systems matter. These belief systems inform how we read other passages and create our biases.

In my early understanding of God and how he engaged with His people, I thought that salvation was given differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. Well, I’m learning that this is just plain wrong.

Salvation is and always has been by faith in the knowledge of the revelation of God to man that had been made in whatever biblical history one was born in. It’s always been about faith, but how it showed up differed from different historical vantage points. This is why in Hebrews 11, the faith chapter, we see many Old Testament characters obtain ‘righteousness’ and eternal life because of their faith, from Abel to Abraham to Rahab, the prostitute.

So what does the Law have to do with any of this? Aren’t we under the Age of Grace? The Law isn’t gone. Yes, Jesus fulfilled the Law. He was the only human to keep the Law perfectly, which is what the Law demands. It condemns all those who cannot keep it perfectly—which is ALL HUMANITY!

The law lays out the problem, which is SIN! But the law has no power to redeem and justify; that power comes only through the blood of Messiah, NOT through the Law of Moses or the blood of bulls or goats. (Hebrews 9:12-15)

Paul brings this exact point up:

“For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” (Ro 3:28)

Paul is making the logical conclusion that the deeds of the law cannot justify humanity. This point is challenging for many Christians, but it has been challenging to parse out inside Adventism’s Theological Framework. But Paul is CLEAR, the righteousness of God is WITHOUT THE LAW:

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Ro 3:21–23)

Paul’s line or argument to the Christians in Rome is the same line of thinking he makes to the Gentile Christians in Galatians who are being persuaded by the Judaizers to the law (Torah observant).

“Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” (Ga 2:16)

I wonder if any group, sect, or denomination that pushes the Law, similar to the Judaizers in the early Christian church, would be met with the same pushback today?

The promise of salvation is purely and simply stated in a small book that few of us ever read or study, Habakkuk 2:4,

“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.” (Hab 2:4)

This is the Old Testament passage that Paul was thinking about when he states this to the Galatians:

“Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?” (Ga 3:2)

We must be honest with our theology. Do we act as if our salvation comes from the LAW or the SPIRIT?

The Law will only produce DEATH and CONDEMNATION.

Now, if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. (2 Co 3:7–9)

It’s time to get honest about our belief system and cast away any theology that teaches being right with God through works of the Law. There is NOTHING but faith in the name of Jesus that can save you!

Works of the Law never have or will play ANY role in our Salvation!

So my question is this:

Do you want to try to obey part of the Law? (the 10 Commandments) Do you want to be Torah observant?

I know this truth… No matter who you are… as you are reading this… you have VIOLATED ALL OF THE LAW. No matter what small part of the law you try to keep: the Sabbath, Idols, Food laws, etc. You have violated it because you CANNOT keep it! The Law has come to an end. It has been rendered inoperative because God has offered a better law, the LAW OF MESSIAH, which through the New Covenant gives regeneration, removal of sin, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

(More to come on the Law of Messiah)