Two Kinds of Law

    The Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) is said to contain 613 statutes or laws covering the priesthood and community and individual welfare. These laws of God can be classified in two general categories:

1. Laws defining sin: identify principles of right and wrong and establish ethical standards.

2. Laws of atonement: “Added because of transgression.”

    The first type of law has existed from creation and the second type was instituted later as a result of the transgression of already defined laws. The Bible student will have no trouble in “rightly dividing the word of truth” if he remembers to classify each of God’s laws and commandments under the appropriate category.

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman
that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2: 15).

    Learning the rules of “rightly dividing” removes contradiction and makes the Bible an easy book to understand. Many theologians and earnest Bible scholars attempt to interpret scripture without first recognizing a law's purpose or type. Far too many Christian writings reflect great confusion about the law.

A. Do not remove a text from its proper setting.
     Read the verses around it to be sure you have the complete
    thought. Statements can be twisted in meaning when taken  out
    of the context where modifying statements provide  important
    details.

B. Establish the overall subject of the chapter or section of
     Scripture.

C. Compare the passage with other related scriptures.

        The Bible completely harmonizes within itself. If there appears to be a conflict, the problem lies in our own understanding.

        We can destroy ourselves and those who we teach by failing to study and rightly divide the Word of God!

        To illustrate the importance of properly dividing God’s word according to meaning and context, let us read what otherwise look like contradictory statements in the New Testament:

“For we know that the law is spiritual:” (Romans 7: 14).

“The law of a carnal commandment,” (Hebrews 7:16).

“The perfect law of liberty,” (James 1: 25).

“The law made nothing perfect,” (Hebrews 7: 19).

“The doers of the law shall be justified” ( Romans 2:13).

“No man is justified by the law in the sight of God,”
(Galatians 3:1 1).

    Without knowing to which type of law these verses refer, we have quite a dilemma to understand God’s message. Surely it is not God’s intent to confuse us.

“For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us” (Isa 33:22).
“There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” (James 4:12).

    The phrase “the law of Moses” has been the source of much mis-understanding of scripture. Bible texts tell us there is only one lawgiver—God. Moses did not originate any religious law. He did however, proclaim and administrate the laws which God gave to him.
        Colossians chapter two discusses circumcision and the putting away of sin.
Col. 2:17 mentions “shadow” laws which pointed toward Christ. These were not God’s laws which define sin but were laws that governed the old covenant and were replaced under the new covenant. “Shadow” laws belonged to the sacrificial system; Christ was the final perfect sacrifice of that system.
        Paul is greatly concerned that both Jew and Gentile accept, by faith, their justification and atonement through Christ rather than relying on physical requirements of the Old Covenant.

“Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator” (Gal 3:19).
 “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Heb 9:15).

    Gal. 3:19 speaks of a law “added because of transgressions, till the seed should come.” God’s moral laws already existed. Otherwise, there could not have been any transgression. Moral law having been violated, the “added” laws were given to provide restoration and atonement.
        Paul further states that if atonement and forgiveness could have been perfectly provided through the sacrificial laws, then the perfect atonement of Christ would not have been needed.

“Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law” (Gal 3:21).

        In Galatians 2 and 3 Paul cautions that some apostles were being carried back into the “law of works”—circumcision and other atonement's. He explains that such "works" were our “schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Rom 5:8-11).

        The substituted offering of Christ upon the cross is the LAMB slain for our sins. His perfect sacrifice completely releases us from guilt and penalty—but only through our repentance and spiritual justification by “faith in Christ.”

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” (Col 2:14).

    The mission of Christ was to provide the perfect atonement for sin, which the “added law” could not accomplish with animal sacrifices.

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins... Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

 “Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
“And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” (Heb 10:1-12).

    Certain judgments have only been postponed while grace operates in greater measure. Had the change or annulment of law affected the MORAL LAW, ALL LAWS would have fallen together—atonement and judgments included. Man would have been cleared of sin, telling him that sin is no longer sin! In other words, what God had once declared to be sinful, He would now say is not sinful!

        God says He changes not (Mal. 3:6), and that He cannot look upon evil (Heb. 1: 13). Can a holy righteous God not demand obedience from those who profess to love and follow him? Keep in mind, if sin does not exist, we need no redeemer and we face no judgment! Compare this false reasoning with such texts as:

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

“For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26).

“Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression” (Romans 4:15).

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4).

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” ( Psalms 19:7).

    God’s moral and ethical standards remain for all of mankind. Penalty and judgment for sin will still be imposed against the unrepentant. The laws of ATONEMENT, however, were replaced by "something  better”—Christ’s perfect atonement—which God promised from the beginning.

“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Mat 19:16).

And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments” (Mat 19:17).

    Christ fulfilled the ordinance of baptism to establish its purpose. “It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.”

“And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him” (Matt 3:13).

    Those who believe and follow Christ are instructed to fulfill all righteousness by keeping God’s commandments, remembering that the spiritual creature is “subject to the law of God.”

“Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:18).

“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (1 Cor 15:34).

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth
not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him”
(1 John 3:4, 6).

    This text makes it very clear that God has LAWS which still remain. For where there is no law, there is no sin. Did Christ die to change God’s standards, or to remove laws of righteousness and holiness? Did He die to make void any laws which DEFINE sin? That would have constituted the "removal of our sins through the process of taking away the law which defines sin!" In such a case, the whole world is SAVED—without need of repentance! With the disappearance of the “Laws of definition” which tell us what sin is, sin also has disappeared. Hence there are no sinners!

    Such a conclusion cannot be correct. Such reasoning represents the act of “wrongly dividing the Scriptures.” It certainly is not “rightly dividing,” as the apostle Paul charges us to do! For Paul declares that the GREAT TRAGEDY OF SIN is still with us!

“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet” (Romans 7:7).

    Paul refers to a law that could not be abrogated, because it defines sin, and sets forth God’s royal standard of righteousness.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound ? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1 2).

    In Paul’s message to the Romans he charged them NOT to live in sin as Christians. Since “sin is the transgression of the law” (Ten Commandments) the apostle Paul followed directly in the steps of the Master in upholding the righteous standards of God.

    The following facts show the manifest distinction between the moral and the ceremonial law.

1. Was spoken by God (Deut. 4: 12).

2. Was written by God on “tables of stone” (Ex. 24: 12).

3. Was “right,” “true,” and “good” (Neh. 9:13).

4. Was a law, “which if a man do, he shall even live in it” (Eze. 20:11, 13, 1).

5. Was a “perfect” law (Psa. 19:7).

6. Christ did not “come to destroy” it (Matt. 5:17).

7. He came to “magnify” it and make it “honorable” (Isa. 42:21).

8. Every “Jot” and “tittle” of this shall stand (Matt. 5: 18).

9. Of this, Christ says, “Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these
    least commandments,...shall be called... least in the kingdom of heaven”
    (Matt. 5:19).

10. Was a “law of liberty” (James 2: 10 12).

11 . I s “established” through faith in Christ (Rom. 3: 31).

12. Is “spiritual” (Rom. 7:14).

13. Is “holy,” and “good” (Rom. 7:12).

14. Was “written with the finger of God,” and is called the “royal law”
      (Ex. 31:18, James 2:10 12).

15. Was proclaimed by God Himself  “and He added no more”
       (Deut. 5: 22).

16. Is the “commandments of God” which are brought to view in the third angels message, (Rev 14: 12) which will insure to those who observe them, a “right to the tree of life” (Rev. 22: 14).

1. Was spoken by Moses (Deut. 1:1 6).

2. Was written by Moses “in a book” (Deut. 3 1:24).

3. Was “not good” (Eze. 20:25).

4. Was a law “whereby they should not live” (Eze. 20:25).

5. “Made nothing perfect” (Heb. 7:19).

6. He “abolished” it (Eph. 2:15).

7. He took it “out of the way” at his death (Col. 2:14).

8. Was only “added till” and passed away when the Seed came (Gal. 3:19).

9. Of the other, the apostle said, “We gave no such commandment” that ye
    should “keep the law” (Acts 15:24).

10. Was a “yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1).

11. “Was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ” (Gal. 3: 24 25).

12. Is “the law of a carnal commandment” (Heb. 7:16).

13. Is “enmity against us” ( Eph. 2:15) and “contrary to us” (Col. 2:14).

14. Was the “handwriting of ordinances” (Col. 2:14).

15. “Was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator” (Gal. 3: 19) .

16. Is “the law of commandments contained in ordinances” (Eph. 2:15).

17. “A shadow of good things to come” (Heb. 7:18).

18.  Written on stones (Deu 27:2-4).
 

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19).

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4).

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty” (James 2:10 12).

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:2.3).

The Conclusion Of The Whole Matter

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man,” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14: 12).

“Blessed are they that do his commandments , that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14).

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).