THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW

Salvation by Grace through faith was NEVER plan B as many seem to think. It wasn't as if God thought the law would work at first, then when He discovered it wouldn't work, He decided to opt for plan B, which is grace through faith in Christ's death and resurrection. NO!

The law was never intended by God from the beginning to be the standard for attaining justification and righteousness in His kingdom or for receiving the promise of the Spirit and eternal life.

There is no law you can keep and no commandment you can obey that can justify you before God or make you righteous by the standard of His kingdom.

Romans 3v20 -Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Even if you were able to obey all the commandments, you still will not receive the promise of the Spirit or eternal life.

Galatians 3v21 -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.

And this was not a later discovery to God, He knew this was the case from the beginning.

Acts 15v11 -But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

v18 - Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

God knew from the beginning of the world, that salvation, justification and eternal life would be by grace, through faith in the death and resurrection of Christ.

That was why the lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the world.

Rev 13v8 -...the lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

And remission through His blood foreordained before the foundation of the world.

1Peter 1v19-20 -But with the precious blood of Christ, as of the lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was FOREORDAINED before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

The law was given to bring men to the end of themselves and then introduce them to God's saviour -Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3v24 -Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

It was given to shut men up, silence their pride, and bring them to the end of their self-righteousness and then introduce them to God's righteousness, which is through faith in Christ.

Romans 3v19 -Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

So that God can now introduce us to His righteousness, which is by faith in Christ Jesus

v21 -But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

v22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Secondly, the law was a prison to restrain transgressors, pending when faith in Christ would bring the cure to sin through Christ's death and resurrection.

Gal 3v19 -Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made;

Its like when there is a zombie apocalypse or a disease epidemic, and those infected are contained and restrained in a prison or a containment facility, while scientists are working on a cure. That is the law.

Gal 3v23 -But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up (or imprisoned) unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

The law is not the cure to sin, it was just a prison, a containment facility for transgressors, pending when faith in Christ, through His death and resurrection would bring the cure to sin.

Galatians 3v21 -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.

v22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Only through the blood of Christ do we have remission for sins. Only through faith in His death and resurrection are we imputed with the life of Christ and the gift of righteousness. And only by being filled and led of His Spirit do we work out that life of Christ and the righteousness.

Galatians 3v25 - But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

v26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Trying to preach the law to those who now have the Spirit, is tantamount to keeping those who have been cured still under containment.

1Timothy 1v7 -Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

v8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

v9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, ...

So what do we preach to the new creation? We preach the new commandment -LOVE.

John 13v34 - A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Love is the new commandment for the new creation. That is what we preach through Christ to the new creation and walk in as new creation.

And how do we obey and walk in love? Is it by struggling and pretending to fake or force the love? No! It is by surrendering to the Spirit.

Romans 5v5 -And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that we've already been given. Every christian who has the Spirit, has by default, the ability to love God and love like God, through the Spirit. We only need to learn surrender to that Spirit.

But wait a minute, are you trying to tell us that we don't need to keep the ten commandments anymore? Yes, that's exactly what I am saying!

Jesus called love the new commandment. When God calls one new, it is because He has made the former old and obsolete.

Hebrews 8v13 - By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

God does not bring in the new to run with the old, He brings in the new to replace the former.

Hebrews 10v9 -Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

Hebrews 7v18 - The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless.

Ephesians 2v15 - He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.

So yes, that's exactly what I am saying. We don't need the ten commandments anymore. We are to be Spirit filled and led now, as the new creation. We are to practise surrender to the Spirit.

Romans 7v6 - But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

The more we learn how to stay filled and led of the Spirit, the more the love-life of Christ becomes our natural lifestyle -even without the ten commandments.

You can't be led of the Spirit and of the law at the same time.

Galatians 5v18 -But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Carnal christians don't need the ten commandments, they need surrender to the Holy Spirit. The love of Christ is not shed in our hearts by the ten commandments. Infact legalistic christians tend to be the most loveless set of people.

The love of Christ is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5v16 -This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

He didn't say "Do not fulfil the lust of the flesh, and ye shall walk in the Spirit". He said "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh".

If you walk in love by walking in the Spirit, you won't need any ten commandments to tell you not to cheat on you wife, or not to commit murder, or not to bear false witness against your neighgour. The love of God shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit will constrain you.

2Cor 5v14 - For the love of Christ constraineth us; ...

Joseph lived centuries before Moses, yet he didn't need any ten commandments to make him flee fornication with potipher's wife. His love for God and His master constrained Him.

Genesis 39v9 -There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

The law and the ten commandments are not against the Spirit and love. But they don't walk together or work hand-in-hand either. When the Spirit and the love comes, the law and the ten should step back. Just as Moses and Elijah (the law and the prophet) disappeared on the mount of transfiguration -leaving only Jesus (grace).

Mark 9v8 -And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man anymore, SAVE JESUS ONLY with themselves.

To be Spirit filled and led is the way to obey the new commandment of LOVE. If we practise surrender to the Spirit, we will love God, and love men like God.

Shalom.