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Which Law?
Throughout the range of Christian churches, the enigma remains. Which Law must we keep? Various churches seem to select their own range of Laws, which sets them apart from others. Some believes that all Biblical Law has been done away, and we simply follow the Holy Spirit. No obedience seems to be directly required. Others adhere to the Commandments, but ignore the Seventh Day Sabbath. Others add some of the Laws of Moses, disregarding the rest, but what right do they have to add a law from the Law of Moses, and disregard the rest? A few groups keep the Holy Days as well, but what right do they have to keep them, but disregard the New Moons?
What is our Christian duty? We must be sure.
Christ had the following to say on the matter:
"21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
(Matthew 7:21, KJV)
We clearly need to understand and do the Will of God the Father. Iniquity means unrighteousness, lawlessness. The clear implication is that we need to become righteous, obeying the Law. Obedience is therefore required. But which Law? Let's investigate this further.
The Law of Love
The highest Law in the Bible is the Law of love, Godly love.
"35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
(Matthew 22:35-40, KJV)
These two Commandments are the basis of the Law. But how do we love? This is further defined. If we want to inherit eternal life, we will notice the Words of Christ carefully.
"16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 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."
(Matthew 19:16-17, KJV)
Christ then named some of the Ten Commandments. They are all essential. No unrepentant commandment breaker will enter eternal life.
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments can be seen to be valid and in force from the time of Adam and Noah. God has spoken them in power directly to the people at mount Sinai. We see them in Exodus 20, and also Deuteronomy 5. We also see them in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5, 6 and 7. The Covenant is based on them.
"13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone."
(Deuteronomy 4:13, KJV)
Through Christ, Christians find the way to love these Commandments, and to do them by nature from the heart. This is the essence of salvation, and eternal life.
"3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."
(2 Corinthians 3:3, KJV)
The Law of Moses?
The preceding verse gives us guidance as to the situation in the New Testament era. We have two effects on us:
1) The Ten Commandments in our heart.
2) The ministration of the Holy Spirit.
The Law of Moses was written on a book with ink, and placed in the side of the Ark of the Covenant.
"24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,
26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee."
(Deuteronomy 31:24-26, KJV)
The ministration under the Old Covenant was done by the Levites, under the letter of the Law of Moses. The ministration of the New Covenant is done by the Holy Spirit, along the guidelines of what is evident from the Law of Moses. The workings of the Holy Spirit will follow the pattern set in the Law of Moses. Thus we can identify the true Church.
"4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount."
(Hebrews 8:4-5, KJV)
Christians worship God through Christ, within the Church with identifiable patterns seen in the Law of Moses. Hence we need to study the Law of Moses. But we are not required to keep the Law of Moses in the literal sense. This was made clear at the Jerusalem conference.
"5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."
(Acts 15:5, KJV)
At the end of the conference it was decided that the uncircumcised gentile Christians do not have to keep the Law of Moses.
"19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood."
(Acts 15:19-20, KJV)
This instruction was followed in the Church.
"18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication."
(Acts 21:18-25, KJV)
However, the Church has a duty to preach Christ out of the Law of Moses.
"23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening."
(Acts 28:23, KJV)
It is therefore needful of the Church to teach the Law of Moses, to understand it's spiritual implications as to how Christians relate to Christ, and through Christ in the Heavenly sanctuary to God, and to have prior knowledge of the coming Kingdom of God. This ties in with the parables of Christ.
"11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:"
(Mark 4:11)
The Ten Commandments is the Covenant, and is universal for all time and all places, but the Law of Moses was intended for the Kingdom in Judea that was to be established by the Israelites.
"12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.
13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it."
(Deuteronomy 4:12-14, KJV)
Thus the gospel was preached to them in the desert, concerning the future Kingdom, which would be implemented in Judea.
"1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."
(Hebrews 4:1-2, KJV)
So also the Gospel of the Kingdom must be preached in the Church of God. We need to learn the Law of Moses, but the actual keeping thereof is not required at this stage. We are to wait for the Kingdom of God, preparing to enter it.
"50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God."
(John 23:50-51, KJV)
Hence we wait on the Lord. We are not at liberty to do the Law of Moses. There are many pitfalls to those who think they can implement it. Even among the Jews there are many different interpretations and implementations, causing divisions. We will wait on Christ to teach the precise and correct interpretation. We therefore wait on the Lord.
Speaking to His disciples who will go out to preach the Gospel, Christ said the following:
"32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately."
(Luke 12:32-36, KJV)
Apart from the Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses
Apart from the Ten Commandments that must be kept, and the Law of Moses that must be learned, there are other instructions, evident from before the Law of Moses was given to Israel to be established in Judea. The first is evident from Noah during the year of the flood. It entails making a distinction between clean and unclean animals for consumption of food. This is further explained in Leviticus 11. We also see the tithing principle in Genesis 14:20 and Genesis 28:22, as well as Hebrews 7:1-12. Furthermore, there are other instructions from the Jerusalem conference in Acts 15:20. Then, most importantly, we must also follow the sayings of Christ (Luke 6:46).
Summary
We can therefore make the following statements:
1) We must keep the Ten Commandments.
2) We must follow the sayings of Christ.
3) We must follow the instructions of the Apostles, as they apply to our particular circumstances.
4) We must refrain from unclean meat, any strangled animals, blood, fornication and pollutions of idols.
5) We must tithe our real increase to the Church of God.
6) We must learn the Law of Moses, but are not required to keep it.
7) We must know the prophecies and watch them unfold in world events.
This is the mission of the Christians in the Church of God (Seventh Day). The Church provides the complete education for the Christian to grow to the full measure of Christ. Once we set our hearts to learn from the Word of God, we can begin to experience the love of God, and the faith of Christ.
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