Faith, Grace and Law
1. What is law?
Law is a rule or a set of rules, enforceable, regulating the behavior of those under which it has authority. The short definition is a rule of conduct.
2. Is there law under the new covenant?
There are two laws spoken of in the new testament. The most common one directly mentioned as law is in reference back to the law of Moses. In Acts 13:39, Paul made a reference to the law of Moses that is of particular relevance to this lesson. Paul said, "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Paul made a reference here to the law of Moses and in doing so he made a very important observation. The law of Moses cannot justify anyone. The word justify means to 'make just' or to declare one to be innocent. The Hebrew writer further explains this in Hebrews 10:4, where he wrote, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." The animal sacrifices under the law of Moses were incapable of taking away the sins of the people. All they did was to accomplish what is referred to as atonement. Atonement is another word for appeasement. The animal sacrifices were only capable of appeasing God's wrath for a period of time. The Hebrew writer tells us when this time was in Hebrews 9:15, where we read, "And for this cause he [Jesus Christ] 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." Under the law of Moses, the sins of the people were only atoned for until the death of Christ on the cross at which time His blood then provided the total and complete forgiveness of their sins.
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