The law in the Old Testament was given according to Scripture to be a schoolmaster to show us that we needed a savior. That no one was perfect or could keep up with all of the commandments in the Word of God (The Holy Bible). There are 2,713 commands in the law of Moses, these do not include the 106 commands that were given in the Book of Genesis prior to the life of Moses. Reference (Finis Dake Annotated Reference Bible, authorized King James Version p. 177). Obviously we are not going to be able to keep all of the commands flawlessly and if we do not, then we must be judged by the law, which leads to death usually. In James 2:10 it says, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” Thank God that we are saved by Grace and not by works. There is a Spirit out there that tries to keep people under the law of the Old Testament, it has been around since the beginning. Paul addresses this spirit in the Epistle (Letter) that was written to the Galatians. The Galatians had already received the gospel message (That Christ died for their sins), but these Judaizers were trying to put them back under the law of works, to make yourself right with God. In Ephesians it says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” You are saved through faith, not of works!!! People would love to take credit for what the Lord has already done, try to show that they are worthy. I got news for you, you are not worthy at all. It is only by Grace that you and I have been saved, nothing else. Jesus did say that the not one tittle of the law was going to be destroyed until the end and that the law was perfect. Do you know why He said this? Because He is going to use it to judge those who do not believe in Him on judgment day, that’s why!
In the New Testament the Pharisees and Sadducees were following Jesus around always trying to use the law to condemn Him, but Jesus constantly corrected them with their interpretation of it. Jesus actually would take them to an even higher level then they even understood. I will give you an example of this with just one of these incidents. We are going to talk about Adultery. Jesus said to the Pharisees ““You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28). You see Jesus was letting them know that He knew their motives, their intentions and that He knows what is going on in their hearts. They were not believers and they were actually trying to put people back into bondage thru the law of Moses. The next time someone tries to put this unnecessary yoke upon you, correct them twice according to Scripture, then if they do not take the correction, the Word of God, tells us to have nothing to do with them. But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned. (Titus 3:9-11 NKJV). I hope that you have a better understanding about why the law was given and remember the law is black and white, there is no gray area, no mercy, and definitely no grace in the law, that is the reason why Scripture tells us that Jesus fulfilled the law when He died on the cross, and Jesus’ statement from the cross confirms this when He said “It is finished.” He was speaking about the fulfillment of the law, because it says that there is no remission of sins without the shedding of blood and according to the law if you were to kill and innocent man, then your blood was required of you. Well, guess what? This is where Satan lost his grip on humanity, because Jesus actually fulfilled this requirement, because He was sinless!!! Well, I hope that the LORD blesses you through this study and that you do not come under the bondage of this spirit that continues to ensnare people with the wiles of the Devil, and that you follow up with Ephesians chapter 2 and the book of Galatians to get a better understanding on this subject. May God Bless You and keep you from the lies of the enemy, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Law: all the rules that tell people what they must or must not do, made by the government of a city, state, nation, etc. (the law of the land).
Matthew 22:35-40
One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Galatians 3:24-26
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Romans 13:8-10 (NKJV)
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Galatians 5:13-15
For you have been called to live in freedom – not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
James 2:8-13
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Luke 6:27-28 (NKJV)
“But I tell you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
( Side Note:) These are the four laws of love, you will notice that they are action words, a verb is an action and God has told us to do these things accordingly. Especially to those who do these things to us.
John 13:34-35
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
( Side Note: ) You will notice that this is the only new commandment that Jesus gave us, that we should love one another as He has loved us. Not as we know how to love one another. He said that there is no greater love than a man lay down his life for his friends. The question is, have you been doing that lately? Putting others above ourselves is not natural for our sinful natures, but as Christians it is crucial that we do this. That is exactly what Jesus did by coming down here to earth and taking our place on the cross.
John 15:9-17
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. You are my friends if you obey me. I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love each other.