There are a few topics in Christianity that engender more debate than others. These topics flare up tempers and inspire seemingly-endless ingenuity as we seek to understand them better and clarify our positions more precisely. One such topic is the law of God. Some go so far as to say that the Old Testament law holds absolutely no value for the New Testament Christian, while others go to the opposite extreme in believing that the entirety of the law is still binding. In between these two extremes exist a thousand shades of antinomianism and theonomy. It seems that every denomination has a slightly different view of the law of God.
I don't want to discuss that today. In fact, I don't know that I could really commit to an exact description of my own view. I think the two extremes are, well, extreme, and many of the views in the middle have good points. It's a complex issue.
One thing I do know, however, is that the Law of God, the Old Testament Torah, is not a bad thing. I think this is very important to remember. Many people, even Christians, tend to read the Old Testament laws as oppressive, outdated, and superstitious. We can debate what parts of the Law apply to us today, as well as how they apply to us, but we must spurn any interpretation that views the law as inherently a bad thing. It's difficult to read passages like Psalm 19 and condone this pervasive view. David says that the law is perfect, pure, clean, and more desirable than gold and honey! That doesn't sound like the words of someone who feels oppressed by God's commands!
Nevertheless, the New Testament tells us that the law of God was inadequate, not because of its own inherent inferiority, but because mankind was unable to obey it perfectly. Therein lies the superiority of the Gospel--it is able to overcome the weakness of man! All the Law can do for sinful mankind is condemn us, but the glory of the Gospel is demonstrated in that it is superior to the law of God, which was glorious in its own right.
As we read the Old Testament Law, if, in fact, we do, it's important to remember why it was put away. These many laws were not put away because they are oppressive, outdated, or superstitious. They were put away because something greater has come. Jesus, the true Lamb of God has come, so we don't need to offer carnal sacrifices anymore. Jesus, God incarnate, has come and tabernacled among us, so we no longer need a physical Temple in which to worship. Jesus, the Sabbath of God, has brought us rest, so we no longer need to observe days, months, and years. The Antitype has been revealed, which leaves the types with no purpose but to teach us more about the Antitype. The Old Testament laws have been put away, not because the law is bad, but because Christ is better.
I don't want to discuss that today. In fact, I don't know that I could really commit to an exact description of my own view. I think the two extremes are, well, extreme, and many of the views in the middle have good points. It's a complex issue.
One thing I do know, however, is that the Law of God, the Old Testament Torah, is not a bad thing. I think this is very important to remember. Many people, even Christians, tend to read the Old Testament laws as oppressive, outdated, and superstitious. We can debate what parts of the Law apply to us today, as well as how they apply to us, but we must spurn any interpretation that views the law as inherently a bad thing. It's difficult to read passages like Psalm 19 and condone this pervasive view. David says that the law is perfect, pure, clean, and more desirable than gold and honey! That doesn't sound like the words of someone who feels oppressed by God's commands!
Nevertheless, the New Testament tells us that the law of God was inadequate, not because of its own inherent inferiority, but because mankind was unable to obey it perfectly. Therein lies the superiority of the Gospel--it is able to overcome the weakness of man! All the Law can do for sinful mankind is condemn us, but the glory of the Gospel is demonstrated in that it is superior to the law of God, which was glorious in its own right.
As we read the Old Testament Law, if, in fact, we do, it's important to remember why it was put away. These many laws were not put away because they are oppressive, outdated, or superstitious. They were put away because something greater has come. Jesus, the true Lamb of God has come, so we don't need to offer carnal sacrifices anymore. Jesus, God incarnate, has come and tabernacled among us, so we no longer need a physical Temple in which to worship. Jesus, the Sabbath of God, has brought us rest, so we no longer need to observe days, months, and years. The Antitype has been revealed, which leaves the types with no purpose but to teach us more about the Antitype. The Old Testament laws have been put away, not because the law is bad, but because Christ is better.
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