The Law of Moses versus the Law of the Spirit – Part 1
The Law of Moses versus the Law of the Spirit
How The New Covenant Differs from the Old
The Law of Moses Versus The Law of The Spirit – Part 1
Updated November 25, 2023
Introduction:
It was the night of His apprehension by the Jews that Christ revealed to us that His original 12 apostles were not yet converted.
Luk 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
They had been with him for three and a half years. They had been given the gifts of healing and casting out devils. They had witnessed men who were born lame walk, and men who were born blind see. They had fed thousands with but a few loaves and fishes. They had witnessed the Lord walking on the water and commanding the wind and the sea to be calm, and they had witnessed Christ raising the 12-year old girl and Lazarus from the dead. Christ’s original 12 apostles, as types of us, “came behind in no gift [and they] were yet carnal… babes in Christ” (1Co 1:7, 3:1-4).
Then after three and a half years of being spoon fed the basic doctrines of Christ, the Lord was betrayed by one of his own very closest associates. He was rejected and crucified by “His own”, who insisted that the Roman authorities carry out His crucifixion.
Act 3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
Act 3:14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
Act 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
Fifty days after His death and resurrection, the holy spirit was given to 120 people who had remained faithful to the man who had died for their sins. The day of Pentecost was just the beginning of their conversion. There was still much for these new converts to learn about why the Lord had “broken the law” of Moses by healing a man and telling him to “take up [his] bed and walk… on the sabbath day.”
Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
They still did not understand why their Lord had taken the time to speak to the Samaritan woman at the well and then spent two days teaching the Samaritans who had responded to that woman’s witness of “a man who told me all I ever did.”
Joh 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
Joh 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
Joh 4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
Joh 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
Joh 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
Joh 4:30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
Joh 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
Joh 4:40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
Joh 4:41 And many more believed because of his own word;
This mystery of why Christ would speak to anyone who was not a Jew troubled the very apostles of Christ for many years to come. It is after Stephen was martyred, after Saul of Tarsus was converted and after Peter was sent to the house of the Gentile Roman centurion that we are told the disciples “travelled as far as Phenice and Cyprus, and [Syrian] Antioch preaching the Word to none but to the Jews only” (Act 11:19):
Act 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
In our time we might think it strange that the apostles and the whole Jewish Christian church were still ‘marveling that Christ had talked with a Samaritan’ even after Peter had been sent by the holy spirit to the house of another Gentile named Cornelius, a Roman centurion in Caesarea. The whole Jewish Christian church struggled to accept the truth that the law of Moses was being “done away” and replaced with “a better hope, a better testament and a better covenant established on better promises.”
Heb 7:19 For the law [of Moses] made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Heb 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
2Co 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
That struggle continues until this very day throughout the entire Christian church which still believes that the Lord regards Abraham’s physical descendants to be “the Israel of God” and that the Lord will bless those who bless physical Israel and curse those who curse physical Israel. That false doctrine has been the basis of the foreign policy of the United States ever since before the establishment of the state of Israel, which still denies their own Savior and are for the most part secular Jews.
Not one Christian in a thousand believes these inspired words of God:
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
The blindness of the Christian world to the Truth of those words is a supernatural work of our Lord who, concerning “the multitudes” of both Christians and Jews, plainly states:
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
There is more to this supernatural blindness than simply speaking in parables. There is also a supernatural blindness to these simple, straightforward words:
Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
It is a rare Christian indeed who believes that Christ “broke the sabbath”. The false doctrine which is used of our Lord to keep Christians and Jews from seeing with their eyes and hearing with their ears, “lest they should be converted” is that Christ kept the law of Moses perfectly or He would not be sinless.
Did Christ claim God as His Father? Yes, He certainly did!
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Did Christ break the sabbath? Yes. He healed the man and then deliberately told the man to “take up your bed and walk” which was contrary to the law of Moses which forbade any work on the sabbath. In Mattew 12 the Lord confesses to “doing that which is not lawful [and] profaning the sabbath” by not preparing for the sabbath on the sixth day as required by the law of Moses:
Mat 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
Mat 12:2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
Mat 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
Mat 12:4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
Mat 12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
Mat 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
Mat 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
When confronted by the Pharisees for “doing that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day” did our Lord deny that accusation? No, not at all! He rather acknowledged that he had indeed done that which was not lawful, and defended His unlawful actions by pointing to David when David unlawfully did eat the shewbread which was “not lawful for him to eat.” The Lord went on to justify “doing that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day” by pointing to “the priests in the temple [who] profane the sabbath, and are guiltless.” Christ concluded His defense of His actions with what the Pharisees no doubt considered to be truly blasphemous words:
Mat 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
Mat 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Christ confessed that He “did that which it was not lawful for Him to do… [he confessed that he had] profaned the sabbath” and yet He pronounced Himself to be “greater than the temple… guiltless [and] Lord even of the sabbath day.” He never once denied breaking the sabbath.
Yet He did say:
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
There is obviously a great misunderstanding of which ‘commandments’ Christ was referring to in Matthew 5, and the goal of this study is to understand the difference between the law of Moses and the law of the spirit.
The law of God is surely a revelation of the very character and personality of God. Yet the scriptures appear to many to be filled with contradictions on this subject.
For example, Christ says:
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [ them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
From this point on, Christ begins a series of six ‘you have heard it said by them of old time…’ followed by, “but I say unto you…” In every case, the “but I say unto you…” is a dramatic change from “the law” which Christ quotes every time He says “you have heard it said by them of old time…”
In several instances, Christ’s teachings flatly contradict the law of Moses. This is all done immediately after warning us “whosoever… shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.”
How can this be? The writings of the Apostle Paul contain “these things… which are… hard to be understood” by “they that are unlearned and unstable…” (2Pe 3:16).
Paul asks the question “Do we then make void [Greek: katargeo] the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Rom 3:31). Yet later he says, “having abolished [same Greek word katargeo] in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances…” (Eph 2:15).
Is the law “abolished” or not? These are just a couple of examples of the confusion that is the rule whenever “the law” is discussed.
In this study we will demonstrate that neither Christ nor Paul contradicted themselves. We will do this by showing that there are two completely separate laws under discussion in the scriptures.
It will be revealed that generally the phrase “the law” when it stands alone refers to the law of Moses. It will also be shown in graphic detail how this law is “oldness of letter” and is completely different and separate from the “newness of spirit” (Rom 7:6). It will be shown how in many instances the “newness of spirit” flatly contradicts the “oldness of the letter.” The scriptures will be provided which show that while the oldness of “the letter killeth… the spirit giveth life” (2Co 3:6). Yet the “letter of the law,” while it defines sin, is not of itself sin.
The preordained function of the law of Moses corresponds with the function of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. By both we come to know what sin is (Rom 7:7) and what good is, and therefore both the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the law of Moses become “ministrations of death” (2Co 3:7).
While the “law of commandments contained in ordinances” (Eph 2:15) is a “ministration of death” (2Co 3:7), and is indeed “abolished” (Greek: katargeo) and “done away” (also Greek: katargeo), this is only so “after that faith is come” (Gal 3:25).
“The law” was not a “schoolmaster” just to bring Paul’s generation to Christ and then disappear. “The law” is OUR schoolmaster to bring US to Christ” (Gal 3:24). This statement can be made in its past tense only “after that faith is come”. “Before faith comes” (vs 23) we are all, generation by generation, “concluded under sin”.
Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law [under sin], shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
It will be demonstrated “after faith is revealed” in each generation of believers:
Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
It will be shown that it is only by the law that “all the world may become guilty before God.” (Rom 3:19).
Rom 3:19 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.
Rom 3:20 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.
The law is “abolished” and “done away” only for those “in Christ.” “We know that what things soever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law… guilty before God” (Rom 3:19).
We know [and will demonstrate] that the law is good when used lawfully [meaning] “that the law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient…” (1Ti 1:8,9). “Lawful use of the law” is for the “lawless and disobedient”. Thank God it is not “abolished” or “done away” for those folks folks whom we all are in our own appointed time.
The scriptures show that “the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2) is as superior to the ten commandments as Matthew 5 is to Exodus 20 and as meat is superior to milk.
The scriptures themselves show the scriptures which show that both laws, like both trees in the garden of Eden, were given by God, and both have served, and continue to serve, their different and separate functions in God’s plan and purpose.
We will show that the law of Moses was for a carnal, Christ-rejecting Israel.
Yes, even “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16), those who come to know Christ, “also shall be cut off” (Rom 11:22) if not continuing to see that our standing in Christ brings us out from under the “yoke” (Act 15:10) of “bondage under the elements of the world” (Gal 4:3). These “elements of the world” under which the heir is kept until he is brought to Christ, are the ten commandments and the law of Moses.
We will demonstrate that it is our failure to distinguish between these two laws which keeps us from being able to differentiate between the two Israels. That failure is as vital as distinguishing Ishmael from Isaac. One of them is in type the heir, no longer under the “yoke” and “bondage to the elements of this world”, but the other one which is under the law “is the son of the bondwoman and will not be made heir with the son of the freewoman (Gal 4:21-31). Christ cannot “be formed in those under the law” (Gal 4:19-21).
Understanding this subject of the law is just that important!
Finally, we reveal that the perfection of the lamb of God; the blamelessness of the Being without blemish; the perfect righteousness of Christ was not reckoned by His perfect obedience to the “law of Moses” which He deliberately violated on more than one occasion for the sole purpose of showing us that His new covenant law was far superior to the passing old covenant law; yes, even the ten commandments.
Rather, His righteousness was based on the righteousness of the new covenant, “the righteousness of God without the law… being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ…” (Rom 3:20-22).
Christ was not “justified by deeds of the law” (vs 20) any more than we are.
There are two opposing theological thoughts and teachings among Christians today:
- Most Christians (especially fundamentalists) believe that we fulfill the New Covenant (law) by keeping the Old Covenant (law) in our hearts. In this teaching, grace fills in the gaps should we fall short of keeping the law perfectly.
- A smaller group of believers (libertarians) believe and teach that we are not under the Old Covenant (law) OR the New Covenant (law). Rather, we are free from ALL law. In this teaching grace covers all of our actions, good or bad, with no consequences for anything we do.
Both views are untrue and unscriptural.
Lest anyone should seriously entertain the notion that the New Covenant is in harmony with the Old Covenant or that it is a modification of the Old Testament or that it is still in force today, consider the following Scriptures:
| Old Mosaic Covenant | New Spiritual Covenant |
|---|---|
| OLD Cov……………………2Co 3:14 | NEW Covenant…..2Co 3:6 The “old” is not the “new”. |
| First Covenant……………Heb 8:7, 9:1 First is not second | Second Covenant……..Heb 8:7, 10:1-9 |
| Came by Moses……………..Joh 1:17 | Came by Christ…..Heb 8:6, 9:15 Moses’ law is not Christ’s |
| Law of God in STONE…..2Co 3:3 | Law of God in HEART ..Heb 10:16 |
| Law of MOSES……..Act 13:38-39 | Law of CHRIST…..Gal 6:2 |
| Law of flesh……………….Rom 7:5-6 | Law of the SPIRIT.Rom 8:2 |
| NOT of faith………………….. Gal 3:2 | Law of FAITH… Rom 3:27 |
| Yoke of BONDAGE………..Gal 5:1 | Law of LIBERTY Jas 1:25 |
| Law of SIN………………. Rom 7:5-6 | Law of RIGHTEOUSNESS .. Rom 9:30-31 |
| Law of DEATH………………2Co 3:7 | Law of LIFE ..Gal 3:11,6:8 |
| Christ removes OLD…….. Heb 10:9 | Christ enacted NEW…. Heb10:9 |
| A SHADOW……………Col 2:14-17 | REALITY…..Heb 10:1-18 |
| FULFILLED……………Mat 5:17-18 | NOW IN FORCE….Heb 8:6, 10:9 |
| Priesthood CHANGED…Heb 7:12 | UNCHANGEABLE Priesthood…. Heb 7:24 |
| MANY sacrifices……..Heb 9:12-13 | ONE sacrifice for sin….Heb 10:12 |
| IMPERFECT……………… Heb 7:19 | PERFECT………. Heb 7:19 |
| Blood of ANIMALS……..Heb 9:19 | Blood of CHRIST… Mat 26:28 |
| Circumcision……………… Exo 12:48 | Uncircumcision Rom 4:9-12 |
| WORKS of law……………..Gal 3:10 | NOT of our works but chastening GRACE ..Eph 2:8-9 |
| REMEMBERS sins……….Heb 10:3 | FORGETS sins..Heb 10:17 |
| YEARLY atonement………. Heb10:3 | PERMANENT atonement Heb 10:14 |
| SINFUL priests………………Heb 5:3 | SINLESS priest…Heb 7:26 |
| AARONIC priests…………. Heb7:11 | MELCHISEDEC priest …Heb 5:5-10 |
| MAN MADE tabernacle….Heb 8:5 | HEAVENLY tabernacle …Heb 8:2,9:11 |
| Out of LEVI……………….. Heb 7:11 | Out of JUDAH…Heb 7:14 |
| WEAK, UNPROFITABLE.. Heb7:18 | POWER of ENDLESS LIFE … Heb. 7:16 |
| NO inheritance…………….Rom 4:13 | ETERNAL inheritance …Heb 9:15 |
| Sacrifice of ANIMALS….Heb 9:13 | Sacrifice of CHRIST ……Heb 9:28 |
| Purified the FLESH……… Heb 8:13 | Purged the CONSCIENCE …Heb 9:14 |
| PRODUCES wrath…….. Rom 4:15 | SAVES from wrath…Rom 5:9 |
| Perfected NOTHING….. Heb 7:19 | Perfects BELIEVERS..Heb 10:14 |
| NO MERCY……………..Heb 10:28 | COMPLETE MERCY ..Heb 8:12 |
| NO justification……………Act 13:39 | BELIEVERS justified…Act 13:39 |
| BRINGS a curse……………Gal 3:10 | REDEEMS from curse…Gal 3:13 |
| ABOLISHED………………2Co 3:13 | CONTINUES IN GLORY …2Co 3:11 |
| Brought DEATH…………….2Co 3:7 | Brought RECONCILIATION … 2Co 5:18 |
| ISRAEL ONLY…….Deu 4:7-8, 5:3 | ALL MANKIND……Mar 14:24, 2Co 5:14-19, Gal 3:28-29 |
So we have an abundance of scriptures which tell us there was an Old Covenant (for Israel) that was an administration of condemnation and death: it was merely a “shadow” of a better covenant to come and has been “annulled’. Now Christ has given us a New Covenant of the spirit based on spiritual law:
(1) the Law of God,
(2) the Law of Christ,
(3) the Law of the Spirit,
(4) the Law of Faith,
(5) the Law of Liberty,
(6) the Law of Righteousness and
(7) the Law of Life.
These seven (perfect) laws (for all mankind), written on our hearts by the spirit of God, cover every aspect of human life making the Old Covenant of none effect.
This composition is not directed at anyone who wonders “what the definition of ‘is’ is.” While it is conceded that scriptural words and phrases do not always carry their original primary physical meaning, it is also asserted on scriptural grounds that the intended meaning can easily and scripturally be demonstrated to the edification of “those with eyes to see, and ears to hear” (Mat 13:16). To have any rational discussion on the subject of the law of God, we simply must define two words… ‘righteousness’ and ‘sin’.
Righteousness – Definition #1
Let’s look first at the word ‘righteousness’. The first mention of this word in scripture is Genesis 15:6 – “And he [Abraham] believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Paul quotes this verse in Galatians 3:6 arguing that righteousness attributed to oneself saves no one.
God was so pleased with Abraham’s faith that in type He “counted it to him for righteousness.” Is this saying that Abraham wasn’t really righteous at all, but because he believed God, God decided to substitute his faith for righteousness?
No, this is not what is meant by “counted”, neither here in Genesis nor by Paul in Galatians 3:6. The Hebrew word for “counted” is chashab – Strong’s Concordance H2803. This is the word used repeatedly in Leviticus in connection with selling real estate. We today would not call these transactions, sales. We would call them leases of 49 years or less. The land shall not be sold forever: … If your brother be waxen poor, and hath sold his possession… Then let him count [chashab] the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return [the land] unto his possession (Lev 25:22-27).
This was an equivalent value that had to be returned to the man who bought the land: Counting (chashab) from the date of the sale up to the jubilee.
So it is with faith. Faith is the equivalent of righteousness! “Without faith it is impossible to please… God” (Heb 11:6). The author of this verse in Genesis 15:6 assumes that we all already know what righteousness is.
Righteousness – Definition #2
The first time this word is defined is…:
Deu 6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
Psa 119:172 … all thy commandments [are] righteousness.
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Mat 19:17 … if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
To sum it up, we have two definitions of righteousness:
1) believing God and
2) obeying God’s commandments and sayings.
Combining these two definitions, we can say that doing through the faith of Christ the things God commands seems to be a good, sound, scriptural definition of ‘righteousness’. As we will demonstrate with scripture though, obedience is now defined by “love”, by “spirit”, by “grace [of God]” (Tit 2:11-12) “through faith” [of Christ] (Gal 2:20); by “these sayings of mine [Christ’s]” not Moses (Mat 7:24 and 26); by “the word that I have spoken” (Joh 12:48) not the law of Moses. This is the only righteousness God recognizes (Eph 2:8-10).
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of [our] works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Sin – Definition #1
The Hebrew word for sin is chattaah (Strong’s H2403). Sin was certainly brought in through Adam’s disobedience (Rom 5:12), but the word sin (chattaah) first appears in Genesis 4:7. Cain did not see the need for a blood offering, and the Lord had consequently rejected his offering. Beginning in verse 6, “The Lord said unto Cain, Why are you wroth? And why is your countenance fallen? (Verse 7) If you do well [ righteously], shall you not be accepted? And if you do not well, sin lies at the door…”
There’s our first definition of sin: “… you do not well.”
Sin – Definition #2
In Judges 20, the Israelites are gathering an army to fight against the tribe of Benjamin. Some Benjamite men had killed a concubine belonging to a man of Ephraim.
Jdg 20:13 Now therefore deliver [us] the men, the children of Belial, which [are] in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:
So the Benjamites gathered their own army against Israel. They numbered 7,700 men. Now verse 16; “Among all this people there were 700 chosen men, left-handed; everyone could sling stones at an hair breadth and not miss” (chata). This word chata (Strong’s H2398) has the same root as chattaah (H2403). This is the only place out of the 220 times it is used in the Old Testament that it is translated miss. It is normally translated sin, sinning, offend, blame, fault and harm. By far the most common translation in the KJV is “sinned.”
Our second scriptural definition of sin is to “miss” the mark. The “mark”, of course, is always understood to be God’s commandments, His law. As Paul states in Romans 7:7, “… I had not known sin, but by the law…”
Sin – Definition #3
In our definition of righteousness, we pointed out that Genesis 15:6 and Galatians 3:6 both say that Abraham’s faith was counted (the equivalent) of righteousness. The flip side of that statement is our third scriptural definition of sin.
Rom 14:23 … what soever is not of faith [the faith of Christ in us (Gal 2:20)] is sin.
Even obedience to the laws of God, when credited to ourselves instead of Christ’s faith working in us, is sin. Romans 2:27 says “You… by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law.” Galatians 2:20 tells us “… The life that I now live, I live by the faith of the son of God…”
The failure to recognize the sovereignty of God in our lives turns our righteousness into sin. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa 64:6), and “Whatsoever is not of faith [the faith of Christ in us (Eph 2:8, Gal 2:20)] is sin” (Rom 14:23).
Sin – Definition #4
1Jn 3:4 – “… Sin is the transgression of the law.” Though this might better be translated “sin is lawlessness”, law is still unavoidable if we are to define sin or righteousness. The inescapable truth of any definition of sin is: “… By the law is the knowledge of sin…” (Rom 3:20)
In Summary of the Definitions
To sum it up: whether we’re discussing sin or righteousness, the law of God is central to both. Righteousness is heads, sin (unrighteousness) is tails on the coin of God’s law.
Two Covenants
Having scriptural definitions of sin and righteousness, we are now in a position to evaluate the inspired teachings of the apostle Paul on this subject of the law.
Central to this discussion is remembering that there are two covenants mentioned in scripture. God “… hath made us able ministers of the new testament”, [the Greek word is diatheke, Strong’s G1242, the same word translated covenant in Luk 1:72, Act 3:25; Act 7:8; Rom 9:4 and Rom 11:27], “not of the letter but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life” (2Co 3:6).
Paul is referring to the two covenants mentioned in…
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts [in the spirit, not in the letter], and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Did you catch verse 32: “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers…?” There is something different about this covenant. It is not according to the “letter but of the spirit” (2Co 3:6).
Verse 33 of Jeremiah 31 tells us that both covenants concern God’s law, but the difference is that in the new covenant there is more to it than simply “that which is written” (1C0 2:4). The writing involved in the new covenant is also “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts…” The “inward man” is the “mind and heart” (Heb 10:16) separate from the carnal mind (Rom 7:22 and Rom 8:7) and separate from the carnal commandment (Heb 7:6). The inward spiritual law isn’t abolished; it is actually “established” and fulfilled through Christ in us (Rom 3:31). The “letter” of the law, while being “abolished” for those “in Christ,” is established as the “schoolmaster” to bring us all to Christ.
What Does The Old Covenant Include?
Now we need to ask, exactly what is the Old Covenant that has been replaced by the new covenant? Does the Old Covenant include the ten commandments? Yes, it does! It is only the ten commandments that are called the “tables of the covenant”.
Deu 4:13 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.
Deu 9:11 And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, [that] the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, [even] the tables of the covenant.
We will pause here and continue our study next week.