Law Done Away With or Magnified? What Did Paul Really Teach Concerning the Law?

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LAW DONE AWAY WITH? CHRISTIAN FEAR OF THE WORD “LAW”

Law done away with?

Just write the word “law” and we see how quickly a Christian either verbally attacks or “runs” away. The word “law” or Torah has become a hate word for Christians. This is called nomophobia.

nomophobia:
A fear of or disdain for laws.

The sad thing is we don’t seem to realize or remember that if we break the law, we sin.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression (breaking/disobedience) of the law.

So right away, we have a problem. How do we avoid breaking/transgressing the law?

Also, we forget that there will be many who manifest powerful gifts of the Spirit and be rejected in the end for being sinners (who disobey the law):

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (repetitive sin).

WHY THE FEAR OF THE WORD “LAW?”

Considering that then, why has the word “law” become akin to a curse word?

Indeed, most Christians will tell you the law is done away with. Sadly, by saying that, hey totally ignore the fact that breaking the law is sin, due to the “other side of the coin,” which is justification.

JUSTIFICATION

Important! If we seek to keep the law to the letter (literally) to be justified in the sight of YAHUAH, we become legalistic (law keepers).

Consequently, we are then in effect, working to be justified by the law and have gone back under the law where we cannot be justified in this our new covenant.

Most importantly, the Messiah is then no longer of any use to us (Gal 5:4).

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Yahushua HaMashiach, even we have believed in Yahushua HaMashiach, that we might be justified by the faith of HaMashiach, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

SHA’UL’S CONTENTIONS WAS NOT WITH OBEYING THE LAW, IT WAS WITH SEEKING TO BE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW

Sha’ul was constantly in battle against persons coming into the assemblies he had set up, telling them they have to keep the law to be saved. Therefore, he wrote at length about it. That is the aspect of the law that deals with JUSTIFICATION.

Gal_5:4  Mashiach is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

So because of this phobia of being legalistic (law keepers), most don’t even want to listen a sentence that contains the word “law,” which is leading millions to destruction, because those who enter the kingdom must obey the law:

Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

No what is a lie? Did you know that it is anything that is not in obedience to the law? Why?

Because it is the law is the truth!

Psa 119:142  Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

Got it? Anything that is not in obedience to the law is a lie. If we love or promote anything that goes against the laws of the Most High, we cannot enter the kingdom! So here is hoping we got your attention so you can continue reading.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN

Again, if you want to be condemned by Christians, try to explain that they must obey the law. Due to their fear, they ignore the purpose of the law for us as new covenant believers.

What is the purpose of the law for us?

The law shows us what sin is!

what is the importance of this? We must know what sin is so that we do not sin.

Sadly, obedience to the law is not necessary for them, because as they say: “Jesus nailed it to the cross.”

However, the verse below shows 2 sides of the law that Sha’ul looks at:

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.

Here in Romans 3:20, we see the law as it relates to:

1. Justification
2. Knowledge of sin

So let us get confirmation of the law giving us the knowledge of sin:

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Yah forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

We already looked at justification, that we cannot be justified by keeping the letter of the law. Clearly we see the law’s value in another aspect, that of showing us what is sin and what is not (knowledge of sin).

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT

Incidentally, Sha’ul also plainly taught that if we are led of the Spirit, we are not under the law.

Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Right there, right away, he is indirectly telling us that we do not have to fear the law. Walking in the Spirit there means we will live in the fruit of the Spirit against which there is no law.

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

This would enable us to walk in obedience to the law (live a sinless life) without keeping the law to the letter.

By so doing (walking in the Spirit) we are not under the law (Gal 5:18), but we still walk in obedience to the law and thereby do not sin (Rom 6:14-15).

Very important to remember: if we do not walk in obedience to the law, we sin (1 John 3:4).

MISUNDERSTANDING THE BIBLICAL PHARISEES

Now one of the main reasons for  Christians having ‘Torah-phobia’ is their misunderstanding of the biblical Pharisees and Sadducees and the Messiah’s battles with them.

The problem the Messiah had, was not because they kept Torah (the law). The problem was that:

• They kept the law to the letter without converted hearts seeking to be justified in themselves (having their own righteousness – see Mat 15:1-20).
• Therefore, they did not keep the spirit of the law (the weightier matters of the law – Mat 23:23)
• They added to Torah to justify themselves (Mat 23:24-25).
• They were hypocrites (Mat 23:27-28)
• They added unbiblical traditions of men (now written in the Talmud – See Matthew 15:1-20).

However, most Christians have been led by false teachers and preachers to believe the Messiah had issue with them because they kept the law.

And that in itself is a fallacy because the Messiah himself kept the law (otherwise he would have been counted a sinner).

How could he keep the law and criticize those who at least try to keep it as well?

Well here is a powerful video from a former Pharisee who gives an in depth look inside the mind of a Pharisee then and now (nothing has changed).

SERVANTS OF SIN

So now we understand the problem with the biblical Pharisees, we can see that we literally have 2 choices.

We can either obey sin (transgress the law) or walk in righteousness (obedience to the law).

Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Therefore, Christians who say the law is done away with are committing spiritual suicide.

By disobeying the law (which shows us what sin is), we are obeying sin, which leads to death (Rom 6:23).

They (who say the law is done away with) are thereby counting themselves among the unrighteous, and need I remind us that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom (1 Cor 6:9-10)?!

NO SINNER SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM

Yes, let us not forget that no sinner shall inherit the kingdom.

1Co 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of YHWH? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of YHWH.

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

See also Galations 5:19-21.

This makes it very important that we know what sin is, what his commandments are, what the law is.

As we already showed in Matthew 7:21-23, many of us will be in shock to know that we are sinners, even after being blessed with mighty gifts of the Spirit.

Sin is what keeps us out of the kingdom and if we ignore the law and do not know what sin is, how do we know what to overcome?

Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

We must never forget that our task in life is to overcome.

Related: What Law Was Nailed to the Stake (Cross)?

LAW DONE AWAY WITH? OUR SINFUL NATURE

Needless to say, we must also not forget that we will not always be filled with the Spirit. Sha’ul’s Romans 7 is a very critical chapter to understand and by itself shows up many false doctrines.

Being filled with the Spirit and walking in the Spirit is a choice.

That is why Sha’ul tells us to “be filled”(Eph 5:18) and “walk in the Spirit” (Gal 5:16, Gal 5:25). Those are deliberate actions to be taken on our part. They are not automatic.

Because they are deliberate choices, as human beings, we will not always make the right choices. This is because our sinful nature will always be active, trying to make us do what we do not want to do.

Rom 7:14 – 23
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of YHWH after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

In other words, our sinful nature will never stop dragging us to do that which we don’t want to do. The person who says the law is done away with will have a defiled conscience and easily pulled into sin.

Titus 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

To overcome (sin), we need to know the law so our good consciences will work based on our knowledge of sin (which the law shows).

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Yah forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

1 Titus 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Rom 9:1 I say the truth in Mashiach, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,

If we ignore the law, we will not know what is sin and our sinful nature will continue to lead us to do that which is sinful.

For example, do you know that it is wrong to revile the leader of your people (whether president or prime minister?

Exo 22:28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

How many times do we see Christians dabbling in politics and reviling their rulers? United States President Donald Trump is probably the most reviled President in history. It would seem almost the whole world reviles him!

Our sinful nature will lead us to curse the ruler of our people, when their policies do not suit us. Unless we had known this law, we would continue in this sin. It is because I know this law that you will never hear me reviling my leaders. I am hereby not found guilty of this sin before YHWH.

Those who don’t know this law, worse those who say the law is done away with, will continue in their iniquity (Mat 7:23).

So, without knowledge of the law and obedience to the law, we would only live sinless when we are led by the spirit (Gal 5:18).

Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

And need I repeat? We will not always be led by the Spirit.

Isn’t this what we see with believers? We are righteous on the day of worship/fellowship and the rest of our lives in our communities and homes are shameful daily manifestations of sinfulness?

Isn’t this why people are crying shame on so-called believers because we are not much different from sinners? Where is our conscience?

Our consciences are seared because most do of us do not obey the law in the Spirit. If we obeyed, it would have given us a good conscience as explained below.

Related: What is our Conscience & Why is it Critically Important for Believers to Understand It?

ROLE OF THE CONSCIENCE

Many do not know that is is a good conscience that keeps us from transgressing.

By knowing the law, our good consciences impacted by the Spirit of truth (Holy Spirit) will convict us to walk in obedience to the law and not sin. This is what is indirectly stated in Paul’s confession:

Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward YHWH, and toward men.

A conscience void of offence toward YHWH and man is one which walks in obedience to Torah (which highlights offenses towards both man and YHWH).

1 Tim 1:5 Now the end (goal/aim/purpose) of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

The purpose of the commandment among other things, is to give us a good conscience so we can walk in obedience without offending both YHWH and man. We can only do that, if we know and walk in obedience to the law.

Related: How Our Consciences Enable Us to Keep the Law Without Being Under the Law

THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS AS A WITNESS

There is another statement that Sha’ul makes that is powerful, revealing, yet often ignored. Here it is:

Rom 3:21  But now the righteousness of Aluah without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

The righteousness of Aluah outside the law is witnessed by the law and the prophets. What does it mean?

It means that, though not justified by our keeping of (outside) the law, our righteousness must be in accordance with (witnessed by) the law and the prophets.

In other words, we cannot disobey the law and the prophets and we must be in line with them as they are judging (bearing witness to) us!

LAW DISGUISED AS GRACE?

“We must be careful we are not teaching law disguised as grace.”

The above statement was a claim made against us by someone who is  ignorant of what Just a Word believes. As a result, I would like to share a summary of what we believe re: law and favor (grace). This is what we believe:

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith (in Yahushua HaMashiach); and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of YHWH:

We preach the exact thing Sha’ul (Paul) preached, which is not seeking to be justified by keeping the letter of the law (we are already justified through faith in Messiah Yahushua), but walking in the Spirit (Rom 7:6) after being born again (John 3:3) with the law written in our hearts (Jer 31:33). As a result, we walk in obedience to the SPIRIT of the law (Rom 2:12-15) so that we do not walk in sin (1 John 3:4).

As Sha’ul said, so say we:

Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Yah forbid: yea, we establish the law.

EXAMPLES OF THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW

Speaking of spirit of the Law, let me give an example of what we mean.

Mat 5:27 — Mat 5:28
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

By not looking at a woman lustfully, it prevents us from breaking the law that says we must not commit adultery. Very importantly, the law is still obeyed. It is still upheld, still active, not done away. We still must not commit adultery.

Again another example:

Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

By not being angry with our brother without a cause, it will prevent us from even getting into conflict that may lead to us killing him. We still obey the law, but through the spirit of the law we obey the law without keeping the law to the letter.

As long as we don’t kill him, we keep the law, but the spirit of the law magnifies the law, encouraging more love and harmony, and thereby removing the possibility of conflict. Got it?

Related: How Can We Be Led by the Holy Spirit?

THE LAW MAGNIFIED

The difference is that the law (Torah) has been magnified by the Messiah as Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would come to do. There was no prophecy of the law being done away with, but only that it will be magnified (enlarged) and made honourable.

Isa 42:21
YHWH is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

As a matter of fact, before he gave us the magnified law, he took pains to tell us that he did not come to change the law. He knew we would believe that the law has been done with; therefore, he gave us this disclaimer:

Mat 5:17-18 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 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.

So this is what we believe…obedience to the magnified spirit of the law so we do not sin (Rom 8:4) by breaking the law (1 John 3:4).

Related: Does the Bible Say We Should Keep the Sabbath in the New Covenant?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT WE OBEY THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW?

Why is it important that we obey the spirit of the law?

The law shows us what sin is (Rom 3:20). If we break the law, we sin (1 John 3:4). If we keep it to the letter, we are legalistic, gone back under the law, but the most important thing to note? No sinner shall inherit the kingdom (1 Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21).

Therefore we must obey the spirit of the law and not sin (through the law is the knowledge of sin). On the other hand, we must not not keep the letter of the law or we go back under the old Mosaic covenant (a man is not justified by the deeds of the law).

That is why Sha’ul said:

Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before YHWH, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Related: Will “God” Understand? What Does the Bible Say?

WE MUST KNOW THE LAW TO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW

So how can we know the spirit of the law if we don’t know the law?!

So for those who say the law is done away with and do not study Torah, they cannot understand the weightier matters of the law. They cannot spiritually interpret what they do not know.

In fact, without knowledge of Torah, one is therefore in total darkness and easy prey to the deceiver of our souls.

Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Is there any wonder that so-called believers worldwide are so renown for being unable to walk in righteousness? How can we who say we are believers walk in righteousness if we don’t know what sin is?

We are actually in darkness not knowing what sin is (without the law), thinking we are in the light.

What a terrifying thought?!

Related: What Does Paul Mean by the Messiah Hath Redeemed Us From the Curse of the Law?

INTERPRETING THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW FOR OURSELVES

Now the law has been given for us to interpret for ourselves. That is why we must study Torah to get the understanding of sin. Take a look at this example:

Deu 23:7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.

Interpreting this spiritually, an Edomite is the brother of Ya’aqov (Israel). Spiritually, for us, it therefore refers to any other believer (brother).

We cannot abhor (detest/hate/despise) another believer nor can we abhor an Egyptian, which refers to a sinner or a persecutor (sin is bondage and Israel was in bondage in Egypt, and persecuted by Pharaoh).

Therefore, we cannot despise another believer nor detest someone who is a sinner or even someone who persecutes us, which matches this verse:

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

DIFFICULT CONCEPT FOR CHRISTIANS TO GRASP

It is a difficult concept for Christians to grasp as Rome has given us a religion that is different from the faith of the 1st century Hebrew believers.

If you are a Christian still grappling with this, ask yourself: am I interested in the salvation of my soul, or more interested in my religion and what I was taught or have been teaching?

The Gentile (instead of Hebrew) led Christianity they gave us, indirectly encourages us to be overcome by sin by following a false interpretation of Paul’s writings (the law is done away with).

The truth is, the law covenant is no longer for us (we are in a new, spiritual covenant through Yahushua), but the law is still needed to show us what sin is. The law is still alive and well, but now has been written in our hearts.

Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YAHUAH, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Aluah, and they shall be my people.

2Co_3:3  Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of HaMashiach ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living Aluah; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

We must understand therefore, that there is a huge difference between walking in obedience to the law and being under the law. Grace and the leading of the Spirit allow us to walk in obedience to the law and not be under the law.

Gal 5:18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Related: What Does Paul Mean By the Messiah is the End of the Law?

ANY RELIGION THAT TELLS PEOPLE TO SIN IS OF THE DEVIL

Without a doubt, any religion that tells people it is okay to sin is of the devil. Therefore, it should now be obvious that Christianity that tells us the law is done away with is of the devil.

Why such a strong statement?

Among other things, saying the law is done away with blinds Christians to sin, in effect giving them the license to sin.

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of YHWH was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

And being a sinner condemns one to the second death in the lake of fire:

Rev 21:7-18 He that overcometh (sin/Satan) shall inherit all things; and I will be his Elohiym, and he shall be my son.

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

That is what Christian teaching does. It teaches a fear of the word “law” until Christians are walking in sin without even knowing it.

How can you overcome sin if you don’t know what sin is by studying the law (which shows you what sin is)? Saying the law is done away with is the ultimate suicide: it helps you unknowingly along the way to the lake of fire.

This is why the Messiah gave us Matthew 7:21-23. Many of us will be shocked on that day to know we were living in iniquity/lalwlessness (repetitive sin).

To lawless Christians, the law is done away, thereby knowingly or unknowingly making them sinners.

Note well if you are a Christian: they are “of the devil” (according to the Bible in 1 John 3:8).

Note carefully, those are not my words. Take heed to those strong words from the Bible!

LAW DONE AWAY WITH? OUR TEACHINGS RE: GRACE AND LAW

So for Just a Word’s teachings, we do not teach law disguised as grace. We do not teach old covenant law keeping.

We teach that grace through faith allows us to walk in the Spirit in obedience to the law without being under the law. That is the fulfillment of the new covenant law written in our circumcised hearts (Jer 31:33, Rom 2:29).

The law shows us what sin is so it  can never be done away with until sin is no longer needed to be shown to be sin.

Related: Why our Belief Is False If It Does Not Have an Old Testament Foundation: Understanding the Bible 2

We believe that this is the same thing the Messiah and the Apostle Paul taught but most don’t understand:

2 Pe 3:15 – 16 And account that the longsuffering of our Master is salvation; even as our beloved brother Sha’ul (Paul) also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Indeed, the Bible is true and does not contradict itself when it says:

Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

If you reject the law and the testimony, the Bible says there is no light in you and you are therefore walking in darkness (thinking you are in light). Is there light in you?

Want to put this teaching to the test? Answer the following question:

“How can we overcome sin and make it to the kingdom if we don’t walk in obedience to the law” (bearing in mind that sin is transgression of the law – 1 John 3:4)?

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