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PFRS Home > Doctrinal Studies > Hebrew Roots & Sabbath Issues

The Law of Christ

Copyright © Tim Warner


Seventh Day Adventists and many in the Jewish Roots Movement claim that the Law of the Old Covenant, and especially the 10 Commandments, are universal laws. They claim that these laws were inaugurated at creation. This theory is essential to their position, because if the Law was given much later, then these commandments were NOT binding on those who lived for 2,000 years prior to the Law being given through Moses on Mt. Sinai. Therefore, it served a purpose for a unique group of people for a unique period of time.

However, Paul clearly refutes this concept. He argues that the Law of Moses was given to the Israelis 430 years after God made His covenant with Abraham. Paul tells us why God gave the Law through Moses.

Gal 3:16-25
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator....
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

(KJV)

Here we see clearly that the Law given through Moses [including the 10 Commandments] was temporary until Christ came. Also, it is clear that the Law of Moses was NOT in effect before Moses. Paul also makes this perfectly clear in another passage.

Rom 5:12-14
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

(KJV)

So we see that the Law of Moses did NOT exist from Adam to Moses. Likewise, there is no hint of anyone keeping Sabbath before Moses and the Exodus of the Israelis from Egypt. Furthermore, the Law itself proclaims that it was a unique covenant between God and the people of Israel, and especially the Sabbath commandment.

Exod 31:16-18
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

(KJV)

Deut 5:1-3
1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

(KJV) [Moses them recounted the 10 Commandments in the following verses].

We see clearly from these statements that the Old Covenant, and particularly the 10 Commandments, were NOT universal laws binding on all mankind since creation, but were specific to Israel, from the days of Moses onward.

Moses Predicted the coming of Jesus, and a New Law.

Acts 3:22-23
22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

(KJV)

John 5:46-47
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

(KJV)

Likewise, Jeremiah prophesied of the coming of a New Covenant that would supersede the Law of Moses.

Jer 31:31-32
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:
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:

(KJV)

Jesus Himself brought the New Covenant, and sealed it in His own blood. When we examine the deeds of Christ, it is apparent that He not only superseded the Old Covenant, but He also brought His own 10 Commandments to be followed by all those under the New Covenant. These 10 Commandments of Jesus can be found in the Sermon on the Mount, contained in Matthew 5 - 7.

Moses & the Old Covenant

Jesus & the New Covenant

Moses & the people WASHED;
Exod 19:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,

Jesus WASHED;
Matt 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

Moses fasted 40 days;
Exod 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water.

Jesus fasted 40 days;
Matt. 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Moses went up into a mountain;
Exod 19:20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

Jesus took the disciples up a mountain;
Matt 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

God gave 10 Commandments; Exod 20
I. No other Gods before me.
II. No graven images.
III. Do not take the LORD's name in vain.
IV. Keep the sabbath day holy.
V. Honor your father and mother.
VI. Do not kill.
VII. Do not commit adultery.
VIII. Do not steal.
IX. Do not bear false witness.
X. Do not covet.

Jesus gave 10 Commandments; Matt.5-7
I. Do not be angry with a brother or sister.
II. Do not lust.
III. Do not swear oaths.
IV. Turn other cheek - Love your enemies
V. Do good deeds in secret.
VI. Store treasure in heaven, not on earth.
VII. Do not judge others.
VIII. Don't cast pearls before the swine.
IX. Ask God for your needs.
X. The Golden Rule.

Gal 6:2
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

(KJV)

Jesus said;

John 14:15
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

(KJV)

Are we of the household of Moses, or the household of Christ?

Heb 3:1-6
1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after,;
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

(KJV)


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