biblical law

Let us draw your attention to the following verses from John’s first letter:

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, ” (1 John 2:3-4)

“and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.” (1 John 3:22)

“Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. ” (1 John 3:24)

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.” (1 John 5:2)

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3)

If you have been convinced so far that the Old Testament was not really worth considering as the commandments it presents and refers to are done away with, think again. An antinomianistic approach cannot be maintained in the light of the quoted verses, let alone in the light of Jesus’ teaching as presented in Matthew’s account of the sermon on the mount:

“For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Mat 5:1)

Have heaven and earth passed away yet ? No, they haven’t. And so the Law is still valid and binding, just like John tells us, too.

We invite you to read the first letter of John today.  Read it carefully and slowly, read it aloud if at all possible, as God’s word is meant to be read aloud.  In the NT, this becomes especially evident in the letters, so go ahead and read it out loud, to your wife, your children.  And come back later for some comments we have to make on this first letter of John, if you feel so inclined.

This definition of antinomianism is taken from our New Geneva Study Bible.

Antinomianism means “opposed to the law”. Antinomian views are those denying that God’s law in Scripture should directly control the Christian’s life.

Read more on our “Antinomianism” page

“…since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1Pe 1:16)

Someone who was offended when I quoted Scripture on a topic that was discussed, recently declared that I was evil and wicked, and called me a witch. Nevertheless, said person claimed she would “pray Holiness finds you soon”… Well, I guess she lacks basic understanding about what holiness is.

We read in the Old and New Testament that we should be holy, for the Lord is holy – so what can holiness be ?

A look at the Hebrew and Greek words used tells you quickly what concept lies behind the word holiness – the concept of separation. Leviticus explains it quite plainly:

“For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” (Lev 11:45)

He brought His people out of Egypt, just like we are called to “come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues” (Rev 18:4). Separation from ungodly company, not only inside our head, but physical separation from the world and its ungodly indoctrination is an essential aspect to holiness.

Another reason for this separation is mentioned a few chapters later:

“You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” (Lev 20:26)

Separation is quite obviously not separation for the sake of separation, but a “setting aside” of oneself for God, a consecration of our whole life to God, so that we are His. Practically, that means that we follow His law in every respect, so that we do not defile ourselves with anything, but are a holy people unto God.

“For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.” (Lev 11:44)

“Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.” (Lev 20:7)

The same concept lies behind the consecration of the Sabbath as a day set aside for the Lord, by the way.

“So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Gen 2:3)

So the call for holiness is a call for separation, and for consecration of every area of life unto God, which means that holiness is a way of living rather than some spiritual force that roams the earth converting people…

Now, can anyone explain to me what in the world said lady prayed for ?

Technorati Tags: bible study, biblical law, holiness

I have it in my head that the Pharisees were sticklers for the law. Don’t you? This is what most people think of when they think of the Pharisees…legalism! However, what the Pharisees had in mind, what they were so legalistic about, was not so much the law of God as it was their interpretation of God’s law, and even more specifically, their own man-made traditions. Man-made laws.

Mark 7:8 “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.”

Again:

Mark 7:9 “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”

In this light, one can view the behavior of much of Churchianity today as being rather legalistic, much like the Pharisees, in that they cling tenaciously to their own laws, customs and rituals, (legalism!) and deny that God’s law (moral, ethical, civil) is still binding for us today. Not even the Pharisees dared attempt to completely do away with God’s law.

“Ye shall be holy; for I am holy”, said God. Leviticus 11:44

But how in the world do we do that? Through God’s law, the way of holiness.

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RJ Rushdoony, Vol. 1, The Institutes of Biblical Law, p. 6-7

“In analyzing now the nature of biblical law, it is important to note first that, for the Bible, law is revelation. The Hebrew word for law is torah, which means instruction, authoritative instruction.”

“The law is the revelation of God and His righteousness. There is no ground in scripture for despising the law. Neither can the law be relegated to the Old Testament, and grace to the new.”

“There is no contradiction between law and grace. The question in James’ Epistle is faith and works, not faith and law. Judaism had made law the mediator between God and man, and between God and the world. It was this view of law, not the law itself, which Jesus attacked.. As Himself the Mediator, Jesus rejected the law as mediator in order to re-establish the law in its God-appointed role as law, the way of holiness. He established the law by dispensing forgiveness as the law-giver in full support of the law as the convicting word which makes men sinners. The law was rejected only as mediator and as the source of justification. Jesus fully recognized the law, and obeyed the law. It was only the absurd interpretations of the law he rejected.”