Watered Down Law
04.30.10
Watered-Down Law
In all honesty, those who still choose to live under the Old Covenant Law are actually living according to a “watered down” version in any case, and this pertains to EVERYBODY on the planet who is trying to live according to the Law, including even the Jews. This is because the Old Testament Law, recorded in the first 5 books of the Bible, contained very specific instructions concerning ritual sacrifices and moral living and also the punishments for non-compliance.
Even if the Jewish temple were to be rebuilt and the ritual animal sacrifices to be reinstated, no person on the planet would ever be justified through their own level of law-keeping according to the Bible: [Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin]. And also [Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law].
The requirements of the Law (also known as the “Mosaic” Law, derived from “Moses” who was Israel’s chosen leader at the time) are actually far more stringent than believed by those who still try to live according to it. The biggest problem with trying to live according to the Law is that a person can not pick and choose which laws they want to obey and which ones not. The Law is a composite unity – breaking even the smallest one makes a person guilty of all: [Jam 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law]. Therefore the person found guilty of breaking even the smallest law (like telling a lie) is actually liable for the same punishment as someone who has committed an act of horrific magnitude (like murdering someone). Now who in their right mind wishes to be judged by those standards?
The Mosaic Law was not limited to just the 10 Commandments. After presenting Israel with the 2 tablets of stone at Mount Sinai, God continued to give Israel a total of 613 laws (recorded from Exodus to Deuteronomy) which they had to keep to the last letter or stand in danger of severe punishment. Let’s take a quick look at some of these laws with the following in mind: Anybody who still argues that Christians have to live according to the Old Testament Laws but do not practice these things to the letter, are guilty of the entire Law. Many argue that only certain parts of the Law still apply since the other are only seen as rituals. Jesus made it clear however that we cannot delete a single letter from the Law: [Matt 5:18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled]. Let’s take a look at those laws:
[Lev 15:16 ‘If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall wash all his body in water, and be unclean until evening. 17 And any garment and any leather on which there is semen, it shall be washed with water, and be unclean until evening. 18 Also, when a woman lies with a man, and there is an emission of semen, they shall bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 19 ‘If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. 20 Everything that she lies on during her impurity shall be unclean; also everything that she sits on shall be unclean]. Now if people who claim we still have to live according to the Law, don’t isolate themselves for 7 days during the above circumstances, they are guilty of breaking the Law. Here’s another one:
[Lev 11:2b Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat. 4 Nevertheless these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves: 7 (and) the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you]. There goes that nice English breakfast with crispy fried bacon.
[Lev 11:9 ‘These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers—that you may eat. 10 But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you]. There goes calamari out the window!
[Lev 24:16a And whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death]. When last did we see someone stoned for using the Lord’s name in vain?
[Num 15:27 “And if a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering”]. What about all those times we forgot to give to the poor, neglected to give our tithes (because we forgot to bring money to church), washed dishes on the Sabbath, etc?
[Num 15:32 Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 35 Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp”]. Still want to do those dishes? How about going shopping on the Sabbath?
The truth is that for a believer the Law has ended. Paul wrote about how his heart yearned for the Israelites who still tried to live according to the Law after Christ had died for them (and the same applies to us today): [Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness (by still trying to live up to the requirements of the Law), have not submitted to the righteousness of God (received by simply believing in Christ). 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes] (comments my own). We receive salvation and God’s righteousness not by living under the Law, but through believing in Christ!
[Rom 10: 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation].
In Grace
Andre van der Merwe
Beautiful! I have said the same thing to people. If you want to keep the law, you have to put your wife outside the city for 7 days every month. Now I know some guys won’t mind that, but come on people. Can you honstly look at the law and think to yourself, “I am sure I can do this. I don’t need you Jesus.”
Cornel