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THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL

THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. Lesson 10 for December 8, 2012. THE LAW AND GOD’S CHARACTER. Just after showing how God’s character is revealed in the nature (Psalm 19:1-6), the Psalmist explains how God’s character is revealed through His law (Psalm 19:7-9). Let’s study those verses thoroughly .

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THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL

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  1. THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL Lesson 10 for December 8, 2012

  2. THE LAW AND GOD’S CHARACTER Just after showing how God’s character is revealed in the nature (Psalm 19:1-6), the Psalmist explains how God’s character is revealed through His law (Psalm 19:7-9). Let’s study those verses thoroughly. Just leave the name of “the Lord” in the first columns and read the first and second columns altogether. For example, “The Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” Isn’t it a true description of God’s character? “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10)

  3. THE LAW AND THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL In Mount Sinai, God reminded the people of Israel the laws they had forgotten (Gn. 26:5). He also added more laws, especially those related to the Sanctuary. That complex legal system was called Toráh; it can be divided in three main parts: Ceremonial laws. Regulations that teach the plan of salvation by symbols and ritual practices. Civil laws. Instructions regarding the community life of the nation of ancient Israel. Moral laws. Instructions of God’s pattern of conduct for humanity. Although all laws reflect God’s character, the ceremonial laws are not valid anymore after Christ’s ministry was fulfilled, since they were a symbol of it (Hebrews 9:8-12) When the Christian church was universalized, the civil laws became subordinated to the national laws in every country (Romans 13:1-6) Nevertheless, the moral laws are still a valid rule for the believer’s life. Isn’t this law as valid today as it was in Moses’ time, “You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him” (Leviticus 19:17)?

  4. THE ETERNAL LAW Although the divine laws are broad and diverse, all of them have a common origin. All of them are based on the Ten Commandments. The Decalogue was not only valid for the people of Israel. It has been valid also from Adam to the Mount Sinai and from Jesus to our time.

  5. THE ETERNAL LAW, FROM ADAM TO SINAI

  6. “Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” [1 commandment]” (Matthew 4:10) “But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie [9th commandment] to the Holy Spirit and keep back [8th commandment] part of the price of the land for yourself?” (Acts 5:3) “Little children, keep yourselves from idols [2nd commandment]. Amen” (1 John 5:21) “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” [7th commandment] “You shall not murder,” [6th commandment] “You shall not steal,” [8th commandment] “You shall not bear false witness,” [9th commandment] “You shall not covet,” [10th commandment] and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”” (Romans13:9) THE ETERNAL LAW, FROM JESUS TO OUR TIME “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” [7th commandment] also said, “Do not murder.” [6th commandment] Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty” (James 2:10-12) Let’s reflect on how James calls the Ten Commandments, “The law of liberty.”

  7. THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL Jesus is Who brings salvation for the believer; that created a problem to understand the role of the Law in the Plan of Redemption. Paul was very clear about the Decalogue not being a means of salvation: “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight” (Romans 3:20 fp) Just after that, he clarified the role of the Law, “for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20 lp) As we still live threatened by sin, the Law is our guide to come to Christ and get forgiveness for our sins from Him (Galatians 3:24) When we’ll be free from sin once and for all, we’ll boast in obeying God’s eternal Law –the reflection of His character. “So shall I keep Your law continually, forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts” (Psalm 119:44-45)

  8. THESABBATH Many people believe that Decalogue is still the rule for the believer’s life and called the Sunday SABBATH. They soothe their consciences by thinking that they are properly keeping the fourth commandment. Nevertheless, the clearly states that we must keep “the seventh day”: that is Saturday, instead of the first day, Sunday. God gives us two reasons to keep the Sabbath day: To honor God as Creator: “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:11) To honor God as Liberator and Redeemer: “And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day” (Deuteronomy 5:15) Furthermore, God gave us the Sabbath as a sign for His people: “hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God” (Ezekiel 20:20)

  9. THE SABBATH AND THE GOSPEL The people of Israel was told to keep the Sabbath they because God was His Creator and Redeemer. We must keep the Sabbath day because Jesus is our Creator and Redeemer. Salvation, too, is restoration; it is re-creation, a process that not only starts now when we have accepted Jesus (see 2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 6:15) but that culminates and climaxes with the re-creation of the heavens and the earth (see Isa. 65:17, Rev. 21:5). These verses show even more clearly how Creation and Redemption are linked, and both these crucial truths are embodied in the Sabbath commandment, one of the Ten Commandments. “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:14-16)

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