law

Doers of the Law Will be Justified?

May 19, 2022 // 15 Comments

Was the Apostle Paul confused when he wrote Romans 2:13? Because this verse doesn’t seem to belong in the Bible: For it is not the hearers of the law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. (Romans 2:13) Doers of the law will be justified?! Was Paul having a senior moment? Did he [...]

What is the Law in the Bible?

February 2, 2022 // 14 Comments

Pop question: When Jesus said, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’?” what law was he referring to? Was he referring to the Law of Moses or some other law? If you answered the Law of Moses, you are mistaken. Go to the back of the class, and see me after school. Jesus was not quoting [...]

What is the Law of Christ?

January 27, 2022 // 20 Comments

There are many laws in the Bible. There is the Law of Moses and the Law of God. There is the law of sin and the law of faith. There is the law of righteousness and the law of liberty. But what is the law of Christ? If you don’t know the law of Christ – and many people don’t – you’ll be susceptible to [...]

What is the Royal Law?

January 24, 2022 // 6 Comments

What is the royal law? Do you need to keep it and what happens if you don’t? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. (James 2:8) What is the royal law? It is the commandment to love others as you love yourself. It sounds [...]

What is the Purpose of the Law?

November 3, 2020 // 61 Comments

Watchman Nee tells a wonderful story about a clumsy servant. As long as the servant sits still and does nothing, his clumsiness is not apparent. But the moment you ask him to serve, trouble begins. He knocks over furniture, drops plates, and makes a frightful mess. In Nee’s parable, we are the clumsy servant [...]

How Does Faith Establish the Law? (Romans 3:31)

August 31, 2017 // 82 Comments

The Bible makes some interesting comparisons between faith and law: We are justified by FAITH, not by LAW (Rom 3:28, Gal 2:16)Abraham and his heirs are blessed on account of FAITH, not LAW (Rom 4:13-14)You can live by FAITH or LAW (Rom 4:14)No one who relies on the LAW is justified for the righteous live by FAITH [...]

The Three Uses of the Law

January 12, 2017 // 71 Comments

500 years ago, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg. The Reformation that Luther and others started led to a whole new way of thinking about God, church, and the proper use of the law. In the Formula of Concord, the Lutheran Statement of Faith, [...]

What is the Law Written on our Hearts?

April 23, 2015 // 132 Comments

Six-hundred years before Jesus came, the prophet Jeremiah spoke of a new covenant that God would make with his people: This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they [...]

The Law Written on our Hearts is NOT the Ten Commandments

April 17, 2015 // 135 Comments

“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time,” says the Lord. “I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” (Hebrews 10:16) What is this law that God writes on our hearts? “This is obviously a reference to the law of Moses,” says the law-preacher. “The [...]

The number one verse on the Old Covenant

April 5, 2015 // 24 Comments

Some time ago I published a list of the top 12 verses on the new covenant. It seems only fair that I also give some air-time to the number one verse on the old covenant. Here it is: “It is finished” (John 19:30). What is finished? That old rule-keeping order that demanded perfection from you without lifting [...]

Is Christ the end of the law for you?

January 19, 2012 // 64 Comments

Those who insist that you must obey the commands of Jesus in order to be saved/blessed/forgiven/righteous/holy are assuming that you are either (a) a time-traveler from Israel’s distant past (b) the devil If you are (a) I suggest you pick up a Sports Almanac, go back in time, and make a lot of money à la [...]

The Greatest Law Preacher

January 14, 2012 // 105 Comments

“Don’t stray too far from the red letters,” is a piece of advice often given to new preachers. It means, stay close to the teachings of Jesus and you can’t go wrong. It sounds good, but it’s bad advice. Everything Jesus said was good, but not everything he said is good for you. Read the red letters of [...]