Dismissing the “Old” Testament – Part 3
Dear Phil,
Does “you are not under law but under grace” (Rom 6:14) mean the Old Testament law doesn’t apply to us?
Tom
Does “you are not under law but under grace” (Rom 6:14) mean the Old Testament law doesn’t apply to us?
Tom
Dear Tom,
Paul’s use of the OT law in his letters answers a resounding No to your question. In fact, I see three good reasons just from Romans alone to believe that Paul saw the OT law as applying to us today (and by ‘applying’ I mean ‘having relevance to and authority over our beliefs, attitudes and actions’).
First, Paul’s use of Deuteronomy shows that it applies to us today: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Rom 12:19; Deut 32:35).
Second, Paul’s use of Exodus and Leviticus shows that they apply to us today: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom 13:8–10; Exod 20:13–15, 17; Lev 19:17–18).
Third, Paul’s use of the entire OT, including the Mosaic law, shows that it applies to us today: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom 15:4). These texts, to say nothing of Romans 3:30–31 or Romans 7:7, 12 or Ephesians 6:1–3 or 1 Timothy 1:8 or 2 Timothy 3:16–17, make it clear that the OT law does apply to NT believers.
If Romans 6:14 doesn’t mean that the OT Law doesn’t apply to Christians, what does it mean? As always, context is key. By examining Romans 5:12–21 as well as Romans 7:1–6 carefully, Paul’s meaning becomes clearer.
Let’s start with Romans 7:1–6, which is the next place Paul mentions “law” after Romans 6:14. Paul begins, “The law is binding on a person only as long as he lives” (7:1). He compares being “under law” to being married. If a woman’s husband is alive, she is “bound by law” to her husband (7:2a). If her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning marriage (7:2b). She is “free from that law” and can remarry (7:3). In the same way, when we were sinners, we were under the law’s jurisdiction (7:5). But when we died with Christ, the law ceased to have jurisdiction over us (7:4). We have been released from the law because we have died (7:6). Because we are dead to the law, we can be married to Christ (7:4) who by His Spirit produces in us the very righteousness the law demanded (8:4).
When a person places their faith in Christ, they are united with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. They are a new person; the sinful person they were before is gone. As far as the law is concerned, they are dead. Thus, we are no longer subject to the Mosaic Covenant and its law, which says, “Each one shall be put to death for his own sin” and “the soul who sins shall die” (Deut 24:16; Ezek 18:4).
In fact, we are no longer even in the same domain as the law. The law rules over those who are “in the flesh” (Rom 7:5). But we are not “in the flesh” anymore (8:3). We are “in Christ Jesus” (8:1). We are “in the Spirit” (Rom 8:9). That brings us back to Romans 5:12–21. Here, Paul states that death (5:12) and sin (5:21) “reigned” over all Adam’s children (5:14). Adam’s sin brought the law’s condemnation on the whole human race (5:18), for all have sinned (5:12), i.e., even before the Mosaic Law was given, all men were under the condemnation of God’s law.
Yet, (Hallelujah!) God graciously provided His Son whose one act of righteousness has provided justification that results in life for all who believe in Him (5:18). When we trust in Christ, through His death, burial, and resurrection, we are transferred from the domain of law to the domain of grace, from the rule of sin to the rule of grace–enabled righteousness (5:21). As far as the law and sin are concerned, we are dead (6:1–2). Under grace, we now use the law as a guide to righteousness which yields the fruit of holiness (Rom 6:20–22 NKJV). That’s what it means that “you are not under law but under grace.”
Blessings,
Phil
Paul’s use of the OT law in his letters answers a resounding No to your question. In fact, I see three good reasons just from Romans alone to believe that Paul saw the OT law as applying to us today (and by ‘applying’ I mean ‘having relevance to and authority over our beliefs, attitudes and actions’).
First, Paul’s use of Deuteronomy shows that it applies to us today: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Rom 12:19; Deut 32:35).
Second, Paul’s use of Exodus and Leviticus shows that they apply to us today: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom 13:8–10; Exod 20:13–15, 17; Lev 19:17–18).
Third, Paul’s use of the entire OT, including the Mosaic law, shows that it applies to us today: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom 15:4). These texts, to say nothing of Romans 3:30–31 or Romans 7:7, 12 or Ephesians 6:1–3 or 1 Timothy 1:8 or 2 Timothy 3:16–17, make it clear that the OT law does apply to NT believers.
If Romans 6:14 doesn’t mean that the OT Law doesn’t apply to Christians, what does it mean? As always, context is key. By examining Romans 5:12–21 as well as Romans 7:1–6 carefully, Paul’s meaning becomes clearer.
Let’s start with Romans 7:1–6, which is the next place Paul mentions “law” after Romans 6:14. Paul begins, “The law is binding on a person only as long as he lives” (7:1). He compares being “under law” to being married. If a woman’s husband is alive, she is “bound by law” to her husband (7:2a). If her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning marriage (7:2b). She is “free from that law” and can remarry (7:3). In the same way, when we were sinners, we were under the law’s jurisdiction (7:5). But when we died with Christ, the law ceased to have jurisdiction over us (7:4). We have been released from the law because we have died (7:6). Because we are dead to the law, we can be married to Christ (7:4) who by His Spirit produces in us the very righteousness the law demanded (8:4).
When a person places their faith in Christ, they are united with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. They are a new person; the sinful person they were before is gone. As far as the law is concerned, they are dead. Thus, we are no longer subject to the Mosaic Covenant and its law, which says, “Each one shall be put to death for his own sin” and “the soul who sins shall die” (Deut 24:16; Ezek 18:4).
In fact, we are no longer even in the same domain as the law. The law rules over those who are “in the flesh” (Rom 7:5). But we are not “in the flesh” anymore (8:3). We are “in Christ Jesus” (8:1). We are “in the Spirit” (Rom 8:9). That brings us back to Romans 5:12–21. Here, Paul states that death (5:12) and sin (5:21) “reigned” over all Adam’s children (5:14). Adam’s sin brought the law’s condemnation on the whole human race (5:18), for all have sinned (5:12), i.e., even before the Mosaic Law was given, all men were under the condemnation of God’s law.
Yet, (Hallelujah!) God graciously provided His Son whose one act of righteousness has provided justification that results in life for all who believe in Him (5:18). When we trust in Christ, through His death, burial, and resurrection, we are transferred from the domain of law to the domain of grace, from the rule of sin to the rule of grace–enabled righteousness (5:21). As far as the law and sin are concerned, we are dead (6:1–2). Under grace, we now use the law as a guide to righteousness which yields the fruit of holiness (Rom 6:20–22 NKJV). That’s what it means that “you are not under law but under grace.”
Blessings,
Phil