NEW TESTAMENT LAW
There is much disagreement on the Law among those claiming Christ as savior. The chief dissention is between the side that hold to the paradigm that God must be obeyed for salvation and the side which says salvation is not dependent upon one’s obedience to God because it relies on works. For the doctrine of salvation by faith alone to be true, there can exist no New Testament Law in God’s word. The very presence of Law in the New Testament forever dispels the myth of Salvation by faith alone, or salvation apart from works.
Since the Word of God explicitly says that Jesus is the author of salvation to the obedient (Hebrews 5:9) and Jesus Himself declared in Matthew 7:21 that only those who do the will of God will be allowed in the Kingdom of Heaven, this goal of this work is to establish the presence of New Testament Law in God’s Word. For a Christian to be obedient, there must exist something to obey. That which a Christian must obey, therefore must be law.
There is more than one law spoken of in the New Testament. Both Old Testament and New Testament law are mentioned and contrasted in Romans 3:27, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”
1. The Old Testament Law of Moses, Old Law, or the Levitical Law, which prevailed from the time of Moses until the cross.
a. The Law of Moses ended at the cross of Christ.
* The Law of Moses abolished: Ephesians 2:15-16 reads, “Having abolished in His [JESUS] flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments, [LAW OF MOSES] contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both [JEWS AND GENTILES] unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby…”
* The Law of Moses was Nailed to Jesus’ Cross: Colossians 2:14, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances [Law of Moses] that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross…”
b. The Old Testament Law of Moses was incapable of saving anyone.
* The Law of Moses could not justify. Acts 13:39, “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
* The sacrifices offered under the Law of Moses could not take away sin permanently. Hebrews 10:1-4, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
* The Law of Moses could not make anyone perfect. Hebrews 7:19, “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
c. With the Death of Christ Came A Changing Of the Law.
* Jesus is our new High Priest. Hebrews 3:1, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus…” Hebrews 6:20, “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Hebrews 7:26, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens….” Hebrews 8:1, “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens…”
* The Changing of Priesthood Required a Changing of the Law. Hebrews 7:12, “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” The Law of Moses having been abolished at the cross has been replaced with the changing of our High Priest.
* Jesus is a lawgiver. James 4:12, “There is one lawgiver [Jesus], who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” Those who claim there is no law under the gospel must first explain how James is not referring to Jesus and at the same time, produce who else James is referring to in this passage. Moreover, those who deny law under Christ must explain the existence of a lawgiver in God’s Word that gave no law.
d. The New Testament Law Referenced in God’s Word.
*Galatians 6:2, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
* James 1:25, “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
* James 2:8, “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well…”
* Romans 3:26-28, “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works [Old Testament Law]? Nay: but by the law of faith [New Testament Law]. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith [Law of Faith] without the deeds of the law [Old Testament Law]. Paul is contrasting the two laws. In so doing, he directly associates Faith with Law. There is law in the New Testament. Paul called it the law of Faith.
* Romans 8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Two laws are contrasted in this verse. The law of Sin and Death must be Old Testament law and the other law which frees us from the Old law must be the New Testament Law.
* Romans 8:7, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Paul is contrasting the flesh with the Spirit of God. Those in the flesh are non believers where those in the Spirit of God are Christians. Non Christians are not subject to the law of God, where Christians are. One cannot be subject to a law that does not exist.
* Romans 7:22-25, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Paul is talking here about the struggle every Christian endures. The desire of our flesh over our desire to obey God’s law. Paul says here that he serves the Law of God with his mind. Any law that we serve under the Christian age must be of necessity be New Testament Law. Paul cannot serve law where none exists.
* 1 Corinthians 9:21, “To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.” Paul here specifically declares that he is not without law but living under the law to Christ. Paul cannot declare his fealty to Christ’s Law if none exists.
e. The New Testament Law Transgressed.
*James 2:9, “But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.” This cannot be a reference to the Law of Moses because this was written to Christians living after the Law of Moses was abolished. Being in the same context as James 2:8, it is clear this is a reference to the royal law there mentioned.
* James 2:11, “For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” See comments above.
* James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” One cannot be guilty of offending a law that was abolished. Neither can one be guilty of transgressing a law where none exists.
* 1 John 3:4-5, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” Verse 5 included to show the context. Jesus is said here He took away “OUR” Sin. John is written to Christians. The Old Testament Law, [Law of Moses] was abolished at the cross and was no longer in force. The Law in this context can be transgressed, is in force and is transgressed by sin. Law in this passage can be nothing other than New Testament Law.
* Romans 4:15, “Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.” Romans 5:13, “For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.” These statements are in the context of Old Testament Law, however the implications of what is here stated extend further than just the Law of Moses. If there were no law under Christ, it would be impossible to sin. One cannot break a law where none exists under either the old covenant or the new covenant. The implications here are that if there were no law under the New Covenant, there would be no sin and as such, no one would be lost and in need of saving.
f. New Testament Law fulfilled.
* Romans 13:8-10, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” The Old Testament Law was abolished at the cross. It is no longer in force. Any law fulfilled after the cross of Christ is by necessary inference New Testament Law.
* Galatians 6:2, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” It cannot be reasonably denied that New Testament Law exists with a command to fulfil it. However, it is a logical necessity that one cannot fulfil law where non exists. And on the same note, as demonstrated in the previous section, neither can a law be transgressed where non exists.
g. Jesus’ commandments are law.
* Matthew 22:36-40, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” The Old Testament Law contained commandments that had to be obeyed. Since God’s commandments were law in the Old Testament, they must be law in the New Testament. Jesus here mentions “all the law and prophets”. It can be argued that Jesus was referring to both the Old Testament and New Testament Law in this context. In any event, Jesus connected His commandments with Law. Commandments are statements requiring obedience. Law is a system that governs behavior. A system that governs behavior must by necessity contain statements that must be obeyed.
h. Christians Will Be Judged By Law.
* John 12:48, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” In the previous section we saw that Jesus commandments are law. Jesus said in John 12:48 all will be judged by His words.
* James 2:12, “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” Since both Jesus words and the Law of Liberty are going to be the basis of our judgement then it is a logical necessity that the words of Jesus are New Testament Law. Furthermore, since we are going to be judged by Law, it is a necessary inference that Law exists in the New Testament.
i. New Testament Law justifies.
* Romans 2:13, “(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.)” Paul here declares a law that justifies. We know for a fact this cannot be Old Testament law he is talking about because scripture is abundantly clear that the Law of Moses cannot justify. Acts 13:39, “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” The only other possible Law that could justify those who keep it can be New Testament Law. There are no other possible choices. Paul’s reference to any law that justifies establishes the fact that New Testament law exists beyond any reasonable doubt.
Logical Conclusions From The Word of God:
As stated earlier, Law is a system that governs behavior. A system that governs behavior must by necessity contain statements that must be obeyed. Statements that must be obeyed are commandments.
Jesus said all must do the will of God to enter the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 7:21. Jesus Christ either must be obeyed, or can be disobeyed for one to inherit eternal life. There is no middle of the road here. If Jesus does not need to be obeyed, then Matthew 7:21 and a whole host of other scripture bearing on this constitutes a false statement in the Word of God. If there exists a single commandment in God’s Word which must be obeyed, then it is a logical necessity that everything He commanded likewise must be obeyed.
The same can be said of Law. One cannot have a law without directives governing the actions of others. Neither can there be directives governing one’s actions without law. The two are mutually inclusive of one another.
If there is no New Testament Law, then there are no directives governing one’s behavior. If this were the case then not even John 3:16 and 6:29 would need to be considered as a necessary condition upon which salvation depended. Even those claiming there is no New Testament Law MUST concede that one needs to have faith to receive eternal life. And New Testament Law makes it abundantly clear faith is a requirement. Any condition upon which salvation depends whatsoever is by definition law.
Conditional Statements:
- 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
If there is no New Testament Law, there are no restrictions governing behavior and Paul’s statements in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and Galatians 5:19-21 are false. Restrictions that govern behavior are law, therefore New Testament Law exists.
Conclusion: Does the New Covenant Contain Law?
There are at least 7 direct references to Law in the New Testament; Galatians 6:2, James 1:25; 2:8, Romans 7:22-25; 8:2; 8:7, 1 Corinthians 9:21. Law must therefore exist for it to be mentioned in the Word of God.
James 2:9; 2:10; 2:11; 1 John 3:4-5 demonstrate the transgression of New Testament Law. Where there is no law, there can be no transgression, Romans 4:15; 5:13.
Romans 13:8-10 and Galatians 6:2 reference the fulfillment or keeping of Law. One cannot keep law where non exists.
The New Testament contains Commandments of Jesus. Commandments govern behavior, therefore they must be law.
Jesus is said to be a lawgiver in James 4:12. Jesus gave us commandments, thereby giving us law.
Christians are accountable for their behavior and will.
The evidence from the Word of God overwhelmingly demonstrate the existence of New Testament Law.
Context determines which law is in view of the inspired writer. When the context is speaking of Law that has been abolished or ineffective, the Old Testament Law is the one intended by the writer. Conversely, when the context is speaking of a law that is effective and is effective and in force, New Testament Law is the one in view.
The belief that there is no law in the New Testament that is binding on Christians today is driven by the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. For salvation by faith alone to be true, there can be no New Testament Law. The positive existence of New Testament Law thus precludes the salvation by faith alone doctrine from being scriptural. James words in James 2:24 ring true, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”