The Law Is Never Done Away!
Why do churches and denominations debate whether The Law is done away? What is done away? “Then said he, Lo [Christ], I come to do your [God’s] will, O God. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second” (Hebrews 10:9). What was the first law and what is the second law?
“Wherefore the Holy Spirit also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant [contract] that I will make with them [Israel Israel at Mount Sinai to a New Covenant. The New Covenant changes your human nature by God’s Holy Spirit.
This “covenant change” is exactly what Jeremiah prophesied would happen (Jeremiah 31:31). What was done away with was The Old Covenant which was only made with Israel
That is why Paul said The Letter of the Law kills you, but The Spirit of The Law gives you life or Salvation (II Corinthians 3:6). The Old Covenant is based upon “human efforts” or “works.” Doing “the works” through human effort only gives you a good, long, prosperous life but no Salvation. The Old Covenant only reveals what sin is (I John 3:4).
The New Covenant is administered by God’s Holy Spirit “without any works of human effort.” In The New Covenant it is God doing the work by His Holy Spirit which gives you power and a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7). The Old Covenant is replaced with The New Covenant. Don’t confuse The Law with The Old Covenant. The Old Covenant is replaced with The New Covenant because Christ died for you. Christ died to be able to give you The New Covenant. The New Covenant allows you to be helped through God’s Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit helps you keep The New Covenant within your heart. With the Holy Spirit in your heart, you will never think of stealing, lying, dishonoring your parents, and committing adultery. And, you will always worship God. Without God’s Holy Spirit, Israel
The Law Magnified
God’s “righteousness” occurs by magnifying God’s Law to be more honorable (Isaiah 42:21). Magnifying or enlarging its scope produces more honor or praise and respect. How did Jesus magnify The Law?
In speaking to The Pharisees and scribes, notice what Christ tells them. “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites [movie actors] for you pay tithes [making a big deal] of mint and anise and cummin [small profit] and have omitted [forgotten] the weightier matters of the Law, judgment [justice] mercy [grace] and faith [total trust]: these ought you to have done and not to leave the other undone” (Matthew 23:23).
The Law is still “in force” and “always will be in force” forever and ever. But, by not placing “more importance” to what carries greater weight than tithing, it is completely forgotten or unknown. Jesus magnified the meaning of God’s Law to be given greater honor or significance.
Tithing should be done but only can be given to “the priesthood,” like The Levites or Melchizedek. “Ministers” are only “diakonos servant waiters on tables” in Greek. They are not priests. Are ministers called Levites or Melchizedek? Who is Christ in heaven, scripturally? When you tithe by command, the tithe goes to the priests, widows and orphans. Giving God’s tithes by command to ministers is robbing God (Malachi 3:8). It is exactly the problem they had in The Book of Malachi.
There is nothing wrong with giving the church ten percent, fifty percent or everything. The widow gave her last two mites. But to “demand tithes” as “a dogma to ministers” is robbing God. Either way, as Jesus said, “Tithing is of least importance” to God. What is weightier is to have justice, mercy and faith. Why? This is because it gives The Law more honor or greatness. To be fair and honest in judgment and by faithfully trusting God, you will receive Salvation (Life Eternal).
What The Law Could Not Do
A change of priesthood requires a change in The Law (Hebrews 7:12). Jesus magnified The Law as Melchizedek, which made The Law more significant. The Book of Hebrews’ answer to the change in The Law from The Old Covenant with Levi is, “Who is made, not after the law of a carnal [human] commandment, but after the power of an endless life [Salvation]” (Hebrews 7:16). “For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh to God” (Hebrews 7:18-19). How many times do you need to be told? The Magnified Law by Christ is made more honorable because it can produce Eternal Life (by faith).
All The Law of Moses could do is tell you what sin is (I John 3:4), but it could never give Salvation. Only perfection can save you by God’s righteousness and “Holy Spirit.” God is there doing the work.
God’s Law Must Be Kept ─ Spiritually
You must keep The Law of God, spiritually, by creating an internal change in your nature and conscience. The Letter of The Law, by your “human effort,” makes you carnal according to Paul. Keeping The Law in The Letter still makes you unprofitable to God (Luke 17:10). You should keep The Law because it gives you a better life, but no Salvation. Always remember, it can never give you Salvation. You need to magnify God’s Law and make it spiritual without the demands of The Letter. Only by having a change of your carnal nature, in your heart or desires can you have Salvation. Christians are to keep The Magnified Law, which is spiritual. This Law actually changes you from having a carnal nature to a Godly nature, thus guaranteeing you Salvation, as long as you remain faithful.
It is God’s Holy Spirit which makes you Holy just like Jesus, The Author of Your Salvation (Luke 1:35 and Hebrews 12:2). Keeping The Law in The Letter without spiritually writing The Law in your heart and mind makes you an “unprofitable servant.”
Old Covenant − A Shadow
The Law administered by Moses was a shadow. “For the law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image [God’s righteousness] of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually; make the comers perfect” (Hebrews 10:1). “Perfection” is God’s “goal” of His “righteousness” (Matthew 5:48). “Be you perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.” The subject in Hebrews 10:1 is perfection.
God is making man in God’s image, which is perfection (Genesis 1:26). Perfection is a process which includes the entire Word of God (Matthew 4:4). The Law with its works is a prophecy of good things to come (Colossians 2:16-17). It is only Jesus who brings grace and truth and not The Law of Moses. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace [mercy] and truth [perfection] by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Christ was that shadow of good things to come. He is the Author of God’s Word to receive Salvation.
Wow! The Magnified Law by Christ as your Messiah is “The One” who makes The Law more honorable by writing God’s Law in your heart and mind (Jeremiah 31:31-33). Jeremiah clearly prophesies that this New Covenant will do away with The Old Covenant. “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egpyt; which my covenant [old] they broke, although I was an husband to them, said the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:32).
My, my, my, THE LAW IS NEVER DONE AWAY but magnified by Christ which actually makes you perfect so you can be in God’s image. Praise be to God who does the work and not man.
