Just say the word “law” in many Christian circles, and the defenses will go up fast. Invariably the discussion will culminate in 1 of 2 defensive responses . . . or both:
We are no longer under the law!
and/or
The law was nailed to the cross!
They will say one or both as a PROOF statement that the law does not apply to them since they are followers of the Christ, ie – Christians. While they may not know the verse or where it is located, let alone the context surrounding it, they are absolutely sure it is a biblical certainty . . .
The law no longer applies to them because of Jesus!
They do not believe this is theological supposition, to them it is cold hard biblical fact.
The verses behind this doctrine(s) used as “proof” statements are the following:
Not under the law comes from the following:
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:14 (KJV)
Nailing to the cross comes from the following:
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,
which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross;
Colossians 2:14 (KJV)
What neither of them says is that the law abrogated – abolished – ended.
Let’s use some simple logic here:
IF there is no law, how can there be transgression (violation) of law?
IF there is no transgression (violation of law), what will the day of judgment judge?
IF there is no law, then by definition are we not law-less (without the law).
There in lies the problem . . . the bible has defined what lawlessness is:
The Greek word ἀνομία anomia Phonetic Pronunciation: an-om-ee’-ah
It means lawlessness – without the law
‘to live as though there were no laws,’ ‘to refuse completely to obey the laws,’ or ‘to live as one who despises all laws.’
Louw_Nida Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament:
1-the condition of one without law either because ignorant of it, or because violating it.
2-contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness
Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
lawlessness; violation of law, iniquity, sin,
Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words: Hebrew/Greek-English Dictionary.
ἀνομία anomia is used by the 70 Jewish Torah scholars in the Septuagint
to translate the following Hebrew words:
אָוֶן ’āwen (201), Iniquity, wickedness (Jb 31:3, Pss 5:5, 6:8).
בְּלִיַּעַל bᵉlîya‘al (1139), Destruction (2 Sm 22:5, Ps 18:4 [17:4]).
בֶּצַע betsa‘ (1240), Unjust gain (Isa 33:15).
דֶּרֶךְ derekh (1932), Manner (Ezek 20:30).
הַוָּה hawwāh (2010), Disaster, destruction (Pss 57:1 [56:1], 94:20 [93:20]).
זִמָּה zimmāh (2239), Wickedness, immorality (Lv 19:29, 20:14, Ps 26:10 [25:10]).
חַטָּאָה chaṯṯā’āh (2495), Sin (Isa 5:18).
חַטָּאת chaṯṯā’th (2496), Sin (Ex 34:9, Jb 13:23, Isa 33:15).
חָמַס chāmas̱ (2659), Violence (Pss 55:9 [54:9], 74:20 [73:20], Zep 1:9).
מַעַל ma‘al (4761), Unfaithfulness (1 Chr 9:1, 10:13).
מַעֲלָל ma‘ălāl (4770), Doings (Isa 3:8).
מִשְׂפָּח mispāch (5034), Bloodshed (Isa 5:7).
נְבָלָה nᵉvālāh (5214), Foolish, disgrace (Jer 29:23 [36:23]).
סָרָה s̱ārāh (5828), Rebel (Isa 1:5).
עָוֶל ‘āwel (5982), Injustice, evil (Ps 53:1 [52:1], Ezek 33:13,18).
עַוְלָה ‘awlāh (5983), Injustice, unrighteousness (Pss 37:1 [36:1], 58:2 [57:2], 64:6 [63:6]).
עָוֹן ‘āwōn (5988), Iniquity, punishment of iniquity (Gn 19:15, Ex 34:7, Lv 16:21).
עֲלִילָה ‘ălîlāh (6173), Doings (Ezek 36:19).
עֹצֶב ‘ōtsev (6327), Pain, offense (Ps 139:24 [138:24]).
עָתָק ‘āthāq (6515), Arrogant (Ps 31:18 [30:18]).
פָּשַׁע pāsha‘ (6839), Qal: transgress (Isa 53:12).
פֶּשַׁע pesha‘ (6840), Transgression (Jb 8:4, 14:17).
קָלוֹן qālôn (7320), Shame, dishonor (Jb 10:15).
רֶשַׁע resha‘ (7856), Wickedness (Pss 5:4, 45:7 [44:7], Mic 6:10).
רִשְׁעָה rish‘āh (7858), Wickedness (Dt 9:5, Zec 5:8, Mal 1:4).
שָׁחַת shāchath (8271), Go to ruin; hiphil: corrupt (Dt 31:29).
שֶׁקֶר sheqer (8632), Disillusionment, falsehood (Ps 7:15, Isa 59:3 [58:3]).
תּוֹעֵבָה tô‘ēvāh (8774), Abominations (Ezek 8:6,9).
Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary, The – Alpha-Gamma.
There is no ignoring what lawlessness – being without the law is . . . it is sin.
Let’s use some more simple logic. After all, God gave us a brain – let’s use it!
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy in Your name, and
in Your name cast out demons, and
in Your name perform many miracles?’
Matthew 7:21-22 (NASB)
If you are intellectually honest, what would you think of somebody in your own church, maybe that you have known for some time, could prophecy, cast out demons, and perform miracles? Would you think he was blessed by God? Would you think of him as anything but a man of God? Be honest!
It doesn’t say falsely do these things so don’t read into it (eisegesis). This is real stuff and they are talking directly the Jesus. How does Jesus respond?
“And then I will declare to them,
‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
Matthew 7:23 (NASB)
it would mean the SAME THING if we wrote it the following way:
“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO ARE WITHOUT THE LAW.’
Matthew 7:23 (NASB)
He never knew them because they were without the law (lawless) . . .
Let’s use even more simple logic –
Do YOU really believe the edict from God to NOT be sexually immoral no longer exists?
Do YOU really believe the edict from God to love God with all you have no longer exists?
Do YOU really believe the edict from God to to love your neighbor as yourself no longer applies?
Remember something. God almost destroyed man, the world and every living thing over lawlessness:
So the Lord said, I will destroy, blot out, and wipe away mankind, whom I have created from the face of the ground—not only man, [but] the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air—for it grieves Me and makes Me regretful that I have made them.
Genesis 6:7 (AMP)
What made God want to destroy His creation?
(Maftir) Adonai saw that the people on earth were very wicked, that all the imaginings of their hearts were always of evil only.
Adonai regretted that he had made humankind on the earth; it grieved his heart.
Genesis 6:5-6 (CJB)
Being lawless – without the law, is an abomination in God’s eyes – it is wickedness.
He says, Be Holy because HE is Holy. To be Holy is to be in full submission to what God wants from us. It is to be in full submission to living our lives the way he dictates like loving him with everything we have and teaching our children to love him with everything they have. In fact, we are told it is the MOST IMPORTANT COMMAND. Is a command from God not law?
This one will blow your mind if you think the law is abrogated:
But now the work Yeshua has been given to do is far superior to theirs, just as the covenant he mediates is better. For this covenant has been given as Torah on the basis of better promises.
Hebrews 8:6 (CJB)
the word David Stern translates “given as Torah” is the Greek word nenomothetai
To legislate, to enact law; to establish or settle by law.
I believe that the law part is left out of all other translations because of man-made doctrine and theological supposition of the law ending . In the non-biblical Greek, this word is succinct in its meaning: “to frame laws.”
The Torah is God’s instructions to man – God’s instructions are legally binding in the text.
God is the one that legislates – A God that is the same and doesn’t change we are told.
Does that mean we have to go sacrifice a dove? If you think that, you have missed the whole point! It is not about Sabbath observance. In Isaiah, sabbath observance is called evil if the people doing it don’t practice justice and mercy towards others first. It is not about circumcision because God doesn’t judge by outward appearances – if he did there would have been no need for Messiah. It is not about the laws themselves because we are told they can ALL be summed up as “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
The law tells us what being without the law is and looks like, ie lawlessness
Jesus was the opposite of lawless – He was and is the living Torah of God – the living law.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh’khinah, the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1 and 1:14 combined (CJB)
Now we get to the crux of the matter:
In the end times, people will be lawless. As a result, their love for God will grow cold.
Without the law = a love that grows cold
and many people’s love will grow cold because of increased distance from Torah.
Matthew 24:12 (CJB)
the end of days will be permeated by those that love sin.
All the imaginings of their hearts will be on everything but him.
The MORE you love sin, the LESS you love what God has to say about sin.
The law tells us what sin is – it is lawlessness
Maybe that is why Jesus started his ministry with the following words:
Turn from you sins to God (repent)!
He could have just as easily said, “Turn from you lawlessness to God!”
and it would have meant the same thing.
And maybe, just maybe, that is why so many ascribe that the law ended to the 2 verses at the start –
it allows them to be lawless with a clear conscience if they treat it as biblical doctrine . . .
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