The Law of Christ

[other one]

So that leads to this question:

Are we Christians bound under the Law of Christ as the Jews were bound under the Moasic Law?

Rom 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

(KJV)

I think too often a lot of people overlook the significance of that word LORD. When you confess Jesus as lord you pretty much are subjected to his teachings and word. If you make this confession and do not do the things he says, then you have made yourself a liar instead of a Christian.

Gospel according to Sam

[Ovedya]

There is a big difference between living the law and living Christ. Anybody can arbitrarilly call themselves a Christian and live a good human life according to the Law and according to the words of Christ. But it is a far different thing to confess Christ, to live Christ, and to be obedient to the Lord's words by a life lived in (and out of) faith.

[justjake]

There is a big difference between living the law and living Christ. Anybody can arbitrarilly call themselves a Christian and live a good human life according to the Law and according to the words of Christ. But it is a far different thing to confess Christ, to live Christ, and to be obedient to the Lord's words by a life lived in (and out of) faith.

Interesting post, God-man!

So if I may tie this thread in with my definition of faith thread....

Is living out a realtionship with God by faith in Christ fulfilling the Law of Christ?

[Catsmeow]

There is a big difference between living the law and living Christ. Anybody can arbitrarilly call themselves a Christian and live a good human life according to the Law and according to the words of Christ. But it is a far different thing to confess Christ, to live Christ, and to be obedient to the Lord's words by a life lived in (and out of) faith.

Godman: Great post! Couldn't put it better....

[wordsower]

In Micah Ch 6 God pleads

2 For the Lord has a complaint against His people, and He will contend with Israel

I brought you out of Egypt, redeemed you from bondage, sent Moses and Aaron and Miriam,

O My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab counseled, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him...that you may know the righteousness of the Lord.

Micah asks, "What do You want? sacrifices, my firstborn?

God answers, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you....but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

That's all it ever was and all it ever will be: "Love God, love your neighbor"

You can do neither, as shown by the Israelites, without faith! The law was a tutor to point them to Christ. To their need for a Savior. When you follow a list of rules you will always fail. When you follow the perfect Christ, you are saved.

[Ovedya]

There is a big difference between living the law and living Christ.  Anybody can arbitrarilly call themselves a Christian and live a good human life according to the Law and according to the words of Christ.  But it is a far different thing to confess Christ, to live Christ, and to be obedient to the Lord's words by a life lived in (and out of) faith.

Interesting post, God-man!

So if I may tie this thread in with my definition of faith thread....

Is living out a realtionship with God by faith in Christ fulfilling the Law of Christ?

I would have to say yes. The Lord said to love one another as He loved us. Many times it is hard for us to do that because, after all, we are human. However, if a believer lives Christ in his daily life, loving the brethrin is spontaneous, and does not require any effort. Granted, sometimes it does require some effort on our part. But then we have to learn to drop our preferences and gain Christ.

[tsth]

As believers, can we be convicted by the law?

apparently so.

James 2:9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

Any comments?

In His Love,

Suzanne

[wordsower]

Yes, I have a comment. If we read the verse previous to James 2:9 we find in 8 the reference to 9

"If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself,: you do well;"

see Lev. 19:18, Mark 12:29-31

[Ovedya]

In its entire context, verse (vv.8-11) verse 9 is speaking of the Law of Moses. The reference, as above, is Lev. 19:18.

However, in verse 11 James wrote about "the law of freedom" (cf. 1:25), which is clearly the equivalent of the law of Christ. But in his epistle James is never really clear which is superior. Therefore, it is likely that James saw the keeping of the Mosaic Law as necessary for the Jewish believers, and the keeping of both the Mosaic Law and the law of Christ as necessary for the Gentile believers.

Some Jewish believers erred by keeping the Law, and some encouraged the Gentiles to first be converted to Judaism before becoming believers themselves (Refer to the controversey in Acts 15 and 21 respectively). James and perhaps thousands of other believers at the time practiced a kind of mixture of both Judaism and "the faith." - as it is called in the NT. This is the kind of background and context in which James wrote his epistle.

From reading his epistle it is clear to the reader that James is very concerned with the outward appearance and behavior of the believers. This is very much akin to the keeping of the Law. In contrast, Paul's epistles focussed more on the inner life of the believer (Living, walking, breathing and having our being in the Lord - add umpteen references here) and the gaining of Christ; and the building up of the Body of Christ for the Lord's eminent return.

I believe that the Lord inspired James to write his epistle for the believers to have such a contrast by the keeping of the outter laws and the fulfilling of all the Laws in Christ by a life lived out of faith. Certainly there is benefit and light there - not to diminish James' epistle at all. But there is also a benefit in seeing that, with respect to the other epistles, James' fell a little short of God's economy.

(....I just know I'm going to get ripped for saying that...)

[tsth]

1 Timothy 1:5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

1:6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

1:8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,

9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

So, in essence if we are abiding in "sound doctrine", then the Law does not apply. This is why this particular chapter is addressing false teachers. They are trying to teach things that are not of sound doctrine, therefore, then putting people back under the Law, due to sinful behavior and beliefs/false doctrine. (meaning we are automatically walking according to the Law, if we are abiding in sound doctrine. We would not need to be under the Law, we are walking in Spirit and love for our brothers. (See Romans 8:4 below)

4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

You are either of the Law or of Christ, both call for the same result, but only ONE enables/fulfills it!

In His Love,

Suzanne