THE BODY OF CHRIST
THE
ORDER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST – PART 2
THE
AUTHORITY OF CHRIST JESUS’ WORD IS NOT FOUND IN THE OLD LAW!
First
and foremost, to comprehend the authority of Jesus Christ is to understand
Him with ultimate authority and in our last lesson, we looked into this. The
Hebrew writer adds to our understanding concerning Christ authoritative word
by stating an obvious understanding; since He is both High Priest and King,
as given to Him by God (Hebrews
7:1-11), there had to be a change in the law for righteousness,
note:
Hebrews 7:12
“For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is
also a change of the law.”
In
addition, since this new law is superior to that of the Old and written on
the hearts of those who would come to God through its words, instead of
stone (Hebrews
8:7-12), there was a need to abrogate the Old Law, note:
Hebrews 8:13
“In that He says, “A new
covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming
obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
Finally,
since the Old Law provided types and shadows of the superiority that Christ
would bring to men, we learn that everything God gave men before was
purified, purged, and established by blood (Hebrews
9:1-26). Since the blood of bulls and goats under the Old Law
failed to please God in the end, something superior was needed, note:
Hebrews 9:14-15
“how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?
15
And for
this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for
the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those
who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”
So, what
exactly are we saying? The Old Testament is not authoritative today for
righteousness!
Romans 1:16-17
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is
the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first
and also for the Greek.
17
For in it the
righteousness of God is revealed
from faith to faith; as it is written,
“The just
shall live by faith.””
1.
Paul states
clearly that it has been nailed to the cross!
Colossians 2:14
“having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that
was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the
way, having nailed it to the cross.”
2.
Paul also
stated that the Law of commandments was abolished!
Ephesians 2:14-16
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and
has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15
having
abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments
contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man
from the two, thus making peace,
16
and that He
might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby
putting to death the enmity.”
3.
Paul used
the an analogy to describe that Christians are discharged from the Law, dead
to the Law to be joined with another (a woman joined to two at once is an
adulteress), note:
Romans 7:1-6
“Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who
know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?
2
For the
woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as
he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her
husband.
3
So then if,
while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called
an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that
she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.
4
Therefore,
my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of
Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the
dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
5
For when we
were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at
work in our members to bear fruit to death.
6
But now we
have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so
that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the
oldness of the letter.”
4.
Finally, to
seek righteousness in the Law of Moses is to be estranged from Christ and
the saving grace of God through Him, note:
Galatians 5:1-6
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has
made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
2
Indeed I,
Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you
nothing.
3
And I
testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to
keep the whole law.
4
You have
become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law;
you have fallen from grace.
5
For we
through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6
For in
Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but
faith working through love.”
So, does
the Old Testament still have a purpose today? Absolutely! In fact there are
over two hundred direct quotes from the Old Testament found within the
confines of the New, and several allegories, analogies, illustrations, and
direct references to events from the Old Testament found within the confines
of the New.
The Apostle
to the Gentiles referenced the Old Law as a schoolmaster to bring us to
Christ (that which would point towards and prepare for the coming and
purpose of Christ), note:
Galatians 3:24-25
“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to
Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25
But after
faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
There is,
in addition, validation of all that God had planned and purposed in the
Messiah, as referenced by the prophets (these not only pointed towards the
coming of the Messiah, His Gospel for men, His kingdom, and the prophecies
concerning His coming; but also were the first to have a glimpse of the
superiority of the Gospel blessings for men), note:
Romans 1:1-2
“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be
an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
2
which He
promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures”
Romans 3:21
“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is
revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets”
Galatians 3:8
“And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the
Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand,
saying, “In you all the nations shall be
blessed.””
1 Peter 1:10-12
“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and
searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come
to you,
11
searching
what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was
indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the
glories that would follow.
12
To them it
was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the
things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached
the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels
desire to look into.”
Finally,
the Old Law can teach us the nature of God! The fact that God does
everything He reveals that He will do (this establishes trust); and the fact
that He has demonstrated His righteous judgments on unrighteous men (the
great flood, Sodom, Israel in captivity, etc…).
This allows
us to develop an appreciation and trust for His great and precious promises
(2
Peter 1:4); thus everything we have in righteousness and in the
superiority of Christ’s doctrine can be substantiated in this, note:
Titus 1:1-3
“Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus
Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the
truth which accords with godliness,
2
in hope of
eternal life which God,
who cannot lie, promised before time began,
3
but has in
due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me
according to the commandment of God our Savior”
Rightly
dividing the word of God gives us a complete education in the revelation of
God; however, this lesson demonstrates that if we want to achieve the order
that the Lord
intended
for His Body to have, the right source of righteousness must be followed;
Christ’s!!!
2 John 9
“Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine
of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has
both the Father and the Son.”
Next: “Know and Execute the Testament of Christ!”