Jesus said: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” (MATTHEW 5:17). I hear people declare some churches are “legalistic” and their practices are under the law though we are under grace.
Two things happened this year that gave me pause, the first was my having the opportunity to own a prayer shawl. The other was my participation in a Messianic Passover Haggadah. The prayer shawl and the Haggadah are associated with Judaism and thus to many Christians being under the law. After doing some research I am comfortable with owning a prayer shawl and participating in Passover Haggadah.
Am I turning into a legalistic Christian and ignoring the grace of God? Jesus said He did not come to destroy the law. Why would I need grace if I can ignore the law?
This is what I believe: Jesus did not cancel the law.
HEBREWS 10:1-13
For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— in the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’”
Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.
Our Lord, the Son of God, is the perfect sacrifice and offering for all of our sins therefore we no longer need to present burnt offerings and such for our sins. But we still sin! How do we know that our behavior is sinful? God’s precepts tell us so.
I have often heard people refer to the Bible as an acronym: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. The Hebrew word for law is ‘torah’ which means precept or statute. The Greek word for law is ‘nomos’ which within is meaning is “prescriptive usage” (Strong's 3551). The law reflects our guidelines for living which includes: precepts, statutes, and / or guidelines.
ROMANS 5:10-13
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Without these guidelines, aka laws, we would not know we were displeasing Father God. Because of these laws, precepts for living, we know how imperfect we are. It is the grace of God that allows us to receive His blessings.
EPHESIANS 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
It is tradition, that has been teaching us to focus on the grace of God more than the laws of God.
MARK 7:13
making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
It is important that you study Scripture for yourself and evaluate the origins of your church’s doctrine. I would submit to you that the reason there is so much transgression in God’s word today is because so many people disregard the precepts, statues, guidelines, laws that are found in the first 5 books of Bible; they are not Moses’ laws they are laws God gave to the people. Jesus said: ““Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. “ (NIV)
— written by Marsha L F Randolph
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