{"id":207,"date":"2022-02-18T12:10:49","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T12:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/postsofgreatprice\/?p=207"},"modified":"2022-02-15T17:19:30","modified_gmt":"2022-02-15T17:19:30","slug":"jesus-is-greater-than-the-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/postsofgreatprice\/2022\/02\/jesus-is-greater-than-the-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus is Greater Than the Law"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

In the previous segments we\u2019ve learned that only a powerful forgiveness event can resolve our insolvable problems: that we are fallen and cannot save ourselves, that we cannot be saved in our sins, and also that we must not die in our sins.<\/p>\n

Once we accept a comprehensive saving event, and its effects: redemption, re-birth, being changed to a state of righteousness, then we will begin to recognize an entirely new message from the scriptures. Once we understand that the whole of our mortal existence is spent in either the state<\/em> of wickedness or the state<\/em> of righteousness, we will begin to recognize the thousands of scriptures that refer to these two states. References to our fallen state<\/em> use terms like, \u201cin our sins,\u201d \u201cnatural man,\u201d \u201cof nature,\u201d \u201cnot redeemed,\u201d \u201cstate of wickedness.\u201d (1 Cor. 15:17; 2 Ne 9:38; Mosiah 2:33; Alma 11:37 and 12:16-18.)<\/p>\n

Terms that refer to our forgiven state<\/em> include: \u201csaved,\u201d \u201credeemed,\u201d \u201cborn again,\u201d \u201creconciled,\u201d \u201cnew creature,\u201d \u201cwashed in His blood,\u201d \u201chis image in your countenance,\u201d \u201calive in Christ,\u201d \u201cin Christ,\u201d \u201cin the spirit,\u201d \u201cChrist in us,\u201d and mercy rather than justice.<\/p>\n

All of these conditions happen at the same time and are the effects of being forgiven, for example, \u201cTherefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature<\/strong>: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new\u201d<\/em> (2 Corinthians 5:17). Now that we understand the term \u201cin Christ\u201d refers to our state after being redeemed, this verse tells us, anyone who has been redeemed becomes a completely new creature, and everything<\/strong> is different.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is different\u201d is the biggest understatement in the universe. One unbelievable difference is our relationship with the law\u2013with all the commandments. If we really can be forgiven for all our sins right now, if we really can be imputed with Christ\u2019s righteousness (justified), then the logical conclusion is that we are no longer in jeopardy of justice, no longer in danger of punishment from the law, right? You cannot be pardoned from punishment, and still be punished, right? You cannot have Christ\u2019s righteousness and need more righteousness, can you?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s likely that you just reacted the same as Paul\u2019s audience, \u201cWhat then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?\u201d<\/em> (Romans 6:15). Paul\u2019s answer was, \u201cGod forbid!\u201d<\/em>, in other words, of course not! But the premise of their question shows that Paul had been teaching a forgiveness so comprehensive as to render the law \u201cdead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take the concept of forgiveness to its logical and astounding conclusion; if we are forgiven for all<\/em> our sins, including future sins, then doesn\u2019t that essentially render the law meaningless? Couldn\u2019t you say the law becomes \u201cdead\u201d? For example, if you break a commandment, but have already been forgiven of that sin, then it\u2019s as if there is no commandment, right? Well, that astounding conclusion is exactly what Paul teaches the Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians, that once justified, we are no longer under the law.<\/p>\n

What? Forgiven of future sins? No longer under the law? (I know, more cognitive dissonance\u2013sorry). It\u2019s because of teachings like this that many Latter-Day Saints think Paul was a little off the rails. And yet Nephi teaches the same thing! \u201cFor this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead<\/strong> unto us, and we are made alive in Christ<\/strong> because of our faith\u2026 we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law<\/strong>; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ,<\/strong> and know for what end the law was given<\/em> (2 Ne 25:25, 27).<\/p>\n

Was Nephi off the rails too? Was he only referring to the law of Moses being dead? Nope, it\u2019s God\u2019s law, the law that defines sin, the law that will punish the impenitent (2 Ne 2:26; Alma 42:23). And we can trust that Paul and Nephi were not off the rails because Christ himself taught this exact same doctrine. Please read Matt 12:1-8. In this account the ever-present Pharisees see the disciples do something wrong; they pick grain on the Sabbath. (I\u2019m not sure why the Pharisees didn\u2019t also condemn them for stealing, since it wasn\u2019t their grain, but I digress).<\/p>\n

Anyway, Jesus answers the Pharisees by giving examples of others who broke the law. David broke the commandment by eating the holy bread. And the priests who profane the sabbath also broke the commandment, but because they work in the temple, they are blameless<\/em>. And then Jesus makes the audacious statement that he is greater than the temple<\/em>! So, although his disciples did indeed break the sabbath by picking the grain, (and stealing) they are guiltless because they are with him<\/strong>, and he is greater than the Sabbath<\/em>! So, Jesus is saying, yes, people break the law, everyone breaks the commandments, but their salvation is obtained by faith in me<\/em>\u2013by receiving mercy. \u201cChrist is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>(Romans 10:3,4)<\/p>\n

This is the concept that Paul tries to teach using many different phrases, like, \u201cdead to sin,\u201d \u201cfree from sin,\u201d \u201cdelivered from the law,\u201d \u201cno longer under the law\u201d<\/em>, and sin not being \u201cimputed\u201d<\/em> to us (Rom 4:8; 6:2, 18, 22; 7:6; Gal 2:19; 3:13; 5:18). This concept is hard to accept , but even simple logic brings us to the same conclusion; that once forgiven for all<\/em> our sins, we can no longer be condemned by the law.<\/p>\n

So Paul teaches this doctrine every way he can think of, by metaphor, by simply stating it, and yet, it was lost on many of the Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians just like it\u2019s lost on us. Don\u2019t we too want a reward for our good deeds, and want criminals punished? Forgiving huge debts, looking at the serpent, washing in the stream, the prodigal son, these are inspiring stories, but do we really believe they apply to us?<\/p>\n

Please read Galatians chapters 2-5, and Romans chapters 3-8. You can feel Paul\u2019s exasperation as he says, \u201cTell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law!\u201d<\/em> (Gal 4:21). In other words, he is saying, you keep trying to make salvation about keeping the commandments, do you not understand what that means? Do you not understand the impossibility of keeping all<\/em> the commandments! Do you really want that heavy yoke?<\/p>\n

He continues in Galatians 5:1, \u201cStand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage\u201d<\/em> because he who thinks obedience to the laws will save him, is obligated to keep it perfectly, \u201cis a debtor to do<\/strong> the whole law\u201d<\/em> 5:3. Then he says in effect, if you insist that obedience to the law, (for example circumcision), is what saves you, then \u201cChrist is become of no effect unto you. Whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace.<\/em>\u201d 5:4 And, \u201cif ye be led of the spirit<\/strong>, ye are not under the law<\/em>.\u201d 5:18. In other words, once you have been justified, you are not under the law.<\/p>\n

I hope these articles help us better understand repentance, forgiveness, and redemption. If we don\u2019t correctly understand these doctrines, it\u2019s easy to reach incorrect conclusions about which is the cause and which is the effect of salvation. For example, many believe that good works cause the effect of salvation; when actually the scriptures teach that good works\u2013as defined by God\u2013do not even exist until after we\u2019ve been saved. As we see with Benjamin\u2019s people, forgiveness\u2013not obedience\u2013is the key to joy and peace.<\/p>\n

Being forgiven and redeemed are true and attainable states, in this life, right now. Contemplate that wonderful possibility; imagine the peace of knowing<\/strong><\/em> that Jesus has forgiven you. Imagine knowing that He<\/em> will conquer your most unconquerable faults. What if rather than worry, you had joy? What if every day you could have a perfect brightness of hope that you will<\/em> receive eternal life in the Kingdom of God?<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What if every day you could have a perfect brightness of hope that you will receive eternal life in the Kingdom of God?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":243,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[89,33,80,77,83,86],"class_list":["post-207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-born-again","tag-christ","tag-greater","tag-jesus","tag-redeemed","tag-redemption"],"yoast_head":"\nJesus is Greater Than the Law<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What if every day you could have a perfect brightness of hope that you will receive eternal life in the Kingdom of God?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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