Be careful in dealing with the Mosaic Law

THE EDITOR: More and more Christians especially in the “full Gospel” churches are turning away from the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ unto Jewish Law. Sermons preached no longer make any distinction between the Gospel and the Mosaic Law, mixing both and subjecting people to a yoke of bondage that the original recipients of the Mosaic Law, the Jews themselves, could not bear.

The meaning of the word “gospel” is “a joyful message,” or “good news” or “good tidings.” What is this “good news?” Its contents are given in Luke 2:10, 11 and Matthew 1:21 (KJV). The Apostle Paul also gives us the Gospel which he preached in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4. Note, in these three passages, there is no mention of the Mosaic Law (inclusive of the Ten Commandments). In contrast, the Mosaic Law is called “a yoke of bondage” (Acts 15: 10, Galatians 5:1). Both the Apostle and the Lord Jesus, summarises this entire Law in two commands (Matt 22: 35-40; Romans (13: 8-10). Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind . . . and thy neighbour as thyself. In the Old Testament, the Gospel is a “promise” on account that the Saviour had not yet come in “the flesh,” but in the New Testament it is fully accomplished and revealed by Christ the Saviour Himself.

God first revealed this Gospel in Eden to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15), and afterwards published it to the Patriarchs and Prophets. He was also pleased to represent it by the “types and shadows” of sacrifices and the other ceremonies of the Mosaic Law. Ignorance of this distinction between the Mosaic Law and the Gospel has been one of the principal sources of the abuses which corrupted and still corrupts Christianity. It started early in the history of the Church (See Acts Ch 15 and 21: 17-30 and Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians and Colossians) and still continues today, especially in our independent, “full gospel” churches. It is evident in practices such as circumcision, divorce, Sabbath keeping, baptismal regeneration, firstfruits, tithing, etc which are insisted upon by “ignorant” pastors.

In the Churches of Galatia and Colosse confusion arose as to the distinction between the Law and the Gospel. In the Epistle to the Galatians 1: 6-7, Paul writes of Christians who were leaving the “truths” of the Gospel for the “bondage” of Law. The law, however, is not another gospel, nor is it a part of the Gospel. It is merely the “types and shadows” of the Gospel. Now that the Gospel is an accomplished fact, what need have we of the types and shadows? (2 Cor 3: 6-12). Paul also warns of the dangers of the Mosaic Law; God through Moses pronounced a curse upon the Law (Deut 27: 26 Gal 3:10). The Mosaic Law must be done in its entirety or we fall under the curse; one cannot select the clauses he likes and do those only, it’s all or nothing! In order to “live” one must observe all of the animal sacrifices, all of the offerings, all of the ordinances and all of the commands.

Unless his obedience be total, “continuing in all things that are written in the book of the law,” and perpetual (if in any instance at any time we fail and come short), we fall under the curse of the law. If perchance we manage to do all that is in the Law, the Bible informs us that we are still “not justified”. “Why not?” you ask. Because “justification” is not the purpose of the Law. (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:11, 19-25 KJV). Christians should beware of being “entangled with the yoke of bondage.”

SYLVAN JAMES
Seuradge Trace, Debe