Tuesday, November 24, 2009

88) Jesus sets prisoners free from the captivity of the law

Galatians 3:23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.

Israel was held captive under the law until the coming of faith. Therefore, once faith was revealed in Jesus Christ and the new covenant, Jews were no longer under the law. They were once imprisoned and held captive by the law, but they were set free when faith was revealed. Paul states the same thing in Romans 7:6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. Being released from the law precludes running back to law with a new motive of sanctification. It makes no sense to be set free from captivity only to return to the source of the captivity and submit once again to the yoke of slavery.

Focus on Christ #88

2 comments:

mark pierson said...

"Being released from the law precludes running back to law with a new motive of sanctification."

Your point is well made. We all must remember that Christ was the final and fullest revelation of the Father. Therefore what came from His mouth, and the mouths of the writers of the New Testament, is to be our rule of life. This does not mean however that we disregard what the OT has to say... laying with an animal is still a sin even though not mentioned in the NT. The OT is still for our learning and exhortation. I say these things because New Covenant Theology has its detractors who like to caricature what it is that we believe.

jazzycat said...

Mark,
Good points. Thanks for your input.