Subjective
If we had nothing but the Old Testament, all religion would be subjective. By this, I mean everything that is Godly would have to be earned. For this to happen, the law would have to work two ways. One, to get anything from God, you would have to keep the law. Two, if you did not keep the law, it would work against you and restrict you from being who you were in Christ, it might even destroy you, Romans 7:11.
This makes you wonder why anyone would want to be under the law. But there are some Christians that are under some law, either Moses law, some religious man's law or some doctrinal law. Law is what runs religion, Grace is the power that flows out of the Cross, an objectively finished work that no one can add to. Listed are some facts of law vs Grace.
1) Christ is the end of the law, Romans 10:4. This means that Christ's death on the cross was what ended the law. More so, it means that the law was put into Christ along with sin and when he died law and sin died with him, 1 Peter 2:24, Romans 7:4.
Our freedom from the law and sin is as complete as his death on the cross was real.
2) Old Testament law was given to expose sin, but the exposure of sin was never freedom from sin. As it is with many today, they know they are guilty of sin, but guilt does not free them from their sin. Sin is dealt with at the cross and the sinner must go to the Cross to be free from sin, 1 John 1:7.
3) The law that was given to Moses, the Torah, and even the law of the kingdom in the days of Jesus of Nazareth, was to be temporary. The law could not save from sin, the Father knew that in time, it had to go. The blood of Jesus Christ would wash away all sin.
4) law produces self works, Grace produces Christ Works in us. This is the sharp distinction between the gospel to Israel and the gospel of Paul to the Gentiles. Israel, is in un-birthed state, will always be bound by the law and Covenants, but the born-again will be free from the law.
The born-again will have Commandments to obey as did Israel of old. There are in fact over 377 Commandments in Paul's Epistles, but all of them are love Commandments. That is, there is no judgment attached to the Commandment. Believers are to serve God out of love and not out of law.
When it comes to righteousness, objectively the believer is birthed into Christ's righteousness, but subjectively a believer under the law must earn righteousness. It must always be remembered that anything a believer does within himself to please God, constitutes a religious act separate from the Christ who lives in him.
Since God placed Christ in the believer, He will not look to the believer to do anything himself aside from Christ in him. This is what changed at the cross. Humans were crucified with Christ so that in Salvation Christ could be their only life and they would no longer live, Gal. 2:20.
If we had nothing but the Old Testament, all religion would be subjective. By this, I mean everything that is Godly would have to be earned. For this to happen, the law would have to work two ways. One, to get anything from God, you would have to keep the law. Two, if you did not keep the law, it would work against you and restrict you from being who you were in Christ, it might even destroy you, Romans 7:11.
This makes you wonder why anyone would want to be under the law. But there are some Christians that are under some law, either Moses law, some religious man's law or some doctrinal law. Law is what runs religion, Grace is the power that flows out of the Cross, an objectively finished work that no one can add to. Listed are some facts of law vs Grace.
1) Christ is the end of the law, Romans 10:4. This means that Christ's death on the cross was what ended the law. More so, it means that the law was put into Christ along with sin and when he died law and sin died with him, 1 Peter 2:24, Romans 7:4.
Our freedom from the law and sin is as complete as his death on the cross was real.
2) Old Testament law was given to expose sin, but the exposure of sin was never freedom from sin. As it is with many today, they know they are guilty of sin, but guilt does not free them from their sin. Sin is dealt with at the cross and the sinner must go to the Cross to be free from sin, 1 John 1:7.
3) The law that was given to Moses, the Torah, and even the law of the kingdom in the days of Jesus of Nazareth, was to be temporary. The law could not save from sin, the Father knew that in time, it had to go. The blood of Jesus Christ would wash away all sin.
4) law produces self works, Grace produces Christ Works in us. This is the sharp distinction between the gospel to Israel and the gospel of Paul to the Gentiles. Israel, is in un-birthed state, will always be bound by the law and Covenants, but the born-again will be free from the law.
The born-again will have Commandments to obey as did Israel of old. There are in fact over 377 Commandments in Paul's Epistles, but all of them are love Commandments. That is, there is no judgment attached to the Commandment. Believers are to serve God out of love and not out of law.
When it comes to righteousness, objectively the believer is birthed into Christ's righteousness, but subjectively a believer under the law must earn righteousness. It must always be remembered that anything a believer does within himself to please God, constitutes a religious act separate from the Christ who lives in him.
Since God placed Christ in the believer, He will not look to the believer to do anything himself aside from Christ in him. This is what changed at the cross. Humans were crucified with Christ so that in Salvation Christ could be their only life and they would no longer live, Gal. 2:20.
