O, How Love I Thy Law
Published on Facebook,
February, 2010
By Bud Powell
The law was given by
Moses....
Before Christ came, the Law of Moses could be considered redemptive because the
promise of Christ was included, so David could write, "The law of the Lord
is perfect, converting the soul," because God gave Moses both precept and
promise in the Law at Sinai. The promise was especially contained in the
ceremonies and the rites and symbols.
However, when Christ appeared, the validity of the signs and ceremonies ceased.
Deliverance from Egypt symbolized redemption from the bondage of our sin and
misery, and Moses was a figure of Christ and prophet, priest, and king. The
water from the rock, the passage through the sea, the bread from heaven all
figured Christ.
It would be unbelief to keep the Passover today, for it would necessitate a
denial that Messiah has come. Our Passover is crucified for us. Our Sabbath is
in Jesus who said, "Come unto me and rest." Hence, we celebrate the
resurrection of Christ in our collective worship on the first day of the week,
for we are not Jews, and Jesus didn't come to make us Jews. We love the Jews
for Abraham's sake and the promise of their future restoration, but our
fullness is in Christ. The Lord's Supper remembers His death and resurrection;
and baptism symbolizes not the cutting off of the flesh but new life in the
Spirit.
Old Testament people who rejoiced in the law by faith and were justified by
faith were NOT justified because of the precept part of the law of Moses. They
rejoiced by faith in the promise of Messiah who would take away their sins and
send the Holy Spirit. The law considered as precept showed them their sin and
misery, and, if God willed, was used by the Spirit to bring a sense of need and
a call for mercy. Thus, David prayed, "Thou desirest not sacrifice, else
would I offer it; the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite
heart." David dimly understood that the blood of bulls and goats could not
take away sin. The offering of the lamb pointed to the offering of the Lamb of
God that did take away sin.
When people in the New Testament say, "O love I thy law, " it is
important to know what they mean by that. Very often they do not mean the same
thing as David meant. It often is a platform for introducing the observances of
ceremonies and moralism that have little to do with a Christianity of the heart
and spirit. You can tell if they really mean it if the law of God has
penetrated their hearts so they hate gossip, slander, malice, murmuring,
sedition, backbiting, self-righteousness, envy, and strife, and all the things
that go with hard hearts. Instead you will find them judgmental and full of
strife over ceremonials and outward things, not a religion of the heart.
