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Shadows Of The Law Vs The Substance Of Faith - Religion - Nairaland

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Shadows Of The Law Vs The Substance Of Faith by Goshen360(m): 5:01pm On Nov 03, 2014
New International Version
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
Hebrews 10:1

New International Version
These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Colossians 2:17


In Christianity today, there're so much confusion as regards the New Testament of the Grace of God and the Old Testament of the Law. There're groups of people who teach obedience to the law. Some teach the obedience to "some" aspects of the law where there is gain and profit. Some teach that the law has ceremonial, sacrificial and moral laws but does the bible made such distinctions? We'll find out in this thread\teaching. Many are confused thinking statements of Paul the Apostles meant he was teaching obedience to the law. Statements such as, "the law is holy, good, righteous, spiritual...." or statement such as, "Doesn't the law say the same thing...". The same Paul, the Apostle complete dismiss all intercourse with the Law in its entirety in Romans 7. How then do we see same Apostle saying the law is holy, good, righteous and spiritual? How did the Apostle handled the teachings in the law?

The misapplication is the law is most of our confusion in Christianity today. Many teach the law as observance rather than teaching the reality, which is Christ and his finished works in the Law. This is what we see the Apostle dismissing the law and teaching Christ as the substance & reality in the law. So, then, it is the misapplication of the Law of Moses (basically the teachings contained in the Torah) is what many are confused with and as such, we see ourselves confused - today we're saved by Grace, filled by the Spirit of Grace and we want to go back and live by the teachings of the law. The fight of Paul, the Apostle against the Law keepers in his days was fight against the "observance to the law" but he, Paul, taught the substance, reality and Christ revelation from the law. That is, the Apostle taught the revelation of the finished works of Christ that were spiritual truth contained in the law. Hence, he can boldly say, "the law is spiritual, holy, good and righteous" but he never taught obedience to the law or observance rather he taught, faith in the already finished works of Christ since it is now finished and fulfilled.

Let go into the Law and see for instance what we're talking about:

New International Version
"'Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.
Exodus 20:24


Many who teach observance to the law will teach church people to bring an offering in the hand in order for God to bless them because this verse says, God will bless you through the sacrifice and offerings. Ladies and Gentlemen, this offerings and sacrifice is the offerings of the body of Christ and his sacrifice on the cross (the altar). Hebrews 10:1 says, "but by the same sacrifice, the people were never made perfect". What then is the sacrifice that made us perfect before God? It is Christ's sacrifice in his finished works on the Cross. This is the substance of the law, the reality, the holy teachings, the spiritual truth contained in the law, the righteous teachings because by this sacrifice, Christ made us righteous before God.

New International Version
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:10


The law is holy but observance to the law does not make you holy. Christ in His finished works does make you holy. The law is spiritual but does not make you spiritual, Christ does. The law is righteous but doesn't make you righteous, Christ does. The law is good but doesn't make you good, Christ in his finished works does. A Christian is not called to obedience to the law but obedience to the finished works of Christ which the Apostle called "the way of faith" or "faith of the Son of God". (I have scriptures for all of these but I'm running out of time for other activities).

TBC....

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Re: Shadows Of The Law Vs The Substance Of Faith by christemmbassey(m): 6:39pm On Nov 05, 2014
Good, I just finished a teaching on OT vs NT. I'll certainly contrlbute here. Morf Grace bro Goshen.
Re: Shadows Of The Law Vs The Substance Of Faith by Goshen360(m): 8:53pm On Nov 05, 2014
Busy o. Make una no vex.
Re: Shadows Of The Law Vs The Substance Of Faith by Goshen360(m): 8:54pm On Nov 05, 2014
christemmbassey:
Good, I just finished a teaching on OT vs NT. I'll certainly contrlbute here. Morf Grace bro Goshen.

Good to hear from you brother.

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