Commentary on "Freedom in Christ"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 3: Monday, August 23, 2010 - What the Law Could Not Do

 

Overview

This is how the Quarterly beings today’s lesson:

“However good, the “law” (the ceremonial law, the moral law, or even both) cannot do for us what we need the most, and that is to provide the means of salvation, a means of saving us from the condemnation and death that sin brings. For that, we need Jesus (Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide; July, Aug, Sept, 2010, Page 104).

Read Romans 8:3, 4. What did Christ do that the law, by its very nature, cannot do?”

 

Observations

Once again we need to be reminded that the classification of the Mosaic Law into categories such as ‘ceremonial’ or ‘moral’ is a ‘red herring’ designed to confuse the issue since the law mentioned in Rom. 8:3,4 is all of the Mosaic Law. When Paul states that we are released from the law in Rom. 7:1-6, he is declaring our release from all the written code. Restated in plain modern English, the Law shows that those of us who have sinful ‘flesh’ could not, cannot and never will meet God’s righteous standard until we receive the sure hope of our salvation. Our hope is placed in none other than Jesus Christ.

To respond to the opening lesson question; the law could not fulfill the righteous demand that there must be an atonement for sin because of the weakness of our mortal sinful ‘flesh’. Only a holy and righteous Messiah could become our propitiation and fully atone for the sin of the human race. All of the righteous demands of the law have been fulfilled by Jesus Christ and as he said on the cross; “it is finished”. There is nothing we can add to this without making the gospel into a non gospel of sin contaminated human works.

In the lesson we find this phrase; “the outworking of the plan of salvation” and adds this to what Christ did on the cross. This is in obvious support of the Adventist doctrine that Christ led a perfect life while on earth in ‘the form of sinful flesh’ to attempt to prove that we also can live a perfect life while still in the ‘flesh’ of our present life. This contradicts what Paul portrays in the latter half of Romans chapter seven.

John had this to say about Christians, including himself, those who ‘walk in the light’:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (I John 1:8 ESV).

As long as we inhabit this body of ‘flesh’ sin will be a part of our lives and the struggle Paul so vividly describes will be a part of our lives. Our peace comes from knowing we are justified in God’s sight and are able to claim the promise that there is now no condemnation. Therefore it is silly to claim we can walk perfectly as Christ did. Furthermore, Jesus walked perfectly and sinless on earth simply because he is God, the Son of God and is perfect and holy. Jesus became our atonement because of who he is, not to prove it. Therefore, anything added to the gospel message is a non gospel. Sin demanded payment. Jesus paid our debt by dying on the cross, descended into the grave and was resurrected three days later. This is the whole gospel. There is nothing that can be added.

The lesson then claims that the word ‘flesh’, as used in Rom. 8:4, denotes an unregenerate person. While the unregenerate person certainly has sinful ‘flesh’, this is more nonsense. As Christians we still live in this sin laden world and retain our body of ‘flesh’ which must be mortified.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit (Rom. 8:5 ESV).

 

Summary

1. When reading the words of Paul or anywhere else in the bible, when the Mosaic Law is mentioned, it is a single unbroken unit. When the bible declares we are no longer under the law, it is the whole law and not some manmade defined portion of the law unsupported by scripture.
2. Romans 8:1 declares there is no condemnation for those in Christ.
3. Romans 8:2 declares that those who are 'in Christ' have been set free from the ‘law of sin and death’.
4. The weakness of the Mosaic Law is hindered by the inability of sinners to meet the righteous requirements of a Holy God. Romans 8:3 declares that God did what sinners could never do.
5. While his time here on earth teaches us much of his love for all sinners, his perfect life on earth is not part of the gospel message. Jesus led a perfect life because he is perfect and holy, not to demonstrate or prove it. The gospel message is centered around one three part event. The death on the cross by Jesus Christ for the atonement of our sins followed by his burial where he carried our sins to the grave (a place unknown) and then his resurrection three days later that proclaims the assurance of our hope of a new life to come.
6. Romans 8:4 proclaims that those truly born of the Spirit of God walk not according to the ‘flesh’ they still retain, but according to the Holy Spirit.
7. The key to this new life is this: Do you believe in faith the gospel message and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. If so, Jesus will impart the Holy Spirit into your life and bring your dead spirit to life. The resurrection of Jesus Christ proclaims to the world that what he said and did is true.

 

GO TO DAY 4

 

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