"I saw then in my dream, so far as this valley reached, there was on the right hand a very deep ditch; that ditch is it into which the blind have led the blind in all ages, and have both there miserably perished. Again, behold on the left hand, there was a very dangerous quag, into which, if even a good man falls, he can find no bottom for his foot to stand on. Into that quag King David once did fall, and had no doubt therein been smothered, had not He that is able plucked him out.
The pathway was here also exceeding narrow, and therefore good Christian was the more put to it; for when he sought in the dark to shun the ditch on the one hand, he was ready to tip over into the mire on the other; also when he sought to escape the mire, without great carefulness he would be ready to fall into the ditch. Thus he went on, and I heard him here sigh bitterly; for, besides the dangers already mentioned, the pathway was here so dark, that ofttimes when he lift up his foot to set forward, he knew not where, or upon what he should set it next." –John Bunyan from Pilgrim’s Progress
Thanks to Pastor Bunyan. Though dead, yet he teaches the Scriptures as no other. He is addressing in this narrative the journey that all believers must face. The way is narrow that leads to life and there are dangers for those who wander off on either side of the way. The subject of law is one in which the Christian must struggle on bended knee with open Bible.
Misunderstanding of the Biblical word "law" is a source of confusion and can lead to serious error. The legalists on one hand want to reinstate the Mosaic system of law and the antinomians on the other hand want to cancel the validity of every Old Testament commandment. Both extremes begin by asserting that in every New Testament passage "law" refers to the entire body of regulations given by Moses.
The Old Covenant people of God were organized into a visible nation. The laws that governed the theocratic nation were given to Israel through Moses as God spoke to him. God also spoke to the covenant people through the prophets until the destruction of Old Testament Israel in 70 AD. The civil and ceremonial laws ceased along with the nation and the temple. The question of interest for believers in every generation is how does the Mosaic Law apply to the Christian. New Covenant Jews are not part of a theocracy. Are we bound to the civil laws? Haven’t the ceremonial laws been fulfilled in Christ? What about the moral law?
Historically, in creed and confession, the church has distinguished between three types of law: moral, ceremonial and judicial or civil. These theological designations collect important Biblical teachings into brief phrases.
Certain verses in the New Testament establish that law has a present authority for the Christian:
"Sin is the transgression of the law." [I John 3:4]
"The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us…" [Romans 8:4]
"I delight in the law of God after the inward man." [Romans 7:22]
In contrast there are passages which speak of the law being now dismissed for the Christian. Strongest among these are:
"[Christ has] abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances" [Ephesians 2:15];
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross." [Colossians 2:14]
For those who love the Scriptures it is clear that the Lord is speaking of different kinds of law or of different elements in the same law. It is critical for the Christian to know which law continues to define sin and sanctification and which law has been blotted out, being nailed to the Savior’s cross. From Scripture we conclude that the moral law embodied in the Ten Words continue in force today being in common with both Old and New Covenants. The moral law is of a permanent nature. Since it is the revelation of the righteousness of God as it expresses His moral will for mankind, it can never change. However, the ceremonial and judicial law has been abolished by the work of Christ at Calvary.
Ceremonial law refers to commandments, which represented to the Jews glorious spiritual truths by means of very concrete forms. Unable to receive more abstract spiritual instruction, the Hebrews were taught "under the elements of the world" [Galatians 4:3]. Repetitious, visible representations of spiritual things were imposed upon them. They were elementary pictures of things to come. For example, the bloody sacrificial system taught that the remission of sins required the shedding of blood; that is, the death of an unblemished lamb.
Most of the spiritual realities depicted by ceremonial laws center upon the glorious person and redeeming work of Jesus Christ. The Westminster Confession of Faith describes ceremonial laws as "typical ordinances…prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits." Since the Mosaic system intended to shut men up to faith in Christ [Galatians 3:23], the Messiah, his person, his work, and his great salvation are the dominant themes.
When Christ personally ushered the Kingdom of God into the world, He gave the Spirit in new measure to the least child of the kingdom. An indwelling Spirit produced in all citizens of the heavenly kingdom a new maturity of spiritual perception.
"Of those born of women there is none greater than John the Baptist,
yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he." [Matthew 11:11]
Ceremonial laws are now incongruous with adult Christian character. Sons of the kingdom are able to comprehend more abstract spiritual realities. Jesus Christ has come into history and finished his saving work. Having these spiritual realities before our eyes, what further need is there for mere figures in the ceremonies? Now the realities are present, not future. They are clearly seen, not vaguely seen through a dark figure.
[Credits to Walter Chantry from God’s Righteous Kingdom & Geerhardus Vos from The Kingdom of God and the Church.]
Part II will continue with the civil and moral law.