Christians and God's Law- Laborers' Podcast

It says we're live. Happy Thursday, everybody. This is the laborers podcast where tonight we discuss the Christians relationship to the law. I pray that you stick around for a little while ask some questions.

The comment lines will be open shortly if they're not already and We will have Rob the reshaped Reshaped Robin from the truth and love network. We've got Providence perspective with the reformed Recon and then there's a guy on the top right hand corner I haven't seen in a hot minute.

But he seems like he's happy and he's a Calvinist. So it's the name suits him and then down there in the bottom right hand corner. We've got the bread of the word with Tyler. No, he's. Thank you so much for sticking around.

See that what that intro looks like, bro.

The Law of Moses and the Covenant at Sinai

Welcome to the laborers podcast which is a part of the truth in love network. Join us as together. We strive to grow up together in all things into Christ. Subscribe and follow the truth and love network on Facebook YouTube rumble Spotify and iTunes.

Now, let's join our laborers for tonight's broadcast.

Welcome back. Welcome back. Thank you for the intro big John. We are. You did well you did well, and I'm so thankful. We're all thankful to be together. There will be with you and we're thankful to have our Brother called Ramsey back with us.

He has been ministering in it in other places and we're thankful for him. Thankfully. He's back and we also a call just put up a Advertisement video what did you call it? Romo promo video for the conference.

We want to let you know about hopefully we can get it up here and show it to you. Go check out Claude's promo video. For the labor's conference coming up April 26 to the 28th and not Tennessee. It's a free conference.

It's gonna be at Rep Ramada Baptist Church. Yeah on Chapman Highway. I got it right that time Highway, it's it's free go to labor's conference calm and register. We would love to see you there fellowship with you there's gonna be preaching and teaching and we're just gonna soak up God's Word and we're gonna sing and Pray together and fellowship.

It's gonna be a really good time. I'm looking forward to hear my brothers preach and expound on God's Word actually God's Word. The comment lines are open. Let us know you're watching ask a question. So let's get started God's law.

This is this is a debated. We're probably gonna have differences of opinion here to even here tonight among. Oh, yes so. But it's good for us to talk about these things that we have a difference in because we want to know what God says.

We want to know How we need to believe in these things. So we need our we need our brothers. We need a Holy Spirit. And so Let's talk about it.

What.

What does the law of Moses consist of? So you so typically when people say the law would you would you all agree that they're talking about the law of Moses?

Yeah, okay in part in part.

Explain what you mean, Jay.

Well when I hear the law I'm thinking of God's moral standards, right. God's expectation of Of or God's Standards for humanity right now. He might apply specific aspects of law to a particular group of people in a particular Time period.

But it You know, so the law of Moses does have an aspect of that right. There was an aspect of the law that was given to Moses that applied to Israelites at that time. But I wouldn't necessarily say that Everything that God commanded Moses Applied only to Moses and the Israelites at that time, which I know.

That's going to be one of the points of contention tonight.

No, I was actually listening to somebody talk about that today. That was said something very similar that there's some parts of the law that are going to be Universal and expand throughout history.

I was just adding to you what you're saying. They're transcendent.

Yeah, yeah transcendent. And then there's some parts that are just just for the nation of Israel. Yeah, does anybody else want to hit on that when we say the law or the law of Moses?

What what does that consist of? Could I jump in on that? I haven't been here in a while. So I'm gonna.

So.

Deuteronomy chapter 6 again, I think We got to go to scripture right off the bat. So a number of times throughout the scriptures We have that terminology used right the law of Moses used in the Old Testament used in the New Testament in Hebrews so Definitionally, I think if we start with the scriptures, I think that'll be beneficial.

So if we're going to be Defining what is the law of Moses? Best to Summarize it succinctly from the text. So Deuteronomy chapter 6 all of Deuteronomy chapter 6 I'm gonna move my screens around here for just a minute.

So I don't have to. I don't look awkward craning my neck over to the other screen. Or any any more awkward than I already am but so let's start there. So Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 1 now. This is the commandment the statutes and the rules that the Lord your God Commanded me to teach you that you may do them in the land to which you are going over to possess it.

So the law again. Contextually, right. God's giving gave his law to Moses to proclaim to the people of Israel. So that when they entered the promised land, they would have standards, right? They would have the the right and the wrong they they would know what's right.

What's wrong? Continuing there. He said that you may fear the Lord your God you and your son and your son's sons. By keeping all his statutes and his commandments which I command you all the days of your life that your days may be long.

Here therefore Oh Israel and be careful to do them and it may go well with you and that you may multiply Greatly as the Lord the God of your fathers has promised you in a land flowing with milk and honey.

Here Oh Israel the Lord our God. The Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you shall be on your heart.

You shall teach them Diligently to your children shall talk of them when you sit in your house. When you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates and when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give you with great good cities that you did not build and houses full of good things that you did not feel and Cisterns that you did not dig and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant and when you eat and are full.

Then take care lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall and you shall fear him him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.

You shall not go after other gods. The gods of the peoples who are around you for the Lord your God is in your midst in your midst is a jealous God. Lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

You shall not put your Lord your God to the test as you tested him at Massa. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God in his testimonies and his statutes. Which he has commanded you and you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord.

And it may go well with you and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the Lord your God Swore to give your fathers and you'll do this by thrusting out your enemies from before you as the Lord.

God is promised. When your son asked you in a time to come. What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you? Then you shall say to your sons we were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and the Lord showed signs and wonders great and grievous against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household before our eyes and He brought us out from there that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give our fathers.

And.

The Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good our good always that he might preserve us alive as we are this day and The last verse there says it will be righteousness for us If we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God as he has commanded us.

So in in short long form You know, I think if we're going to talk about the law of God We need to go you look at the text what the text refers to is the law of Moses or as the question was the law Moses and That we build from there.

That's a good that's a good summary for the book of Deuteronomy to lead into why the law was given, you know, what was going on when the law was being given and We see the covenantal nature of the law the blessing and the curse, right?

Yeah.

Indeed.

See that as well in Deuteronomy 28.

Jesse Hardin is getting ahead of us a little bit here. Yeah.

That's a brother Jesse's good man, he he pastors a temple used to be called Temple Baptist at six point over in Mosborough, North Carolina. Thank you for spending some time with us brother.

Jesse it's good to hear from me and that is on the docket for tonight. We will be delving into that a little bit later tonight.

Yep, so. Well, I was just gonna say, you know Deuteronomy 28 follow it just following up on what Claude says in regards to the covenantal nature of the law That was given to Moses. If you read Deuteronomy 28, I'm not gonna do it because you know, we don't have enough time but.

It's blessings and curses, right? You keep the law. These are the blessings you get. You break the law these are the curses you get. And you know, I Do take a covenantal approach to the law, which means that I would consider that.

An.

Aspect of the covenant of works. If you don't know what the covenant of works is just to keep it very very simple very brief. It just basically means, you know, God makes this covenant with man where he says You do this and I will bless you.

You do this or don't do this and I will curse you. So that that's essentially covenant works in a nutshell. So, I'm gonna leave it at that for now because it can get really really deep and I think we we got to keep a little bit of order tonight, so.

Israel’s Covenant Relationship to the Law

What was Israel's relationship the law. Yeah, absolutely. And we so we apologize we have failed to bring that to everybody's attention and Praise the Lord for you big John. You were just called and accepted the pastorate.

Laurel Memorial, Laura. Yeah, Laura Memorial. Church Relations, thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.

What was Israel's relationship to the law and we kind of touched on that as Claude read and described. That's part of what the the law was for. And so what was their relationship to the law according to that passage and maybe other passages?

And.

Well, according to the general over overarching idea of the laws. This is how they had communion with God. This is the way that Israel This is by the means of which their relationship was with him. It's because of their heart of heart he would say later on that that the law was used but That is the manner in which God chose To interact with his people.

What's up, bro? What's going on brothers? And there's one thing that hasn't changed with that and that is that the relationship we have with God is still on his terms. Right. We come to God in the way that he wants us to we worship God the way that he wants us to he'll accept nothing less and and his relationship that he had with Israel was set based on His covenant and based on his ordinances and he said this is going to be this way like it or lump it and Israel.

That's why it was that's what when Paul or Claude said we write on the doorpost in the Lenten I don't know if you actually said that's what King James words it right and then you you teach your children the law when you're Getting up and going out.

It's because if you're gonna have a relationship with God you you need to know this. This is how we this is how we interact with God. This is how we interact with people not just God. There was there was aspects of the law that was that was used to Govern how Israel treated one another how they treated their neighbors.

So every area of their life was dictated in any and it's law, right? Whether it be civil moral or ceremonial. All of this is laid out in a way that gives Israel both commands and Consequences for either following them or disobeying them.

And speaking of their neighbors, I would just add one thing. It's it's my understanding that their relationship with the law was in in this covenantal aspect not only the the blessings and cursings if if they keep it or they they disobey but In keeping it they were.

It was intended for them to be a blessing to their neighbors and they were to see God in them and Draw other people To God. Yep, and they were meant to be a blessing to the other nations.

And I think it's important to stress Exodus chapter 4 let my son go that he may serve me. That God called Egypt he called Israel. He called Israel out of Egypt to serve him. That's the beginning of this journey and in the The process by which we get there.

They don't serve him. And so they spend 40 years in the desert. Circles yeah, I wanna walk it around in circles and it's like you have this gradual I. They are willing to.

You know, God got Israel out of Egypt overnight, but it took him 40 years to get Egypt. Deuteronomy chapter 7. So if you're gonna reach this chapter 6. Chapter 7 verse 7. Yahweh did not set his affection on you nor choose you because you were in more in number Than any of your peoples for they were the fewest of all people.

But because Yahweh loved you and kept the oath which he swore to your fathers Lord brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery the hand of Pharaoh the king of Egypt.

So.

We make no mistake about it. It was God's established Commandments his covenants and his his promises that he's keeping in all of that. And I would even go ahead and lay a little track. Y 'all can lay the cross ties to it as we go.

But it's my firm belief that the reason that the law Is so all-encompassing and the reason that the law is so impossible to keep. It's so that there would be salvation and no other than the one who's able to keep and fulfill the law and I'll stop there for right now, but that's my firm belief that that's why the law is so impossible to keep in its fullness.

That kind of leads us into the next part of that question is there any Relationship between the law the law Moses and eternal salvation. Absolutely.

The Law, Sin, and the Need for Salvation in Christ

Okay, explain that because the law Serves to make sin exceedingly sinful The law serves to make to make punishment for sin necessary. Where there is no where there is no Abrams law then there can be no transgression by definition, right?

Now in the New Testament We see this expounded on where your consciousness or your conscience is also either going to testify against you from the book of Romans perspective and The Gentiles indeed had a law unto themselves and that they know what's right and what's wrong because God has given us Knowledge of what's right and what's wrong?

However.

The law.

Serves to make Sinfulness punishable by eternal damnation the book of 1st Corinthians chapter 15. Once on the last verse of the chapter it says. For the strength of sin is in the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ.

Therefore my brothers be steadfast immovable abounding in good works knowing that that.

Your faith is not in vain something like that. Something that is part of the Easter episode of bread of the word this week 15. I did reading the whole chapter. I love this chapter. Listen, I've got I've got a video coming out tomorrow.

Actually, and as it happens, I think well, I told you guys it's on this exact same topic that we're talking about right now.

Yeah, I didn't know. These were the questions whenever I was. I was mowing grass reading them a while ago and I said I don't have to go and study right quick.

So.

This is this related this question, it's not the law of Moses but when it comes to natural law or creation speaking and displaying the glory of God.

Can.

Can nature's law the natural law or creation speaking? Convict a person of sin. Can it show them their sin or does it does it need to be? The law of Moses to an extent, okay.

Yeah. It would not. It would know it would not show you the fullness of of your your sinfulness against a holy and mighty God, you know, I Think it's Romans 3 that says that for by no works of the law or five were by works of the law.

No human being will be justified in this night Since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Now in in Romans 1 starting in 17 right after he talks about the gospel in verse 16. He says that because what is evident of that God can be clearly seen through creation. Sure, so the goodness of God and the majesty of God is clearly observable by the way of general revelation.

Yeah, amen. John there, you know, you know enough.

There is enough revealed. That's right. It takes a special kind of stupid to believe God don't exist. You really have to you really have to be willfully ignorant and I know we laugh about it, but I'm serious you have to.

Borderline, it's not about stupidity at this point. It's about actually Lying to yourself and choosing I believe that lie as opposed to believe what your eyes your ears your nose All five senses can take in it.

It takes. It takes Truthfully trying your best to believe anything.

But God when you walk outside and you look at creation, I have a shirt that says I don't believe in atheists.

Yeah.

I'll wear it to restaurants and stuff and so far. Nobody has stopped me to argue with me.

Which I'm kind of disappointed and you have the biblical term for what y 'all are talking about is rebellion. That's exactly. That is the that is rebellion typified. And I'm glad you mentioned that about General revelation because that's that's the key right there that general revelation.

Reveal it makes the knowledge of God known to every human being. Special only special revelation only the reveal only the scriptures themselves that reveal God's savingly. So God can be known through nature, but God cannot be savingly known through me.

That's true. That's true.

And and the other part of that Special revelation is that you have to hear the name of Jesus. Oh.

Yeah.

You have you have to hear the law of God to know seeing we can speak to the Zen. Then you also have to hear the name of Jesus to be to be saved.

Knows what he's doing. Everybody's talking. John's talk about preaching it. Talking about Jesus is talking about having a podcast about it tomorrow. Sunday morning, I mean.

What I'm saying that publicly.

Where we're at in Zechariah, we're we're we're talking about the Thing the certainty of God's faithfulness the law and the gospel really because that's again very significant in and Important to our conversation tonight because there always has to be for again for a person to know they're sinful John Big John said it right what wrong teaches that the the law is made exceedingly sinful the knowledge of the law.

Yeah, where we can understand seeing and understand what sin is. It's not a slip-up. It's not a hiccup Daisy. It's that we have rebelled against a holy. Holy. Holy God. That's right. The only remedy is a perfect life and They're the gospel.

No man is able to perfectly keep the law except wait Jesus Give obedience of Christ where he Completely kept the law of God perfectly and not only was he the Son of God, but he was fully man and that's there I know it's a little it may be a little early for the gospel proclamation, but it's never too early for the No, so that's where Christ being both Son of God Son of Man fully 100 both where he was able to bear the wrath of God for our sins The only Acceptable sacrifice for our sins because he perfectly kept the law of God.

He lived the life. We could not live he died. We could not die and he rose Corrected himself from the dead. Yeah, or of God On the third day and he ascends to the father where he ever lives to make intercession for us.

He is our great high priest. Amen.

Amen praise the Lord.

I've heard it said. Natural revelation is sufficient for condemnation and special revelation. The word is sufficient for salvation.

Let's let's give the last he ain't never been on here where the keys are on here.

This this is and it's turning into a good Easter. And we use some strong language. Denying. In rebellion, we use some strong language. But the but the reason that we approach with compassion is because it's just like Claude.

Did you hear the language that Claude used. We were in rebellion? We broke God's law. Yeah, so we are our faces. The knowledge that that we now have was veiled at one time as well. So we approach compassion because We such were us.

Yeah, and on that track could I read Nehemiah 8. Do it. All right so Nehemiah 8 verse 8. And just to get a little bit a little bit of backdrop here Ezra has that's right Ezra is a rebuilding Israel after the exile they are coming back from Babylon from from captivity.

This is like the fateful few many have chosen to stay where it's comfortable in bondage believe it or not and this is the few that have chosen to make the journey back to Israel to rebuild to Repent to continue to follow God in their in their city and.

In chapter 8 they find a copy of the law and they begin reading in chapter chapter 8 verse 8 so they read in the book in the law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading.

And Nehemiah. Which is the Tershanta, I'm sorry I've got all this pronunciation guides in my Bible and Ezra the priest described and the Levites that taught the people said unto all the People this day is holy unto the Lord your God.

More not nor weep for all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. And then he said unto them go your way. Eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared for this day is holy unto the Lord.

Neither be sorry for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Hey, man, I mean and oftentimes we we quote that verse kind of partially the joy of the Lord is your strength. We put that on coffee cups and t-shirts and and mouse pads and things and it's kind of everywhere.

But we don't always put it in context and thing. What does it mean? In the context of the law to say that the joy of the Lord is my strength. To say the things that delight God. Are my strengths. That's good.

You see the old Scots confession. I think puts it beautifully that the Holy Spirit of God is the cause of good work. That the thing that causes us to obey God is God. That the only way we can obey that we can do what this book says is not because we're good people not because we've put on some kind of Some kind of magical underwear and now we are holy people.

Quite the opposite that despite all that we are Christ died for us. Amen, and then he caused his spirit to enter us. Yeah to to empower us to do what we couldn't before. To walk with him. To enjoy what he has called us to do not just to do it but to enjoy it.

This is why Paul speaks so vehemently. Against what he calls a doctrine of demons something we would probably call legalism something having the form of God leads to none of its power. Something that dresses up sinners, but leaves them sinners.

Yep. And so when we're when we're talking about the law and we're talking about the condemnation of the law. There is freedom in obedience. Because it's not just freedom from the law, but it's freedom to its freedom to the things that God delights in.

Amen, because there are things that we also Delight in so it's not just a law that affects the hands, but it's a lot that affects the affections. It's a lot that changes the heart.

Tyler is getting into something that well, you know, Jesus said if you love me, you will keep my Commandments. Mmm, right. He said that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. There is no burden right there is no yoke there is a yoke.

There is a burden but it but it's easy and light, you know, first John 5. You know his his Commandments are not burdensome and I think all of this leads into. Well, Jesse Harden touched on the threefold division of the law that's where we might have some disagreements Among these brethren here, but I think we could agree.

As far as the three uses of the law right this or maybe not. I don't know. I guess we'll find out but. But it's a primarily a response reform perspective. Although I think Lutherans uses as well. And so basically to simplify.

What the three uses of law is it's you've got the law as a mirror. First use. Shows you who you truly are shows you cannot keep God's perfect standards. Second use is a shield, right? Probably won't talk about this one as much at least tonight.

Where the law protects from evildoers right protects other people from evildoing. You're not gonna sin if you know that there's consequences to your sin. Say for example, my children are not sharing and stealing things for one another.

They know that daddy's gonna come in and you know. Bring bring the belt or something like that. I think I just confessed to like child abuse.

But.

Point is the second use of the law is like a shield, right? It protects those who are doing righteous things from those who are. There you go. And then the third use of the law is. Some people would say a compass.

I like to call it a guide right. Psalm 110 maybe your word is the lamp unto my feet.

Mm-hmm.

That that's how I see the law of God when you are saved. Right. Because we're no law no longer condemned by the law. We know that there is freedom in Christ. Therefore we love him so much that we just want to please him by keeping that law that he has given.

Knowing that we won't we won't keep it perfectly. We won't but out of love not fear of condemnation. We can fully proceed to keep that law and it's not a burden.

And if I can read a quick from the 16 and 9 chapter 19 the law of God paragraph 7 I think what Jay just said in Tyler read and he said I think it goes perfectly well where it says neither other Aforementioned uses of the law Contrary to the grace of the gospel, but not we comply with it with the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully, which the will of God revealed in the law required to be done, so I don't know that I.

I'd have a little bit of disagreement on that, but I'm gonna I'm gonna put this way Romans chapter 2 and Ephesians chapter 2 to me. Go go pretty close to the so they could be in the same book, right? Well, they are in the same collection of books.

Yeah. Yeah, so I read Romans 2 first. Therefore you're without excuse old man. Everyone who passes judgment for in which you have judged one another you condemn yourself for for you. Who judge practice the same things we know that judgment of God falls rightly upon those who practice such things.

But do you presume this old man that he passes judgment? On those who practice such things and does the same that you'll escape the judgment of God. This is a question not a statement. Even though I said it kind of statement like or do you think Lightly of the riches of his kindness and the forbearance of his patience.

Now before I finish this here's what? Paul would say about the law being our tutor or our schoolmaster later on. He would say that he that That the law is our schoolmaster. I Think Spurgeon who says that the law of God can take you to the cross and after that it can do nothing else for you.

I might be wrong. It's quoting Spurgeon. I don't really know Spurgeon at good, but I'm going to say that's that's what Spurgeon said In the world of reformers. I don't really read many of y 'all. Had I not been born again the second half of this next verse would not make sense so to those who are under the law and turn and that's a question coming up in terms of their of their Relationship with God being observed as through the law of Moses this part is going to seem somewhat elusive to those who are outside of Christ altogether and Have no concept of the law or of grace or of of Christ at all.

And also it's not going to make much sense. But to those that are saved this next part is. Is how I say that that living up without the law? In Christ Makes us not try to adhere to a law. He says that his kindness Leads us to repentance.

Once once Christ has saved you and you realize the measure of what that salvation cost you it is not a matter of How how can I make sure that I don't break this word? It's that I can't believe that God loves me this much.

I can't believe that God has given this much for me and I don't want to do things to to upset him and He gives us clear guidance when he says love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your mind with all your soul with all your strength which encompasses better part of half of the law.

And then saying love your neighbor as yourself, which catches the rest of it so if if in Christ you understand the magnitude of your salvation then Then his kindness and his and his mercy and his grace is enough in my opinion to keep you in Side of his will because you can't help but love God once you understand the magnitude of your forgiveness.

You can't help but but love God once you realize what his grace has done for you. You can't help but love your neighbor. Whenever you see that God loves them the same way he loves you and yet they're blind Deaf dumb and stupid and are walking headlong into damnation and And have no understanding of what's going on.

So then that's whenever God sends someone to them with the understanding that comes by only being Illuminated by the Holy Spirit and his word and having truth to give them. So it's it's kind of like Salvation In Christ the infilling of the Holy Spirit makes this gospel and makes the truth of this gospel More than just an intellectual truth more than just something that you can you can prove factually but it drives you to a place of repentance and I'm a firm believer and repentance being a continual thing not a not a one-and-done moment where you raise your hand or you walk some.

I'll and. And I scarcely think about the law. Whenever I think about striving to live for Christ so much as I I think. Would this behavior? Please my father. Or would this behavior is this something if Jesus was out here with me today?

Would he be upset if he heard me say this or heard me talk like this, right?

And about my regeneration. By the renewing of the Holy Ghost, that's what that's the one of the biblical terms that use there.

Yeah, well that everything I heard I have I've been in agreement with your brother.

And when you get to Ephesians 2, you know, it couldn't it couldn't be more solid. You were dead in your transgressions and sins. In which way you formally walked according to the course of this world.

According to the ruler of the power of the air the spirit is now working in the sons of disobedience. You don't understand. Just the magnitude of how of how hopeless your state is. Until God has given you his spirit and shows you his his truth like that and you say, you know what?

Man, I was hosed up from the floor up. They wouldn't a thing I could do to help at all. This is purely a work of God, this is purely done by grace and. And then you see your neighbor lost and undone and you're less likely To throw a rock at him because he does something stupid because what you realize is that's normal for him.

Yeah, how ought he act? How should he behave?

I know it's crazy, right? It's like dogs act like dogs. John that that that is exactly what the 1689's affirming there. That's exactly what?

By the power of the Holy Spirit. We are in it. We are unable to do those things and and it's like you said John where Repentance, it's a continual repentance and what is repentance are turning away and it's a turning also the turning to turning to what to God.