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1)
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The Law is to teach the Believer how to serve and worship G-d
(Psalm 19:7-9, Acts 13: 13-15).
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2)
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The Law is to instruct us how to treat our fellow man (Lev. 19:18,
Galatians 5:14, Galatians 6:2).
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3)
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The Law is to teach us to be happy on earth by having G-d as
our authority (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-3, Luke 12:31-32).
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4)
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The Law is not given to save but to measure man's deeds toward
G-d and his fellow man, straightening out any matters that are
contrary to sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:8-11, 1 Corinthians 6:1-12,
1 Corinthians 3:13, Romans 2:12-16, Revelation 20:12-13).
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5)
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The Law is a schoolmaster showing us we are guilty and leading
us to Messiah our Savior. Galatians 3:21-24, (Once we've learned
under the school master, we should continue in that which we've
learned...in Messiah - not according to the traditions of man.
We're not under a schoolmaster because what we've learned
- we should be able to do...in Messiah.) He said “Greater things
shall you do...” (Romans 3:9-23).
Here's a piece from The Complete
Jewish Bible, translated by David H. Stern:
Moreover, we know that whatever the Torah
says, it says to those living within the framework of the Torah;
in order that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world
be shown to deserve G-d's adverse judgment. For in his sight
no one alive will be considered righteous on the ground
of legalistic observance of Torah commands, because what
Torah really does is show people how sinful they are.
But now, quite apart from Torah, G-d's way of making
people righteous in his sight has been made clear - although
the Torah and the Prophets give their witness to it as
well - and it is a righteousness that comes from G-d, through
the faithfulness of Yeshua the Messiah, to all who continue
trusting. For it makes no difference whether one is a Jew or
a Gentile, since all have sinned and come short of earning G-d's
praise.
Romans 3:19-23 (CJB)
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6)
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The Law gives us both the knowledge and depth of our sin (Romans
3:20, Romans 4:15, Romans 7:7-12, Luke 20:46-47).
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7)
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The Law reveals the good, holy, just and perfect nature of God
and serves as a viable standard of His will (Romans 2:17-29, Romans
7:12, 2 Peter1:2-8).
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8)
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The law is to be established or accomplished by our faith, therefore
called the law of faith (Romans 3:20-22).
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9)
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The same Law today is written on our hearts and through G-d's
Spirit we can delight and serve the law of G-d (Romans 7:6-25).
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What is the Law?
As we come to see the Law of God as a series of
teachings and instructions to believers, showing them how to live
in ethical and moral harmony with their fellow man and before
God, we can better understand its lofty place in the early church.
Although some aspects of the Law applied to sacrifices the Jews
made during the Temple period, the spirit of the Law has changed
only in it's manifestation and now comes through Yeshua for all
the world to fulfill by faith. One aspect of the law applies to
all believers is found in Leviticus 19:18, where we are told to
love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus went beyond the letter
of the Law in His instructions for all believers, however - how
many believers study the Law that Jesus lived by to even have
a deep understanding of the character of God and His requirements
for right living? The true definition of the word "law" (the teachings
and instructions of God) is a wholesome one and should cause all
of us to desire a deep understand of Torah. Jesus said it best
in John 8:31-32: Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed
on him, "If ye continue in my word, (the Word that Jesus himself
lived by) then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free."

What the New Testament
says concerning the Torah (Teachings and Instructions of God)
It must first be noted that the only "Law" that
they had...the only scripture that they had during the time of
the writing of the New Testament (Brit Hadasha) was the Tanak
- The Torah (Gen.-Deut.), The Prophets, and the Writings (Psalm,
Prov, etc.) Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-20 "Think not that I am
come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy,
but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of
these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be
called the least in the kingdom of heaven: (not that he doesn't
make it to the kingdom of heaven - he's just least in it - my
comment added) but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same
shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto
you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness
of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the
kingdom of heaven." KJV (The scribes and Pharisees were the traditional...
LETTER people...we can live the truths by the Spirit in Christ.)
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1)
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The hearers of the Law are not justified before the Lord, but
the doers of the Law will be justified. Romans 2:13., James 1:19-27,
1 John 3:4-8.
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2)
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The promises of God come out of the law, which Paul told the
Ephesians they must obey that things would go well with them and
they might live long on the earth. Ephesians 6:2-3, Exodus 20:12,
Deuteronomy 5:16.
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3)
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The writer of the Book of Hebrews confirms that the New Covenant
is the same covenant of God's Law that he promised to renew by
writing it on our hearts and minds. Hebrews 10: 16, Jeremiah 31:33-34.
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4)
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James reminds us that if we commit sin, we are transgressing
the Law. James 2.
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5)
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By keeping the Lord's commandments, we know that we know Him.
1 John 2:3-7, 28-29.
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6)
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By keeping God's commandments, we know that our love for God
and our fellow believers is real. 1 John 5: 1-9.
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7)
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The definition of biblical love is to walk after God's commandments.
2 John.
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8)
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Those who keep the Lord's commandments will have the right to
the Tree of Life. Revelation 22: 14-15, Revelation 14:12, Revelation
12:17 (keep the commandments of God (as Jesus did - for example:
Jesus celebrated the feasts of God found in Leviticus 23 - we
have never been taught to keep them as a remembrance and a memorial
to our God for His deliverance and Mighty Hand: talking about
them is not observing them.), and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ (salvation, sanctification and the indwelling Holy Spirit).
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9)
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Referring to the Old Testament, the only Law available, James
wrote, "Whosoever looks into the perfect Law of Liberty, and continues
there, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, shall
be blessed in his deed." James 1:25 These often overlooked teachings
are an integral part of the fabric of New Testament thought. The
apostles never taught that the Law of God was superfluous. Neither
did they suggest that grace was a license to sin. Quite the contrary.
In fact, Jude wrote this Spirit-inspired admonition to the church
of all ages: "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you
concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write
to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which
was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have
crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked our for this condemnation,
ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny
the only Lord God and our Lord Yeshua." Jude 3-4, NKJV
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