THE APOSTLES AND THE LAW LESSON 11 BY CARLENE BURRELL

MEMORY TEXT “ Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” Romans 7:12

HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE 10 COMMANDMENTS? "NOT EVERY ONE THAT SAITH UNTO ME, LORD, LORD, SHALL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; BUT HE THAT DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHERWHICH IS IN HEAVEN. - MAT 7:21 "I DELIGHT TO DO THY WILL, O MY GOD: YEA, THY LAW IS WITHIN MY HEART." PSA 40:8 "LET US HEAR THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER: FEAR GOD, AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: FOR THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN." - ECC 12:13 "HE WHO SAYS 'I KNOW HIM', AND DOESN'T KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM" - 1 JOHN 2:4

In 1 John 2:3 we hear the apostle say "hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." The phrase "know that we know" indicates that the apostle John believed that this distinct point of doctrine is the one, true, validating test that we can rely on to have confidence in, as to whether or not we know Jesus. Do we keep His commandments?

DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW JESUS? IF WE DON'T KNOW JESUS, WOULD HE KNOW US? OR WOULD HE SAY TO US "I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YOU THAT WORK INIQUITY" - MATT 7:23

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT 10 SEPARATE LAWS, THEY ARE 1 LAW CODIFIED BY 10 SEPARATE COMMANDMENTS. SO TO VIOLATE ANY 1 OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF THE LAW, IS A VIOLATION OF THE WHOLE LAW. JAMES MAKES THIS CLEAR IN; JAM 2:10, 11 "FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL KEEP THE WHOLE LAW, AND YET OFFEND IN ONE POINT, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL. FOR HE THAT SAID, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, SAID ALSO, DO NOT KILL. NOW IF YOU COMMIT NO ADULTERY, YET YOU KILL, YOU HAVE BECOME A TRANSGRESSOR OF THE LAW."

PAUL AND THE LAW: JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH Paul is said to be the true founder of Christianity. God demands righteousness from those who claim to be in a relationship with him. The standard of righteousness is His law. However when people measure up against His law, they fall short and are therefore condemned by the law. If the law were the means of salvation, then none would have hope of eternal life. The hope of the christian is not found in the law but in Jesus Christ, who not only kept the law perfectly but through God’s miraculous power allows believers to share in His righteousness. (Romans 8:3,4) The christian can now serve the law of God with a free conscience because Christ has taken away the law’s condemnation (Romans 7:25, 8:2). The grace that comes through Christ does not release us from the law but rather compels us to obey it.

PETER AND JOHN AND THE LAW Peter urges the Israelites to live a life of righteousness (1 Peter 2:11,12) and he also warns them to beware of false teachers promoting a law free gospel (2 Peter 2:21, 3:2) When John reminds Christians of their obligation to God, he uses the same language of love and unity that Jesus does in the gospl. He understood that love has always been the essence of the law (2 John 6). A person cannot claim to be keeping the law if he or she is not in loving relationships with God and other people.“ The law of God requires that we love our fellow men as we love ourselves.”- Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 20, p.138

JAMES AND JUDE AND THE LAW James emphasizes that “faith without works is dead (James 2:26). He also understood also that the essence of God’s law is love (James 2:8) Jude makes it very clear that people can, indeed, fall away, and those who do will face judgment. Jude makes it clear that all who have faith must be willing to express that faith through and obedient life (Jude 5-7)

ELLEN G. WHITE, SIGNS OF THE TIMES Why should the apostles teach repentance toward God?—Because the sinner is in trouble with the Father. He has transgressed the law; he must see his sin, and repent. What is his next work?—To look to Jesus, whose blood alone can cleanse from all sin. Faith in Christ is necessary; for there is no saving quality in law. The law condemns, but it cannot pardon the transgressor. The sinner must depend on the merits of the blood of Christ. “Let him take hold of my strength,” says our merciful Redeemer, “that he may make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me.” Our Lord declared that he would love most to whom most was forgiven; and he only will feel that he needs forgiveness who sees himself as he is, defiled by sin, a transgressor of God’s holy law. He who has the fullest conviction of the sacred claims of the law, will most clearly see the enormity of his offenses, and will feel that he is indeed forgiven much. ST August 5, 1886, par. 2

SUMMARY Keeping the Ten Commandments, is the will of our Father in heaven, and therefore, is a condition of salvation, to those who have received the knowledge of the truth. (Heb 10:26) Violating any one of the Ten Commandments, is a violation of the whole Law. If we don't keep the Law, but still claim to know Jesus, then we are a liar. No one can claim to keep God’s commandments if he or she does not demonstrate practical acts of love. We are justified by faith in Christ. “Faith in Christ is necessary; for there is no saving quality in law. The law condemns, but it cannot pardon the transgressor.”- Ellen G. White