Church Series-The Church's Relationship to the Mosaic Law-The Law was Given to Israel
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday January 11, 2017
The Church Series: The Church’s Relationship to the Mosaic Law-The Law was Given to Israel
Lesson # 30
One of the great controversies that have plagued the church for centuries, in fact from its very inception is that of the Mosaic Law.
This study will deal with the Mosaic Law in relation to the church and will answer the question, “is the church required to keep the commands and prohibitions of the Mosaic Law” and thus “is the life of the church governed by the Mosaic Law?”
The “Law of Moses” or “Mosaic Law” was given to the nation of Israel according to Romans 9:1-5.
The apostle Paul also taught in Romans 9:4-5 that the Law was given to the nation of Israel and thus was not given to the church.
Paul teaches in Romans 9:1-5 that the nation of Israel was given the covenants which is a reference to the Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic and New covenants.
In Romans 9:1, Paul implicitly appeals to Christ and the Holy Spirit as witnesses as to the veracity of his statements in Romans 9:2-3.
Paul feels the need to do this since in his day he was accused by many in Israel as being a traitor to the nation.
Romans 9:1 I am speaking the truth in accordance with the code of Christ. I am by no means lying, while my conscience does confirm to me in accordance with the code of the Holy Spirit. (Author’s translation)
Then in Romans 9:2, Paul expresses his great sorrow and unceasing grief over the nation of Israel’s rejection of Jesus Christ as their Messiah.
Romans 9:2 That, as far my feelings are concerned, there is always great sorrow as well as unceasing anguish in my heart. (Author’s translation)
Paul in Romans 9:3 communicates to his readers his great love for the nation of Israel by expressing his desire to be separated from Christ for their sake.
Romans 9:3 In fact, I could almost wish that I myself could be accursed, totally and completely separated from Christ as a substitute for my brothers, specifically, my fellow countrymen with respect to racial descent. (Author’s translation)
Next, in Romans 9:4-5, he lists eight privileges that were given to the nation of Israel by God that helps the reader understand the depth of his sorrow and grief.
Romans 9:4 Who indeed by virtue of their unique, privileged character are, as an eternal spiritual truth, Israelites. To them belongs the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service and the promises. 5 To them belong the fathers and from them, the Christ with respect to human racial descent, the one who is, as an eternal spiritual truth, God over each and every living and non-living thing, worthy of praise and glorification throughout eternity. Amen! (Author’s translation)
The eight privileges listed by Paul in Romans 9:4-5 are as follows: (1) “To whom belongs the adoptions as sons” (2) “The glory” (3) “The covenants” (4) “The giving of the Law” (5) “The temple service” (6) “The promises” (7) “The fathers” (8) “From whom is the Christ according to the flesh”.
The term “Israelites” serves to identify who are Paul’s fellow countrymen with respect to racial descent and as a heading for the list of eight privileges that identify Paul and his fellow countrymen.
Like Romans 3:1-2, these two verses list the spiritual privileges of the Jews.
In Romans 3:1, the apostle Paul asks two direct questions of his audience.
The first direct question pertains to Paul’s teaching in Romans 2:17-24 regarding the Jew’s false security in his racial heritage and anticipates the objection of the Judaizers.
It asks the question: “If the Jews are just as worthy of eternal condemnation as the Gentiles since their racial heritage cannot save them, then what advantage is there to being a Jew?”
The second direct question pertains to Paul’s teaching in Romans 2:25-29 regarding the Jew’s false security in circumcision and anticipates another objection of the Judaizers who were champions of circumcision (Acts 15; Philippians 3:2).
It asks the question: “If the Jews are just as worthy of eternal condemnation as the Gentiles since circumcision cannot save them, then what advantage is there to being circumcised?”
In Romans 3:2, Paul answers his own question in order to anticipate the objections of the Judaizers by writing that the primary advantage of being a Jew was that God had entrusted the Old Testament Scriptures to the care of the Jews.
This verse answers both direct questions that appear in Romans 3:1 and not just one since the concept of being a Jew and circumcised are inextricably tied to one another because circumcision was the sign of not only God’s covenant with the descendants of Abraham but also the mark of his being a new racial species.
The Old Testament contains not only the Mosaic Law and Messianic prophecies but also it records the promises and covenants that God has made with the Abraham, Isaac and Jacob from which, originated the nation of Israel.
In the book of Genesis alone, God reveals to the nation of Israel through Moses the origins of the universe, the solar system, the atmosphere, life, man, sin, the total depravity of man, marriage, evil, language, government, culture, the nations, religion, the chosen people (Israel).
In the Old Testament, the prophets predict the First and Second Advents of Christ, His crucifixion, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father as well as His Messianic Reign in Jerusalem with Israel as head of the nations.
Now in Romans 9:4-5, Paul lists more spiritual privileges of the nation of Israel that are directly tied to the Old Testament Scriptures which were mentioned as the first and foremost privilege of the Jews.
The reason why they are related is that from these Scriptures is God’s revelation to the nation of Israel of the spiritual privileges bestowed upon her, which are listed in Romans 9:4-5.
In Romans 9:4, “adoption” refers to the Old Testament teaching concerning the nation of Israel that they were “God’s son” in a “national” sense meaning that God had set apart Israel from all the nations of the earth for blessing and service (Exodus 4:22-23; Deuteronomy 14:1-2; Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 11:1).
“The glory” refers to the visible manifestation of God’s presence that appeared to the nation of Israel throughout her history.
The glory was also manifested ultimately in the Person and Finished Work of Jesus Christ in hypostatic union during the First Advent (Matt. 17:2-5; John 1:14; 1 Cor. 11:7; 2 Cor. 4:4, 6; Heb. 2:9; Rev. 19:1, 7).
The “covenants” is a reference to the four unconditional covenants God established with the nation of Israel: (1) Abrahamic (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:16; 22:15-18; 26:4; 28:14; 35:11; Ex. 6:2-8). (2) Palestinian (Gn. 13:15; Ex. 6:4, 8; Num. 34:1-12; Dt. 30:1-9; Jer. 32:36-44; Ezek. 36:21-38). (3) Davidic (2 Sam. 7:8-17; Psa. 89:20-37) (4) New (Jer. 31:31-34; cf. Heb. 8:8-12; 10:15-17).
There are seven great features that are distinct in each of these four unconditional covenants to Israel: (1) Israel will be a nation forever. (2) Israel will possess a significant portion of land forever. (3) Israel will have a King rule over her forever. (4) Israel will have a throne from which Christ will ruler, forever. (5) Israel will have a kingdom forever.
The entire expectation of Old Testament Israel is involved with its earthly kingdom, the glory of Israel and the promised Messiah seated in Jerusalem as ruler of the nations.
Since the Lord Jesus Christ literally fulfilled prophecy during His First Advent, then it follows that He will certainly literally fulfill the prophecies related to the millennium at His Second Advent.
“The giving of the Law” refers of course to the Mosaic Law.
In Romans 9:4, the translation “temple service” is incorrect since the word “temple” does not convey the idea of the noun latreia, which simply means, “service.”
The translators added it since worship in the temple service connected to the worship of God was of major importance to the nation of Israel as expressed in the Mishnah, “By three things is the world sustained: by the Law, by the [Temple] service, and by deeds of loving-kindness” (m. `Abot 1:2).
However, it is more likely that when he uses the noun latreia in Romans 9:4, Paul is referring to the service in the tabernacle since it preceded the building of the temple by Solomon, which was designed by David.
“The promises” refers to the promises contained in the five covenants that God established with the nation of Israel.
These promises include Messianic promises.
“The fathers” refers to the patriarchs or progenitors of the nation of Israel, namely, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob whose name was changed later by the Lord to Israel.
This is an important privilege because the promises contained in the covenants were given to these men.
The eighth and final privilege is that the Savior of the world would be Jewish.
We can conclude from our study that the Christian is not required to observe the Mosaic Law because Romans 9:1-5 teaches that the Law was given to Israel.
Therefore, if the Mosaic Law was given exclusively to the nation of Israel, then, it was never given to the church.
This is why in Colossians 2:16, Paul warned the Christians in Colossae to not let anyone make them feel guilty because they didn’t observe the dietary regulations of the Law or the seven great feasts of Israel or a new moon or the Sabbath.