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The
whole Old Testament Law has been abolished by Jesus Christ.
By
this we mean the commandments, statutes and ordinances.
This
includes the food laws
The
laws of the land
The
circumcision laws
The
hygiene laws
The
sabbath laws - including the sabbath day
And
the ten commandments.
But
before you accuse us of preaching "another gospel" let us qualify this
by saying that as soon as the Old Covenant, based on the Law was abolished,
Jesus brought in the New Covenant, based on Himself.
If
we follow Jesus, and study the Word of God, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide
us, we will be able to keep the principles (not the letter) of the Law.
These principles are always principles of love.
The
Old Testament Law is a document of condemnation and death. No human can keep it.
It forces those who try to keep it to the realisation that God’s standards are
too high for any human to reach. It drives a person to cry out for mercy.
The
Old Testament Law produced fear. guilt, condemnation and weakness.
The
New Covenant produces Love. In Christ all Christians are able to
live out, in practical terms, the principles, of the Law. Because they
have died in Christ, the Law cannot apply to them. Dead people are free from all
Law. But because Christians are alive in Jesus, they can now live a new life, on
the other side of the grave.
The
New Covenant makes all Christians equals, and sets them totally free
of all traditions, superstitions and Man-imposed ceremonies.
LOVE-
EQUALITY- FREEDOM
But
in the hands of a skilful Christian the Law (the 10 commandments) is also a
powerful weapon for evangelism. Used properly it can cut through a
sinner’s defences and show them their true state before God. It is an army
with ten mighty cannons, a sickle with ten razor-sharp teeth, an armoury with
ten perfectly honed swords, a quiver with ten sharp arrows.
But be very careful how you use it. First find out where the sinner you are speaking to is coming from. If there is already sorrow, the Law has done its work. Apply the gospel. If the sinner is unaware of sin, apply the Law. But use it in love and with sympathy.