Understanding the law can be subject to contentiousness in twilight because of the New and Old Testament contexts in the Bible. The law that was followed during the time God’s appointed men led Israelites is different from what came later during Jesus’s time. Apostle Paul was in the frontline to relate what it meant to live by the law, under the law, and all that related to the law. During his missions in various regions such as Damascus, Corinth, and other places, he told people to stay listening to what the spirit would say rather than being slaves under the traditional mosaic laws.1 Paul said that “All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.”2 Thus, it is clear that his understanding of the law was not fixed to what people used to do in terms of norms and culture that would limit one’s conscience and ability to do according to the will of God.
Indeed, Paul never disregarded the law, even though he seemed to put it in a controversial way. Rather, he told Christian believers to be logical. He said that no one should judge people based on what they eat or drink. Paul was concerned about removing people’s primitivity concerning the law then.3 Paul maintained that “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate, but rather expose them.”4 On this occasion, Paul upheld the law and expected his followers to obey it but not to be tied or made slaves from the same. Everyone should be bold enough to separate the cultures that may confuse them when it comes to an understanding the law.
When Paul was on the other side of non-believers, he was Saul. During that time, he believed that since God inspired him to work on His people, he could easily rebuke the evil and finish the wrongdoings that existed then. In a nutshell, Paul initially believed that he would prevent people from sinning. However, he realized that he was fond of confusing the law with the people regarding what they thought.5 Later on, Paul acknowledged that Christians would only be justified through Jesus Christ and not the Mosaic and Jewish laws. The Book of Romans can shed more light on what Paul stood for concerning the law. Paul speaks, “For I delight in the law of Yahweh according to the inward man.”6 Paul wanted people to make a neutral position concerning the law. He warned people not to sin as that would transgress the law when a Christian yields to misdeeds.
When one is determined to understand the law, they might be subjected to the development of Bible wisdom that probes them to live according to what the Spirit says to them. The weakness of the flesh was the major barrier that made people sin and start justifying through the law. Paul would relate people who were ignorant to follow the law to bits as slaves of uncleanness.7 Therefore, Paul never discouraged people from obeying the law but rather observed the measures that would distinguish believers and non-believers. It requires a thorough understanding of the law and what Paul said concerning the Christian faith when it comes to following the Mosaic perspectives.
Bibliography
Davis, Johnny. “The Apostle Paul, the Law, and Antinomianism”. S.”N Electronic Journal 6, no. 2 (2021): 22-24. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3802188.
New Integrated Version (NIV) Bible. Oxford University Press.
Posadzy, Andrzej. “”For I Through the Law am Dead to the Law” (GA 2:19A). Death “For the Law” As an Element of the Conversion/ Vocation of Paul the Apostle”. Colloquia Theologica Ottoniana 1, no. 92 (2019): 143-163. doi:10.18276/cto.2019.1-08.
Footnotes
- Johnny Davis, “The Apostle Paul, the Law, and Antinomianism.” SSRN Electronic Journal 6, no. 2 (2021): 22-24, doi:10.2139/ssrn.3802188.
- New Integrated Version Bible, Rom 2: 12.
- Andrzej Posadzy, “For I Through the Law am Dead to the Law” (GA 2:19A). Death “For the Law” As an Element of The Conversion/ Vocation of Paul the Apostle.” Colloquia Theologica Ottoniana 1, no. 92 (2019): 143-163, doi:10.18276/cto.2019.1-08.
- New Integrated Version Bible, Eph 6:14.
- Johnny Davis, “The Apostle Paul, the Law, and Antinomianism.” 22-24.
- New Integrated Version Bible, Romans 7:22.
- Andrzej Posadzy, ““For I Through the Law Am Dead to the Law” (GA 2:19A). 143-163.