Lessons

Why is it important to understand the "Law" in the Bible?

• Biblical Law is worthy of study as a reflection of God. As one learns more of the Law, one can learn more of God.
• One can better parse the difficulties of why some Biblical Laws seem incredibly important (e.g., “Thou shalt not kill”) while others decry common sense (“You shall not wear a cloth made of two kinds of material”).
• Why have people historically erred by either imposing a rigid “legalism” (a view that certain laws must be adhered to in order to walk in God’s grace) or a free “antinomianism” (a view that one can live with no regard to any law).

From a Christian perspective, this bears tremendously on issues that seem to place the Christian teachings in conflict with certain teachings found in the Old Testament.  For example:

• One also has a basis to understand why Biblical Law seems to change over the course of the Bible. (Is “Do not eat pork” in Deuteronomy 14:8 altered when, in Acts 10, God seems to instruct Peter that unclean food is fine to eat?)
• This study properly addresses the effect that Jesus and the advent of post-resurrection life has upon following the law. In other words, does Paul teach that the believer is not bound by the law, and if so, why not?
• Similarly, why did the disciples of Jesus not always follow the law, even though Jesus said he didn’t come to destroy the law?

All of these considerations are worthy of study.  A good study of Biblical Law should not only shed light on those questions, but it should also result in many positive side effects.  As the Psalmist noted in the very first Psalm, the person who delights in God’s Law and meditates on it night and day will be,  

"like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers (Ps. 1:3).

The goal of this work is to provide the reader the blessings of better knowing God, as well as having a fuller grasp on having a successful life.   Soli Deo Gratia