Lessons

Series: A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character

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      

ID Title Presentation Date Speaker Handouts Slides Audio Video Full Lesson Synopsis Sort Order
Title Presentation Date Speaker Handouts Slides Audio Video Full Lesson Synopsis
1377 A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character 09/20/2020 Mark Lanier Mark introduced a new series that focuses on the law as found in the Torah. After giving an overview of different types of law, Mark explained that Biblical law is more than a rule of conduct or action prescribed by a controlling authority; God reveals Himself through the law. By the time of Jesus, the law held a central place in Jewish life. Biblical law can tell us what to do, but it doesn’t give us life. And the law wasn’t the source of eternal life. God reveals himself as gracious through the Biblical law. He calls us to be holy like He is holy. Listen to Mark explain the Greek meaning of “law” and how Jesus fulfills the Law perfectly. In the weeks ahead, we will see God and Jesus revealed in greater detail through the study of the Law. 12
1379 Biblical Law in Cultural Context 09/27/2020 Mark Lanier Mark taught week two in the new series, "A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character,” focused on Biblical Law in Cultural Context. Was anything unique about Biblical Law? Mark used the following process to compare and contrast legal codes from that era and area:
  1. Define the approach: How the question will be answered. — Time and location to other legal codes before and after Sinai
  2. Compare and contrast the other legal systems/codes with Biblical Law. The earliest known law dates back to 2100BC, and Biblical Law dates 1400-1200 BC. Mark shows us the laws that governed people were dictated by man. But God gave the Law of Sinai to Moses.
  3. Implications: What does Biblical Law mean for us? — God gave the Law of Sinai to Moses. These are God’s commandments. He called the Israelites and us to be like Him, to be holy.
God made you and me to be in His image: we share His moral makeup. What is right and good and holy to God is to be the same with us. (Num. 15:40). Listen to Mark expound on how God wrote the Biblical Law as a reflection of Him.		 11
1380 What Use is the Law - Part 1 10/04/2020 Mark Lanier Mark continued with Lesson 3, How Does the Law of God Reflect God’s Character, in the Series: A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character. God gave Israel signs to show they were separate from the nations. This showed the national identity of Gods people. Common questions arise: 1) Is the Old Testament Law applicable to Christians today? 2) What parts of the Old Testament are applicable today? 3) What is the justification for accepting parts of the Old Testament as binding, but not others? Mark began to share various answers and positions of people, with two covered in this lesson.
  1. Bad answer #1: The law doesn’t apply to Christians because it was nailed to the cross. But they belong together. Paul wrote in 2nd Timothy 3:16-17 confirming OT laws. The law was never given for people to be saved by it. Because it’s Impossible. We need to read the law with understanding. Jesus came to fulfill the law. God's law never becomes void.
  2. Bad answer #2: “The moral section of the Old Testament Law is binding on believers, but not the ‘other’ sections.” What sections are moral? Who determines this? Too often we decide what is appropriate by what we feel instead of God.
Listen to Mark discuss the various types of law and how the Bible addresses them. Biblical law reflected God's holy ways that would guide Israel to fulfill Gods purposes.		 10
1381 What Use is the Law - Part 2 10/11/2020 Mark Lanier Mark continued with Lesson 4, How Does the Law of God Reflect God’s Character, in the Series: A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character. Law is a system of principles which are ordained or established rules of conduct as regulating the actions of its member and enforced by penalties. God gave the biblical law to the Israelites. God was Israel’s king. God gave the people what they needed to know His character: infinite, personal, and moral. We find God through His law. Mark provided a review on the first three classes then continued with this emphasis: Biblical law reflects holy ethics in a way that would guide Israel in its time and place in history to fulfill God's purpose by walking in God’s holiness. His people are set apart by reflecting His character. 9
1382 The Ten Commandments - Part 1 10/19/2020 Mark Lanier Mark continued with Lesson 5 in A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: AReflection of God’s Character with a focus on the first 2 of the Ten Commandments. Mark explained in referencing documented laws from the ages how law has always been a reflection of its author(s), and the Ten Commandments area reflection of God’s character. Commandment 1-I am the LORDyour God...You shall have no other gods before me. Commandment 2-You shall not make for yourself a carved image... God is not only everywhere, but he is also all powerful. The Israelites didn’t need to worry about their problems being greater than what the LORD could handle. The LORD was the only God Israel would ever need. 8
1383 The Ten Commandments - Part 2 10/25/2020 Mark Lanier Mark continues with A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character with a focus on the third of the Ten Commandments. Mark looks in depth at the third commandment "Thou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain", and the question, "what's in a name?". Mark shows throughout scripture how the word "name", translated from the Hebrew word "shem", is often used as a label or identifier reflecting a person's life experiences, skill set, references or reputation, such as 'where you've been' or 'what you've done' – leading us back to “..shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
” and the most mis-understood of the Ten Commandments. 7
1384 The Ten Commandments - Part 3 11/01/2020 Mark Lanier Mark continues with A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character with a focus on the fifth and sixth of the Ten Commandments. Mark dives deep into the fifth Commandment: Honor your Father and your Mother (Ex. 20:12), and the sixth Commandment: You shall not murder (Ex. 20:13). Mark looks at the kaved, or weightiness, of the commandments as a direct reflection of the Law Giver. 6
1385 The Ten Commandments - Part 4 11/08/2020 Mark Lanier Mark continues with A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character with a focus on the fifth and sixth of the Ten Commandments. Mark dives deep into the fifth Commandment: Honor your Father and your Mother (Ex. 20:12), and the sixth Commandment: You shall not murder (Ex. 20:13). Mark looks at the kaved, or weightiness, of the commandments as a direct reflection of the Law Giver. 5
1386 The Ten Commandments - Part 5 11/15/2020 Mark Lanier Mark continues with A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character with the seventh commandment: You shall not steal (Exodus 20:15). The word steal in Hebrew is "ganav", which means to steal or take by stealth, wrongfully or in trickery. Mark looks at this commandment from three perspectives; 1) face value, 2) how it is a reflection of God, the law giver, 3) how does it apply to me. How does it change the way I live? God says you are not to ganav because you are made in my image - you are to reflect me to the world. God does not take wrongfully, he gives rightfully. 4
1387 The Ten Commandments - Part 6 11/22/2020 Mark Lanier Mark continues with A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character with Chapter 6, The Atonement and the Meaning of Christmas. As Mark has been teaching about the Law, in this lesson he discusses "Atonement", an especially important word when we look at the Laws of Israel. Only Israel's Laws had Atonement because Atonement is about getting back in a right relationship with God. Christmas is the celebration of Christ's birth setting the way for the ultimate Atonement for Israel and all humanity. Join us Sundays at 9:30am CST! Links below: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfocCxLc8BFCta-NO4JkTcA?view_as=subscriber CFBC Website: https://www.championforest.org/worship/watch/biblit.php Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Biblical-Literacy-195629981890/ 3
1388 Old Testament Laws That Speak To Us Today 01/03/2021 Mark Lanier Mark continues with A Trial Lawyer's Brief on Biblical Law: A Reflection of God’s Character with Chapter 7, Old Testament Laws That Speak To Us Today. In this lesson Mark discusses some of the known Laws people ask about in daily life, i.e., foods that should not be eaten, wearing clothing with mixed fibers. These Laws were written particularly for Israel because God made Israel distinct from other nations. Mark looks at the unique features of ancient Israel, “holiness” as it is key to the Laws, and then how God’s character and concerns apply to us. 2
1389 Old Testament Laws in the ‘Get Along’ Bucket 01/10/2021 Mark Lanier 1

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