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NASB | Romans 7:6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 7:6 But now we have been released from the Law and its penalty, having died [through Christ] to that by which we were held captive, so that we serve [God] in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter [of the Law]. |
Bible Question:
We (believers) are free from the Law (Romans 7:6) but Paul stated in Romans 3:31 that we should uphold the Law. Can someone tell me what part of the Mosaic Law (Pentateuch) we should still comply? I wish there was a clear black and white line drawn. iktoose |
Bible Answer: I am so glad you asked this question. I have been searching this out for the last three and a half years. If you are a reader, I can give you some good books to read. They will not give you a clear cut answer, but they will help in your search. Personally I have found the search for an answer far more rewarding than an eventual answer. In short, the covenant with Noah plays a large part in this discussion. In the first century the "God Fearers" were those who believed in the One true God, but did not want to have certain parts of their anatomy cut off (circumcision). They worshiped in the court of the Gentiles, but were not converts in the fullest sense. These people were expected to follow the Noah covenant. The Jews found 7 laws in this covenant. This all was practiced during the time of Paul. The Acts 15 counsel listed 4 things that the Gentile believers in Jesus needed to abide by. All four are a part of the covenant with Noah and fit in with how the first century Jew viewed these things. Paul did not want to force all of the Law on the Gentiles as it was lived out by Jews in Jerusalem. That being said, others say.... Read Acts 21 and on. There are thousands of Christians ZELOUS for the law, and Paul not only performs a sacrifice, but pays for others to be able to perform the sacrifice (Nazarite covenant sacrifice.) Paul calls himself a Pharisee in the present tense. In Acts 15, the 4 "rules" are laid out, but they end by noting that Moses is taught every week in the synagogues in every city, possibly implying that Gentiles know where to go to learn what else the laws say. Did Jesus do away with not eating unclean animals in Mark 7? Or is that a miss understanding of what He was saying. Could the Messiah do away with any commands of the Torah (Law of Moses) and still be the Messiah. Especially when in Matt 5, He says that he did not come to abolish the Law, but to place it on a firmer footing. Many think that in Galatians 2, Paul, when he says “works of the law” (ergos numos) he means “legalistic observance to the law”, but in the Greek in the first century there was no word for legalistic, and “works of the law” was the closest he could come. …. By now I am either boring you, or perking your interest. I do not have your answer, but I have been studying this for some time and read much about it. If you want to discuss it more, or want book recommendations, or have questions about statements above, let me know. KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS…… They are they key to wisdom…… MJH |