MODULE 12: THE NEW TESTAMENT WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR HUMAN ENEMIES BY EVANGELIST OGHOGHO IKPONMWOSA (PHD)

In this module we shall begin to look at the New Testament law of LOVE which Jesus came to establish. All Old Testament laws are fulfilled in this one law of the New Testament called Love (Romans 13:8-10, Matthew 22:37-40, 7:12).

Some believers say that the New Testament has no law because scriptures say we are not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14-15). This is looking at this scripture from the surface. Clearly scripture teaches that there is a law that is now at work in this dispensation of grace (or in the New Testament) which has fulfilled in us the righteous requirements of the law (law of sin and death).

The law of sin and death was set in motion at the garden of Eden (Gen 2:16-17) but was later organized into the law of Moses (Acts 28:23).

The law of Moses contained moral, ceremonial, social and other laws given to Moses for the Children of Israel at mount Sinai. The one law of the New Testament fulfill all these laws
 Let us look first at scriptures that directly say that the New Testament has a law before we consider other aspects of this New Testament Law. Let’s read it from the Complete Jewish Bible.
 
Rom 8:1-4
1 Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua
.
2 Why? Because the Torah of the Spirit, which produces this life in union with Messiah Yeshua, has set me free from the “Torah” of sin and death.

3 For what the Torah could not do by itself, because it lacked the power to make the old nature cooperate, God did by sending his own Son as a human being with a nature like our own sinful one [but without sin]. God did this in order to deal with sin, and in so doing he executed the punishment against sin in human nature,

4 so that the just requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us who do not run our lives according to what our old nature wants but according to what the Spirit wants. CJB

The word “Torah” here means “law”. Clearly we are told of two Torahs or two laws: The first is called the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and the second is called the law of sin and death. Note that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is a law that is now at work in the New Testament. This is too direct for anyone to twist or ignore. To say that we have no law to keep in the New Testament means that Romans 8:1-4 is a lie which is actually impossible.

Let us look at another scripture that also clearly tells us that the New Testament has its own law.
 
1 Cor 9:20-21
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.KJV

In this scripture Apostle Paul was describing what he had to do to win the unsaved as much as he possibly could. Notice what he said in 1Cor 9:21. He said he identifies with people without the law as if he was without the law so that he can win them yet he himself is actually NOT WITHOUT LAW TO GOD BUT UNDER THE LAW TO CHRIST.

Apostle Paul in this scripture tells us that he is with a law to God or he is under the law to Christ. This clearly shows that when he says we are not under the law but under grace in Romans 6:14-15, he is not saying we are not under any law in the New Testament but he is saying we are not under the law of sin and death but now under a new law in this dispensation of grace.

He told us about the law of the Spirit of life in Christ and also said he is with the law to God or under the law to Christ. We shall look at more scriptures that show that the New Testament has a law in the next module.
To be continued…

EVANGELIST OGHOGHO IKPONMWOSA (PHD)
PRESIDENT: SAVE THE LOST GOSPEL EVANGEVANGELISTIC MINISTRY
EMAIL: oghoghoik@gmail.com

TEL: +2348060676748