Sunday Sermons
Until the Law
Until the Law
“For until the Law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses” (Romans 5:13-14).
The Law of Moses does not go all the way back to the beginning, rather another law was in place from Adam to Moses. Specifically, the Law of Moses began on Mount Sinai (Nehemiah 9:13-14). Genesis is often placed in the category of the “Law of Moses” because Moses wrote it (Luke 24:44; Galatians 4:21), and it is God’s revelation to mankind, just like the Psalms are called “the Law” (John 10:34-35), yet the Bible teaches that there was a law prior to the Law given at Sinai, which involves the entire book of Genesis.
The Law in Genesis
“For I have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord” (Genesis 18:19). From this Scripture it is clear that Abraham was accountable to a definite standard of law that is called “the way of the Lord”. Romans 5:13-14 notes that sin was in the world prior to Moses, which infers that a law existed, for sin cannot exist without law because sin is a violation of God’s law (1 John 3:4).
Laws in the Book of Genesis
When we examine the record in Genesis we are able to see that prior to the Law given at Sinai, there were definite rules that men understood, kept or violated:
· Nakedness (Genesis 3:10-11, 21; Genesis 9:20-23).
· Sacrificial system. It is clear that men had knowledge of sacrifice and how to worship God (Genesis 4:1-4).
· Anger that underlies the desire to commit murder was sin (Genesis 4:6-8).
· Sinful thoughts were wrong (Genesis 6:5).
· Drunkenness (Genesis 9:21).
· Pride and arrogance (Genesis 11).
· Lying and deception, dealing falsely (Genesis 12:11-20; 21:23).
· Even Gentiles realized that sexual relations with another man’s wife were adultery and such was wrong (Genesis 20:6-10; 26:10).
· Homosexuality was sin (Genesis 18:20; 19:5; Romans 1:26-27).
· Sexual immorality (Genesis 39:9 “How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God”).
· The danger of marrying someone who is spiritually incompatible (Genesis 6:2; 24:3; 26:34-35; 28:1).
· Lack of spiritual priorities, living for the moment, considering the things of God to be common (Genesis 25:30-34; Hebrews 12:16).
· Failing to keep one’s promises, cheating an employee (Genesis 31:7).
· Stealing (Genesis 44:9).
Romans 2:12-15
2:12 “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law”:
The Law of Moses was primarily given to Israel (Deuteronomy 5:2-3; 5:15; Exodus 31:17) and Gentiles did not have to live under it to be saved, yet Gentiles did sin without being under the Law of Moses, indicating they were accountable to God and definite rules of right and wrong.
2:14 “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law”: That is, do not have access to it, or are not under it, that is, have not converted to Judaism. Remember, the Law of Moses was primarily given to Israel.
2:14 “Do instinctively the things of the Law”: By the term “instinctively”, some argue that Paul is talking about a universal moral law that is inborn and inherent in every person. I find the following difficulties with this view: 1. The word translated “instinctively” means “by nature” and this can refer to an acquired nature, that is, what by habit and practice has become natural. 2. The New Covenant was said to be written on the heart (Hebrews 8:10), but it entered man’s heart through teaching(Hebrews 8:10; John 6:44-45). 3. Where is the man that was born knowing God's law? 4. If one is born instinctively knowing right from wrong, then why all the commands to parents to instruct children? (Ephesians 6:4) 5. The Hebrew writer argues that those who know the difference between good and evil are students of the word (Hebrews 5:14). In addition, I repeatedly find the Scriptures arguing the point very strongly, that one cannot go searching for the right path by instinct (Proverbs 3:5; 16:25; Jeremiah 10:23).
I think McGuiggan is right when he says, "You see, it is one thing to be born with a capacity for obedience, a moral capacity (the ability to obey or reject God), but it is another to be born with a knowledge of HOW to express that moral capacity. Having the capacity to obey God is one thing, knowing what to do is another."
From the context, doing by nature the things of the Law (that is keeping the moral and ethical code found in the Law of Moses), came to these Gentiles not by birth but by learning about God’s revelation: The Gentiles knew God existed (Romans 1:20).
It is also affirmed a number of times that they knew God and understood His expectations and moral standards (1:18 “who suppress the truth”; 1:21-23; 1:25 “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie”, 1:27 “men abandoned the natural function of the woman” (inferring they knew what the natural or normal function was), 1:32 “and, although, they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death”. Added to this concise summation of what the Gentiles really knew, the Old Testament is filled with examples of those outside the Messianic line coming into contact with God’s truth: Noah’s entire generation (1 Peter 3:18-21; 2 Peter 2:5).
Melchizedek (Genesis 14). Various Pharaoh’s (Genesis 41 and Exodus 1-14). The nations surrounding Israel (Joshua 2:8-12). Naaman the leper (2 Kings 5). The Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10). The inhabitants of Nineveh (Book of Jonah). Various rulers over Babylon during the lifetime of Daniel. It is noted that there were 153,600 aliens who lived in Israel during the reign of Solomon (2 Chronicles 2:17). Finally, when God gave the Law of Moses, He anticipated that many people, who were not under it would learn about its truths: “So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peopleswho will hear all these statues and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him? Or what great nation is there that has statues and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?” (Deuteronomy 4:6-9).
In the context of chapter 2, Paul notes that the Gentiles knew the Law so well that they could see the hypocrisy in the lives of many professed Jews, Paul could observe the Jews and the Gentiles accusing one another. When they were doing this they were acknowledging a standard which the other had allegedly violated. He heard them excuse one another. The very fact that they bothered to "excuse" themselves or another establishes the fact that they see themselves as having lived up to (not violated) a law. All of this is said to show that the Gentile indeed had a law and couldn't plead ignorance.
2:15 “Are a law to themselves”: That is, God would judge them concerning whether or not they lived up to the truth that they knew.
Applications
Both the Law of Moses and the law under which the Gentiles lived ended at the cross of Christ. The Law of Moses clearly ended (Colossians 2:14-17; Ephesians 2:14-15; Hebrews 8:13; 9:14-17), and the law that the Gentiles lived ended as well, as proof I would cite the following:
· If the Law of Moses has ended, the Gentile can no longer find favor with God by incorporating into his life teachings found in the Law of Moses (Romans 2:14-15; 2:26-27). In the Old Testament the Gentile who did not officially become a Jew could be saved, but under the New Covenant that Christ brought, the non-Christian can never be saved unless they actually do become a Christian (Mark 16:16). This clearly teaches that just as the Law of Moses is not longer acceptable for the Jew as a valid Law, the Gentile does no have a valid law outside of Christ that they can observe either.
· The Law of Moses was given to a specific nation, which allowed Gentiles to be saved under a different system. Under the New Covenant everyone is expected to become a Christian (Matthew 28:19).
· The gospel was specifically preached the Gentiles in the New Covenant indicating that they are expected to repent and come to Christ and that they spiritually cannot stay where they are (Acts 17:30).
· Cornelius, a man who was living well according to Romans 2:14-15 (Acts 10:1ff), now after the death of Christ needed to become a Christian to be right with God (Acts 11:14).
· Both Jews and Gentiles are reconciled in the same body through the cross, inferring that both law systems became obsolete at the same time (Ephesians 2:16).
1 Corinthians 9:20-21
“To those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law….to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ”
From other passages we know that Paul is not teaching that the Law of Moses was still operational, but rather that the Jews still considered themselves as being under a Law that was still binding and valid. In like manner, the Gentiles were not immune from divine law, but rather they often (especially in Corinth) lived as if they were not accountable to any divine law. I would use this verse as proof that the universal law, since the cross is the law of Christ and that this applies to both Jews and Gentiles, for the only law that is valid in the above verse is the law of Christ, and the reason that Paul is preaching to both Jews and Gentiles is because they are both accountable to Jesus’ teachings (John 12:48; Acts 17:30).
A final observation that we need to remember is that the non-Christian is also accountable to Jesus’ teaching on marriage, divorce, and remarriage as well as His teaching on other truths as well. Jesus directed His teaching on this subject to unbelievers as well as believers (Matthew 19:3,10; 5:1,32). He applied it to “whoever” (19:9). He linked this teaching with other moral teachings such as morality concerning anger, murder, and lust, as well as telling the truth (Matthew 5:20ff). He applied it to anyone who marries (Matthew 19:5-6; 5:32), and He noted that what He taught was the law on the subject that had been God’s desire from the beginning, long before any Jew or Gentile existed, that this is a law that applies to everyone(Matthew 19:8).
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net/mdunagan@easystreet.com
