My wife agrees with a previous poster, as she thinks the Dad was (is?) an excellent Bible teacher.
Yes, we are under the law of love. But, we are also under the Ten Commandments. The latter part is affirmed in two places:
Matthew 19:16-19 (Jesus says that the young rich man should follow the Ten Commandments to be saved)
Romans 13:8-10 (Owe no many anything but to love one another, and more than this, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, ... i.e., a synopsis of the Ten Commandments)
Of these two verses, the first might be said to only apply to Jews (including, perhaps, Jews who follow Jesus). But the second, from the epistle to the Romans is clearly to non-Jewish believers and, more so, is stated in the context of the law of love.
To be sure, we are not under the dietary laws, ceremonial laws, etc., that Jews were and may still be under. But, I would point out that Jews distinguish between the sins that offend God and our fellow man, and the sins against the law that meet the Jews apart from the rest of mankind as a holy people. During Yom Kippur, in asking God’s forgiveness for sins, Jews list the sins they have committed against God and against their fellow man, including even sins of which they are not aware. They don’t ask to be forgiven for eating pork.
We are called not merely to avoid sin. Indeed, dwelling on not sinning pays a certain homage to the deceiver. We are called to do good, confident that our good works will be sanctified by the atoning sacrifice of our savior, and acceptable to God.
If only because of our ignorance and weakness of will, we know that we will all sin. We will even sin in our efforts to do good. But, God knows this, because he made us, and has provided in advance for forgiveness.
So, in confidence and joy let us seek to do good. Let us not merely not kill our neighbor, but celebrate life. Let us not merely not steal from one another, but be productive. Let us not merely not commit false witness against our neighbor, but correct our brothers and sisters with lovingkindness.
Mt. 19.16-17 is Jesus as a faithful Rabbi correctly what the Mosaic law said to Jews. Verse 3 says the Pharisees asked “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife...” What law? The New Covenant wasn’t revealed or enacted yet, and what law would Pharisees be interested in anyway? The law of Moses. v17-18 quote the Ten commandments (to these Jews). He wasn’t applying the Ten Commandments to Christians, who didn’t exist yet./
Rom. 13.8-10 isn’t just a synopsis of the ten commandments, for 9 of the ten commandments were repeated in the New Testament. You’d have a case if he had quoted the sabbath commandment.
Do you keep the sabbath? If you do, do you remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and God brought you out? What do you think Paul meant in Col. 2.16 to not let any man judge Christians in respect to a sabbath day? What do you think he meant in one chapter later in Rom. 14 where he said that Christians could esteem every day alike?
Thanks for your response, and for reading this one.
Mat 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Why did you stop at verse 19??? Jesus wasn't done speaking yet...You not only have to follow the 10 Commandments, you have to sell everything you have, give the money away and become poor...
Yikes!!! The entire world is doomed...