ANSWERS TO YOUR BIBLE QUESTIONS
The Law That Was Nailed to the Cross
This lesson will be a continuation of the Law of God. The prominent teaching today is that the Ten Commandments were nailed to the cross and that we are no longer required to keep them. Our last lesson showed quite clearly that they had not been nailed to the cross. But yet, the Bible does speak of a law being nailed to the cross. What law was it? Can we know what law we are no longer required to observe? We must study and rightly divide the Word of God.
Please keep in mind that the last lesson showed clearly from the Bible there were two different laws in the old Scriptures. God wrote one law on tables of stone; Moses wrote the other law in a book.
1. Law nailed to the cross. Colossians 2:14
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;Colossians 2:14
As you read this Scripture, please read carefully, “…handwriting of ordinances.” Paul says, this law “…was against us, which was contrary to us.”
The word handwriting should awaken us to the fact that it is referring to something that was written by hand. The Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God but Moses’ law was written by hand in a book. Now, Paul says this law was against us. He does not say a portion of the law was against us but the law of ordinances was against us.
Now, are the Ten Commandments against us? Which one is against us? Is “thou shalt not kill” against us? Is “thou shalt not steal” against us? Is “thou shalt not have any other gods before me” against us?
We could go on naming the others but we can see that none of the Ten Commandments are against us. Even the Sabbath is not against us. Why would something that is holy be against us? Why do people try to do away with the Ten Commandments so that they can get around the Sabbath, then bring nine of them back and say we have to keep nine of the ten. If the Ten Commandments have been done away with, then they all have been done away with. But no one would agree with that; everyone knows it is wrong to kill, steal, commit adultery, etc.
2. The law that was a yoke around their neck.
As you read this, you will notice there was dissension in the early church over the law of Moses, whether to continue observing the law. Then in verse 10, Peter stands up and tells them the law of Moses was a “yoke” on their neck. Now, what is a yoke? A yoke was put on the necks of the oxen in olden times. It was heavy and burdensome to bear. Peter says here exactly what Paul is saying in Colossians 2:14, that Moses’ law was against them. The Bible is plain if we let it explain itself and then follow the teachings.
3. Why was it against them? Numbers 29:12-32
And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:
And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:
And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,
And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs:
And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink offerings.
And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish;
And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
Numbers 29:12-32
The preceding reference is speaking about one of the feasts Israel had to observe called the Feast of Tabernacles. During the week of the feast, the Israelites had to sacrifice seventy bullocks, fourteen rams, and ninety-eight lambs. Can’t you see one of the reasons it was a burden to them?
If we kept this feast today, we would have to do exactly what it says here. Another reason (and there were many) that Moses’ law was a burden, was that the temple was located in Jerusalem. It did not matter if the people lived 75 or 100 miles from Jerusalem, they had to go to Jerusalem at least three times a year to keep the feasts. They had to travel by foot or by donkey, so we can see how burdensome this law was to them. But it was a command of God.
4. Other Sabbaths besides the seventh-day Sabbath. Colossians 2:16-17
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Colossians 2:16-17
Verse 16 speaks of Sabbath days, in the plural. These Sabbath days were a shadow of something to come. People tell us this refers to the seventh-day Sabbath. But I hope we will not be too hasty to come to that conclusion. Notice the following reference, and then we will come back to this verse.
5. Sabbaths of Moses’ law.
This reference says that the fourteenth day of the first month was Passover; the next day (the fifteenth, verse 7), the first day of the feast, was a Sabbath (holy convocation). The word Sabbath means “rest”, so the first day of these feasts and the last day were Sabbaths or rest days. As you read verse 24, you will notice there was another Sabbath, a blowing of trumpets. There were various Sabbath days in Moses’ law.
Now, Colossians 2:16-17 says these Sabbaths days were a shadow of things to come. So these Sabbaths of Moses’ law were a type of rest we can have in Christ. The seventh day is not a shadow of anything. The seventh-day Sabbath is a test of obedience. God wants to see if we will obey Him by worshiping on the day that He told us to worship on. Or will we choose our own day of worship?
6. The added law.
Verse 19 tells us the law was added “till the Seed should come...” The word till refers to a specific time. The law was only to be till the Seed (Christ) should come; then it was to be no more. It is quite clear the law mentioned here was only to last until Christ.
But which law is it referring to? It said the law was added. Now, if the law was added, what was it added to? You can’t add something to nothing. There has to be an existing house in order to add a room to it. If there were no house, there could be no addition. You could build a room but you could not add a room. Now, let’s let the Bible tell us which law this is.
7. The book of the law. Galatians 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.Galatians 3:10
The Bible tells us which law is the added law. It is the law that was written in the book, or the “book of the law”, or the law of Moses.
8. The schoolmaster. Galatians 3:24-25
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Galatians 3:24-25
Here it speaks of the law as being a schoolmaster. Now, please bear in mind, it is still speaking about the “book of the law” as found in verse 10. Now, what is a schoolmaster? A schoolmaster is one who teaches or reveals. Now, in what way was Moses’ law a schoolmaster? It taught the people of the Christ to come. The candles in the temple were a type of the Light of Christ. It reminded them of the true Light that was to come. The bread in the temple reminded them of the true Bread that would come down from heaven (John 6:49-51). The lamb that they sacrificed reminded them of the true Lamb that was to come (John 1:35-36). Moses’ law taught them many things about Christ. Truly, it was a schoolmaster to them.
Then verse 25 tells us, “But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” In other words, when the real thing came, there was no need for the schoolmaster. When Paul said, “…we are no longer under a schoolmaster”, he meant the law of Moses had come to an end.
We should be thankful that we have no need for the schoolmaster today but we can have the real thing. We no longer need to follow the shadow any longer.
9. Law contained in ordinances. Ephesians 2:15
Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace;Ephesians 2:15
What does it mean when it reads “…the law of commandments contained in ordinances…”? It means a law that contains written rules and regulations, which tell how to observe that law. This again is the law of Moses.
Within the law of Moses, there were rules and regulations governing how to observe that law. The Ten Commandments had no such rules and regulations that told us how to observe it. It is simply a law of “do’s” and “don’ts.” But the law of Moses was a law “contained in ordinances”, and this law was abolished.
10. Not justified by the works of the law. Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.Galatians 2:16
This tells us that we are not justified by the law. The word justify means to be made right or to be accepted. This passage tells us that we are not accepted by God by “…the works of the law...” It is no wonder some people cannot understand the writings of Paul. In one place he tells us the law is good and holy. But in another place, he warns us about keeping the law. It is confusing unless we let the Bible tell us which law he is talking about.
It is simple when we know there are two separate laws mentioned in the Bible. Which law is he talking about here? It is the same law he mentions in the next chapter. If you again read Galatians 3:10, you will see he is telling them that they are no longer accepted by the works of Moses’ law. At one time they were but no longer. The real thing had come (Jesus Christ) and they were no longer to partake of the shadows. So this reference certainly has no connection with the Ten Commandments.
11. The law is a shadow.
Paul tells us the law was a shadow, and we can tell by its contents (speaking about sacrifices) that it is the law of Moses. The sacrifices could not make the comers (people) perfect, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
Paul has much to say about the law of Moses, for he was trying to get the people away from Judaism. They had observed it for approximately 2,000 years and it was hard for them to give it up. All this time they were told (by God) they could not be saved unless they did all these things. Now, all at once, it came to an end. Because, as a nation, they didn’t or hadn’t accepted Christ, the people were influencing the Christians to continue in the law of Moses. So it caused Paul a lot of trouble in the church. Now, the writings of Paul are confusing the people of today because they cannot divide between the two laws.
Because of this failure, many are going to fall into the category that Solomon speaks about in Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” It seems right to so many but yet it is not according to the Word.
12. Law not done away. 1 John 5:2-3
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and KEEP HIS commandments.
For this is the love of God, that we KEEP HIS commandments: and HIS commandments are NOT grievous.
1 John 5:2-3
13. If we offend in one point. James 2:10-12
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
For HE that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
James 2:10-12
SUMMARY
The Ten Commandments are as much a part of the Christian’s life today as when they were first given. Not one word has been changed. Therefore the Sabbath (Saturday) is the seventh day of the week and is the day we are to keep holy.
Radio Podcast: God's Holy Sabbath, Genesis to Revelation
The OLD COVENANT, The NEW COVENANT, And OTHERS
Author: Pastor L. L. Christenson
Pages: 4
Audio Podcasts:
Carl Palmer - "Series on the Law"
Part 1 of 4: Exploring Types of Law
Part 2 of 4: Principles of the Law
Part 3 of 4: We Are Not Under the Law, But Under Grace
Part 4 of 4: The Two Covenants
Elder Israel Haeger - Law or Grace - 7/9/1986
Sermon Videos: Playlist
Material from the book Answers to Your Bible Questions by Wesley Walker.
More info: http://BibleAnswers.press
