The Pentateuch, also called the “Torah” consists of the first five books of the Bible–Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy–which were written by Moses.  For centuries professing Christians, in an attempt to remove from their theology anything that would connect salvation to their concept of “legalism,” have steadfastly insisted that God’s Law had been “nailed to the cross” at the time of Christ’s crucifixion.   The theology surrounding this church “truth” is based on the misunderstanding of a clear Biblical statement.  As is the case with many other church “truths” that contradict God’s Biblical statements, the problem lies in the fact that the church refuses to study His “fine print” relative to His “headlines.”  Correcting this deadly error is the focus of this ministry.

Having His “headlines” without His “fine print” is like having a safe full of money but not having the combination to the safe.  This series will acquaint salvation seekers with the details (“fine print”) pertaining to some of the statements (“headlines”) found in God’s Word.  Warning: what will be revealed will upset those who insist that the “truths” found in church doctrine overrule God’s Truth (Word–Jn. 17:17).  This is the view held by 99.99% of professing Christendom.  I know this to be true because I was once one of them and am now surrounded by family, friends, acquaintances and enemies who share a common hatred for what I preach and teach–God’s Word as it is presented in His Book of Truth (Jn. 17:17).  With the rarest of exceptions, church people hate God’s Word even though it is His written will which He miraculously preserved for thousands of years.  As I mentioned in a previous posting, I have seen a portion of the Book of Isaiah which, along with the rest of the Old Testament, had been found, perfectly preserved, in an Israeli cave.  God preserved the Old Testament because it was to be used as a teaching instrument by “us upon whom the end of the world has come” (1 Cor. 10:11)–the New Testament Church.  The Law was not, as Bible writers tell us, “nailed to the cross.”  Instead, it was preserved to be used as a teaching tool for the end-time church which would be on the scene at the time of the end.

Let us investigate the most often quoted Scripture used to explain why the Law does not apply to the New Testament Church today–Colossians 2:14.  Here we are told that Jesus , through His death, had forgiven the people’s sins and had “blotted 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.”  This statement is the “headline” used to do away with the Law of God.  My job is to point out the Lord’s “fine print” that reveals the Biblical Truth that refutes the so-called “truth” surrounding Colossians 2:14.  Firstly, the Ten Commandments are not “against us and contrary to us.”  Paul said that he would not have known what sin was except for the Law.  First John 3:4 tells us that, “To transgress the Law is sin, for sin is the transgression of the Law.”  The Old Testament teaches that same message.–SIN IS THE BREAKING OF THE LAW.  PERIOD.

The problem involved in the deadly “Law nailed to the cross” error lies in the fact that God created two laws relative to the removal of sin.  One Law was spiritual and eternal.  It consisted of the Ten Commandments which summarized the entire Law–Exo. 20:1-17 written by God Himself).  The other law was physical and temporary (the “law that was added because of transgressions”–Gal. 3:19 written by Moses).  For more details relative to this subject read The Two Laws of God.  Key word–Two.  That series proves that it was the animal-sacrificing, ritualistic law–the “handwriting of ordinances–that was nailed to the cross.  During the Last Supper Jesus proclaimed that, following His death, His blood and His flesh would satisfy the sacrifice God required for the removal of our PAST sins (Rom. 3:25).  This act is Biblically know as JUSTIFICATION.

One of the false beliefs which gives “the Law was nailed to the cross” credibility within professing Christendom is the belief that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament were two different Gods Who governed two different groups of people–one Israelite and one Gentile.  In the series titled The God of the Old Testament (key word–Old) I prove that the One who came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth was the Old Testament God.  In the series titled Who and Where is Israel Today? (key word–Who?) I show that the so-called “Christian nations” of today, specifically the United States, Britain and the Jews of the Middle East, are primarily peopled by the descendants of the ancient Israelites.  I also prove that the New Testament Church is an Israelite institution and that Gentiles can become part of it ONLY BY OBEYING THAT that the Lord gave to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai (Exo. 20 / Deut. 5).  By obeying that Law they become spiritual Israelites– “the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16).

A Scripture that I did not use in the God of the Old Testament series is John 5:46 which I will insert here.  In this passage we find some Jews coming against Jesus because He called God His Father, thereby making Himself equal with God.  Being Jews, they claimed to believe the writings of Moses.  In verse 45 Jesus told them that Moses, the prophet whose words they trusted, would accuse them before the Father of rejecting his (Moses) own words.  In verse 46 Jesus said to them: “For if you believed Moses, you would have believed Me, FOR HE WROTE ABOUT ME.”  Note it, the first five books of the Bible were about the Word who became Jesus of Nazareth.  As the Word (Jn. 1:1-4,14), Jesus spoke to His Old Testament through the Holy Spirit.  They in turn spoke the Words of God (the Word) through the power of that same Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21).  By admitting that they did not believe Jesus’ words, the Jews were proclaiming publicly that they did not believe Moses’ writings.

Proof that the Gospel of God was preached by God (“the Word”–Jn. 1:1-4,14) Himself is found in Galatians 3:5-8 where Paul is telling the church (then and now) that Jesus, being a man, ministered and worked miracles only through His faith in God’s Word.  In verse six Paul notes that Abraham believed God’s Word and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  In verse seven he says that those of true faith (in God’s Word–Rom. 10:19) were (are) the children of Abraham.  In verse eight he reminds us that “the Scripture (Word) preached the GOSPEL to ABRAHAM.”  

Later, Jesus told His apostles that, following His death, they and those who followed them in ministry would preach that same Gospel to “ALL NATIONS,” then the end of the world would come (Mat. 24:14).  It was the job of the New Testament apostles to preach to salvation-hungry Israelites and Gentiles the same He (Jesus–the “Scripture”), had preached to Abraham centuries earlier.  Abraham “believed God (His Gospel) and it was accounted to him as righteousness.”  The same is true of all who have heard the Gospel throughout history–RIGHTEOUS AND HOLINESS WILL BE AWARDED IF BELIEVERS’ FAITH IN GOD’S GOSPEL IS FOLLOWED BY OBEDIENCE TO THAT GOSPEL.  As other passages prove, Abraham’s faith alone did not produce righteousness in him.  ABRAHAM OBEYED GOD’S WORD.  THAT, AND ONLY THAT, CREATED RIGHTEOUSNESS IN HIM.  That is the same formula (faith + obedience) we must apply in our lives in order to be saved at the return of the Messiah.  Read Hope and Salvation.  Key word–Hope.

The Apostle James goes to great lengths to deliver that life-giving message.  He tells us in chapter two that if one’s faith is not followed by obedience (works), one’s faith is DEAD (vss 14,16,17, 18,20,24,26).  We live by our faith.  Faith is a spiritual entity.  If our faith is dead, we are spiritually dead.  Workless faith is worthless.  In verse 23 James, like Paul, notes that Abraham’s faith was accounted to him as righteousness.  We are true children of Abraham IF AND ONLY IF we obey the Gospel as He did (Rom. 4:12).  As James tells us in 2:10, we must BELIEVE AND OBEY THE LAW IN ITS ENTIRETY IN ORDER TO BE SAVED.  THIS INCLUDES COMMANDMENT #4.  Read The Sabbath: God’s Word Versus Man’s Word.  Key word–Versus.  Paul tells us that THE END RESULT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS IS ETERNAL LIFE  (Rom. 5:21; 6:22).  The end result of faith without works (obedience) is death.

The Holy Scriptures proclaim that the Old Testament Law (which God condensed into the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai) is as much a part of the New Testament Church life as faith itself.  This includes the Old Testament which was spoken to the Old Testament prophets by the Word/the Scripture/Jesus through the Holy Spirit.  The Bible in its entirety is what Paul called “the whole counsel of God” which he preached.  L.J.