Legislating the Kingdom
November 24th, 2010Legislating the Kingdom
~ Law of God
By
Rev. John Ozanich D.D.
10-18-10
The laws of life were drafted and ratified under and by the authority of God. God’s law promotes harmony, health and justice among the people of the world while commanding respect for the almighty Creator. Understanding the biblical narrative and biblical history of the law is essential to its proper application.
God declared the laws of man to Noah in Genesis 9:1-17. Historically known as the Noachide Laws, they consist of seven laws given to all mankind of every generation as part of God’s covenant with mortal man – along with the rainbow as a symbol of God’s mercy and promise to never destroy all life again. The rainbow continues to be the symbol of the First Covenant and Noachide Law. The seven laws for all mankind presented to Noah with their Hebrew identifier:
1 – Do not murder (shefichat damim).
2 – Do not steal or kidnap (gezel).
3 – Do not worship false gods; idolatry (avodah zarah).
4 – Do not be sexually immoral (adultery, incest, sodomy, bestiality, homosexuality) (gilui arayot).
5 – Do not utter GOD’s name in vain nor curse Him (birkat hashem).
6 – Establish righteous and honest courts, and apply fair justice (dinim).
7 – Do not eat the limb of an animal before it is killed (ever min hachai).
(On March 20th, 1991, President George Bush and the 102nd Congress signed Public Law 102-14, expressing a desire by the United States to return to the principles of Noachide Law for the moral benefit of the people.)
The next legislative event of the Bible came in the form of God’s covenant to all mankind through Abraham. With the agreement, God promised fruitful continuation of the human race under a particular condition with Abraham:
“This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised.” Gen 17:10 (NKJV)
As the biblical narrative continues through the Old Testament, the history focuses on the Jewish people. Historically, some early Christian scholars debated even including the Torah (Old Testament) into the Christian cannon. But Jewish history provides Christians with their own foundational history. As the Chosen People of God, the Jewish people were destined to provide the Messiah to the world. Being blessed with such a divine privilege came with special responsibilities. God provided to the Jews a mighty leader and lawgiver in the form of the commanding personality of Moses. Through Moses, God established his special covenant with the Jewish people. From the teachings of the Torah, including the Noachide Laws and Mosiac Laws (the Ten Commandments), the Jewish people were required to comply with 613 commandments (or mitzvoth) regulating harmony among their people, ensuring the health of their people and defining their relationship with God. The mitzvoth span issues ranging from what can be eaten and how one can dress to marital and worship details. Through strict adherence to their laws, the Jewish people maintained the unique purity, which kept them highest in God’s favor and a people worthy of bearing His son.
Once the Christ arrived, He spoke relatively little of law. Jesus taught a religion of loving worship rather than punitive fear. To set the tone for this new ministry, a new covenant was established with the Jewish Christians:
“But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.” Hebrews 8:6 (NLT)
“But when God found fault with the people, he said: “The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.” Hebrews 8:8 (NLT)
And a new covenant with the entire world was created:
“And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.”
“Likewise also the cup after supper, saying: This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” Luke 22:19-20 (KJV)
During his lifetime, Jesus made only occasional and passing reference to biblical law. Those references He did make complied with Noachide Laws given in the beginning to all mankind and downplays the 603 Mosaic Jewish mitzvoth except when He twice encouraged keeping of the Ten Commandments:
“You know the commandments; ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘ Do not steal,’ ‘ Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘ Honor your father and your mother.’” Mark 10:19 & Luke 18:20 (NKJV)
At times, He even challenges the mitzvoth, such as He did in Matthew 19:8-9 – amending Moses’ directive on divorce:
“He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you divorce your wives but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery;…”
Jesus, a Jew among Jews, taught within the paradigm of Judaism but clearly divorced the future of the ministry from the old covenants with Israel while maintaining God’s universal laws for all men. This change opened the door for the imminent flood of incoming gentiles to the faith. In accordance with this action, He proclaimed His new and greatest commandments:
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38 (KJV)
“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.”
“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:39-40 (KJV)
The Apostles quote Christ issuing around thirty-five directives to his followers. Obviously, they did not quote every statement made and every lesson taught by Christ during their years together. On this point, we are completely reliant on the Apostles to further our understanding of Christ’s teaching. Christ made it clear that he anticipated this issue, however, when He proclaimed the creation of his church to carry on the teachings beginning with the Apostle Peter:
“And I also say to you that you are Peter; and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18 (NKJV)
Through lecture and example, Jesus taught what is expected of those who would seek God’s grace. Gracefully cascading Noachide and Mosaic Law, God’s message became less about rule and punishment, and more of love and consequences. Regardless, Christ was clear on the notion that breaking God’s law was no demonstration of love. Much as any parent and child relationship, indiscretions can be forgiven – but adamant disobedience will be dealt with accordingly.
These rapid changes in orthodoxy combined with a flood of gentile converts complicated life for the Apostles. First and foremost of their concerns was that gentiles did not fulfill the Abrahamic Law requiring circumcision. Besides a likely cultural disinterest to engage in the act and the fact that circumcision had briefly become viewed as unseemly by several cultures around the Mediterranean at that time, a lack of suitable medications made the procedure risky for adult males. This serious quandary inspired a Congress of the Apostles around 50 A.D. and is called the Council of Jerusalem. Pooling their educations by Jesus and having full authority in His name to steer the earthly ministry, the council came to a decision reflective of Christ’s teaching. The Council dismissed all Jewish mitzvoth requirements for the gentiles except four decrees, relating to health and morality, leaving the cascade of Noachide and Mosaic Laws of the Commandments as required by Christ in his teachings. James, the leader of the Jerusalem church announced their decision:
“Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” Acts 15:19-21
The congregation of Christ was thus opened to all willing to enter. The Laws of God are well known and applied to all mankind for the health and harmony of all. Those who wish to not anger the Father will not break the rules of His house. And in his coming, Jesus completed His task:
“Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17 (NKJV)
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