“Listen To Him” Not Moses
Apr 21
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world
This section of scripture is foundational to our understanding of the New Covenant. To be honest the entire book of Hebrews is, but this section is foundational. In Hebrews Christ is shown to be Superior to all the Jews formally embraced to strip them of any desire to turn back to the Old Covenant. I believe they must have been under some type of persecution because of the many warning and admonishments throughout the text. And if Jews were discouraged from turning back why have we developed theological systems, especially ethics to go back?
The Transfiguration is a pivotal point in redemptive history, one that I haven’t seen much writing on, though it could be my own ignorance. But here we see the ushering in on the New Covenant. In the transfiguration the Father speaks from heaven about the son “listen to Him”. No longer were those who call on YAWEH to look for Moses for the obedience, hope or ethical principle, they were to now look at one “greater than Moses”. The Son of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
This post arises from a discussion on a previous post about the “Law” and its usefulness today. This word Law has been debated to no ends. So if by Law we mean the system of ethics (ceremonial, civil…) that system given on Siana, then that system is obsolete (Hebrews 8:1-11). Now if we want to separate out the tablets of stone or 10 commandments then those to have been “brought to an end” (2 Corinthians 3:7-11). You see those lifeless tablets have been replaced by a living person, the Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 3:3) and we now live by Him not the “ministry of death”.
I would like to touch on a couple of points. First, I like to refute the Law being used in Evangelism and secondly as a guiding ethical princple in the life of the believer.
Evangelism and the Law
“Indeed the popular notion that the Mosaic Law should be preached as a preparation for the Gospel, revealing sin and one’s need for salvation, has slim biblical support” (Five Views on Law and the Gospel, Douglas Moo, pg 339)
This is very true. Not ONE of the recorded evangelistic speeches in all of Acts contain any type of Law preaching to win souls. Not one! Not only that, if you spend any time in the epistles, you again see no law preaching, the recommendation that we should use the law for evangelism and not even a passive reference to 10 commandment preaching on any of its pages. Yet there is an entire method using the law (usually 9 because of the Sabbath) to evangelize and bring conviction.
However, what we do see is as Christ is exalted and preached in Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10, Acts 13, Acts 14, Acts 16 and Acts 19. Sometimes they are Jews other times they are pagans (especially Acts 16) yet not once do they ever mention the law in evangelism. Paul has ample opportunity to bring forth the law, but he doesn’t. He exalts Christ by preaching him crucified and raised from the dead and returning to judge the world.
This may be a mute point to many but today there are men and women who would call Gospel preaching false evangelism, because “the hard soil has to be turned”. I am not saying this is false. What I am saying is it has no biblical merit. And even when the 10 commandments were used the rich young ruler said “I have kept these”. But enough about that.
The Law and Ethics
The famous quote “Moses leads us to Christ and then Christ leads us back to Moses” sounds fancy but it is hot air for a balloon. If we see the law as a picture of Christ then I may agree with the first half of this statement, but the second part is false. Luke records:
”beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself”
So rightfully interpreting the OT should lead us straight to Jesus, even Jesus Himself says “Moses testified of me”. We should embrace a Christocentric hermeneutic of the OT, but to say Christ leads us back to Moses is bogus. Christ has made the Apostles the foundation of the Church, Himself being the cornerstone.
In relation to Christian ethics we have enough documents written in the New Covenant to cover ALL points of Christian ethics. From work to family. To lawsuits to handling those who work for us. From impatience to forgiveness. From giving to serving. The New Testament covers every point of Christian ethics that we can think of (minus some of our technological things but even then we may have the framework to discuss these things).
Why go past the incarnate word of God, to a people who did not have the fulfillment but only the picture? Again I am not saying we are to ignore the Old Testament. On it we have the recorded history of how our creator interacted with His creation. Even more importantly they testify to Christ. However, we are not to look for our ethic/guiding principles and definitely not how the church is to function when the Head has given us enough to chew on in the New Testament.
I close with this. Our ethic, ecclesiology and evangelism can be fully found in Christ and those He set aside to be His Apostles. If you don’t believe me, believe the Father who said “this is my beloved Son, hear Him”
Lionel,
Amen! Amen!
I appreciate you brother for stretching the way I think about things. I’ll mull over this for a while. It’s definitely appreciated.
Ash,
I am glad we can dialogue about it, at least you didn’t call me Satanic
Aussie J,
Thanks a bunch Sir, glad an elder brother can support it.
I felt a stirring in the force and thought maybe Lionel is writing on my favorite topic NCT…Amen brother.
The scriptures are clear that we are not under THE LAW:
ROM. 6:14: For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are NOT UNDER THE LAW but under grace.
Not under the law but under grace.
GAL. 3:21-25: Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody UNDER THE LAW, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our guardian, to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are NO LONGER UNDER THE GUARDIAN.
No longer under the guardianship of The Law now that faith has come.
GAL. 5:16-18: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if you are led of the Spirit, you are NOT UNDER THE LAW.
Christians keep from abeying the lust of the flesh by walking in the Spirit not by attempting to keep The Law, those who walk by the Spirit/Christians are then said to be NOT UNDER THE LAW.
ROMANS 7:1-6: Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to her husband. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is alive, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is not an adulteress, even though she has married another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become DEAD TO THE LAW through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been DELIVERED FROM THE LAW, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Through Christ we are Dead to the Law and have been Delivered from the Law.
Romans 8:1-4: Therefore [based on his entire argument preceding this passage], there is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus [the next clause-- "who do not live according to the sinful nature, but according to the Spirit"-- is not in the earlier mss. It appears to have been copied from the end of verse 4. But either way, it doesn't alter the point Paul is making.]. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has SET YOU FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. For what the law was powerless to do, since it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did, by sending His own son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, to be a sin offering, thus condemning sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
GAL. 2:18-21: For through the law I DIED TO THE LAW, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.
Christians live rigfhteous lives by CHrist living His life through us as we walk in the Spirit.
* ROM. 7:4: Therefore, my brethren, you also have become DEAD TO THE LAW through the body of Christ.
GAL. 3:10-13: For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”
Those who are under The Law are actually under its curse. Christians have been redeemed from the curse of The Law.
Those who are not under The Law/Christians are not lawless or antinomians.
* ROM. 6:15: What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? May it never be!
* 1 COR. 9:21: To those who are without law, [I became] as one without law (though not being myself without the law of God, because I am under the law of Christ), so that I might win those who are without law.
We are under the Law of Christ/The Law Written on the heart/The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ.
Lionel,
Just curious. Are you able to extend the comment column on the left so that we can see more of the recent comments instead of only 5 at a time?
Lionel, I call it as I see it.
Let me see what that looks like Jon
To clarify, for I believe the “satanic” remark was a shot at me-I don’t believe that every doctrinal disagreement is Satanic. In other words, just because I disbelieve a doctrinal stand from a fellow christian, it doesn’t segue into me believing that the views they hold are Satanic.
I don’t use that word loosely, but strategically, and when it is warranted.
Otherwise, good post.
Lionel said:
“@ Seeker, you know I am just kidding.”
My response:
I hear ya.’
Very good article. Keep on proclaiming New Covenant theology.
Thanks Jazzy Cat, I love the name