What are works of the law

[Godhelpus]

We all know we are not saved nor justified by works of the law. But what are they? First I want to establish that works of the law in themselves are not bad. Keeping the law is good.

1Jo 3:4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Doing works of the law, is not doing works against the law.

So, it's only in the context of becoming saved and justified by faith in Christ, that works of the law can become 'tainted' with a bad name? So, what are works of the law, that can hinder being saved? Or, that can become a snare in being justified with Christ?

Works of the law only become a snare, if anyone does them to become saved.

Act 15:1And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

Although circumcision by law is not for Christians, yet the principle remains the same.

Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?... He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

We see here, that we receive the Spirit of Christ by hearing with faith. Not by doing any good deed.

Gal 3:17And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Rom 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

And so we see here, that if the promise of salvation is by a work of law, then the Spirit of grace we receive by faith, is made of none effect. Our faith in Christ by hearing of the gospel, is made ineffective and without power to save the soul. Until we do a good deed in keeping with the law, to become saved, then Christ Himself in our hearts is not able to save and justify us.

If salvation comes by works of the law, Christ our Lord is not the One who saves us, but His law becomes our lord and savior. We must give thanks to the law for salvation, not to the Lawgiver. And if our thanks is to the law, then our faith is in keeping the law, not in Jesus Christ Himself.

If we must do a work of law, in order to become saved by faith, then faith is made of none effect, until we do that work. If we must do a work of the law, else we cannot be saved, then we that have recieved Christ by hearing of faith, are still counted as unsaved with Christ, the same as them unsaved without Christ.

Eph 2:12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Having Jesus Christ with faith is salvation and cleansing by His blood, before we ever do any good work in keeping of the law...

Act 15:1And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

This salvation by works of the law, nullifies the promise, the faith, the blood, and even Jesus Christ Himself, to save and reconcile us to God, until we be doing a work of law.

 

[forgiven61]

Christ our Lord is not the One who saves us, but only His law can justify us with God. We must give thanks to the law for salvation, not to the Lawgiver. And if our thanks is to the law, then our faith is in keeping the law, not in Jesus Christ Himself.

so as i dont misinterpret this ..how about you explain the part " Christ our Lord is not the One who saves us, " .. this does not line up with my bible or john 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. or john 1: 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

 

[Godhelpus]

so as i dont misinterpret this ..how about you explain the part " Christ our Lord is not the One who saves us, " .. this does not line up with my bible or john 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. or john 1: 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

I really try to work on being clear, but I guess sometimes I'm not clear enough. I like the teaching method of if, then. For me, it helps to expose errors. It's used in arguments of ad absurdum.

If salvation comes by works of the law, Christ our Lord is not the One who saves us, but His law becomes our lord and savior.

Only if salvation is by the law, then Christ the Lawgiver is not the Savior, but the law does the saving.

That's the error of many Jews, as well as some Christians, that trust in keeping of the law by works. So long as they are outwardly righteous, then their inward parts don't matter.

Mat 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess…Cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

BTW, I am personally familiar with this manner outward righteousness and inward corruption, because I come from a holiness pentecostal ministry. So long as we were outwardly right in works of the law, then our souls were still saved, even if our hearts were not pure.

We even had justified sayings to cover our defiled hearts. Such as, We are only lusting in our hearts after others, if we would have sex with them, if we could have the opportunity. And so, if we also tell ourselves that we would not, even if we could, then hey, lust away! What it means is, that we can lust after others, so long as we don't commit the act in person.

But Jesus is rebuking such inward corruption, that is buried beneath outward righteousness. He says if we are lusting after someone, then we are committing the act. Needless to say, in due course of time, the churches had become rife with the acts of adultery, and not just the hidden lusting. And the guiltiest place was the Organizational head church, and general board.

Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

 

[cocoa]

I like the teaching method of if, then.

It's a confusing approach and it's unclear if you're expressing what you believe or if your are giving an example of an error.

It maybe a cultural barrier but, I hope the feedback helps.

 

[Dave F.]

He is addressing those who say we must abide by the law in order to receive salvation, this is a false teaching called legalism. While there is nothing wrong with keeping the law, it has nothing to do with our salvation. If keeping the law is what saved us, then the blood of Christ is null and void, but, since the law does not save us , then the blood of Christ is the only way to receive salvation.

 

[Godhelpus]

He is addressing those who say we must abide by the law in order to receive salvation, this is a false teaching called legalism.

While there is nothing wrong with keeping the law, it has nothing to do with our salvation. If keeping the law is what saved us, then the blood of Christ is null and void, but, since the law does not save us , then the blood of Christ is the only way to receive salvation.

Exactly. And not just abide in the law, but having to do any work of law first, in order become saved. It disannuls the faith and Spirit dwelling in us. As though having the Spirit Himself is nothing, until we do a work of law. The law is made more effective to save than Lord Himself.

When we receive the Spirit of Christ by faith, we don't need to do a work of the law, in order for the Spirit and the blood of the Lamb to wash us clean from our sins and trespasses.

However, I'm not so sure about how the law has nothing to do with our salvation? Afterall, we're saved from sins and trespasses against God's commandments.

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

 

[Dave F.]

However, I'm not so sure about how the law has nothing to do with our salvation? Afterall, we're saved from sins and trespasses against God's commandments.

The law shows us our sins, but does nothing to remove them. Only the blood of Christ removes our sins. We work because we are saved, not to become saved.

 

[Godhelpus]

It's a confusing approach and it's unclear if you're expressing what you believe or if your are giving an example of an error.

Right. First, as the title states, it's a teaching on what works of the law are in Scripture. Then it's about their context in becoming saved. And then their place in being saved Christians.

We don't become saved by keeping a work of law, like circumcision as the Jews commanded. However, we are saved from transgressions of the law, so that by Jesus Christ we are now keepers of His commandments.

It then corrects an antinomian ideology held by some Christians, that keeping or transgressing the law doesn't matter at all as saved Christians. The NT gospel does not attack keeping the law of God as Christians, but only forbids doing a work of law, in order to become saved.

Some Christians even say by the death of Jesus Christ, that the law of God is now dead and gone, so that there isn't even a law of Christ to keep.

 

[BibleLover]

Right. First, as the title states, it's a teaching on what works of the law are in Scripture. Then it's about their context in becoming saved. And then their place in being saved Christians.

We don't become saved by keeping a work of law, like circumcision as the Jews commanded. However, we are saved from transgressions of the law, so that by Jesus Christ we are now keepers of His commandments.

It then corrects an antinomian ideology held by some Christians, that keeping or transgressing the law doesn't matter at all as saved Christians. The NT gospel does not attack keeping the law of God as Christians, but only forbids doing a work of law, in order to become saved.

Some Christians even say by the death of Jesus Christ, that the law of God is now dead and gone, so that there isn't even a law of Christ to keep.

Which elements the Law are Christians expected to keep--Ceremonial? Dietary? Legal? Cultural? Social?

 

[Godhelpus]

Which elements the Law are Christians expected to keep--Ceremonial? Dietary? Legal? Cultural? Social?

That's down in the last sentence: the law of God is now the NT law of Christ, not the OT law of Moses.

Since circumcision is used as the example of preaching salvation by works of the law, which was in the early times of Judaizing, then I use it here. It's not to preach circumcision nor the law of Moses to Christians.

Since it's the 'works' of the law, then it can include any work of law, that some say we must first do in order to become saved.

That's all you want is clarification of the law? You agree with the teaching in general then? If not, I invite corrections. It just makes the teaching of Scripture more accurate.

 

[BibleLover]

That's down in the last sentence: the law of God is now the NT law of Christ, not the OT law of Moses.

Since circumcision is used as the example of preaching salvation by works of the law, which was in the early times of Judaizing, then I use it here. It's not to preach circumcision nor the law of Moses to Christians.

Since it's the 'works' of the law, then it can include any work of law, that some say we must first do in order to become saved.

That's all you want is clarification of the law? You agree with the teaching in general then? If not, I invite corrections. It just makes the teaching of Scripture more accurate.

Got it! I must have missed that clarification in your previous post. I definitely agree with you. Thanks for answering. God bless you, brother.

 

[forgiven61]

That's down in the last sentence: the law of God is now the NT law of Christ, not the OT law of Moses.

Since circumcision is used as the example of preaching salvation by works of the law, which was in the early times of Judaizing, then I use it here. It's not to preach circumcision nor the law of Moses to Christians.

Since it's the 'works' of the law, then it can include any work of law, that some say we must first do in order to become saved.

That's all you want is clarification of the law? You agree with the teaching in general then? If not, I invite corrections. It just makes the teaching of Scripture more accurate.

romans 8: 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

thats the only law i need

 

[Godhelpus]

romans 8: 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

thats the only law i need

And the only law we need keep by the Spirit of grace.

James 1:But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein,] he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.