The Purpose of God’s Law and Obedience to

It

Roy E. GaneSDA Theological Seminary

Andrews University

Roy E. GaneWestpoint Presentations

1. The Purpose of God’s Law and Obedience to It

2. Law, Legalism, and “Righteousness by Faith”

3. Guidelines for Applying Biblical Laws to Modern Life

4. How to Identify and Apply Timeless Principles in Biblical Laws

5. Application of Biblical Laws Regarding Divorce and Homosexual Practice

Roy E. GaneWestpoint Presentations

1.1. THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S LAW THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S LAW AND OBEDIENCE TO ITAND OBEDIENCE TO IT

2. Law, Legalism, and “Righteousness by Faith”

3. Guidelines for Applying Biblical Laws to Modern Life

4. How to Identify and Apply Timeless Principles in Biblical Laws

5. Application of Biblical Laws Regarding Divorce and Homosexual Practice

Reaction of Many to God’s Law

FEARFEAR

Teaching of Love

Torah = teaching/instructionWhole Bible: Torah, Torah, Torah + TorahTeaching about God’s character and waysGod’s character is UNSELFISH LOVE

(1 John 4:8—“God is love”)Whole Bible is teaching about love (Matt

22:37-40)

Teaching of Love

Saving personal knowledge of God comes from all kinds of biblical teaching

Prescriptive “law” is one kind of teachingAccountable for all teaching because we are

saved through relationship with Christ (1 John 5:11-13)

Emulate God’s holy/loving character (Lev 11:44-45; 19:2, 18; 1 Pet 1:15-16)

Teaching of Love

God’s love is our guide to living: Ps 143:8—“Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

God’s law, like other teaching, is based on love (Matt 22:37-40; Rom 13:10)

Love through three Creation institutions generates 10 Commandments

Teaching of Love

“Why is love so important? Because real, unselfish love is the only basis on which intelligent beings with free choice can live in harmony and not destroy each other. Love is as essential to the long-term survival of the human race as food and water are to our short-term survival. Ultimately we cannot live without love”—Roy Gane, Altar Call, p. 88.

What is “Law”?

The order of justice and right to which people should conform and which judicial authority should enforce

Rules play some role in this orderAlso principles and values belonging to the

community’s collective conscienceExplicit rules—laws—are only the tip of the

iceberg of “Law”—Dale Patrick, Old Testament Law, p. 4.

Authority Behind Biblical Law

Source and authority: God of IsraelConveyed through Moses and other prophets Not “J, E, D, P”!Our ethical/moral standard: self-revealed

character of God, which is loveNeed for absolute standardsLove = justice + mercy (Exod 34:6-7)

Purpose of God’s Law

Reveals God’s character of loveBenefits us (Deut 10:13—“for your good”) by

guiding us to live in harmony with God’s principles of cause and effect

“God’s law—the wall that He has placed around His chosen ones for their protection, and obedience to whose precepts of justice, truth, and purity is to be their perpetual safeguard.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 678.

Purpose of God’s Law

Divine guide to excellence of model community for evangelistic purpose (Deut 4:6-8)

God wants to lavish blessings on His people to lead others to Him (Gen 12:3; Deut 28; Dan 1)

Law reveals sin (departure from love) to show need for mercy and restoration (Rom 3:20; 7:7; James 1:23-25)

Covenant Framework

God’s cumulative covenant phases structure the whole Bible

Law functions within covenant frameworkSee blessings and curses: Lev 26; Deut 28Compare ancient Near Eastern treatiesLaw contributes to purpose of covenant: to

reveal and express God’s characterCompare prologue to Hammurabi’s law

code: laws exemplified king’s justice

Covenant Framework

God inaugurated covenants and gave laws to people whom He had already delivered

Noah already saved from Flood (Gen 7-9)Abraham already spared from danger while

rescuing Lot (Gen 14-15)Israelites already delivered from Egypt

(Exod 19-24)Laws function within covenant framework of

graceLaw-keeping doesn’t save anyone

Obedience and Salvation

Laws benefit those who keep them (Lev 18:5)

Laws can’t help those who break them (Gal 3:10-12).

Only God’s mercy through Christ can remedy failure (Gal 3:13-14)

We can’t obey on our own (Rom 7)Obedience (living by love) is a gift of grace

received by faith through God’s Spirit (Rom 5:5; Gal 5:6)

Love, Spirit, and “Latter Rain”

End-time law of love and Elijah message of relational reconciliation (Mal 4:4-6)

End-time law of love and faith of Jesus (Rev 14:12)

End-time “latter rain” outpouring of God’s Spirit (Joel 2)

Therefore, love from the Holy Spirit is the power of the “latter rain”!

Benefits of Biblical Law

Character of God and theodicyDeliverance and social justiceCommunal ethicsMarriage and sexual moralityBeneficial lifestyleSabbath and sanctification (Exod 31:13)

Benefits of Biblical Law

Illuminating other parts of the BibleLev 11:36; 15:25-30; Num 15:37-41 as

background to Luke 8:43-48Num 5:11-31 background to Luke 7:36-50Lev 1 background to John 20:17