Begin Here (1) – Interpreting the Law of God (16)

Begin Here (1)

Interpreting the Law of God (16)

The New Testament is our first and best guide for understanding the Law.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone…. Ephesians 2:19, 20

The New Testament is our best guide for seeking to understand the Old Testament. The Apostles understood the prophets and Moses better than we do, because they were inspired by the Spirit in their writings. And they all knew the Lord Jesus Christ in a more intimate way, and heard more teaching from Him than what is contained in the New Testament.

So we must begin the interpretation of the Law of God—having studied the particular statute or issue in question, and the testimony of the prophets—by looking to the New Testament. As we do we must keep in mind two general guidelines.

First, whatever the New Testament endorses intact, that is, as intended by the original giving of the Law, must be regarded as true for our day as well. For example, many who want to appeal to the love of Christ to support so-called “gay marriage” insist that the ban on homosexual practice is limited to the Law in the Old Testament. We live in the age of grace, they insist, and such Old Testament statutes must be modified.

However, Paul, in Romans 1:26, 27, includes homosexual practice in the list of those things which were coming under the judgment of God in his day, that is, in the age of grace. And he insists (1 Cor. 6:9) that those who practice homosexuality will not have a place in the Kingdom of God. The New Testament thus endorses the ban on homosexual practice, but not necessarily the application of justice (death penalty) originally given to discourage such practice.

Similarly, when James instructs employers to remunerate their workers in a timely manner, referencing a statute of God’s Law (Jas. 5:4; cf. Lev. 19:13), we can believe that statute continues to have binding authority.

So when the New Testament is seen restating a commandment or statute as originally given, we must assume that the Apostles intend that part of God’s Law to be considered still valid and binding for the entire age of grace.

Order a copy of The Law of God from our online store, and begin daily reading in the commandments, statutes, testimonies, precepts, and rules of God, which are the cornerstone of divine revelation. Sign up at our website to receive our thrice-weekly devotional, Crosfigell, written by T. M. Moore.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.