Status of Topics Touching the Message of Salvation | Restatement of the Doctrinal Statement |
|
The Church is not Israel, and is not under the Ten Commandments of Moses
a) We believe that at no time has the law of Moses, including the Ten Commandments, ever been represented in Scripture as a means for man to earn his salvation (Romans 3:21; Galatians 3:6-9, 3:21). We believe that the law was given to Moses both as a vehicle for governing Israel (Exodus 19; Deuteronomy 28-30), and as a witness to testify to mankind of their lost condition and their need of a Savior (Galatians 2:19, 3:19-24; Romans 3:20).
b) We believe that the division of the law of Moses into "Moral," "Civil," and "Ceremonial" laws is not found in Scripture, and is unsupportable by Scripture. It is clear that, with a view toward the law of Moses, Peter understood it would be immoral to eat non-Kosher food, not simply "un-ceremonial" (Acts 11:4-8).
c) We believe that law, by its very nature, has two components: a system of demands and prohibitions; and a respective system of consequences for violating those demands and prohibitions. We believe that, while one is under the law of Moses, violation of that legal system makes one subject to the punishments and consequences of that legal system, which, under the law of Moses, included physical death (Romans 5:12-13; Hebrews 12:18-21) and the declaration that one is spiritually dead, and in need of the Savior (Romans 3:19-20; Galatians 3:24).
d) We believe therefore that once someone comes to faith in Christ, they are jurisdictionally transferred from the law of Moses unto the "law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2), which is a different legal system entirely, having different demands, and different consequences (Hebrews 12:18-22). Accordingly, we believe that, from the moment of salvation, a Christian is no longer subject to either the demands, or the consequences of the Ten Commandments. We believe that with the inauguration of a new legal system and a new priesthood, the law of Moses has been annulled (Matthew 5:18; Romans 3:19; Galatians 3:10; 3:24-25; 4:21; Hebrews 5:5-6; 7:12; 7:18; 8:7-13; 10:1; 10:9).
e) We acknowledge that there are some similarities between the demands of the law of Christ and the demands of nine of the 613 laws of Moses. However, we deny that the law of Christ is a stripped down version of the law of Moses.
f) We believe that a primary consequence of failure to live faithfully to the law of Christ is to forfeit our eternal inheritance, or a portion thereof, which is presented in Scripture of forfeiting the privilege of ruling and reigning with Christ over the world to come (Luke 19:11-27; 1st Corinthians 3:8-15; 9:24-27; Galatians 6:7-9; 2nd Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 4:1; 6:10-12; 10:23; 10:35; Revelation 5:10; 20:6; 22:5). Because we are no longer under the jurisdiction of a legal system having eternal consequences of condemnation, however, it is impossible that a Christian can incur condemnation by failure to obey the Ten Commandments (Galatians 3:10; 3:24-25). A Christian is no more subject to the laws of Moses than a resident of Cleveland is to the criminal or civil laws of Bangkok Thailad.
The New Testament also refers to the "law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ" Romans 8:2, the "law of liberty" James 1:25, and "the Royal law according to the Scripture" James 2:8. Because the demands of the New Testament are more commonly set forth as general principles which the Spirit of God quickens and convicts to our hearts, the use of the term "law" is not commonly used in this sense in the New Testament. It is more commonly called "being led by the Spirit" (Romans 8:14) or equivalent terms.
|
Restatement of the Doctrinal Statement |
|
|