“Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.”
(Galatians 5:1)
Law, translated from the Hebrew “tohráh”, has the meaning of instruction and teaching. Called the Pentateuch, or "the five scrolls", the first five books of the Holy Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) were written by Moses, therefore, it is also called the "book of the law of Moses". With regard to the process of formulating a law, analogously to the legal rule in force in Brazil, it was up to God to initiate the “tohráh” (law).
"Every holy Writing which comes from God is of profit for teaching,
for training, for guiding, for education in righteousness."
(2 Timothy 3:16)
The “tohráh”, consisting of 613 (six hundred and thirteen) commandments, is a set of laws, moral and ethical, ranging from the way to relate to God, and with others, to the way to dress. Noting that the prophecies about the coming of Jesus Christ, revelation of God's Plan for Salvation in Jesus Christ, are based on the promises of the “tohráh”, example of the following biblical passages: The Messianic prophecy about the coming of Jesus (Genesis 3:15), revealing God's Plan for Salvation in Jesus Christ; and the call of Abram (Genesis 12:3), revealing the IDE of Jesus.
"And there will be war between you and the woman and between
your seed and her seed: by him will your head be crushed and by you his foot will be wounded."
(Genesis 3:15)
"... and you will become a name of blessing to all the families of the earth."
(Genesis 12:3)
"God's Plan for Salvation in Jesus Christ began right after Adam's sin, in the covenant made with God. The first prophecy pointing to Jesus, and to the cross of Christ is recorded in Genesis 3:15, "The name Jesus means “The Lord Save", and the name Christ is equivalent to the Hebrew term, Messiah, meaning, Anointed". (Extracted from the book, Christology at your Reach, 2010)
According to the legal rule in force in Brazil (the human court plan), law is a set of rules that regulate human relations that link events to people's rights. In a broad sense, the law (from the Latin verb “ligare” meaning “that which binds”), encompasses norms and customs. Laws may or may not be written. In Brazilian law, regulatory norms are classified according to the following gradation scale: Federal Constitution (largest law in Brazil), constitutional amendment, international treaties, complementary law, specific law, ordinary law, provisional measure, delegated law, etc... O The process of formulating a law consists of several phases, from the initiative, discussion, voting, approval, sanction, enactment, publication and enforcement of the law.
According to the principle of publicity, “One cannot excuse from complying with the law by claiming lack of knowledge”, which is a legal precept of the civilized world. Now, bringing all this discussion of law to the New Testament, the concept of grace (Jesus Christ) is inserted.
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is a reflection of the inner transformation of the human mind and understanding, thus, sin no longer has dominion over us.”
(Extracted from the book, Christology at your Reach, 2010)
In the Old Testament (Old Covenant) the law defined sins, but there was no way to cleanse them. While in the New Testament (New Covenant) the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross cleanses us from all sins. The following is an analogy between the legal rule in force in Brazil (the human court plan), with God's Plan for Salvation in Jesus Christ. Making the understanding of justification by faith in Jesus Christ clearer.
“Justification by faith in Jesus Christ is compared with the plan of the human court. Beginning with Adam, created in the image and in the likeness of God, man sinned by disobedience, making himself guilty (Genesis 3:1-24). Adam lost fellowship, turned away from God, and condemnation came upon him. Through his sin, Adam saw nakedness, felt fear and hid from God (Genesis 3:10). Sin brought guilt, separating man from God, the creature lost communion with the Creator, coming, then, separation and condemnation (expulsion from paradise) (Genesis 3:22-24). This line of sin, making everyone guilty before God (Romans 3:23), is compared to the plan of the human court (guilt, separation, and condemnation). However, justification by faith in Jesus Christ removes condemnation through the forgiveness of sins, removes guilt through the righteousness of God, and restores fellowship through Jesus. The justification of the “thief” on the cross is a biblical example. (Luke 23.39-43)."
(Extracted from the book, Christology at your Reach, 2010)
Confession in Jesus Christ, the only and sufficient Savior, comes first, accepting Jesus' sacrifice. A matter of faith. After the confession in Jesus comes the acknowledgment of enthroning him as a life practice, reflecting Jesus in all his teachings.
“Yet God, who is rich in mercy, by the great love with which he loved us, gave us life with Christ, when we were still dead in transgressions - by grace you are saved. God raised us up with Christ, and with him made us sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, to show, in the ages to come, the incomparable riches of his grace, shown in his goodness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace, through faith,
and it does not come from you, it is the gift of God."
(Ephesians 2. 4-8)
The following reflection on the process of transforming the human mind and understanding.
"The Pharisees, the religious of Jesus' time, were guided by the law of Moses. However, Jesus spoke to them of a spiritual kingdom, whose visibility reflects his teachings. He spoke of the transformation of the human mind and understanding, according to an interior process (de inside out), by the action of the Holy Spirit. The process begins with the confession of faith in Jesus Christ, the only and sufficient Saviour, and as the Word of God is internalized and reproduced, transformation takes place. (John 1:12), being built for the dwelling of God in the Spirit, exposing the preachings and teachings in the sound doctrine of the Word of God, produces faith in the heart and has the life transformed, in testimony of the victory of Christ."
(Extracted from the book, Christology at your Reach, 2010)
Jesus' grace will bring the living awareness that his right begins where another's right ends, and vice versa. So, even though they make you walk according to the law, walk in the grace of Jesus, knowing that you are the righteousness of God, in Christ Jesus.
We are God's righteousness in Christ.
Manoel Lúcio da Silva Neto is master in Production Engineering (Media and Knowledge), and author of the book Christologiy at your Reach, 2010.