On the subject of the law and grace. Part 2

Part of an investigation subtitled: : Should a follower of Christ ever get a tattoo? - an investigation for the Christian alternative.

This article was orginally released under the Adullam Limited document numbering system as Document #49. It was distributed to a few trusted friends and family for thier feed back which by and large was extreamly positive. As such I want to share this with a wider audience now.

In part one we came to see that there was a difference betrween the spirit and the letter of the law. We also saw how the law is still valid as Jesus did not come to distroy it.

However we do not sacrifice sheep nor do we demand cercumsision and other acts.

So what happened and where is the change detailed?

In Matthew 21 Jesus tells a story of a vineyard and the owner sends servants to the vineyard to request the fruit but the keepers of the vineyard kill them so he sends more servants who are also killed. Then he sends his son who is murdered as well.

Then Jesus asks the Chief Priests what the owner might do to these people. The reply in verse 41 is this:

They said to him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

Which is a good answer but now Jesus reveals that he is talking about not just vineyards but about the special position with God that the priests have.

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.”
--Matthew 21: 43

Jesus has said that the kingdom of heaven will be given to others. Those others are us and we receive it through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus that fulfils the requirements of The Spirit of The Law for the cleansing of sins.

So in a spiritual and practical sense no more sacrifice is required because a perfect sacrifice was made once for all. We know this through many examples such as John called Jesus “the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world”.

The aim of this investigation is not to delve to deeply into the topics of salvation which though fantastic is not the topic at hand. The reader is recommended to the many good resources on the subject already available.

Now we have examined the reason why sacrifices are no longer made as the requirement has been met once for all. This leaves us with the remaining law.

What of the laws of clean and unclean: acts, food, and people?

In the book of Acts chapter 10 is a very interesting story which I will summarise here:

Cornelius a Roman centurion was a really good man who it is said “feared God with all his household”. It seems he gave to the poor generously and prayed regularly.

An angel appeared to him and instructed him to send for Peter. He does this.

Meanwhile Peter is staying at Simon the tanner’s house and by The Letter of the Law he may not have anything to do with this Roman. The Roman is unclean and if he so much as entered the mans house he would be unclean too.

He is on the roof praying and feeling really hungry as the cooking is happening in the house. He falls into a trance and sees a vision.

A blanket descended from heaven with all manor of creatures on it insects (unclean) and birds and wild beasts. Many of these creatures would not have been fit for eating by a Jew as they would be considered unclean. The Letter of the Law forbade it.

A Voice says: “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.”

Peter is horrified: “Not so, Lord” he says “For I have never eaten anything unclean.”

The Voice says words to the effect: “What God has called clean (cleansed) do not call unclean.”

Three times this exchange takes place and the object is taken away.

Just then the servants of our friend the Roman arrive and ask for Peter. It’s clear that Peter should go with them and he does. When he gets to the house of this Roman he goes into the house and preaches to the people there. Before he has finished the Holy Spirit arrives and fills all those present which may have been something of a shock for the Jews.

Peter seeing that the Holy Spirit has been poured out on these uncircumcised gentiles (non-Jews who had likely not been observing the exacting standards of the written law) ask if anyone could give him a good reason why these people should not be baptised.

These Romans are baptised and no doubt continued to live their good lives as before but in closer relationship with God.

In Chapter 11 Peter is asked to explain himself. What was he doing in the house of the unclean. So he explains the story. He asks (verse 17):

“If therefore God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

Not only does this story contain the only trance I know of in the bible but it shows that God was shaking up the understanding of his people as to what was pleasing to Him.

With the promise of the Holy Spirit clearly for the Gentiles (us lot) as well there was going to be an issue that was going to come to a head sooner or later - the law, all of it.

In Acts 15 it finally happens:

And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved”

This was an issue that needed a full answer.

In part 3 we shall see what this answer was.