Corvallis Community Church
6-29-25
  • How Firm A Foundation (Foundation)
  • Every Promise
  • Christ The Sure And Steady Anchor

  • Matthew 5:19

    I want to begin this morning by asking a question—one that maybe you’ve asked yourself, or you have been wondering what the answer is. Here’s the question:
    “What is the Christian’s relationship to the Law?”
    —specifically the Law of Moses
    Let me put the question to you another way? Why don’t we follow…
    Leviticus 20:9 NASB95
    9 ‘If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother, his bloodguiltiness is upon him.
    Or…why do we not celebrate the many feasts of the OT—passover, feast of unleavened bread, trumpets, day of atonement, feast of tabernacles?
    What is the connection b/t the kingdom of God and the Law of God? In Romans, Paul’s concern is that the Xn understand where you stand in relationship to the Law of God. In Rom 7:1-8:4 “the Law” is used 27x (Gk nomos, sometimes “principle”). He refers to the Law of God (8x in vv 1-6; 6x in vv 7-13; 6x in vv 14-25; 4x in ch 8). He speaks also of the commandment (6x in ch 7).
    There are some who are “antinomian” (anti-law). They reject law, regulations, rules—not just those in the Bible but of any sort—laws of the land, etc. There’s a personal philosophy that says “I don’t want anyone making rules for me…or holding me accountable for what I do.” This is the ultimate form of self-centeredness that grows out of the sin nature and is in many ways like the time of the judges when:
    Judges 21:25 NASB95
    25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
    Paul’s concern is against holding similar beliefs. While there are some who think that no OT law is binding on the church today—Here is Rom 7 upholding the dignity of the Law.
    Ecclesiastes 12:13 NASB95
    13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
    Ps 119 —synonyms for Law—precepts, statutes, ordinances, testimonies, commandments
    (circled in Bible) vv 1,4,5,11,12,16,34,97,160,165,172
    Moses explains his primary role toward Israel (to Jethro)
    Exodus 18:16 NASB95
    16 “When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
    Isaiah 42:21 NASB95
    21 The Lord was pleased for His righteousness’ sake To make the law great and glorious.
    Fast-foward to Jesus’ day and duty was not faithfulness to God but the Law (which had become idolized). Even Paul expressed his own legalism in Philippians 3:4–6 “4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.”
    So, when it comes to the Law—you’ll want to avoid 2 extremes: antinomianism and legalism. Jesus corrects the misunderstanding that His life and ministry had abolished the law and the prophets (way of speaking about the entire OT) but rather He came to fulfill it—in its entirety. There is not one smallest part of the OT that would be destroyed or dismantled; while heaven and earth will come to an end—God’s Word is enduring and authoritative—it will be until all is accomplished (5:18).
    But what does this mean then for the Xn? If God’s Word is enduring and authoritative what is our relationship to God’s Law?
    To answer the question—it might be helpful to begin with the purpose of the Law. I would give you 4 uses of the Law (some of these flow out of Rom 7).
    To give knowledge of sin
    Romans 3:20 NASB95
    20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
    Rom 7:7-9; Gal 3:19
    2. To establish law and order in society
    What Moses was saying…
    3. To guide God’s people in godly living
    The Law is God’s divinely marked path of holiness—revealing the heart and moral will of God. In this way, living according to God’s law, the people were set apart from others in the world.
    4. To give the knowledge of God
    Scripture is the self-revelation of God. His character is shown to us in the Bible and God’s law reveals that He is—sovereign, pure, holy and just.
    Now, there are specific statements made in the Bible about the Law and the Xn:
    Romans 6:14–15 NASB95
    14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!
    Romans 7:4 NASB95
    4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
    Romans 7:6 NASB95
    6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
    These statements have been confusing and people have concluded that since the Xn is under grace there is no need to be concerned about holy living and that what really counts is that the sinful flesh will be done away with at the time of glorification. What is your freedom in Christ? What does this mean? I know I’m asking a lot of questions right now…
    Back in Rom 7—Paul is using an analogy to get his point across. This is the realm of marriage explaining a general principle: Married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he is living. To break the law results in adultery…but if her husband dies she is free from the law and can be bound to another man in marriage. I’m not going to get into the weeds of divorce and remarriage today. But understand the general principle—which also applies to the Xn regarding the matter of sanctification in daily living.
    The Xn has been made to die to Law (thru the death and resurrection of LJC). Paul explained earlier that you are bound to JC by faith in such a remarkable union that what happens to Him happens also to you. You were made to die and released from the law (accord to the general principle).
    The Xn is no longer married to the Law but to JC: “to Him who was raised” (vs 4). (the divine picture Eph 5:24-27).
    vs 5—you former lives were characterized by—
    you were in the flesh (those in the flesh cannot belong to Christ—Rom 8:9)
    sinful passions—the impulses to think and do what is evil
    roused by the law (vs 7)
    unceasing work in sinful passions in members to bear fruit for death
    “bear fruit for death” this is a key to understanding. One of the purposes of the law was to produce the knowledge of sin. To know what sin is, what deeds were sinful, God gave the Law—to specify what transgression/sin was. Then he said—the penalty for sin is death (Rom 6:23). That’s what God told Adam. That was the curse of the Law—that those who break it the penalty is death.
    vs 6 “but now released from the Law having died”
    Freedom from the Law is freedom from its jurisdiction and freedom from the curse pronounced (freedom is evidenced by the death of JC at Calvary): Galatians 3:13 “13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—” You are released from the moral and spiritual liabilities and penalties under God’s Law. Released=liberated=freedom. But freedom from the Law does not mean freedom to do what the Law forbids—but the opposite. It is freedom to do what is righteous. As a Xn you are able to do what is right and the Spirit of life in Christ gives you the will to do what is right. You didn’t have that as an unbeliever.
    Now, theologians have looked at God’s Law that He gave to Moses and noticed how there are 3 types of law—some are moral laws, ceremonial laws, civil laws.
    Moral laws are the principles established by God that govern human behavior and set out duties owed by all people to God. This is the law written on the hearts of men and summarized in the 10 commandments. The ceremonial laws governed religious rituals, worship practices, and the duties of priests in ancient Israel. They included specific instructions for the tabernacle, sacrifices, priestly attire, and religious festivals. The civil or judicial laws were given to Israel to set them apart as the nation that belonged to YHWH. These laws related to agriculture, settling disputes, diet, cleanliness and were given for the execution of judgment justice in society.
    As God gave the Law to Israel (His chosen people), it did not have the power to save. This is Paul’s argument in rom 7-8. It can convict (both unbelievers and believers) of sin (7:7-13) but it cannot deliver from the sin or its penalty. Now, keeping the Law was very important to the Jews.
    Deuteronomy 27:26 NASB95
    26 ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
    This led to a consuming way of life for legalistic Jews (like the Pharisees)—By the time of Jesus Rabbis had summarized the Law in 613 commandments:
    248 Mandates (worship, temple, sacrifices, vows, rituals, donations, sabbaths, war, social issues, family responsibilities, judicial matters)
    365 Prohibitions (idolatry, blasphemy, temple worship, sacrifice, priesthood, diet, vows, agriculture, loans, business, slaves, justice)
    It was apparent that keeping the law was very complicated so they reduced the law to these—which was their understanding of God’s Law—simplified & minimized.
    Now, Peter asked some Judaizers who were teaching Xns that they couldn’t be saved apart from keeping the Law of Moses (including circumcision):
    Acts 15:10 NASB95
    10 “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
    No one could keep the Law—not in every single point. So Why would God give people Law that was impossible to keep?
    To show the standard of righteousness
    To show the depths of human depravity—the inability of man to do what God requires
    To show not how good a person could be but to show how good they cannot be.
    Galatians 3:11 NASB95
    11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”
    No one is able to live in a way that by keeping the law he would be justified (accepted) before God. That is until Jesus. Jesus fulfilled every aspect of God’s law—not just moral law in His perfect righteousness, but Jesus fulfills the civil law and He fulfills the ceremonial law thru the cross.
    James Boice: “There is only one sense in which we can say that Jesus fulfilled the law. He fulfilled the law by dying on the cross and thereby satisfying forever the demands of the law against those who would believe on Him.”
    Jesus says “I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” And that is precisely what He has done. Now b/c of this, the ceremonial and judicial/civil laws having been fulfilled at the cross, means there is no application today of them by the Xn. At the cross, the veil of the temple was torn in 2—forever signifying that access to the Father comes thru LJC on account of His sacrifice. That would later be underscored by the temple’s destruction in AD 70. There are some who wish to bring back a theocracy in our nation (“theonomists”) who seek to have society governed by God’s law. But there is no consensus on what should be included: death penalty for those who curse father or mother? What about returning property to original owner on the year of Jubilee?
    While the civil and ceremonial are fulfilled in Christ, the moral law of God—b/c it is enduring and binding on all, is still applicable today (9 of the 10 commandments are reiterated in NT). Back to Matt 5-Jesus will go on to teach the true intent of the law of God and how it applies in the lives of His followers (beginning in vs 21). Looking at vs 19, Jesus highlights the connection b/t the believer and the law by showing 2 details:

    I. The Law’s Character

    “whoever then”— for Jesus, if the Word of God/His law) is enduring and authoritative, it should be given the utmost care by those who belong to His kingdom (remember—these are not principles that show how to be saved—but those who are saved—this is what their lives look like). B/c you are under the authority of God and expressed in His Word—you have responsibility to it. That’s why Jesus connects vs 19 with what He said before (vv 17-18) “then/therefore.”
    The Law and the prophets cannot be destroyed (b/c it is eternal and unchanging) but there is something you can do… you can annul it. It is the Gk luo. It means to loose, untie, loosen, abolish or annul. Jesus says, it is possible for God’s law to be loosened, relaxed so that its hold on our conscience and authority on our lives is set aside.
    Once again, Jesus is elevating the OT and that His life confirmed the priority of Scripture’s fulfillment in every way.
    After Paul expressed how the believer is set free from the Law’s curse, anticipates the accusation of some— “well, the Law must be evil or sin and the Xn can disregard it and live as they want.” vs 7. He then explains how the law reveals sin, it arouses sin (vs 8)—which is merely the propensity of the sinner’s heart to rebel.. Eventually, sin (revealed by the Law to be what it is) will bring the sinner to ruin (vv 9-11—sin killed me). That’s not the Law’s problem. That’s man’s.
    Romans 7:12 NASB95
    12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
    This is what Jesus is saying. Live by the Word of God…b/c—and this is the Lord’s point: “Greatness in His Kingdom is measured by conformity to the Law.”

    II. The Law’s Consequences

    “whoever then annuls…” As you can imagine, there was intense debating over which is the least of the commandments. Instead of seeing the instruction in our Lord’s teaching that every commandment is binding, the human heart wants to know the boundaries so it can test them. So, what came about was the belief that the least commandment (and these were prioritized by the Pharisees—for example Matthew 22:36 “36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”” They had already argued what the greatest and least commandment was—so they could evaluate what was more important) but the least commandment was thought to be found in Dt 22:6-7
    Deuteronomy 22:6–7 NASB95
    6 “If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young; 7 you shall certainly let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, in order that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days.
    This was God’s design to provide for His people over the long haul—giving provision without injury to the source of the food—letting the mother go. Well, it was reasoned that this was the smallest commandment. The term least/small is the same word used of Zacchaeus (small in stature—Lk 19:3). Jesus says “even the smallest, least, the most insignificant of the commandments (as determined by the fallen, sinful human heart) is so important b/c the commandments—both great and small—reveal the perfect and holy will of God—and so while some may be weightier than others, none are to be disregarded. But it even goes farther—to teach others to that there are portions of God’s Word that aren’t as important and so “no big deal”—well that is a very big deal as Jesus puts it.
    And there are consequences for failure to keep even the least commandments—and a consequence for those who keep it.

    Negative Consequence

    The negative consequence: this person who treats God’s Word in that manner, and teaches others to treat God’s Word lightly—the verdict is this: he will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
    There is something about eternity that you should understand. The Bible teaches that there are degrees of punishment in hell. Don’t get me wrong—eternal hell will be unimaginably horrific…and the descriptions of weeping and gnashing of teeth describe a suffering that will be unbearable for anyone who rejects the grace of God and turns his back on the LJC. But there are some who will have a greater suffering in hell than others (I don’t know what that will look like). Jesus affirms this:
    Matthew 11:20–24 NASB95
    20 Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 “Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. 24 “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”
    Degrees of punishment in hell (more tolerable for some). So what is Jesus saying as far as the negative consequence in concerned? Is that the fate of those He is talking about in vs 19? There are some who say “yes.” This is the judgment awaiting those who “loosen the least commandments and teach others to do the same.” But I have a problem with this interpretation. Jesus says “they will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” They’re not consigned to eternal punishment in hell—they are part of the kingdom of heaven which means that have inherited eternal life.
    And what we have here—like the degrees of punishment in hell, there are degrees of position and reward in heaven.
    Matthew 5:12 NASB95
    12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
    1 Corinthians 3:8–15 NASB95
    8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
    2 John 8 NASB95
    8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
    Revelation 22:12–13 NASB95
    12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
    Rewards are clearly part of the blessing of eternity that believers will participate in. But there will be loss of rewards where there is a lack of faithfulness. “Called least in the kingdom” is not something that fellow men will say about this individual but this what God thinks about you. And position is a prerogative that God alone gets to assign to kingdom citizens.
    Jesus says:
    John 14:15 NASB95
    15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
    John 15:10 NASB95
    10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
    1 John 2:3 NASB95
    3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
    1 John 3:24 NASB95
    24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
    James writes:
    James 2:10 NASB95
    10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
    James 3:1 NASB95
    1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
    That judgment is upon those who mistreat God’s word and teach others to do the same.

    Positive Consequence

    But there is a positive consequence:
    “but whoever keeps…” greatness belongs to those who are faithful in doing and teaching the moral law of God.
    Psalm 119:105 NASB95
    105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
    The Bible is your guide. Following it will result in untold blessing both now and in eternity. Daniel Akin writes:
    Exalting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus Believed the Scriptures Are to Be Obeyed and Taught (Matthew 5:19)

    Like rails for a train, Scripture provides the tracks that guide the Christian life. Love for Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit provide the energy to power the engine and move us forward.

    Spurgeon summarizes vs 19 with a simple prayer:
    “Lord, make me of this thy kingdom a right loyal subject, and may I both “do and teach” according to thy Word! Whether I am little or great on earth, make me great in obedience to thee.”

      • Leviticus 20:9NASB95

      • Judges 21:25NASB95

      • Ecclesiastes 12:13NASB95

      • Exodus 18:16NASB95

      • Isaiah 42:21NASB95

      • Romans 3:20NASB95

      • Romans 6:14–15NASB95

      • Romans 7:4NASB95

      • Romans 7:6NASB95

      • Deuteronomy 27:26NASB95

      • Acts 15:10NASB95

      • Galatians 3:11NASB95

      • Romans 7:12NASB95

      • Deuteronomy 22:6–7NASB95

      • Matthew 11:20–24NASB95

      • Matthew 5:12NASB95

      • 1 Corinthians 3:8–15NASB95

      • 2 John 8NASB95

      • Revelation 22:12–13NASB95

      • John 14:15NASB95

      • John 15:10NASB95

      • 1 John 2:3NASB95

      • 1 John 3:24NASB95

      • James 2:10NASB95

      • James 3:1NASB95

      • Psalm 119:105NASB95

  • Great Are You Lord
Corvallis Community Church
ccc@corvalliscommunitychurch.org
406-961-3443
http://www.corvalliscommunitychurch.org
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