Many people accuse Paul of teaching that we no longer need to obey the Law of God, but lets examine some of his writings, and see if that is really what he is saying.
“Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20)
Many people like to quote that verse to conclude that since we are not justified by keeping the law, then we no longer need to keep it. Since it is only by grace that we are saved. However, lets continue reading, and see if that is the same conclusion that Paul makes.
“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” (Romans 3:21-31)
So, we see that Paul concludes that we do NOT nullify the law, and in fact, we establish it. It seems that many people like to overlook verse 31, because it is a very obvious rebuke against the idea that grace or faith do away with the law. We see a trend of him using the phrase “Certainly not!” when he is trying to drive a point home, or rebuke an absurd idea. Lets look at some other examples of this.
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