LESSON 9
Christ, the Law and the Gospel

Memory Text: For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17, NKJV).

The law is an important part of the topic of Christ our righteousness. Yet it is often a controversial subject. There are some who speak little of Christ, while they spend much time preaching the law and profess to honor God's law. There are others who speak much of believing in Christ but to a large extent reject the law spoken by His own voice on Mount Sinai.

We must preach CHRIST in the law, for only this will bring home the truth of the wonderful gift of salvation from sin, and give power and nourishment in the message that will feed the spiritual life and growth of the people.


So what does it mean -- the law came through Moses?

It does NOT mean Moses originated the law, for we know God Himself spoke the commands from Mount Sinai.
God Himself wrote that law on tables of stone with His own finger.

Yet it was Moses who brought those tablets of stone down to the people. But sadly, for many it remained only the commandments written on the tablets of stone.

but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ

We can give a fine talk on the commandments of God, but it will not accomplish a truly reformed life, UNLESS Christ dwells in the heart and writes His magnified law upon our hearts and minds.

Through the presence of Christ in our lives and thoughts, His law is written upon the fleshly tablets of our hearts thus transforming our very lives.

Thus Christ, the gospel, His law, are intermingled as one in the Christ Our Righteousness. When we receive Christ, we receive righteousness, we receive His law magnified by the law of love, we receive godly love.

You're confused. Either it was inspired (without fault) or not (susceptible to errors). Make up your mind.

Do you have eternal life?

He who truly loves cannot and does not sin. Hence the commandment to love. Have you ever been in love?

"Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, WHICH IS NOT LAWFUL TO EAT EXCEPT FOR THE PRIESTS, and also gave some to those who were with him?" (Mark 2:25-26) Was Abiathar guiltless in this matter?

It seems the lesson is implying that the law can be fulfilled BY us if we have grace. Is anyone else getting the same thing?

The quarterly asks: John 1:17 states that grace and truth originated with Jesus Christ. Using that text, many people place the law in opposition to the grace and truth. Why is this a false dichotomy? In what ways do the law and grace and truth all work together to reveal to us the character of God as seen in the plan of salvation?

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

I think the lesson is saying that grace is both God's unmerited gift of eternal life and God's enabling us to do His will. It says:
"Grace not only frees us from the condemnation of the law, but it enables us to keep the law in the way that we are called to do."