The Law As Our Schoolmaster (Tutor) - Gal. 3:24 To be a N.T. Christian you need to know the N.T. but not worry about the O.T. Right? WRONG! Common to hear something like this. We need to know N.T. but not O.T. We live by the New, cannot justify religious practice today by the Old, it has been done away with but we still need to understand the purpose of the Old. 1. We need to understand the prophecy of the OT. Judaism and Christianity are the only religions based on historical fulfilled prophecy. 2. Need to know the OT to properly understand the NT. Pedagogue - a slave used in wealthy families to escort boys (age 7-17). Pedagogue was not an instructor as the translation "schoolmaster" in KJV implies but literally means "boy's leader". The pedagogue didn't instruct the boy he cared for, but would lead him to school where more qualified teachers would do the work. Didn't lead only to school, but anywhere the boy went, whether he was going to the gym or the visit friends. He was more than just an escort, he watched over the boy and restrained him from evil and temp tation when necessary. The idea of strictness and severity is prominent among the early Greek and Roman writers. When the Pedagogue gave an order, it was obeyed without question, usually no explanation given, but instead, a firm "You Will". With this kind of care there was little left to the boy's judgment. When the boy grew up to maturity, the pedagogue was dismissed and the young man was on his own. While the boy was young, he had outward restraint and control. The time came in his life that the restraint and control must come from within. This shows our relationship to the Old Law, how it brought us to Christ. God intended it to keep the Jews from harmful influences such as paganism. The Law did not reveal the full mystery of the gospel but instead, it led man to it. When the purpose was fulfilled, it was dismissed so that now we are under the gospel. Now have law of liberty James 1:25, still a law but different. Jer. 31:31-34, qt in Heb. 8:8-12 law of the heart. 2 Cor 3:3 not with ink or on stone but on tablets of human hearts. Instead of written on outward stone, it is written on the inward heart. Need to understand how The Old and New Laws work to better appreciate what we have now in Christ. Old law was hard, restrictive, quick punishment. Little was left to the people to decide what to do. Over 600 laws given regulating all aspects of life. It regulated: A. Religious service E. How they were to work B. Family life F. Relationships with others C. Warfare G. Specific penalties for different crimes D. What to Eat The inward mind was included in the Old law but the emphasis was on the external behavior. When there was disobedience, punishment was quick and severe. All this has shown us: A. The nature of God C. The blessings of Obedience B. The seriousness of sin D. The cursings of Disobedience Now we have a law much less restrictive, instead of everything precisely regulated, we have principles to live by to guide us in our lives. Can compare to children. Old Law was designed to help man learn so that he could develop into the maturity and fullness of God that is found in Christ. Children receive external discipline so that they will have internal discipline when they grow up. When a child is young they have not developed self-control so one of the duties of the parent is to help them to develop it. The way this is done is that there is a certain standard of behavior that the child is ex pected to conform to. When this standard is violated, there must be punishment painful enough so that the child would prefer to conform than suffer the consequences. Over a period of time the child learns how to control himself so that he does not receive punish ment but instead, the pleasure that comes from obedience. Later, when the child grows up and is on his own, now that he is away from his parents, he can control himself inter nally. This comes through the external discipline that he received earlier. Here is the reason for so much of the lack of internal self discipline today, so many do not receive the external discipline they need as a child. Unfortunately so many have succumbed to the foolishness of the world that this princi ple is not understood. Col. 2:8, wisdom of man is foolishness to God (1 Cor 2,3). So much is said about not spanking children that too many do not receive the external discipline they need. This is not the only form of discipline but is a vital one, especially in the earlier years. Proverbs 13:24 He who spares his rod hates his son, But He who loves him disciplines him diligently. Proverbs 19:18 Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire his death. Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him. Proverbs 23:13-14 Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you beat him with the rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with the rod, And deliver his soul from Sheol. Proverbs 29:15 The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. Proverbs 29:17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul. Heb. 12:5-12, Deut. 8:1-7 To follow the wisdom of the world is in direct rebellion of God's Word Must be consistent, fair, painful, but not abusive. How do we expect a child to learn to control himself to be able to deny the lusts that war against the soul as an adult if he doesn't learn to control his mouth as a child? How do we expect him to obey God's rules without argument if we allow that child to talk back to his parents while growing up? All children need to learn to control themselves to conform to certain guidelines placed on them not only for their own good but for the good of everyone around them. The way it is achieved is for parents to consistently apply external discipline when needed so that as they grow older the discipline can come from within. This is what the Old Law has done, given consistent, fair, painful discipline so that we might now what the nature of God is and how we ought to live. If we will study and learn the Old Law then we will be able to live the new, but w/o the understanding of the Old we are not ready for the liberty found in the new. Reason for failure of democracy in other countries after the U.S Revolution: American revolution was based on the basic morality of the Bible and had self-controlled freedom. Christ came to fulfill the Law Matt. 5:17 This is what the Law was leading to the whole time Law - Thou shalt not kill (external) fulfilled in vs 22 (Internal) Law - Thou shalt not commit adultery (external) fulfilled in vs 28 (Internal) Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Many things not spelled out in New Law but instead we have principles to live by. If we have been properly trained by the understanding of the Old Law we can know how we ought to apply these principles N.T. doesn't give Dress Codes, but does teach Modesty. What is modesty? Too many that profess discipleship want to see how short, how low, how tight, how revealing they can wear their clothes. Isaiah 47:1-3 Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called Tender and delicate. 2 Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, Take off the skirt, Uncover the thigh, Pass through the rivers. 3 Your nakedness shall be uncovered, Yes, your shame will be seen... Have we understood the need of being a separate people? being a holy people? The destruction that comes with flirting with the world? (Lot) How much do we Give? We are not given specific percentage in N.T. Need to look at what was asked of the Jews and understand what has been given to us. Need to see if God is really pleased by how we give back to him. (Malachi) Attendance: Bible doesn't spell out how many services you must go to. Have we understood Ps 122:1, Ps 84, the power of God, the terror of God toward the disobedient, the blessings and God to the obedient? 1 Chronicles 28:9 As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him... God doesn't tell us how to live every detail of our life. We are not to be like children, we are to grow up. Need to understand: Why Noah was saved Conquest of Canaan The exaltation of David Blessings to Abraham Trouble during the Judges Blessings and downfall of Solo mon Failure of Israel at Sinai and Kadesh-Barnea Victories of Gideon and Jona than Victory at Jericho, Defeat at Ai The downfall of Saul (a great man by worldly standards) . How God was with those that were faithful and against the wicked, Hezekiah, Asa, Josiah, Elijah. Need to understand the destruction of God's people at Samaria and Jerusalem, the desolation of the land, and finally the return through Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah. Need to pay close attention to the warnings of the prophets to those that professed to worship Jehovah but who instead caused his name to be blasphemed among the nations. Look at how they drifted away from their God and the resulting punishment and how the only way they could be blessed again was to acknowledge their sins and to repent of them. We need to listen to the warnings in Amos (time of affluence) and close of the law in book of Malachi, the need of complete dedication to the God we claim to serve. It is through being trained by the Old Law that we can have faith in Matt. 6:33, Rom 8:28 (Sometimes difficult to believe in life) Only through the Old law can we understand the seriousness of Rev 2-3 and the warning of having our candlestick removed. God is not like a parent that threatens and threatens and never does anything. He has shown us how we must live. We must do it His way and not our own. Cannot compare ourselves with any others neither as individuals or congre gations. Have read some books on Physical Health that said same thing. What people today call normal health is really abnormal. U.S. was # 1 in health in 1900, in 1920 we dropped to #2. In 1978 U.S. ranked #79. Much improvements have been made in childhood diseases but heart disease, high blood pressure, bowel problems are considered normal today, but were much less common in earlier times. Yet they are "Nor mal" today. Why are they considered normal? because so many people are afflicted with these problems because of the common lifestyles and diets that they become accepted. Today there are Spiritual Problems that are considered normal. Apathy, sin tolerated in the church, people not giving as they should, lack of growth - spiritually and in numbers, general lack of interest and commitment. All this now considered "Normal" in the church today, something that must be lived with. Why? Because so many are afflicted with these problems everywhere you look that it appears to be the only way to be. Need to look at an earlier time. In 1st Cent they gave - Ax 4, dedicated - Ax 8:1, grew continuously, to Col. 1:6 They overcame Persecution, Internal Strife, Sin in the Church, False Teaching, Philoso phy of the World, Same problems that we face today. What is the difference? One answer: This generation had been trained by the law, knew what it said and they believed it. They knew the power of God. They understood His goodness to the faithful but also understood His Severity towards the disobedience. This is how they could be committed as they were against persecution that we can only imagine, evil society like we have never see, yet through it all they won the admiration of even their enemies because of their commitment. Here was a generation that had been properly trained and now were ready to be sons of God through faith. They didn't need law to hold their hands anymore, they were now grown up to stand by faith. Secular education: goal is to learn Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Physics, etc. Elementary School cannot teach this. Must give foundation so students can be instructed later. The Law is our spiritual ABC's and multiplication table. Christians without knowledge of the Law is like a college student who does not know ABC's or how to add, subtract and multiply. 1. Are you living as a spiritual baby or an adult? or are you walking spiritual at all? 2. How do we walk by faith? begin - Gal 3:26-27 3. Once we begin, we must continue Heb 12:5-12 Many times a child will obey out of fear of punishment. There is nothing wrong with this! The goal is to get them to grow so they will later want to do right. Sometimes people come to God because they are afraid of hell. Nothing wrong with this either! we must not remain at this level. This is only the beginning. 2 Corinthians 5:11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. Mark 9:42-48 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- 44 where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- 46 where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- 48 where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' We don't stay there, we are to grow up! 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. Nothing wrong with a child to obey out of fear of punishment, but the relationship is not to stay at that level. He is to grow to the point he acts out of love and wants to do what is right, not just avoid punishment. The Law helps us grow out of spiritual childhood into adulthood. Wayne Wells wayneliz@twave.net http://users.twave.net/ncc