PRO-LAW VERSES, CONTINUED:
Remember, 1 John 3:4: “Sin is the violation of law.” Romans 2:13: “…… the doers of the law shall be declared righteous,” and Matthew 5:20: “…… unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.”
82) Galatians 3:21: “Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! ……” 83) Galatians 5:19-21: “Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; …… that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.” 84) Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Explanation: The Greek word for fulfill, Strong’s 378, means to fill up, complete the measure of, to make full, and to supply, not replace or substitute. Jesus taught law keeping, so this verse actually supports law keeping by telling us to “fill up” the prior command of Jesus to observe the law. 85) Ephesians 2:5: “even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—” Explanation: This verse supports law keeping because grace requires the Holy Spirit, which in turn requires law keeping to acquire the Holy Spirit. Repentance involves obeying the law to sincerely stop breaking the law (Acts 2:38). 86) Ephesians 2:8: “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” Explanation: Same as for 85. 87) Ephesians 2:20: “being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;” Explanation: All the prophets supported law keeping. 88) Ephesians 4:7: “But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Explanation: Same as for 85. 89) Ephesians 4:25: “Therefore putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor ……” 90) Ephesians 4:26: ” ‘Be angry, and don’t sin.’ Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath,” 91) Ephesians 4:28: “Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor ……” 92) Ephesians 5:3: “But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you ……” 93) Ephesians 5:5: “…… no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.” 94) Ephesians 5:6: “…… the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.” 95) Ephesians 6:1: “Children, obey your parents ……” 96) Ephesians 6:2: “Honor your father and mother…..” 97) Ephesians 6:3: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” 98) Colossians 3:5: “Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” 99) Colossians 3:6: “For these things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.” 100) Colossians 3:9: “Don’t lie to one another ……” 101) Colossians 3:20: “Children, obey your parents in all things ……” 102) Thessalonians 4:2:”For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.” 103) Thessalonians 4:3: “For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,” 104) 2 Thessalonians 1:8: “punishing those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus,” 105) 2 Thessalonians 1:9: “who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord ……” 106) 2 Thessalonians 2:8: “Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill ……” 107) 2 Thessalonians 2:9: “even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” 108) 2 Thessalonians 2:10: “and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 109) 1 Timothy 1:8: “But we know that the law is good, if a person uses it lawfully,” 110) 1 Timothy 1:9: “as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,” 111) 1 Timothy 1:10: “for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine,” 112) 1 Timothy 1:15: “…… Jesus came into the world to save sinners ……” Remember 1 John 3:4: “Sin is the violation of the law.” 113) 1 Timothy 3:3: “not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;” 114) 1 Timothy 3:8: “Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,” 115) 1 Timothy 4:2: “through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies ……” 116) 1 Timothy 5:20: “Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, ……” 117) 1 Timothy 5:22: “…… Don’t be a participant in other people’s sins. ……” 118) 2 Timothy 3:1: “that in the last days, grievous times will come.” (referring to the next verse when men will be disobedient to their parents, etc.) 119) 2 Timothy 3:2: “For men will be …… disobedient to parents ……” 120) 2 Timothy 3:4: “…… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” 121) 2 Timothy 3:6: “For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,” 122) Titus 2:10: “not stealing ……” 123) Titus 3:11: “knowing that such a one is perverted and sins, ……” 124) Hebrews 1:9: “You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; ……” 125) Hebrews 2:17: “…… to make atonement for the sins of the people.” 126) Hebrews 3:13: “but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” 127) Hebrews 3:17: “With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, …..?” 128) Hebrews 3:18: “To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient?” 129) Hebrews 4:6: “…… they to whom the good news was preached before failed to enter in because of disobedience,” 130) Hebrews 4:11: “Let’s therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.” 131) Hebrews 5:9: “Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,” 132) Hebrews 7:2: “to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all ……” 133) Hebrews 7:4: “Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the best plunder.” 134) Hebrews 7:6: “but He …… accepted tithes from Abraham ……” 135) Hebrews 7:8: “Here people who die receive tithes, ……” 136) Hebrews 7:9: “We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes,” 137) Hebrews 7:26: “For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, ……” 138) Hebrews 7:27: “…… first for His own sins, ……” 139) Hebrews 8:10: “…… I will put My laws into their mind ……” 140) Hebrews 8:12: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.” 141) Hebrews 9:7: “but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself, and for the errors of the people.” 142) Hebrews 9:19: “For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, ……” 143) Hebrews 9:26: “…… But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” 144) Hebrews 9:28: “so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, ……” 145) Hebrews 10:2: “…… For the worshippers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.” (NKJV) 146) Hebrews 10:3: “But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins.” 147) Hebrews 10:4: “For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.” 148) Hebrews 10:6: “You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.” 149) Hebrews 10:8: “…… ‘Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them’……” 150) Hebrews 10:11: “…… which can never take away sins.” 151) Hebrews 10:12: “but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God,” 152) Hebrews 10:16: “…… I will put My laws on their heart ……” 153) Hebrews 10:17: “I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.” 154) Hebrews 10:18: “Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” 155) Hebrews 10:26: “For if we sin willfully …… there remains no more a sacrifice for sins.” 156) Hebrews 10:28: “A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.” 157) Hebrews 10:29: “…… counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” 158) Hebrews 11:28: “By faith, he kept the Passover ……” 159) Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, ……” 160) Hebrews 12:3: “For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, ……” 161) Hebrews 12:4: “…… striving against sin.” 162) Hebrews 12:16: “lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.” 163) Hebrews 13:4: “…… God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” 164) Hebrews 13:5: “Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, ……” 165) James 1:15: “Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death.” 166) James 2:9: “But if you show partiality, you commit sin, ……” 167) James 2:10: “For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” 168) James 2:11: “…… Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.” 169) James 4:4: “You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? ……” 170) James 4:8: “…… Cleanse your hands, you sinners. ……” 171) James 4:11: “…… He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. ……” 172) James 4:12: “Only one is the lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy ……” 173) James 5:15: “…… If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” 174) James 5:20: “let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” 175) 1 Peter 2:1: “Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,” 176) 1 Peter 2:22:”who didn’t sin, ……” 177) 1 Peter 2:24: “He himself bore our sins in his body ……” 178) 1 Peter 3:10: “…… let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” 179) 1 Peter 4:1: “…… for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,” 180) 1 Peter 4:3: ” For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.” 181) 1 Peter 4:15: “For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, ……” 182) 1 Peter 4:18: “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?” 183) 2 Peter 2:3: “In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words ……” 184) 2 Peter 2:4:”For if God didn’t spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, ……” 185) 2 Peter 2:8: “(for that righteous man dwelling among them was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds):” 186) 2 Peter 2:14: “having eyes full of adultery, ……” 187) 2 Peter 2:21: “For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.” 188) 2 Peter 3:2: “that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of us, ……” 189) 1 John 1:6: “If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, ……” 190) 1 John 1:7: “….. the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” 191) 1 John 1:8: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, ……” 192) 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, ……” 193) 1 John 1:10: “If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar ……” 194) 1 John 2:1: “…… If anyone sins ……” 195) 1 John 2:2: “And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, ……” 196) 1 John 2:3: “…… if we keep his commandments.” 197) 1 John 2:4: “One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar ……” 198) 1 John 2:9: “He who says he is in the light and hates his brother ……” 199) 1 John 2:10: “He who loves his brother remains in the light ……” 200) 1 John 2:11: “But he who hates his brother is in the darkness ……” 201) 1 John 2:12: “…… your sins are forgiven ……” 202) 1 John 2: 15: “Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world ……” Explanation: This verse seems to warn against loving the world with its mostly pagan standards more than loving God, which is idolatry, a sin. 203) 1 John 2:16: “…… the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes ……” 204) 1 John 2:17: “The world is passing away with its lusts ……” 205) 1 John 2:22: “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? ……” 206) 1 John 2:26: “…… concerning those who would lead you astray.” 207) 1 John 2:29: “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.” 208) 1 John 3:4: “Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.” 209) 1 John 3:5: “…… and no sin is in him.” 210) 1 John 3:6: “Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin ……” 211) 1 John 3:7: “…… He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” 212) 1 John 3:8: “He who sins is of the devil ……” 213) 1 John 3:9: “Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, ……” 214) 1 John 3:10: “…… Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.” 215) 1 John 3:12: “unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, ……” 216) 1 John 3:13: “Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.” 217) 1 John 3:15: “Whoever hates his bother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.” 218) 1 John 3:22: “…… because we keep his commandments ……” 219) 1 John 3:23: “This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.” 218) 1 John 3:24: “He who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and he in him ……” 219) 1 John 4:10: “…… he loved us and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 220) 1 John 4:20: “…… and hates his brother, he is a liar ……” 221) 1 John 4:21: “This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.” 222) 1 John 5:2: “……. when we love God and keep His commandments.” 223) 1 John 5:3: “…… that we keep His commandments ……” 224) 1 John 5:10: “…… He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar ……” 225) 1 John 5:13: “…… who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” Explanation: The Greek for the word believe includes a willingness to also obey Jesus. 226) 1 John 5:16: “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin ……” 227) 1 John 5:17: “All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.” 228) 1 John 5:18: “…… whoever is born of God doesn’t sin ……” 229) 2 John 1:4: “…… even as we have been commanded by the Father.” 230) 2 John 1:6: “This is love, that we should walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment ……” 231) 2 John 1:7: “For many deceivers have gone out into the world ……” 232) 2 John 1:9: “Whoever transgresses ……” 233) 3 John 1:10: “Therefore if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words. Not content with this, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and those who would, he forbids and throws out of the assembly.” 234) 3 John 1:11: “…… He who does evil hasn’t seen God.” 235) Jude 1:4: “For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency ……” 236) Jude 1:7: “…… having in the same way as these given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh ……” 237) Jude 1:8: …… these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings.” 238) Jude 1:10: “But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know ……” 239) Jude 1:15: “…… to convict all the ungodly ……” 240) Jude 1:16: “These are …… complainers……” 241) Jude 1:18: “They said to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.” 242) Revelation 1:5: “…… and washed us from our sins ……” 243) Revelation 2:2: “…… you can’t tolerate evil men ……” 244) Revelation 2:9: “…… but are a synagogue of Satan.” 245) Revelation 2:10: “…… the devil is about to throw some of you into prison ……” 246) Revelation 2:13: “…… where Satan’s throne is …… where Satan dwells.” 247) Revelation 2:14: “…… and to commit sexual immorality.” 248) Revelation 2:20: “…… and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality ……” 249) Revelation 2:21: “…… sexual immorality.” 250) Revelation 2:22: “…… and those who commit adultery with her into great ……” 251) Revelation 9:20: “…… wouldn’t worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can’t see, hear, or walk.” 252) Revelation 9:21: “They didn’t repent of their murders, their sorceries ……” 253) Revelation 12:9: “…… Satan, the deceiver of the whole world ……” 254) Revelation 12:17: “…… who keep God’s commandments ……” 255) Revelation 13:10: “…… he must be killed ……” 256) Revelation 13:15: “…… and cause as many as wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed.” 257) Revelation 14:5: “In their mouth was found no lie ……” 258) Revelation 14:8: “…… of the wrath of her sexual immorality.” 259) Revelation 14:12: “…… those who keep the commandments of God ……” 260) Revelation 16:6: “For they poured out the blood of saints ……” 261) Revelation 16:9: “…… and people blasphemed the name of God ……” 262) Revelation 16:11: “and they blasphemed the God of heaven ……” 263) Revelation 16:13: “…… and out of the mouth of the false prophet ……” 264) Revelation 16:21: “…… People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail ……” 265) Revelation 17:1: “…… ‘Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute ……” 266) Revelation 17:2: “…… kings of the earth committed sexual immorality.” 267) Revelation 17:3: …… scarlet-colored beast, full of blasphemous names ……” 268) Revelation 17: 4: “The woman …… having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth.” 269) Revelation 17:5: “And on her forehead …… THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES ……” 270) Revelation 17:6: “I saw the woman, drunken with the blood of the saints ……” 271) Revelation 17:15: “…… where the prostitute sits ……” 272) Revelation 17:16: “…… these will hate the prostitute ……” 273) Revelation 18:2: “…… a prison of every unclean and hateful bird!” 274) Revelation 18:3: “…… the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality ……” 275) Revelation 18:4: “I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘…… that you have no participation in her sins ……’ ” 276) Revelation 18:5: “for her sins have reached to the sky, and God has remembered her iniquities.” 277) Revelation 18:9: “The kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality ……” 278) Revelation 18:10: “…… ‘For your judgment has come in one hour.’ ” 279) Revelation 18:23: “…… for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived.” 280) Revelation 19:2: “…… For he has judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality ……” 281) Revelation 19:8: “…… for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” 282) Revelation 19:11: “…… In righteousness he judges ……” 283) Revelation 19:20: “…… and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those ……” 284) Revelation 20:3: “…… that he should deceive the nations no more ……” 285) Revelation 20:8: “and he will come out to deceive the nations ……” 286) Revelation 20:10: “the devil, who deceived them ….. where the beast and the false prophet are ……” 287) Revelation 21:8: “But for the cowardly …… murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars ……” 288) Revelation 21:27: “There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie ……” 289) Revelation 22:11: “He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still ……” 290) Revelation 22:14: “Blessed are those who do his commandments ……” 291) Revelation 22:15: “But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral ……” (WEB)
The remainder of this page lists only the seemingly anti-law verses, taken from the basically identical but occasionally easier to understand New King James Version, that do not include the anti-law verses referring to the now annulled sacrifice, circumcision, Levitical priesthood, and eternal death penalty (for righteous Christians) laws.
SEEMINGLY, AT FIRST GLANCE, ANTI-LAW VERSES WHICH ARE NOT REALLY TRUE, ANTI-MOSAIC LAW VERSES:
1) Matthew 11:13: “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” Explanation: Briefly, the Greek for “until” can be translated just as easily as “unto” or “to.” The word until is not used in many translations. The Old Testament was the only religious material available to John since the New Testament had not yet been recorded. 2) Matthew 15:11: “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Explanation: Briefly, the context is Jesus’ explanation of the harmlessness of eating with unwashed hands, NOT forbidden food. 3) Mark 7:15: “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.” Explanation: Same as the one immediately above. 4) Luke 10:8: “Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.” Explanation: Briefly, this verse is addressed, basically on a one time basis, to only a very tiny, select group of Christians, the Apostles, or those who would be given the apostolic power to heal people of ailments. It is not addressed to the general Christian population, so this verse does not conclusively show that the Mosaic dietary laws have been permanently nullified. It is simply too risky to try to use this one very weak verse to discredit the forbidden food laws, opposed by a plethora of far more plainer verses upholding the dietary restrictions. 5) Luke 16:16: “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, …..” Explanation: Again, “until” can just as easily be translated as “unto” or “to,” and “were” does not even appear in the original Greek. It was ADDED by antinomian translators. 6) John 3:18: “He who believes in Him is not condemned; …..” Explanation: Briefly, the Greek for “believes” is pisteuo which is formally defined as INCLUDING OBEDIENCE to Jesus’ laws and commands. 7) John 6:40: “…… that everyone who ….. believes in Him may have everlasting life; …..” Explanation: Same as for 6 immediately above. 8) John 6:47: “….. he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” Explanation: Same as for 6 and 7 above. 9) John 11:25,26: “….. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. …..” Explanation: Same as for 6,7, and 8 above. The literal Greek for “shall never die” is translated as “shall not die forever,” a huge difference, revealing that death will not last forever for saved Christians. 10) John 14:12: “….. he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also, …..” Explanation: Same as for 6,7, and 8. 11) Acts 11:9: “….. ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.” Explanation: Briefly, the context is that God has cleansed the Gentiles, NOT ALL FOOD, so that they can now be saved. 12) Acts 15:10: “….. why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ” Explanation: Briefly, the burdensome yoke, according to the context, was the now abolished law of circumcision. 13) Acts 15:19: “….. we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God.” Explanation: The context of Acts 15 is solely doing away with circumcision, not the Mosaic laws as a whole. To believe otherwise is taking the fifteenth chapter far out of context. 14) Acts 15:20: “but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.” Explanation: Briefly, since Christians were initially attending Saturday services alongside Jews in the synagogues because they were usually the only people that had copies of the extremely expensive Old Testament, to avoid criticism from the Jews, they were warned to not offend the Jews with any kind of immorality or consumption of strangled meat, blood, and so on. Verse 20 does not even come close to being conclusive proof that the majority of other OT laws can be abandoned. 15) Acts 15:24: “….. some ….. have troubled you with words, ….. saying ‘You must be circumcised AND keep the law’ to whom we gave no such commandment.” Explanation: Briefly, the Greek for “and” is kai, and it is usually translated as “and,” but it can just as easily be translated, depending upon context, as “even,” “then,” “so,” “for,” “so then,” and “therefore.” Kai can mean “as a consequence or result of an action taken” in which verse 24 could very well mean that circumcision would merely be an act or consequence of keeping the law of Moses, and Mosaic law observance in general was not a separate command. In such a situation keeping the other laws of Moses is not an issue. 16) Acts 15:28,29: “For it seemed good ….. to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.” Explanation: Same explanation as for Acts 15:20 above. The “no greater burden” refers to not having to be circumcised anymore according to Acts 15:24 above. The subject here is not the entire set of Mosaic laws, just circumcision. The following emphatic verses, as well as many others, prove that Christians must continue to be law keepers: Matthew 19:17: “….. BUT IF you want to enter into life, KEEP the commandments.” Revelation 22:14: “Blessed are those who DO HIS COMMANDMENTS, that they may HAVE THE RIGHT to the tree of life ……” 17) Acts 21:21: “….. you teach all the Jews ….. to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.” Explanation: Verses reveal that Paul actually strictly obeyed the Mosaic laws and commanded his followers to also obey them, excluding the circumcision, Levitical priesthood, and sacrifice laws which the Apostles explained were now annulled. 18) Acts 21:25: “….. they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.” Explanation: Same answer as for # 14 and 16. 19) Romans 3:28: “….. a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” Explanation: “Apart” is translated multiple times elsewhere in the Bible as “besides,” which means “in addition to.” So this verse is consistent with and does not necessarily contradict the following statement. The Bible clearly states elsewhere that law keeping is an integral and necessary part of the salvation process. Verse 28 merely highlights the importance of faith, but law keeping cannot be abandoned as shown by the following emphatic verse as well as many others: Romans 2:13: “For not the hearers of the LAW (nomia) are just in the sight of God, but the DOERS of the LAW (nomia) will be justified.” 20) Romans 6:14: “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Explanation: The context involves the now abolished eternal death penalty for old, pre-conversion, repented of sins. That penalty part of the law is what Christians are no longer under. Also, the ultra literal, Greek definition of “under” can very well mean “moderately” or “covertly” indicating that Christians are moderately under grace. 21) Romans 7:4: “….. you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, …..” Explanation: Go to the page ROMANS 7:4-6 INDICATES THAT CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED FROM THE SPECIFIC LAW OF SIN AND DEATH, OR THE PENALTY OF THE LAW, NOT THE GENERAL LAW. Apparently addressed to baptized Christians with the Holy Spirit Paul said that THEY have become dead to the law, referring to the whole law previously containing also the penalty of the law. He did not say that the law is dead. 22) Romans 7:6: “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.” Explanation: Same as for # 21. Also, “the oldness of the letter” refers the written death penalty for sins recorded in OT law. 23) Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus …..” Explanation: Go to the page 32 MORE VERSES MAINSTREAMERS USE TO TRY TO MAKE YOU BELIEVE OT LAW KEEPING HAS BEEN DONE AWAY WITH, then to 22. The words “those who are in Christ Jesus” refer only to those who believe in Jesus (including what Jesus said), which also means only those who OBEY Jesus since Jesus repeatedly commanded law keeping. The literal, Greek definition of “believe” clearly and definitely includes the component of obedience. 24) Romans 9:32,33: “Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 ‘…… I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame. ” Explanation: The stumbling stone or rock of offense by far refers to Jesus Christ (faith or trust in Jesus), NOT the law because Jesus has been described in the Bible as the chief stone (cornerstone) of the church. In addition, the Bible never describes the law as a stumbling stone. Hard core Jews insisted that mere obedience to the law could save them without accepting Jesus and trusting Him to forgive sin. 25) Romans 10:4: “For Christ is the end of the law …..” Explanation: The first, primary definition of the Greek word for “end” is goal, purpose, or result, NOT termination or cessation of something. 26) Romans 13:8: “….. for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Explanation: The Greek word for “fulfilled” is pleroo, which does not mean to end or replace the law. It means to add more fully or make complete, to literally make more full, to fill more fully. 27) Romans 13:10: “….. love is the fulfillment of the law.” Explanation: This basically is another abstract intellectual observation, with no clear instructions about abandoning law keeping. The Greek for “fulfillment” is again based on pleroo, better translated as a “completion or perfection of the law.” 28) Romans 14:5: “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.” Explanation: Romans 14:1 explains what the main subject here is, which are arguments or disputes over very personal opinions or “doubtful things,” like vegetarianism and when to fast (many Jews fasted on certain days), NOT established, long recorded things like the festival laws or the weekly Sabbath. 29) Romans 14:14: “….. there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” Explanation: The context here shows that this verse is addressed to Christians who were accepting vegetarian Christians into the church, referring again to disputes over personal opinions or “doubtful things” (Romans 14:1,2). The well established unclean animal meat listed in Leviticus never was a matter of personal opinion and never was described as a “doubtful thing.” Since the OT does not list any vegetable as unclean or forbidden to eat, then it is true that “there is nothing (referring only to vegetables) that is unclean of itself.” There is therefore just too much reasonable doubt that Romans 14:14 really abolished the unclean meats. 30) Romans 14:20: “….. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.” Explanation: Same as or similar to the previous explanation. 31) 1 Corinthians 10:25: “Eat whatever is sold in the meat market …..” Explanation: Briefly, the subject here is only meat sacrificed to idols, which was “clean” meat, not the forbidden foods. 32) 1 Corinthians 10:27: “If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake.” Explanation: The context here clearly involves only meat sacrificed to idols, not the forbidden, unclean meats described in Leviticus. 33) 1 Corinthians 10:30: “But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?” Explanation: The context here is food sacrificed to idols, not the forbidden foods. 34) 2 Corinthians 3:3: “clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.” Explanation: Briefly, the words in red are only a description of the “message,” (the “message” does not even directly refer to the law), not an acknowledgment the law has been abolished, and not a command to forget about law keeping. 35) 2 Corinthians 3:6: “who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.” Explanation: Briefly, the penalty for sinning under the Old Covenant was ultimately death with no chance for forgiveness and immortality, now available through the New Covenant. The “letter” can refer to law keeping verses, but it is the PENALTY (Romans 8:2, which abolished the death penalty, but only for law keeping Christians) of breaking those OT laws that killed, not the law keeping verses themselves. 36) 2 Corinthians 3:7: “But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, ….. which glory was passing away,” Explanation: Go to 32 MORE VERSES MAINSTREAMERS USE TO TRY TO MAKE YOU THINK OT LAW KEEPING HAS BEEN DONE AWAY WITH, then 3. 37) 2 Corinthians 3:9: “For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.” Explanation: Briefly, the now abolished OT law of the automatic death penalty for sin is now far less glorious than the current New Covenant. Also go to the above page, then to 3. 38) 2 Corinthians 3:11: “For if what is passing away was glorious, …..” Explanation: It was the Old Covenant and the itemized sacrifice, circumcision, Levitical priesthood, and automatic death penalty for sin laws that were passing away, not ALL of the Mosaic laws, which is a big difference. Go again to the above page, then 3. 39) 2 Corinthians 3:13: “….. look steadily at the end of what was passing away.” Explanation: Same as for 36. 40) Galatians 2:4: “….. false brethren ….. came in ….. that they might bring us into bondage.” Explanation: This verse refers to the previous verse, verse 3, which involves circumcision (overwhelmingly the main subject in Galatians), which was abolished in Acts. To rely only on Mosaic law keeping for salvation and deliberately refusing to accept grace also is the kind of bondage referred to here. 41) Galatians 2:16: “….. a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ …..” Explanation: This verse is merely an abstract, intellectual observation which does not clearly, specifically say that Christians can now break divine, established laws involved in daily living. It is just a reminder of the great, relative importance of faith and grace. Verse 16 is similar to the statement that it is really bullets that kill people, not guns or people pulling the trigger of guns. Yes, it is actually the high speed, flesh ripping bullets that kill, but of course the gun and the human pulling the trigger are ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL for the bullets to be whizzing to their mark in the first place. Likewise, law keeping is also a qualifying, ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL part of the faith equation. Verse 17, too, is a clear reminder that justification is not a license to sin, which is specifically defined as breaking primarily the Mosaic laws. 42) Galatians 2:19: “For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. Explanation: Go to the page GALATIANS, WRITTEN ABOUT 5 YEARS AFTER CIRCUMCISION WAS ABOLISHED, REFERS OVERWHELMINGLY TO CIRCUMCISION, MENTIONED 15 TIMES, AND TO A LESSER EXTENT ABOLISHED SACRIFICES, NOT OTHER LAWS. 43) Galatians 2:21: “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Explanation: Go to the above page. Also, remember that this verse essentially means that if righteousness comes O-N-L-Y through the law (and without necessary faith and grace provided by the sacrificial death of Jesus) then yes, Jesus did die in vain. Grace (which requires the Holy Spirit, which in turn requires law obedience according to Acts 2:38), mentioned near the beginning of this verse, re-affirms the need to keep obeying the law. 44) Galatians 3:2: “Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (New King James Version) Explanation: Go to the above page.
Please continue on to the next page, PRO-LAW NT VERSES OUTNUMBER ANTI-LAW VERSES BY 291 TO ZERO, EXCLUDING THE VERSES ABOLISHING THE SACRIFICE, CIRCUMCISION, AND LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD LAWS, PAGE 3.
Scripture taken from the World English Bible.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.