Geoffrey E. Youlden

The question has been asked on a number of occasions as to whether or not Galatians proves that the law has been abolished. I would say, “Yes”. We read, “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law.” (Galatians 5:3) Paul is showing here that a whole law is involved for if a man is trusting in circumcision he is a debtor to the whole law. However, the burden of Galatians is that no man needs to keep this law, which is symbolised by circumcision.

Now I will read a statement from the book of James. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10) This appears to be a contradiction for James says there is a whole law still binding. Now which law is this? (v.11, 12) “For He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye and so do as they that shall be by the low of liberty.” We see here that James is referring to the Ten Commandment law and he says that man is going to be judged by this law, so it is eternally binding. Paul says a law has been done away with - the law of circumcision. So while one law has been abolished, the other is binding forever. I have met sincere Christian people who have never realised that there are two laws in the Bible. If we fail to understand this important fact, then in our study on the Law of God we will read texts, which apparently contradict each other.

Some people find Hebrews 7:12 hard to understand, but it is very simple. “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” Here is a law which is dependent upon the priesthood, because when it is changed the law is changed. The reason for the priesthood in the Old Testament was because the people had sinned. “For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men, in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” (Hebrews 5:1) The Bible states that sin is the “Transgression of the law”; i.e. the breaking of the law, (I John 3:4). So here we have a people who broke the Law No. 1 which made necessary the priesthood to minister because of sin. Now there was a law that governed this priesthood and showed them what sacrifices they were to offer. Connected with this law, No. 2 was all the ritual of the Jews, including circumcision.

When Christ died upon the cross there was made necessary a change in the law for the priesthood was changed from earth to heaven. The law pertaining to the earthly priesthood was done away, and this is what Paul is referring to in Galatians when he says that the law has passed away. However, James reminds us that there is another law - the Ten Commandments, by which we are all going to be judged.

The Bible makes a very clear distinction between these two laws. “And He said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; He shined forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousand of saints; from His right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, He loved the people… Moses commanded us a law… (Deuteronomy 33: 2-4). Then again, “Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.” (2 Kings 21:8) This very clear distinction between the laws runs all through the Bible.

Mrs Booth, the wife of the founder of the Salvation Army, makes this statement in her book “Aggressive Christianity”. “There has come to be a spirit of antinomianism in the land compared with which the antinomianism of bygone days was innocency itself.

(Antinomianism means to abolish the Ten Commandments) God helping me, I shall never cease to lift up my voice against it. I frequently find in such writing and songs a total misapprehension as to the meaning of the Apostle and a total confounding of the MORAL and CEREMONIAL laws.

“Now always mind, when you read anything about the law, to examine and find out which law is meant, whether it is the great Moral Law which never has been and never can be abrogated, or the ceremonial law which in Christ confessedly was done away. Mind, for your salvation may depend upon that point. If you make a mistake there you may be lost through it; therefore be very careful. Now, I say that people confound these, and consequently there is a perfect hotch potch of theology in this day which I defy anybody to understand.” (Sermon, Romans 8:1-4) Mrs Booth suggests that when we are reading about the law we should make sure that we know which law is referred to.

The idea of two laws is not something new for every church teaches it. The Church of England prayer book outlines the Ten Commandments and after the reading of each commandment the congregation repeats, “Lord, have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this law.” Here is a statement from John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. “The moral law stands on an entirely different foundation from the ceremonial or ritual law ... 'Every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind and in all ages, as not depending either on time, or place, or any other circumstance liable to change, but on the nature of God and the nature of man, and their unchangeable relation to each other.” (Sermons on Several Occasions, Vol.I p.221, 2) Billy Graham states, “We may say that the law is summed up in the Ten Commandments. The entire moral law is summarised in these rules of life, which express God's holiness. The ceremonial laws were expressly commanded to Jews under the law and nobody else, but the moral laws are for all.” (“Calling Youth to Christ” Ministry, Dec.1953)

However, when the Adventists came to town and said, “Well, if the Ten Commandments are binding then you had also better keep the fourth which states that the seventh day is the Sabbath,” these churches changed their teaching and took texts which apply to the ceremonial law which was abolished and applied them to the eternally binding Ten Commandments. Hence, as Mrs Booth says, there is a hatch patch in theology today so that people do not know where they are. This has led to Christendom's greatest mistake.

The Bible foretold that this situation would exist in the last days. “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: (margin - “the latter day” which is today) That this people is a rebellious people, lying children; children that will not hear the law of the Lord; Which say to the seers, See at, and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.” (Isaiah 30:8-10) These people did not want their preachers to preach anything hard. They wanted an easy doctrine. This is the reason why Christianity is so weak today. God foretold our exact position, and those who do not want to obey His commandments He calls “lying children”. Jesus added, in Matthew 24:12, “Because of the prevalent disregard of God's law, the love of the great majority shall grow cold.” (Dr. Weymouth translation). This is why the churches today are crying for union. They feel that their only hope is in getting together. But God says that unless men return to keeping the Commandments then the world is headed for ruin. If the Commandments are abolished then there is no sin in murder, no sin in adultery, no sin in stealing. One you abolish, one, you abolish the lot. (James 2:10-12)

Let us go a little further in our investigation of this subject and see the purpose of the Law of Moses, or the ceremonial law. The great issue in the book of Galatians is the matter of circumcision and whether or not it is important as far as salvation is concerned. Galatians never discusses the Sabbath or makes reference to any one of the Ten Commandments or the tables of stone. The great central issue is the law of circumcision. In fact circumcision is mentioned thirteen times in the six chapters of Galatians. Notice these references - Galatians 2:3,4,7-9,12; 5:2.3,6,11: 6:15.

People question, “Well, why was there such an issue?” When Paul started to preach that ceremonialism was abolished the believers said, “Look Paul, circumcision is here in the Bible”, and Paul had to do a lot of explaining. We know how hard it is for people to give up keeping Sunday even though they do not have one verse anywhere in Scripture to support them, and yet the people in Paul's day could turn up the references in the Bible to state that circumcision was binding.

Notice again - “For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse: for it is written, “Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the BOOK of the law to do them.” (Galatians 3:10) Paul makes it very clear, for the only law that was ever written in a book was the ceremonial law, or Law of Moses. (Deut. 3:24) The Ten Commandments were written on tables of stone (Exodus 31:18)

“Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise was made-, and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.” (Galatians 3:19) Paul said that this law, which was written in a book, was “added”. Sin is the breaking of the Commandments and this second law came into being because the first law-was broken. Therefore Law 1 + another law = 2 laws, and the second law was to last until the seed (Jesus) should come. How simple it is. “Wherefore the law WAS our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ...” (v.24) Notice Paul refers to this law in the past tense, “was”, for it was now done away with. However, in Romans 7:12,14, when dealing with the Ten Commandments, he states that the Commandment “IS” (present tense) holy, just, good and spiritual. When Christ came we were no longer under the schoolmaster. That is why we do not offer lambs today. This law was typical. We must never get the idea from these verses that the Ten Commandments were abolished for that is not so.

People often ask about the yearly Sabbaths and Colossians 2:14-17. “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.” Now what is this handwriting of ordinances? The Bible explains itself for in Hebrews 9:10 the marginal reading for “ordinances” is “ceremonies”. So Paul here is referring to the handwriting of ceremonies, the law written in a book, or the ceremonial law. This is the law which was “against us”, for it was contrary to man's nature to have to kill an innocent lamb every time he sinned. Paul then says, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come...” (v.16, 17) This is the only time in the New Testament where the word “Sabbath” is not referring to the weekly Sabbath - it is referring to the yearly Sabbaths. The Jews had many yearly Sabbaths and feasts which all passed away at the cross because they all pointed forward to Jesus' death. The only Sabbath which God asks man to keep today is the one made before sin entered the world - the one which we will keep in the earth made new - the one' in the centre of God's eternal Ten Commandments. The seventh-day Sabbath was never a shadow of things to come for it was made before sin made the death of Jesus necessary. The other Sabbaths were made after man sinned and were a shadow of things to come.

John the Revelator, looking down to the last days, sees God's people; “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

(Revelation 14:12) The same writer adds, “Whosoever comitteth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3-.4) “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not grievous” (I John 5:2,3)

When a man loves God it is a pleasure to obey Him. If he does not love God there is nothing harder than the keeping of His commandments. What we all need is to have the love of God in our hearts for love is the fulfilling of the law. Jesus said, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)