God's Imperfect Construct

I think I realized a major part of the problem for Christians in understanding how we are to view The Law.

For most Christians, the Bible is viewed as the inerrant word of God. If it's in the book, it is perfectly true and complete. It's veracity is ensured through the authorship of the Holy Spirit.

I'm not arguing that point, but I think this view of perfection has led to a misunderstanding. We have become confused, despite so many New Testament passages which attempt to explain it.

And what we are confused about is this; we think that because the Law of Moses is conveyed in a perfectly true book, the law itself must therefore be perfect.

Because of this, conservative Christians scramble their brains to figure out how the Law still remains completely intact, because it is perfect, while simultaneously believing that many of it's rules no longer apply. This requires rigorous mental gymnastics which inevitably result in an eventual internal dropping of the subject.

Here's a typical silent monolog:  

Jesus says He hasn't come to overturn the Law but to fulfill it, so that MUST mean it still stands, right? Expect for the bits that are discussed in Acts and the epistles, and those things that Jesus Himself did. Like circumcision, and not eating bacon. He did away with those. But if they weren't specifically mentioned in the New Testament, the laws still stand.

I DO wonder about the one related to cutting mens' hair... And the one about stoning disobedient children. And the one...
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.
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I should really go start a load of laundry.

We simply can't figure it out.

We think about it just long enough to realize that the concept doesn't actually make sense, and then we have to stop thinking about it, and sum it all up by saying that God knows best.

Which, of course, He does.

But I think this is all unnecessary, and it comes from a state of confusion about the Bible itself.

Somewhere along the line we have come to think that since scripture is perfect, the Law, which is in scripture, must also be perfect.

But that is not the case.

The Law was not perfect.

According to the scriptures, that is why Jesus came. Because of it's imperfection. When we read the law, we should not view it as a set of perfect instructions set down for us by God. We should view it as an imperfect construct put into place for a season.

And now that season has passed.

Here's how some passages from Hebrews explains it:

Heb. 8:1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. ...  5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.

The law was imperfect. There were things wrong with it. But as Christ Himself said:

"It is finished."

Who is doing the judging, and what it is based on

For the past few months our morning meditations have centered around the books of Hebrews, James, and now, John. There is much in these books on old law versus new, and what it meant for Jesus to come in regard to judgement.

Today we looked at John 5. I was particularly drawn by the passages about Jesus as judge. For some reason, I never picked up on this before. I've always envisioned the Father as the judge, with Jesus as intermediary. But John 5 shed new light:

²⁷ And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

What a comforting thought. The one who tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God and to love each other is the one who is going to evaluate our behavior.

Jesus goes on to remonstrate the pharisees who judged his healing of an invalid on the sabbath:

⁴⁵ “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.

So Jesus will not accuse those who focus their attention on the dots and tittles of the law. The law itself will accuse them. As for Him, He will judge our love. 

There is much condemnation of same sex relationships based on scripture, especially Old Testament scripture. But if scripture alone is used as the basis of the argument, there is also much to show that the law is no longer what it once was. It is no longer what we must live by in some vain attempt to be righteous. The law will not be our accuser unless we set our hope in it. 
 
As Christians, we have the choice to set our hope in the law, or in Him who's mercy triumphs over judgement.

I set my hope in Him, and pray that He will judge me according to my love. And I pray that those Christians who structure so much of their faith around law, judging others based on the particular set of laws that they have chosen not to disregard, will have their hearts attuned to the words of Christ.