What to Keep?

A little study time- thinking on page.

Proverbs 28:4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.

Forsake- azab (aw-zab')
A primitive root; to loosen, that is, relinquish, permit,
commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, X surely.

Relinquish seems to be the best context here... could use forsake as well.

They that relinquish the law, they that forsake the law

Law- tôrâh (to-raw', to-raw') - a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch: - law.

They that relinquish or forsake the Torah...

We seem to run into a major question mark here at this point...  Does the word Torah speak of the Decalogue, the 10 commandments, or of the Pentateuch, the law of Moses?  This question is critical in understanding and would have a vast difference in meaning. 

In Simeon's Horae Homileticae DISCOURSE: 814 we see some principles laid out concerning this forsaking.  In summary it would be these:
1.    That obedience to God’s Law is unnecessary—
He will acknowledge the Scriptures to be a revelation from God; and would be greatly offended, if his belief in that revelation were questioned. But his faith in it is nothing more than a speculative assent: he regards not the authority of God in it; and by his contempt of that authority he says, in fact, that a submission to it is unnecessary.

2.    That not even the Gospel itself entails any obligation upon us—
Many who profess to believe the Gospel, and to make it the ground of their hope towards God, yet feel no constraining influence from all its wonders of love and mercy. They practically say, ‘True, the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world, and “died the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God

3.    That the way of wickedness is preferable as it respects this present world—
Finding pleasure only in the things of time and sense himself, he encourages the same taste in others. For, for what end “has God given us all things richly to enjoy,” if we are not to enjoy them? As for a compliance with the precepts of the Law, it is obvious that it must require continual self-denial: and what happiness can there be in that?

4.    That no evil is to be apprehended from it in the world to come—
This necessarily follows from all the rest: for, if he really thought that God would execute his threatenings against the violators of the Law, he would be more attentive to his own ways. But he persuades himself, that God is too merciful to punish any one in the eternal world, or, at all events, for such slight offences as he commits: and, by his open contempt of God’s threatened judgments, he says to all around him, that they have nothing to fear, since “the Lord will do neither good nor evil

These are 4 fairly common grounds upon which law is relinquished or forsaken, but still we are asked, which law?  The 10 commandments?  or the law of Moses.  Torah, in the general sense does not give an indication.  It is used interchangeavly.  This is why it may be confusing to some people.  Some feel that the entire law of Moses is to be followed if one is saved, and would point to a verse such as John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments as a verse that says we need to keep the law of Moses.  The greek word used entolē injunction, that is, an authoritative prescription: - commandment, precept.  We see here a focus on "commandment"  Would a different word be used in greek if the law of Moses were meant?

Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.  The word for law used here is nomos.   law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), generally (regulation), specifically (of Moses [including the volume]; also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle): - law.  So we see here that if the law of Moses is mentioned, a different Greek word is used than in Jesus previous command to keep His commandments.  Keeping His commandments is the keeping of the 10 commandments, not the law of Moses.

Christ in John 13:34 gives us a new commandment.  "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."  In Romans 13:8,10 and Galatians 5:14 we see that this command to love fulfills the nomos, which could be the entire law of Moses, but Paul here in Romans 13:9 clarifies and goes through the list of the 10 commandments pertaining to loving others.    We can assume by context that Paul refers to the 10 commandments.

Mathew 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

On these two entole hang all of the nomos.  All of the law of Moses is fulfilled in these two commandments of Jesus. 

Collossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Wee see here another word used, the word for ordinances in Greek is dogma -  a law (civil, ceremonial or ecclesiastical): - decree, ordinance.

What can we conclude from this?  That Love of God and neighbor fulfills the requirements of the law and are the commands we are to follow when Jesus says to keep His commandments.  That the law is not "done away with", but, that we are freed from the judgment of the law that we are sinners worthy of death.  But, Do we keep the law of Moses?  Or the 10 commandment?  Paul seems to make it clear that love keeps the 10 commandments and the law of Moses. 

Romans 8: 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

The law of the spirit of life as we saw is to love God, love the son, love your neighbor (spirit).  The law of sin and death is the law of Moses (flesh).  The law could not save us from our transgressions.  It could only condemn us and make known to us our sinful nature.  When we try to keep the law of Moses, we are working in the flesh.  When we keep the law of love, we are operating in the spirit. 

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.


If we focus on the law of love, Love God, Love the son, Love others, we will do well.

I John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.