| Law in the Early Church |
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New Testament (Roman 7 complete):
The Latin Old Testament uses "ius" many times; the New Testament never does.
Saint Paul uses "lex" frequently; Matthew "lex" 9 times; Luke "lex" 11 times; John 'lex" 13; Mark 0.
Rom. 7:14: "The law as we know is something spiritual (scimus enim quod lex spiritalis est)."
Rom. 10:4-5: "Christ has superceded the law, bringing justification to anyone who will believe (Finis enim legis, Christus, ad iustitiam omni credenti). The account that Moses gives of that justification that comes from the law is that a man will find life in its commandments if he observes them (Moyses enim scripsit quoniam iustitiam quae ex lege est, qui fecerit homo, vivet in ea)."
Gal. 3:10-13: "Those who take their stand on observance of the law are all under a curse; Cursed be everyone (we read) who does not persist in carrying out all that this book of law prescribes. And indeed, that the law cannot make a man acceptable to God is clear enough; it is faith we are told that brings life to the just man. The law is not established by faith; But he who obeys the law lives according to the law (but not in faith?) (Quicumque enim ex operibus legis sunt sub maledicto sunt. Scriptum est enim maledictus omnis qui non permanserit in omnibus quae scripta sunt in libro legis ut faciat ea. Quoniam autem in lege nemo iustificatur apud Deum manifestum est, quia iustus ex fide vivit. Lex autem non est ex fide, sed qui fecerit ea vivet in illis)."
2 Corthin. 3:6-7: "All our ability comes from God, since it is he who has enabled us to promulgate his new law to men. It is spiritual, not a written law; the written law inflicts death, whereas the spiritual law brings life (Sed sufficientia nostra ex Deo est, qui et idoneos nos fecit ministros novi testamenti non litterae sed Spiritus. Littera enim occidit; Spiritus autem vivificat)"
2 Corthin. 3:17-18: "The Spirit we have been
speaking of is that of the Lord; and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is
freedom." (Dominus autem spiritus est;
ubi autem Spiritus Domini, ibi
libertas).
Antinomianism: The doctrine or belief that the Gospel frees Christians from obedience to any law.