T he believer has complete deliver ance from law 2:14. The partici ple ( exaleipsas) “having blotted out” is in the aorist and carries the idea of cancelling a debt. It is simultan eous in action with “having for given” in the former verse. This is a picture of a sentence against some one entered in the condemned ledger of the court. This has been rubbed out or scraped over, because sentence has been executed and served (Acts 3:19; Rev. 3:5). It is so difficult to believe that God has blotted out the (cheirographon) “handwritten bond” and that by the very hand of God (Ex. 32:16), that was against us. This (cheiorgraphon) “handwriting” was in the form of (dogmasin) “de crees,” referring to the Mosaic or dinances. This became a contract with the Jews when they bound themselves by an oath to observe and do all that God commanded (Deut. 27:14). These decrees would involve all positive commands wheth er moral, ceremonial or civil. Some want to take this as the law of cere monial offering and not the moral law (10 Com.). The passage in Ephesians 2:15 would indicate that this speaks of the whole law. The phrase “Law of commandments” reveals that this in cludes the Ten Commandments them selves. A study of the noun (ho nomos) “The law” shows that it in cludes all the laws of God. The word ( dogma ) “decree” is used in Luke 2:1 as the sovereign decree of Caesar (Acts 17:7). The Mosaic code had three divisions: the Ten Command ments which revealed God’s right eous character and will (Ex. 20); the Levitical ordinances which gov erned the religious life of Israel (Ex. 24-31); the judgments which governed the civil life of the nation
(Ex. 21-24). These three make a whole (Jas. 2:10), and to break one makes the offender guilty of all. Paul says these were against us; in other words all are guilty (Rom. 3:19). These stood over the sinner with the accusing finger of condemnation. “The day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17); “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:4) “for the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). This rules out the law as a mode of salvation, and makes this passage very impor tant in the interpretation of the doc trine of salvation. The verb (arken) “hath taken up out of our midst” has the idea of lifting up, bear away, as the Baptist said of Jesus (John 1:29). The per fect tense indicates the permanence of the removal of these laws which have been fulfilled. There was a def inite time when they were expunged and the force of it continues. The Judaic-Gnostics had no need for
Music holds an important place in the minis try of preparingBiola students for the Lord's service. Pictured above are four young ladies who serve in this manner. From left to right are Sharon Weathers, Salem, Ore.,- Karen Hill, Whitier, Calif.; Marilyn Foshay, WoodlandHills, Calif.; and Pegy Ragunden, Hawaii. Biola College offers majors in five different areas of music.
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