What Law Are Men Under Today?

WHAT LAW IS MAN UNDER TODAY?

Introduction
1. Brethren are teaching that alien sinners are NOT AMENABLE (answerable, responsible toward) to the gospel of Christ. And, that one only becomes amenable to gospel upon conversion.
a. Specific application being made to support position on marriage, divorce, and remarriage (MDR) which is error.
b. Its implications are far-reaching and frightening.
2. Told that the alien sins against a "law of the heart" which he has BY NATURE with himself:
a. "Unbelievers are outside the covenant."
b. Said that this "law of the heart" condemns, while the gospel of Christ saves (A two-law system).
c. One is only under the gospel of Christ when he WILLINGLY AGREES TO SUBMIT TO IT (when he becomes a Christian).
3. False applications being made re. MDR of aliens prior to conversion:
a. Aliens are not under law to Christ, therefore, they cannot violate Matthew 19:9; et al.
b. Matthew 19:9 is not universal (for sinners and saints).
c. Upon conversion, aliens are to stay in their marriage, regardless of prior divorce and remarriage considerations.
4. To answer this false doctrine we must look at:
a. What makes a person a sinner?
b. Learn why all men are amenable to the gospel by seeing what the gospel does.
c. In future lessons, we will consider the nature of covenants and the implications of this "non-amenability" doctrine.

I. WHAT MAKES MAN A SINNER?

A. Transgression Of God's Divine Law - l John 3:4 (Rom. 4:15); 5:17; Matt. 7:21-23.
    -PRESENCE OF SIN WITHIN MAN NECESSITATES:
    1. Presence of divine law - Rom. 5:12-13.
    2. Revelation of divine law - cf. Rom. 5:13.
    3. Amenability to divine law - cf. Rom. 5:13-14 (Accountable, since their sin against law caused death) -- Wages of sin...death].

B. How Is Divine Truth (Law) Given To Man?
    -[Through man's innate nature ("law of the heart"), or through divine revelation of truth?]
    1. Patriarchs (Rom. 5:14):
      a. Evident that GOD had IMPARTED His moral and spiritual LAWS to the patriarchs:
        (1) Adam: Gen. 2:16-17; 3:17 (cf. Hosea 6:7).
        (2) Abel: Gen.4:3-5 (Heb. 11:4 -- Rom. 10:17).
        (3) Cain: l John 3:11-12 (No brotherly love, murder--Works were evil).
        (4) Enoch: Gen. 5:24 - Walked with God (Heb. 11:5 - Well-pleasing to God).
        (5) Men of Noah's day: Gen. 6:5 (Hearts on evil - Must have been a standard of righteousness present - v. 9).
        (6) Sodom and Gomorrah: Jude 7 (Punished for fornication - Involved God's laws on marriage and sexual purity).
        (7) Abimelech: Gen. 20:1-7 - He would have sinned against God (v. 6) had he married another man's wife (v. 3). Was he born with this understanding of marriage??
        (8) Job: Job 31:1-4, 9-12 (How did he know of marital fidelity and the sinfulness of adultery?.)
    2. Israel - Deut. 4:13-14; 18:15-16 (Through divine revelation).
    3. Gentiles during Law of Moses were not without divine law:
      a. Isaiah 24:5 - God had given His law and ordinances to Adam. and in Adam to all mankind - yet, they had broken it.
      b. God's covenant had to be REVEALED and the nations be UNDER IT for them to have BROKEN it.
        (1) Nineveh - "Wickedness" before God - Jonah 1:3.
        (2) Heathen nations - Amos 1:3 - 2:3 - "Transgressions."
        (3) Nebuchadnezzar - Dan. 4:24-27 - He was revealed God's will by a prophet, and urged to repent of his sins.
      c. Romans 1:18-32 - God revealed Himself and His will to the Gentiles:
        (1) v. 19 - God's will had been known (cf. Common ancestry through Noah) - God had made it known.
        (2) v. 21 - They knew God, but didn't serve God (Isa.24:5).
          (a) v. 32 - Knew God's ordinances against sin (death), yet practiced sin and consented with those who sinned.
          (b) v. 28 - They rejected god, refusing to keep Him in their knowledge.
          (c) v. 21 - RESULT: Became vain in reasoning / hearts darkened. (Is this where their "law of the heart" is to be found?.)
        (3) 1:18 - God's wrath upon them was just.
      d. Romans 2:14-15 - Gentiles' condition compared with the Law of Moses (while the Law of Moses was in effect.):
        (1) Already seen that Gentiles are amenable to laws of God. and will be judged by such laws (2:12).
        (2) 2:14 - "Law" in "not having the law" refers to Law of Moses.
        (3) 2:14-15 - "Things of the law" / "work of the law" -- Things found in the Law of Moses which the Gentiles did (v. 14 - "when Gentiles.. .do").
        (4) 2:14 - "Nature" - Natural order of doing things, the Gentile's practice toward law.
        (5) 2:15 - Speaks of the WORK of the Law of Moses WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS instead of on paper or stone, and their consciences testified to that fact. -- cf. Prov. 3:3; 7:1-3; Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10.
        (6) No "Law on, in, of the Heart" found here. -No predetermined system of law, a "Law of the Gentiles."

--Divine law DOES NOT come to man through man's innate nature (Jer. 10:23; Prov. 14:12; Acts 26:9), but through DIVINE REVELATION OF TRUTH (l Cor. 2:10-13, 16; Eph. 3:3-5; 2 Pet. 1:3).

II. ALL MEN ARE NOW AMENABLE TO THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

A. Because The Gospel Is The Means Whereby Christ Exercises His Universal Authority - Psalm110:1-3.
    1. Messiah rules over His enemies and His people simultaneous-ly.
      a. v. 1 - Christ's universal sovereignty began when He sat down at God's right hand (Luke 22:67-69; Acts 2:33-36).
        (1) Reign will end at 2nd coming - l Cor. 15:23-28.
        (2) Christ is reigning NOW at God's right hand.
      b. v. 2-3 - Enemies and His people are under His rule.
    2. How does Christ exercise His rule over all men?
      a. v. 2 - "Rod (token of the power of the king) of thy strength."
      b. The means Christ uses to rule over His enemies and His people is THE GOSPEL:
        (1) John 17:2 - Authority over all flesh.
        (2) Matthew 28:18 - All "right to rule" heaven and earth.
        (3) Mark 16:15 - Preach GOSPEL to WHOLE CREATION.
        (4) By the GOSPEL His authority over all men made known.
        (5) Mark 16:15-16 - The SAME GOSPEL which CONDEMNS sin also SAVES the sinner.
        (6) Hebrews 1:1-3 - His word has power -- This is how God speaks to us today.
        (7) Acts - One gospel preached to both sinners and saints.
    3. Psalm 110:2-3 - His enemies rebel against His authority, while others willingly submit -- but ALL are EQUALLY UNDER HIS RULE contained within HIS WORD.

B. Because The Gospel Convicts All Sinners of Their Sin - John 16:8-13.
    1. v. 8 - Comforter would convict world of sin. HOW?
    2. v. 13 - The TRUTH revealed to the apostles (ALL TRUTH).
      a. Christ doesn't have one law to convict the alien of his sins, and another to convict Christian of his sin.
      b. Not one law to convict and another to save.
    3. Acts 2:37 - Hearing gospel convicted men of sin against Christ (not against some "law of the heart.").
      a. Acts 24:24-25 - Felix convicted of sin by gospel Paul preached (in adultery with Drusilla).
      b. l Cor. 6:9-11 - It was the authority of Christ which they had sinned against, and His authority which cleansed them when they obeyed the gospel (v. 11).
    4. Which sinner does the gospel of Christ fail to convict?. NONE. l Tim. 1:8-11
      a. The sound doctrine (v. 10), the gospel (v. 11) is for sinners.
      b. Gospel addresses the SINS of the LAWLESS (whether ALIEN or CHRISTIAN).

C. Because The Gospel Commands All Men To Repent Of Their Sins - Acts 17:30-31.
    1. Command to repent is part of the gospel (Acts 2:38).
    2. But, it is given to ALL MEN EVERYWHERE:
      a. Same command (repent).
      b. Same need (forgiveness).
      c. Same judge (Christ -- Not by "law of the heart.").
    3. Therefore, ALL MEN EVERYWHERE are AMENABLE to the GOSPEL.
D. Because All Men Will Be Judged By The Gospel Of Christ.
    1. John 12:48 - His words the standard of judgment, not "law of the heart."
    2. Romans 2:16 - Judgment according to the gospel.
    3. 1 Peter 4:4-6 - Both spiritually LIVING and spiritually DEAD will give account to God for their lives.
      a. v. 6 - Gospel preached to spiritually dead to bring them to spiritual life.
      b. v. 5 - Clear that the standard of this judgment of both aliens and Christians will be the gospel (v. 2 - "the will of God").
    4. With that true, there can be no "two law" system -- One for alien and one for the Christian.
      a. Laws on MDR apply equally to aliens and saints.
      b. We will be judged by the gospel on this and every other issue of our lives.

Conclusion

1. Whether you are a Christian or not, you are amenable to the gospel. (Understanding and applying this will eliminate much of the confusion and error on MDR.)

2. There is ONLY ONE GOSPEL (Romans 1:16) - TO ALL MEN.

3. If you will not obey it, you will be judged by it in the last day.