The law of faith

1.      The law of faith

The law of faith is to believe in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which has made us free from the law of sin and death, it is to believe in the law which replaces the one which made nothing perfect; and has become a better hope, through which we draw near to God. It is the law which governs the Melchizedek priesthood. For it is written; “For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law...And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.’

“For He testifies; “you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’ For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:12-19).

It is to have faith in the law of the Spirit which has made us free from the law of sin and death, because we are being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God presented as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

The law of faith is to have faith in the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that has made us free from the law of sin and death, and it is to have faith in the law which states; “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” “For according to the law almost all things are purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22).

The law of faith is to have faith in the act of righteousness, by which the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us (which is to present the worshiper holy, perfect, and irreproachable in God’s sight), who do not live according to the sinful nature (the law of sin and death), but according to the Spirit. This act of righteousness is the offering of the cup of the New Covenant of Christ’s blood, as the atonement for our sins.

The death of Jesus Christ on the cross, is the once and for all sacrifice He made for the redemption of all humanity. But the cup of the New Covenant which He took and gave thanks, and gave to His disciples saying, “Drink from it, all of you; ‘For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins,” is the atonement for our sins, it is the law of the Spirit of life that makes us free from the law of sin and death (Matthew 26:27-28).

This act of righteousness is the duty of the priest. “Priests must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God, because they present the offerings made to the Lord by fire (zeal), the food of their God, they are to be holy.” We also, “Like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ” (Leviticus 21:6; 1 Peter 2:5).

This is the better hope by which we draw near to God, and which gives us the boldness and confidence to enter the Most Holy Place behind the curtain. We now have a superior High Priest, and the perfect sacrifice which fulfills the righteous requirement of the law. This is the prerequisite before drawing near to God. As stated clearly; “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. (Hebrews 10:19-22).

However, despite the vast superiority of the law of faith, it did not in any way invalidate or made obsolete the law of love. For this is what the apostle Paul said, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law”. And, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet" (Romans 3:31; 7:7).

Therefore, believers ought not to confuse themselves, get agitated and discombobulated when the word law is used, they should first acquaint themselves with the proceedings and verify for themselves which law they are referring to and in what context it is used before jumping into conclusion. God has overlooked these times of ignorance and now commands all men everywhere to repent.