Mar
4
Written by:
Bob Flynn
3/4/2009 8:38 AM
Another point remained to be treated of by the apostle — the effect of this last doctrine upon the question of the law. The Christian, or, to say better, the believer, has part in Christ as a Christ who has died, and lives to God, Christ being raised from the dead through Him. What is the force of this truth with regard to the law (for the law has only power over a man so long as he lives)? Being then dead, it has no longer any hold upon him. This is our position with regard to the law. Does that weaken its authority? No. For we say that Christ has died, and so have we therefore; but the law no longer applies to one that is dead. (Dr. John Darby)
The second marriage is to Christ. By death we are freed from obligation to the law as a covenant, as the wife is from her vows to her husband. (Matthew Henry)
So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. (NASB)
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. (KJV)
So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries. (NLT)
So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is alive, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she is joined to another man, she is not an adulteress. (NET)
Since a death has separated us from the obligations of the law we are free to be joined to another. In this case the risen Lord Jesus Christ. This is of paramount importance lest we be severed from one oppression only to be saddles with a new and different burden. The rules is, there is no rules in the sense of being separated from the law. However, no we are joined to Christ and have a new heart and a new motivation and so following Christ allows us to become the fulfillment of the law. Oh what joy my heart experiences with each beat.
It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. (John 3:29 NLT)
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. (Ephesians 5:25-27 NLT)
Copyright ©2009 Robert Flynn