Monday 8 November 2010

The Development of Spiritual Law After the Fall

After the fall, certain spiritual things were instinctively known, even though the Law had not yet been given.

For example, it was demonstrated that sewing fig-leaves together by human hands was not sufficient to cover nakedness - but the provision of garments of skins, requiring blood sacrifice and provided freely by God Himself as a gift, was better.

Perhaps this was reinforced by God when He later had respect to Abel's offering of the firstlings of the flock but disrespect to Cain and his offering of crops.

Certain animals became known as clean while others were known as unclean, despite all things being "very good" prior to the fall.

After the flood, God decreed that there should be the death penalty for murder, because the life was in the blood. This was perhaps the first instance of a "law" being given after the fall.

Other examples include circumcision, and tithing - both of which were practised prior to the giving of the Law.

The Law was later given only to express principles which were already spiritual realities. The fact that the Law was subsequently done-away with on the cross does not do away with those spiritual principles which were already realities prior to the giving of the Law. Rather, the cross fulfills those principles and imparts a real righteousness to us - something the Law was powerless to do. We're not under the Law, but we fulfill the Law - by a new and living way.

Oh the glory of the cross!

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