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Moses brought their case before the LORD. And the LORD said to Moses… Numbers 27.5, 6
Jesus’ apostles understood themselves to be the last word on all matters of faith and practice. This would include, of course, right understanding and application of the Law of God. We see this in various ways:
“If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized” (1 Cor. 14.37, 38).
“To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places” (Eph. 3.8-10).
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” (2 Thess. 2.15).
“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles…” (2 Pet. 3.1, 2).
“We are of God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 Jn. 4.6).
The Apostles dealt with the Law of God in numerous situations, and they teach us how to understand its Kingdom applications as followers of Jesus Christ. We cannot make proper use of the Law of God unless we search out relevant apostolic instruction to guide us in discovering the demands of justice and love in the context of Christ’s Kingdom.
Beyond the Apostles, faithful apostolic interpreters exist in every age of Church history, who help us to understand the deeper meanings and difficult applications of God’s Law and Word to our contemporary situation. Them we must consult as well as we seek the Lord for brighter revelation and deeper insight in interpreting His Law.
For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the life of faith, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.