In the Bible we read of two laws, or systems of law:

1) The Moral Law or Decalogue and the principles of moral duty. This law is the Ten Commandments and it was written on two tables of stone by God, Himself, and given to Moses. These tables of stone were placed within the Ark of Covenant (Deuteronomy 10:2).

2) The Ceremonial Law, embracing the typical remedial system pointing forward to Christ, and the civil laws existing until the cross. These laws were given to Moses on the mountain and Moses wrote them  out in a book and placed them in the Most Holy Place beside the Ark of Covenant (Deuteronomy 31:26).

DEFINITION AND TYPES OF LAWS

What is law? There are many different types of laws. Here is a list of the various different laws that exist.

“LAW, n. L. lex from the root of lay. See lay. A law is that which is laid, set or fixed, like statute, constitution, from L. statuo.

  1. A rule, particularly an established or permanent rule, prescribed by the supreme power of a state to its subjects, for regulating their actions, particularly their social actions. Laws are imperative or mandatory, commanding what shall be done prohibitory, restraining from what is to be forborn or permissive, declaring what may be done without incurring a penalty. The laws which enjoin the duties of piety and morality, are prescribed by God and found in the Scriptures.

2.. Municipal law is a rule of civil conduct prescribed by the supreme power of a state, commanding what its subjects are to do, and prohibiting what they are to forbear; a statute.

  1. Law of nature, is a rule of conduct arising out of the natural relations of human beings established by the Creator, and existing prior to any positive precept. Thus, it is a law of nature, that one man should not injure another; murder and fraud would be crimes, independent of any prohibition from a supreme power.
  2. Laws of animal nature, the inherent principles by which the economy and functions of animal bodies are performed, such as respiration, the circulation of the blood, digestion, nutrition, various secretions, etc.
  3. Laws of vegetation, the principles by which plants are produced, and their growth carried on until they arrive to perfection.
  4. Physical laws, or laws of nature. The invariable tendency or determination of any species of matter to a particular form with definite properties, and the determination of a body to certain motions, changes, and relations, which uniformly take place in the same circumstances, is called a physical law.
  5. Laws of nations, the rules that regulate the mutual intercourse of nations or states.
  6. Moral law, a law which prescribes to men their religious and social duties, in other words, their duties to God and to each other.
  7. Ecclesiastical law, a rule of action prescribed for the government of a church; otherwise called canon law.
  8. Written law, a law or rule of action prescribed or enacted by a sovereign, and promulgated and recorded in writing; a written statute, ordinance, edict or decree.
  9. Unwritten or common law, a rule of action which derives its authority from long usage, or established custom, which has been immemorially received and recognized by judicial tribunals. As this law can be traced to no positive statutes, its rules or principles are to be found only in the records of courts, and in the reports of judicial decisions.
  10. By-law, a law of a city, town or private corporation.
  11. Mosaic law, the institutions of Moses, or the code of laws prescribed to the Jews, as distinguished from the gospel.
  12. Ceremonial law, the Mosaic institutions which prescribe the external rites and ceremonies to be observed by the Jews, as distinct from the moral precepts, which are of perpetual obligation.
  13. A rule of direction; a directory; as reason and natural conscience. “These, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.” Romans 2:14
  14. That which governs or has a tendency to rule; that which has the power of controlling.
  15. The word of God; the doctrines and precepts of God, or His revealed will.
  16. The Old Testament.  “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” John 10:34
  17. The institutions of Moses, as distinct from the other parts of the Old Testament; as the law and the prophets.
  18. A rule or axiom of science or art; settled principle; as the laws of versification or poetry.
  19. Law martial, or martial law, the rules ordained for the government of an army or military force.
  20. Marine laws, rules for the regulation of navigation, and the commercial intercourse of nations.
  21. Commercial law, law-merchant, the system of rules by which trade and commercial intercourse are regulated between merchants.
  22. Judicial process; prosecution of right in courts of law; to go to law, to prosecute; to seek redress in a legal tribunal.
  23. Jurisprudence; as in the title, Doctor of Laws.
  24. In general, law is a rule of action prescribed for the government of rational beings or moral agents, to which rule they are bound to yield obedience, in default of which they are exposed to punishment.”

(This section taken from: https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/kjd/l/law.html)

MEANING OF GRACE

So what is grace? It can be described in many ways. Here are some definitions:

“GRACE, L. gratia, which is formed from the Celtic; Eng. agree, congruous, and ready. The primary sense of gratus, is free, ready, quick, willing, prompt, from advancing.

  1. Favour; good will; kindness; disposition to oblige another; as a grant made as an act of grace.
  2. Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favour of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from Him. “And if by grace, then is it no more of works.” Romans 11:6
  3. Favourable influence of God; divine influence or the influence of the Spirit, in renewing the heart and restraining from sin. “My grace is sufficient for thee.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
  4. The application of Christ’s righteousness to the sinner. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Romans 5:20
  5. A state of reconciliation to God (Romans 5:2).
  6. Virtuous or religious affection or disposition, as a liberal disposition, faith, meekness, humility, patience, etc. proceeding from divine influence.
  7. Spiritual instruction, improvement and edification (Ephesians 4:29).
  8. Apostleship, or the qualifications of an apostle (Ephesians 3:8).
  9. Eternal life; final salvation (1 Peter 1:13).
  10. Favour; mercy; pardon. Bow and sue for grace. With suppliant knee.
  11. Favour conferred. I should therefore esteem it a great favour and grace. Privilege.
  12. That in manner, deportment or language which renders it appropriate and agreeable; suitableness; elegance with appropriate dignity. We say, a speaker delivers his address with grace; a man performs his part with grace.
    1. Natural or acquired excellence; any endowment that recommends the possessor to others; as the graces of wit and learning.
    2. Beauty; embellishment; in general, whatever adorns and recommends to favour; sometimes, a single beauty.
    3. A short prayer before or after meat; a blessing asked, or thanks rendered.
    4. In music, graces signifies turns, trills and shakes introduced for embellishment.

    Day in grace, in theology, time of probation, when an offer is made to sinners.

    Days in grace, in commerce, the days immediately following the day when a bill or note becomes due, which days are allowed to the debtor or payor to make payment in. In Great Britain and the United States the days of grace are three, but in other countries more; the usages of merchants being different.”

    (This section was taken from:  https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/kjd/g/grace.html)

    THE LAW AND GRACE ARE INSEPARABLE

    “Throughout the Bible, God’s law and His grace are interwoven. They are not at odds, as some think. What does the Bible really say about law and grace?

    “The Bible reveals the will of God. It contains laws that God gave ‘for our benefit’ (Deuteronomy 10:13; Romans 7:12). They are beneficial family rules that show us how to love God the way He wants to be loved and how to love our fellow human beings in the way that promotes the greatest peace and happiness. God’s laws are not a burden but a blessing (1 John 5:3).

    “However, the truth is that no human being, except Jesus Christ, has perfectly obeyed God’s laws. Going against God’s perfect and holy laws creates a rift between us and our Holy Creator. His perfect righteousness cannot coexist with the vile corruption of sin. The horrible stain of sin must be removed if we are ever to have the close family relationship that God so greatly desires. While the law defines sin, clearly showing us what actions are right and wrong, keeping the law, even keeping it perfectly cannot remove the penalties for our previous sins and reconcile us to God. We are saved ‘for’ good works, not ‘by’ good works (Ephesians 2:10).

    “God’s grace, His love and mercy and all of His generous gifts, makes reconciliation possible. Grace does not remove the beneficial laws but, through Christ’s sacrifice, pays the penalty of sin.

    “It is not a case of law vs. grace. God’s revelation is that law and grace work together.

    “So why do so many today believe grace abolishes God’s law or that they are at odds?” –https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/law-and-grace/

    THE TWO DISPENSATIONS

    “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

    “THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL

    “’I and My Father are one.’ John 10:30

    “The Father and the Son were one in man’s creation, and in his redemption. Said the Father to the Son, “Let us make man in Our image.” And the triumphant song in which the redeemed take part, is unto “Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and ever.”

    “Jesus prayed that His disciples might be one as He was one with his Father. This prayer did not contemplate one disciple with twelve heads, but twelve disciples, made one in object and effort in the cause of their Master. Neither are the Father and the Son parts of one being. They are two distinct beings, yet one in the design and accomplishment of redemption. The redeemed, from the first who shares in the great redemption, to the last, all ascribe the honour, and glory, and praise, of their salvation, to both God and the Lamb.

    “But if it be true that the law of the Father and the gospel of the Son are opposed to each other, that one is to take the place of the other, then it follows that those saved in the former dispensation are saved by the Father and the law, while those of the present dispensation are saved by Christ and the gospel. And in this case, when the redeemed shall reach heaven at last, and their redemption shall be sung, two songs will be heard, one ascribing praise to the Father and the law, the other singing the praises of Christ and the gospel.

    “This will not be. There will be harmony in that song of redemption. All the redeemed will sing the facts as they have existed during the period of man’s probation. All will ascribe the praise of their salvation to God and the Lamb. Adam, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses will join with the disciples of Jesus in singing of the redeeming power of the blood of the Son, while those who have lived since the crucifixion of Christ, saved by His blood, will join the patriarchs and prophets in the song of praise to the Father, the Creator, and Lawgiver. Therefore, the law and the gospel or grace run parallel throughout the entire period of man’s probation. The gospel is not confined to some eighteen centuries. The dispensation of the gospel is not less than about six thousand years old.

    “The word ‘gospel’ signifies good news. The gospel of the Son of God is the good news of salvation through Christ. When man fell, angels wept. Heaven was bathed in tears. The Father and the Son took counsel, and Jesus offered to undertake the cause of fallen man. He offered to die that man might have life. The Father consented to give His only beloved, and the good news resounded through heaven, and on earth, that a way was opened for man’s redemption. In the first promise made to man that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, was the gospel of Jesus Christ as verily as in the song the angels sung over the plains of Bethlehem, to the shepherds as they watched their flocks by night, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’

    “Immediately after the fall, hope of a future life hung upon Christ as verily as our hopes can hang on Christ. And when the first sons of Adam brought their offerings to the Lord, Cain in his unbelief brought the first-fruits of the ground, which were not acceptable. Abel brought a firstling of the flock in faith of Christ, the great sacrifice for sin. God accepted his offering. Through the blood of that firstling, Abel saw the blood of Jesus Christ. He looked forward to Christ, and made his offering in the faith and hope of the gospel, and through it saw the great sacrifice for sin, as truly as we see the bleeding Lamb as we look back to Calvary, through the broken bread and the fruit of the vine. Through these emblems we see Christ crucified. Abel saw the same through the dying lamb which he offered. Do we hang our hopes in faith upon Christ? So did Abel. Are we Christians by virtue of living faith in Christ? So was Abel. . . .

    “The dispensation of the law of God is longer than that of the gospel. It commenced before the fall, or there could not have been in the justice of God any such thing as the fall. It existed as early as there were created intelligences subject to the government of the Creator. It covers all time, and extends to the future, running parallel with the eternity of God’s moral government. Angels fell, therefore were on probation. They, being on probation, were consequently amenable to law. In the absence of law they could not be on probation, therefore could not fall. The same may be said of Adam and Eve in Eden.

    “The reign of sin runs parallel with the reign of death, from Adam until sin and sinners shall cease to be. And parallel with these, stretching through all dispensations, there has been the knowledge of the principles of the ten commandments, consequently a knowledge of sin.

    “The means of this knowledge has been the law of God. ‘By the law,’ says the apostle, ‘is the knowledge of sin.’ Romans 3:20. ‘I had not known sin but by the law.’ Romans 7:7. As proof that this knowledge did exist immediately after the fall, see Genesis 4:7, 23, 24; 6:5, 11, 12. . .

    “God’s law is a copy of His mind and will. The sins forbidden there could never find a place in heaven. It was love that prompted God to express His will in the ten precepts of the decalogue. Afterward He showed His love for man by sending prophets and teachers to explain and illustrate His holy law. God has given man a complete rule of life in His law.

    “Obeyed, man shall live by it, through the merits of Christ. Transgressed, it has power to condemn. The law sends men to Christ, and Christ points them back to the law.” –The Law and the Gospel, p. 1–3, 5, 23, by James White.  Amen.

    Daniel Kimeu