Presence of Moral Law in the New Testament (1)

Matthew 5:17-20 Moral Law of God

In 'Presence of Moral Law in the New Testament (1),' Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds Matthew 5:17-20 and introduces Romans 7:7-14, arguing that the Ten Commandments remain an unchanging and binding standard of righteousness in the New Testament era. He refutes the idea that Christ abolished the law, instead showing how Jesus restored its original, profound meaning, particularly for the Sixth and Seventh Commandments. Martin applies this by challenging listeners to examine their 'righteousness' against the law's heart-level demands, warning that a superficial, Pharisaical obedience will not lead to the Kingdom of Heaven.

2 illustrations in this sermon

Introduction: The Enduring Importance of God's Law

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John Newton on Ignorance of the Law

Driving home: Ignorance of the nature and design of the law is at the bottom of most of our religious mistakes.

Martin quotes John Newton: 'Ignorance of the nature and design of the law is at the bottom of most of our religious mistakes,' to underscore the sermon's importance in laying a foundation for understanding the moral law.

John Newton, that figure in church history known as the former slave trader, and perhaps best known by his hymn, Amazing Grace, on one occasion wrote to a friend of his and said that ignorance of the nature and design of the law is at the bottom of most of our religious mistakes. Ignorance of the nature and design of the law is at the bottom of most of our religious mistakes. Ignorance of the nature and design of the law is at the bottom of most of our religious mistakes. And what was true in Newton's day is even more true in our day of abounding lawlessness and abysmal ignorance of the Ten Co...

6:06 - 7:31 Read in full sermon

Jesus Restores the Law's Pristine Meaning: The Rembrandt Analogy

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Rembrandt Painting Restoration

Driving home: He lifts away the dust, scrapes away the varnish, and he says, here's Rembrandt! Here's what my father meant, and I meant when these words were spoken.

Martin uses the analogy of a lost Rembrandt painting, covered in dust, soot, and cracked varnish, being meticulously restored to its original splendor. This illustrates how Jesus did not destroy the law but removed the Pharisaical distortions to reveal its pristine, God-given meaning.

he came to establish the ten commandments will be an unchanging and binding or obligatory whatever word you want to use a binding standard of righteousness Jesus does not indicate the replacement of a moral law with a new law of his own rather he restores the words of God from Sinai to their original searching awesome splendor let me try to illustrate it this way some of you have seen and greatly appreciated at least you've seen reproductions of the artistry of Rembrandt the Dutch painter who lived in the 1600s and for some of us who know very little of art we know that we know that we found o...

36:02 - 37:31 Read in full sermon

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