That might include up to 613 commandments, “the whole law!”
With the emphasis being on the adjective “whole!”
Our Bible Text today is Galatians 5:3. “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.”
If a man who once was a heathen (a gentile), a lost soul (practicing various forms of idolatry, polytheism, worshipping many gods and goddesses), and has subsequently been “born again,” meaning “saved” by the Grace of God …
If that man then decides to be “circumcised” (for religious purposes, as a “means” of fortifying his salvation, as an “aid” to pleasing Jesus, to “staying” saved) … that man has put himself (not just under the constrictions of the “circumcised” person, but) under the limitations of those who must follow the WHOLE law, the whole Old Testament Law of Moses!
That’s what Paul just said to his Galatian converts!
If you’re using the “law” as your canon, guideline, yardstick of spirituality … then go ahead and “jump in” wholeheartedly! Keep every bit of it, obey it fully, including the rules of Leviticus 11:9-12 here, the legal Old Testament requirements for a seafood lover:
“These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. 12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.”
Do you want the “birds” list now?
Eleven more verses … “And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; 15 Every raven after his kind; 16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, 18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, 19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. 20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. 21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; 22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. 23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.” Seriously, read them all! From the same chapter, Leviticus 11.
An integral part of the “whole” law, those two lists of prohibitions.
How about this one?
“Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.” Deuteronomy 22:11
Wow!
None of these examples are meant to criticize the Law as given by God … to show men and women principles for godly living! And to show mankind how far short he actually falls of following God’s perfect Standard!
But even so, the Law was NOT given to get a man saved, rather to prove what a terrible sinner he really is! Even Paul admits freely such: “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.” 1 Timothy 1:8
But still … out Text today is true … “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.” Paul the Apostle, preaching the Grace of God!
Join the Law crowd … and you are in debt!
To obey it all!
But on the other hand, to trust the saving Grace of God … then to be indwelt by the dear Holy Spirit … that’s another Matter altogether!
Then … I am a debtor to Love!
Not under obligation to Moses, thus motivated and gripped by fear.
But overwhelmed by Jesus, and motivated by gratefulness nd adoration and worship!
Wow!
Romans 8:2 is thundering in my ear: “For the law of the (Holy) Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Praise the Lord!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Just like disobeying one law is like disobeying all the law … “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10
So pledging to keep one of the precepts of the Law … obligates one to keep them all! That little “Text” for today, yet again … “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised (just one so called “little ” point of the law), that he is a debtor to do THE WHOLE LAW.” Galatians 5:3
Wow!