Page 63 - The Marriage Covenant

The apostle Paul describes the role of the Law as “the ministry of death,” and “the ministry
of condemnation.” The error of those who want to be ruled by the ministry of the Law is
revealed in Christ’s confrontation with the Jewish leaders over the woman who was caught
in the act of adultery.

John 8:3-11
Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And
when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was
caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such
should be stoned. But what do You say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might
have something of which to accuse Him. But Yahshua stooped down and wrote on
the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued
asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among
you, let him throw a stone at her first." And again He stooped down and wrote on the
ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one
by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Yahshua was left alone, and
the woman standing in the midst. When Yahshua had raised Himself up and saw no
one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has
no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Yahshua said to her,
"Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

The ministry of the Law was condemnation, but Christ’s words were “Neither do I
condemn you; go and sin no more.” The Law was given to condemn the world, but Christ
did not come for the same purpose.

John 3:17
"For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but
that the world should be saved through Him.”

Luke 9:54-56
And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us
to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But He turned
and rebuked them, [and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for
the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."]

Moses delivered the Law to God’s people. The Jews thought that this Law could save
them, for they were greatly deluded in thinking that they could attain to the righteous
standards of the Law. In His sermon on the mount, Yahshua revealed that they were
mistaken. He revealed the perfection that Yahweh required for men to be justified in His
sight. It was not enough to keep from committing adultery, for if a man looked upon
another man’s wife with lust, he had committed adultery with her in his heart. It was not
enough to not murder another man, for if one were to be angry with his brother without a
cause he was in danger of judgment. It was not enough to love one’s friends and hate one’s
enemies, for God causes the Sun to shine on the just and the unjust, and He sends the
blessing of rain upon all.
Over and over, Yahshua revealed to the Jews that the Law could only condemn them.
It could never present them as righteous in the eyes of Yahweh. The law was given to accuse