What is the Law in the Heart?
As I travel and teach for In-Depth Studies I am becoming increasingly aware that there is a common misunderstanding about the nature of the “law in the heart” as found in Hebrews 8:10, 10:16. This misunderstanding is not limited to folks who are new to NCT, but it also includes those who are teachers of NCT. Let me first begin with what, in my opinion, the law in the heart is not referring to.
The law in the heart is not referring to actual laws. This applies to the 10 commandments, the moral law, or any other version of God’s law. In saying the above I am not saying that I endorse concepts like the moral law. I am only saying that these ideas are what are being put forth by other folks as explanations for the law in the heart. It should go without saying that the 10 commandments are not given to the believer at conversion. I, as a Presbyterian, had to learn about the concept of the Sabbath. As a former Roman Catholic this was a foreign concept to me. I had to learn it from my study of scripture. This also applies to the nebulous concept of the moral law. It is true that as someone who was made in the image of God I came into the world with a sense of right and wrong that was affected by sin. But, this sense of right and wrong was not something concrete but rather something that might take different shape in different folks (Romans 2:14-15). Whatever my concept of right and wrong I am unable to live up to it and am therefore condemned.
But, what about the quotation of Jeremiah 31:31-34? Is not the context of that verse the nation of Israel under the Old Covenant and the Mosaic Law? That is absolutely true! There is no way that you could read that verse in its Old Testament context and not come to that conclusion. But the author of Hebrews quotes it in Hebrews 10:14-18 as referring to the fulfillment of that promise which is the transformed life that Jesus purchased on the cross for those who will believe. The transformed life is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. This is described in quite graphic detail in Romans 8:1-27.
So…what we have is the author of Hebrews using the language of the Old Covenant, or language of the picture, to describe the new heart and changed life that the Holy Spirit produces in every believer. In the Old Covenant, our God used the external Mosaic Law to motivate his people, the nation of Israel. But, because they were on the whole unbelievers, the law only made them more sinful and less holy. This result of the law on an unbelieving heart is described in Romans 5:20 and Romans 7:5. In the New Covenant Jesus purchased on the cross an internal motivation called the “law in the heart,” which is the work of the Spirit to cause the believer to be an incurable God-lover.
Geoff
Category : 
Posts
Geoff,
How about a comment on the use of the term in the context of Gal.6:2.
Here is my "short-take".6:1 ¶ Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.Restoration can only be done with an attitude of love. Even as Christ loved us and restored us (reconciliation through the cross) here it has a sense of mending IMHO. It is the law of love( the changed heart-the law of Christ as opposed to the Law that some were and others were being encouraged to follow by the Judaizers.If we are spiritual we will not engage in the letter of Law that condemns but rather show that we as taught earlier in Chapter 5 are led by the Spirit , demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit which characterizes the law of Christ. To fulfill the law of Christ requires the mind of Christ, the attitude of Christ. The attitude comes from within because of a changed heart. It has nothing to do with an external law. Paul in this context is separating it from being just another list of rules. Rather it is an inner motivation because of a changed heart.It is a much higher principle and motivation that the external written code of Moses could ever be.
Joe
Amen Amen!!!
Joe ~Hi; please correct me if you believe correction to be necessary, and please allow me to clarify: What we call the "law of Christ" is each-and-every imperative/command uttered by Jesus and/or written by writers of New Covenant Scriptures. It is such which constitutes "a much higher principle … tha[n] the external written code of Moses could ever be". As Geoff has explained, the "law written on the heart" is but one of many examples of "picture/fulfillment"; indeed, in this instance, such is quite subtle … we don't have New Covenant Scripture which proclaims that our Lord fulfilled Jeremiah's and Ezekiel's prophecies as we recognize that He did. (paragraph) What we call "the law of Christ" is subsumed by the greatest commandment; the greatest commandment does not exhaustively delineate the law of Christ. Indeed, it is entirely correct to consider the law of Christ as a list — of sorts — of imperatives/commands. A/the hallmark of NCT is its recognition not only that a rule of life pertains to New Covenant believers, but that such rule of life is not the Old Covenant "[m]oral law". Furthermore, while CT insists that the seventeenth century puritans were inerrant and, consequently, intractably defend the confessions — specifically herein by insisting that the Decalogue is the law written on the heart (so much for the word "new" in new covenant!), NCT wisely recognizes that Scripture is bereft of indication of the content of the law written on the heart. (paragraph) Geoff ~For your consideration (for possible futher comment):Romans 2:15 [ESV (HCSB, too!)] – "[Gentiles] show that the WORK OF the law is written on their hearts … ."
Jim,
I would not disagree with you that the law of Christ in the "big" idea are all the "laws" ie. Jesus commands and those of the Apostles. None of us would say there are no laws. But the law written on the heart for NC God-lovers is what Geoff defined. We are always to seek to do all things with a good conscience etc. My point in the Gal. passage is that it is the law on the heart that motivates to do the restoring work, which is a command of Paul, so it is in that sense a law that we are to obey but can only do it because the law is written on our hearts ie. mind of Christ and so on. Bearing the burdens properly is not by prescription to an external code but rather by inscription because of a spiritual transformation.
Resting in Him,
Joe
good evening all; i want to ensure you: i hold geoff and steve in the highest regards and without peer amongst theologians with the possible exception of John Riesinger. my worthless accolades aside, i disagree entirely. i have been thru this with steve already in print and on the phone and wont reiterate my whole argument. you still all sound so sure of yourselves on this point, but you have provided absolutely no passage as proof of your point. There is none. There is certainly none in Hebrews, the context of this disagreement. Romans 8 does not disagree with a literal interpretation of The NC as reiterated in Hebrews 8 and 10. i would like you to explain why you think the author of Hebrews changed the word written in Jeremiah 31 as "law" (singular) to "laws" (plural.) If it was just a general impetus that he was referring to, what was the point of this change? The biblical Canon was not in print during the formation of the early Church. Much of what we know as the NC scriptures hadn't even been printed. Without content of "law" on the hearts of believers, how would they know what to follow when all the Churches that were started were not started by apostles? 1 Corinthians 2 is clear" : "The Spirit searches all things even the depths of God. Who knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of that person which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God…. that we might understand the things freely given to us by God…we have the mind of Christ." Put it together with Jeremiah 31 and Ezeliel 36: " The Spirit knows all thing in the mind of God; God writes His laws and decrees on our hearts and minds; the Spirit knows the laws and rules or the righteousness of God; He moves us to follow them. Peter writes that God has "poured His love into our hearts." The law of Christ is the law of love. Being led by the Spirit is acting in love which is always obedience to the 126 commands in the NC scriptures. To insist that the Spirit is only a motivational factor and/or provides the insight into scripture turns the NC into a figurative language with no good reason. IT ignores the circumstances of the early church and necessarily dumbs down the Holy Spirit into mere battery power.
Two quotes from a good friend who attended our May conference.
David Painter writes on SOG forum responding to a question from JGR concerning the Gal. 6:2 passage to which someone responded.
Dave responds in two short posts:
“The law of God given through Moses was given to demonstrate that without a new heart (new nature) man could not (and would not)do what was right. The law gave explicit instructions about all of life and yet all consistently failed to keep it. The law of Christ is not a set of laws detailing what we can or cannot do. That is what the NT progressively makes clear beginning with John the B. to the teaching of Paul here in Galatians. The law of Christ is to walk in (by) the Spirit. What we do differs in "kind" as in the kind of actions proceeding from a heart that has been and is motivated by the work of the Holy Spirit as the agent of Christ. So in Gal.5:16-18 there is a contrast and a conflict. In Gal. 5:19-21 the life of the unregenerate is clear while 22-26 shows the difference the Holy Spirit makes in the lifea ctions of the regenerate. So when we come to 6:1-9 Paul is not laying out a list of what we ought to be doing instead he is saying that those who have been changed by the Spirit now do righteous things motivated by a spirit of love, love for others and God."
So, are you saying that the law of Christ contains no laws? And, are you saying that the hundreds of NT commands are not part of the law of Christ? "
“That is a good question that really requires a careful answer. You cannot think of the law of Christ as merely a “set of laws”. The “hundreds of NT commands” (imperative statements of the NT) are not meant to be an exhaustive list or even a list at all. They are of a certain nature; they are spiritual (albeit often “objective”). Life in Christ is life lived by a new nature (made new by a sovereign act of God the Holy Spirit) through the continued work of the Holy Spirit and so we walk in the Spirit and are led by the Spirit and thus from our lives is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22 ff). Against such there is no law! Life in Christ is a “way”. Hope this brief statement helps you. (Just slowly read through Galatians and note how it talks of freedom and liberty as the way of our new life in Christ.)"
Joe
Ok. Now I should leave a more substantive comment. Patrick, I had the same question as you a while back. What say you to the relationship of John 3:5-6 to Ezek. 36? Go read Carson's commentary on John 3, and wrestle with his arguments for the fulfillment of Ezek. 36 in John 3. Jesus does not think Nic. should know that the literal commands will be written on the heart. Rather Nic. should know that the HS will rebeget each kingdom member and give them new hearts fit for the kingdom and its new law (of Christ), i.e. regeneration. There is direct evidence for Geoff's position in this promise-fulfillment scheme. Furthermore, see 1 John 2, where it says that we all have received an anointing. These are NC promises, but they are not fulfilled in a literal writting of the law on the heart. That is an OT metaphor which the NT interprets for us in the categories of indwelling and regeneration.
john; there is definitely a direct correlation between ezekiel 36 and john 3. they both speak of the NC. I would imagine that Jesus expected nicodemus to be waiting for the beginning of the NC ("The days are coming says the Lord…") for 2 reasons: 1. He was obviously the Messiah as shown thru His works and 2. He had been preaching that "The kingdom of Heaven is at hand…" A "teacher of Israel" should have known and been held to a higher standard than even the apostles. Nocodemus mistakenly referred to Jesus as a "teacher from God" and not the Messiah and He also did not recognize the other "signs of the times." That is all that is going on. Jesus used the occasion to launch into some revelation by providing an answer that doesn't relate to Nicodemus' initial comment at all. The revelation He provides, being "born again" was a hint that the NC written about in Ezekiel and Jeremiah was about to begin. Those OT passages clearly layout the upcoming ministry of the Spirit and Jesus also mentions the work of the Spirit (vs8) which is still yet future (7:37-39.) There is nothing to exegete here in reference to anything being written on the heart. Jesus does not go into any detail for anyone to make a statement using chapter 3 as a proof text for or against this disagreement. i fail to see the "annointing" we have recieved as a denial of a literal "law" being written on our hearts. My point is that the writing IS the annointing. why do you think that the words "law" in the Jere 31 passage was changed to a plural form in Hebrews 8?
Remember the S.N.L. parody of Point/Counterpoint? Jane … er, Pat ~ "for the record" (I'm aware, of course, that you agree with half of the following tenets): 1. Although the instant issue is the law written on the heart, the law of Christ is a sub-issue. 2. My understanding of the law of Christ is that it is, inter alia, heavily content-laden. 3. My understanding ot the law written on the heart is that Scripture is bereft of indication of any content of such.4. Contention that the law of Christ is written on the heart cannot, therefore, be found to be well-taken. 5. I readily accept that the prophets' allusion to law written on the heart is but another example of picture/fulfillment.6. I concede that the picture/fulfillment that is the law written on the heart is comparatively weakly supported by Scripture. What say you, Geoff?
The strength of NCT is that Geoff and Steve throw traditions, pre suppositions and all excess baggage out the window when they come to the Bible. That is why i dont understand their take on the "law written on the heart." Again, it is the only issue i am aware of that i disagree with them on. Jim, you perfectly illustrate my frustration in your point #3 where you say scripture is bereft of the law on the heart being content laden. This is true …except for the very verses in question! The verse says: "I will write…and I will put…" Now, do you come to any other NT verse requiring a proof text elsewhere to indicate that the verse in question actually means what it says? Of course not! Then why here? What scripture is bereft of is any indication that we should NOT take the NC in a literal fashion, ie..assume the Holy Spirit brings content. As to this point, as I have pointed out, 1 Corinthians 2 is crystal clear about what the HS brings and what the result is. In short, on this issue, NCT has come to the text with presuppositions and thus cannot derive it's true meaning. I would guess those presuppositions to be a antipathy to Covenant theology's insistance on a moral law written on the heart and they have thrown the baby out with the bath water. Jim et al, as to your point #5…NC as picture fulfillment…does it not bother you that all the other "picture-fulfillments" in the Bible are readily and easily seen with proof texts, but this alleged "picture-fulfillment" has absolutely none? it should. There is just no point in forcing this issue. Let us agree to disagree.
Geoff,
On a more serious note, here's the link to my paper on Jeremiah 31. http://bibleblogger.org/papers/jeremiah31.pdf
Since you're looking over my shoulder while I write this, let me say it's a great blog!
Miguel.
Joe,I would understand Galatians 6:2 and "fulfilling the law of Christ" as referring to the summary of all law in the New Covenant era "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34But the specifices of the law of Christ are not the new heart but the actual laws of the new covenant era that one with a new heart will seek to obey. Geoff
Jim,Regarding Romans 2:15, this would seem to be referring to the law of the conscience, which is a sense of right and wrong that the unbeliever cannot live up to and is therefore condemned. This is a "different critter" than the "law in the heart" of Jeremiah 31. It is the context which is always our final determiner. All men have the law in the conscience which is the result of being made in the image of God, though it has been affected by the fall it still has a job to do. Geoff
Patrick,In response to your comment I would only want to point out that the final determiner of what an old testament passage means when it is quoted in the new is how the author in the new uses it. In Hebrew 10:14-18 the author gives his explanation of "those who are being made holy" as those who receive the law in the heart. Since law has no power to change us as Romans 7 seems to point out then the author of Hebrews is making the point that the transformed life which Jesus purchased on the cross is the result of the law in the heart and Romans 8 does seem to point out that it is the work of the Spirit that transforms the believer (see also Romans 7:6). So… that is why I say that the author of Hebrews is using the language of the picture to talk about new covenant fulfillment. Geoff
Jim,As I noted on another comment the use of the "law in the heart" by the author of Hebrews, in my opinion, does not allow for us the conclude that the "laws in the heart" are actual laws. Geoff
Joe,Please keep in mind 1 Corinthinas 9:21. Here Paul is making the case that he is not under the mosaic law but another another version of law. He eliminates from the discussion the mosaic law and since sin is breaking God's law (1 John 3:4) one must ask what law are we breaking ? We are breaking the law of Christ, those specifics laws for believers who live this side of Pentecost. Geoff
Geoff,Thanks for your responses.Yes law written in the heart enables us to obey the laws that are Christ's law.Joe
Thanks, Geoff, for your responses; I couldn't more strongly concur that the law written on the heart is, nearly certainly, not content-laden; certainly, Scripture gives absolutely no indication as to what ostensible content may be implied. I also concur as to Romans 2; I reiterate my question, though, as to what, if any, significance you may place on the language therein being "the works of the law" — rather than "the law" — being written on the heart. On Pat's behalf, I'll reiterate his question as to what, if any, significance you may place on Jeremiah using the word "law" as contrasted with Barnabas' [the writer of Hebrews (?)] use of the word "laws" written on the heart.(paragraph) Please indulge an out-of-context quotation of John Reisinger: It is rather surprising when we take a concordance and look up the occurrences in Scripture of the words "law" and "laws". * * * I realize that some men are "under the law" in a wrong sense and others are under the wrong law. I want it clearly understood that we are not "under the law" in the sense that Israel was under the law, but we are nonetheless not lawless. We are indeed under God's true law, the law of Christ. * * * The question is not whether we follow objective commandments or some nebulous feeling called love. Again, we agree that God's truth comes in words; in propositional absolutes as well as clear principles. (bold emphasis added; italics sic.
Hi Geoff,I understand your view since I've heard it from many others in NCT. However, I fear that this interpretation of NCT will only unnecessarily repel CT'ers farther from us.
Geoff: "So…what we have is the author of Hebrews using the language of the Old Covenant, or language of the picture, to describe the new heart and changed life…Jesus purchased on the cross an internal motivation called the “law in the heart,” which is the work of the Spirit"
Greg: Yes, you're right that "writing on the heart" is a picture (as I'll show below.) But, that doesn't negate the possibility of content. Even if the Spirit motivates us, that still begs the question, "What does the Spirit motivate us to do?" What if a man claims the Spirit led him to commit adultery? How do we know he's wrong? Because of Christ's commands! What the Spirit communicates to us is our Lord's commands.
Now a few thoughts about CT's interpretation of this passage the law written on the heart… Which law: The Old Covenant law of Moses or the New Covenant law of Christ? God revealed His law progressively in redemptive history. The law of God changed from the law of Moses to the law of Christ.
Here is the passage in question… "…I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant (a.k.a. Decalogue) that I made with their fathers on the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt,…I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts…" (Jeremiah 31:31-33; cf. Heb. 8:8-10)
What does it mean that God "writes" His law on our hearts? Obviously, He didn't engrave visible words in 12-point, Times Roman font. When we compare Jeremiah 31:31-34 with Heb. 8:8-12, the contexts contrast a disobedient people vs. an obedient people. So, "writing My law on the heart" may be a metaphor for "obey My laws" (cf. Ezekiel 36:26-27.)
Our sovereign God guarantees that all His New Covenant people will obey. But, which laws does He "write on the heart," or guarantee that we'll obey? All commands given by Christ and His apostles.
And, since every covenant (treaty) contains laws, then a New Covenant must contain new laws. It is a new contract. It's an oxymoron to claim that a New Covenant contains the same old law (CT) or no laws (antinomianism.)
CT'ers should ask themselves if the Ten Commandments are the only laws God writes on our hearts? (Seems a bit reductionistic.) Or, does He write all His laws on our hearts? Aren't these laws also written on our hearts…
· Love the Lord with all your heart?
· Love your neighbor as yourself?
· Love one another as I have loved you?
· Husbands love your wife?
· Deny yourself and take up your cross?
And, what about the new commands which didn't exist at the time of Jeremiah…
· Baptism?
· The Lord's Supper?
· Select of elders and deacons?
· Marry believers only?
· Evangelize the Gentiles?
I'm sorry, but I believe He "writes" all of His commands, not just 10 of them, on our hearts. (excerpted from an upcoming study on NCT.)
Getting back to NCT, the Spirit (and love) alone, can’t define our duties. The Spirit only motivates us to keep Christ's commands. Whether we believe those commands are "written on the heart" or not, is not as important as whether we love His commands, teach His commands, and obey His commands.
Greg Gibson
My substantive comment, take 2.Patrick,I guess I need to spell it out a bit more clearly. John 3:5 says, "Jesus answered, truly, truly, I say to you, unless anyone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."Now, as you may know, the exegetical difficulty here is the identification of "water." Several proposals have been made throughout the ages. Some have suggested that "water" refers to baptism, while others have suggested that the reference to the male's sperm for procreation. Both of these options have been shown to be foreign to the context, for not the least of reasons, why would Nicodemus be held responsible for not understanding these things? Is Nicodemus responsible for the knowledge of a future ordinance, like baptism, or for knowing the physical birth is necessary for entrance into the kingdom of God? Certainly not. Therefore, what should Nicodemus, the teacher of all Israel, be responsible for understanding? The Old Testament with it's laws and prophecies etc.In particular, where in the OT do we find water and the Spirit of God connected? We find it in Ezek. 36:25-26. This connection is indisputable. Also, the connection to the regenerating and indwelling activity of the Spirit is indisputable. There is no mention of a law or laws written on the heart in this text, but the text is full of the new creation theme caused by the heart change i.e. regeneration. God performs this work in us so that we will walk in his statutes and keep his commands etc. That is the relationship of regeneration to the law in this text. The law still remains outside of us, something we walk in by the Spirit's power, not so that we can fulfill it on our own (Christ has already done that acc. Rom. 8:3-4), but so that we walk according to Christ, our new Master and Lawgiver.Most commentators see this text as the parallel text to Jer. 31:31ff. Why does the LXX and, subsequently, Hebrews translate torah as nomous? You got me, for I have no idea. However, I think it is a translational issue. There is not a different Hebrew text underlieing the Greek. We need to see of the LXX does this in other places in the book of Jeremiah. However, let's assume it is interpretational, on the part of the translator. Did the Jews perceive the torah as a unity with no constituent parts, namely commandments? Of course not. The torah stood for the whole, which consisted of parts. The translator and Hebrews simply means to emphasize the parts, but not to the exclusion of the whole. This observation of yours (which I have entertained in the past) does not move the discussion forward at all, for you still must realize that Jer. and Hebrews are the only two places that talk about the law written on the heart (Romans 2:15 is entirely different). These books also have a mysterious omission of the work of the Spirit in the hearts of believers. Could it be, that these books talk about the same major theme of regeneration and indwelling by the use of a different metaphor, namely the inscribing of the law on the heart. It is still a supernatural work of God, but it is described differently, yet it shares the same theological category as regeneration in the rest of the OT and the NT.I submit to you that Scripture is colorful in its presentation of certain truths. Hebrews, borrowing from Jeremiah, presents the same truth as the rest of Scripture.
john; i see the use of "water" as a direct allusion to the following: exodus 29:"1 “And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests…"4 “And Aaron and his sons you shall bring to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall wash them with water."…"7 And you shall take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him. 8 Then you shall bring his sons and put tunics on them. 9 And you shall gird them with sashes, Aaron and his sons, and put the hats on them. The priesthood shall be theirs for a perpetual statute." directly after the NC of Jeremiah 31Jeremiah 33 continues the picture:17 “For thus says the LORD: ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18 nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.’ This is plainly the "picture" and the Church is plainly the fulfillment: 1 peter 2:9-" 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…" i corinthians 6:11; ephesians 5:16 and titus 3:5 all speak of the "washing" NC citizens undergo. We serve the NC as "ministers" (2 cor 3:6.) Also, note Ephesians 5:1 and Philippians 4:18 for 2 of many passages concerning our works/love being termed "sacrifices" which offer an "aroma" pleasing to God. This is perfect fulfillment of Jeremiah 33 above. We, as NC priests, have been "washed" via this "water" (not baptism and certainly not sperm…seriously!); we have access to the "throne of Grace" as the OC priests had access to God via the Holy of Holies. This all fits perfectly into the context of this New Covenant and our role as priests and the paralell picture/fulfillment "washings." Also, interesting is the mirror images of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 and Annanias and Sapphira in Acts 5 which further strengthens the picture/fulfillment. This all pertains to what Nicodemus should have known? Jesus often seemed to expect the apostles to know things when the gospels clearly state that the truth of scriptures were hidden from them. It seems to me that the Messiah was prophesied. Jesus came claiming to be Him. He clearly was. The NC and future ministry of the Spirit was also written about as the NC. Jesus expected Nicodemus to put some of it together. Thank you for responding. There is not much "dialogue" on this blog.
Patrick,That is a very interesting connection, and I think that you are probably right, though, I am very ignorant of these matters.At the end of the day, I wonder if the connection does not support Geoff's thesis. The cleansing of the Spirit, pictured in water, speaks to the transformation brought by regeneration. Because we are clean and the Spirit empowers us, God causes us to walk in his statutes. Let me know what you think about my observation respecting the law on the heart in Jer. and Hebrews alone.John
I'm surprised at the issues being raised via this "thread" (probably less surprised than is Geoff, though!); that said, I'm enjoying what I'm reading. John, thanks especially for the information pertaining to the Septuagint; another reminder that original manuscripts were inspired but translations are not. By-the-way, in my rush, I not only failed to close the parentheses at the end of my last comment, I failed to indicate the quotation's source as Tablets of Stone & The History of Redemption, pp. 130-131.
john; my reply to your thoughts on jeremiah and Hebrews (alone) that namely the law remains external to us which as near as i can tell is the nut of our disagreement and this point of this post… is to reiterate these points: The text of jeremiah 31 insists that "content" of the law(s!) of Christ are brought by the Spirit. I agree that sanctification is a new life, but i assert that it is brought about by the "content" that the Spirit brings and the power to execute them that He brings also. The promises in the Abrahamic covenant have been reinterpreted in the NC scriptures…very obviously reinterpreted. The Davidic Covenant has been obviously reinterpreted in Acts 2 by Peter. Jeremiah 31 is not treated in the NC scriptures in any way similar to these 2 examples. In fact, i have cited 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 as proof (which no one responds to.) This text clearly shows that the Spirit brings us much more than battery power. If you disagree with my take on this passage and my application of it to Hebrews 8 and 10, what do you think it is saying? i do not see how anyone can read that chapter and then say the Spirit brings us nothing, but an impetus. Think about what you/they are implying…that the Spirit has no mind!? Please read 1 corinthians 2!!!! The error that Geoff, Jim et al are making is that they are assuming this passage does not mean what it says. They supply no proof text the way Acts 2 for instance proves that the Davidic covenant is not what it appears to be in 2 Samuel 7. They say "scriptures are bereft of evidence" that the Spirit brings content of the law. They not only ignore the content of the text in question, but they egregiously ignore 1 Corinthians chapter 2 as well. In regards to the actual NC text in Hebrews 8 and 10, what sort of hermenuetic is it that requires a proof text elsewhere for you to take any text in a literal fashion (save prophecy)? consider Galtians 5:18-"If you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law." Verses 16-18 in Galatians 5 do not seem to support what Geoff is asserting either. (i am not implying we are not under any law only that the Spirit brings more than an impetus or the power to execute laws we learn from NC scriptures.) what exactly does it mean to be "led by the Spirit"? I might add that we are dealing with the spiritual realm in which the word "literal" is difficult to use. I have a mind,; a spirit and a soul, but i cannot tell you where they literally reside in my physical being. I have literally passed from death to life, but it is difficult to recite what literally occurs in a realm we can't see physically. I do believe our emotions are connected to this realm, though, but i digress…yet again!
Greg,You have said that the "laws in the heart" could refer to a metaphor that means we are to "obey his laws." The problem with that thought is that the context of Hebrews 10:14-18 is God "causing" obedience. That is the whole argument of Romans 7 & 8. The law cannot cause obedience only the Spirit can do that. That is why the "laws in the heart" becomes a phrase to describe the motivation of the believer by the Spirit to obey His laws. Geoff
Geoff: “The law in the heart is not referring to actual laws…In the New Covenant Jesus purchased on the cross an internal motivation called the