Green Baggins has moved on to Chapter 20 of RINE, in which I argue that the law of God was crucified in the death of Jesus, and raised to life again. Lane does not appear to have a problem with the chapter at large, but is not convinced by my handling of Colossians 2:13-17. He inclines to the view that the “hand-written note” that is nailed to the cross is an IOU that our consciences have written in response to the law. I take it as the law itself.
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ”(Col. 2:13-17).
Here, in brief, are some of the reasons why I take this to be describing the law of God.
First, this “handwriting of ordinances” is “against us,” just like the law is. The blotting out of the handwriting is treated as equivalent to forgiveness of our trespasses, which are defined by the law. The fact that this handwritten set of ordinances was crucified is the basis for not allowing others to judge us in meat, drink, or holidays, which were features of the law.
Second, this passage in Colossians is paralleled in Ephesians, where a similar point is made. The law of commandments (entolon) is abolished in the flesh of Jesus (on the cross). Lane is right in saying that I don’t believe the moral law is abolished in the sense of “gone forever,” but I do believe that the moral law was crucified on the cross and rose again in greater glory. I say this in RINE — “All the law, including what we are accustomed to call ‘moral law,’ is included here” (p. 163).
The third reason is a theological point. I believe that the law was crucified and resurrected because I believe that Jesus is the law. If Jesus is the law, then whatever happened to Him happened to the law. He was and is the Word of God — He is the Spoken One. He is the law Incarnate. When He came back from the dead, lesser glories were replaced with greater glories. Certain features of the law are no longer applicable, just as certain aspects of Christ’s earthly life are no longer applicable (although they are forever a perfect part of His story). Other features of the law look the same way as they always did — the disciples recognized the risen Jesus as the same man who had taught them for the three years prior. What we call the moral law fits here. Certain features before and after the resurrection were consistent. But this does not change the fact that this consistent features are now risen in glory.