Good morning, Pastor Ronald. About po ba sa Law of Moses, para rin po ba itong Spirit kapag na-bondage ka po dito sa Ten Commandments, para rin ba siyang Holy Spirit na kapag dito po nag-focus ang isang Christian, para po siyang led by law but not by the Spirit? Di po ba ang law ni God sa Old Testament ay spiritual din? Salamat po, Pastor. Na-curious lang po kung spiritual din kaya itong conviction ng mga SDA sa pananaw nila sa Ten Commandments. Kasi ang espiritu ng Christian ay sa law of Christ na pagmamahal.
Pastor Ronald:
Magandang umaga! Solid na tanong 'yan. Actually, tama ka na ang Law ay spiritual. Sabi nga ni Apostle Paul sa Romans 7:14, "For we know that the law is spiritual." So, hindi naman "bad" or "carnal" ang Law in its essence kasi galing 'yan kay God.
Pero eto ang kailangang i-clarify: Kahit spiritual ang Law, it doesn't mean it has the power to make us spiritual or to give us the Holy Spirit.
Bible Student:
Ah, okay. So, kahit spiritual siya, iba pa rin yung "Ministry of the Spirit" sa "Ministry of the Law"?
Pastor Ronald:
Eksakto! Sa New Covenant perspective natin, we see the Ten Commandments as part of the Mosaic Covenant, yung "ministry of death" na nakaukit sa bato, sabi sa 2 Corinthians 3.
Kapag ang isang Christian ay nag-focus sa Ten Commandments as their primary rule of life, nagkakaroon ng "clash." Bakit? Kasi, the Law was meant to point out sin and lead us to Christ. Once andiyan na si Christ, hindi na tayo under sa "tutor" or "guardian," which is the Law.
Bible Student:
So, kapag ba pinilit pa rin natin yung sarili natin doon, para na tayong nasa "bondage"?
Pastor Ronald:
Parang ganoon na nga. Kapag ang focus mo ay "Do this and you shall live," bumabalik ka sa Old Covenant principle. Ang Holy Spirit ay hindi gumagawa sa pamamagitan ng pagpilit sa atin sa lumang kautusan.
Ang Holy Spirit ay nagbibigay ng bagong puso para sundin ang Law of Christ. Hindi na ito external rules na "Huwag mong gagawin ito," kundi internal transformation na "I want to love God and others."
Bible Student:
Paano naman po yung conviction ng iba, like yung focus sa Ten Commandments? Is that a "spiritual" conviction?
Pastor Ronald:
Alam mo, sincere ang maraming tao sa convictions nila, pero we have to be careful. If a conviction leads you back to shadows (like the Sabbath or dietary laws) instead of the Substance (which is Christ), then it’s a misunderstanding of how the Covenants work.
The conviction of the Holy Spirit always points to the finished work of Jesus. If the conviction feels heavy, legalistic, and makes you feel "unholy" because you missed a specific commandment under the old system, that’s "bondage to the letter," not the freedom of the Spirit.
Bible Student:
Gets ko na, Pastor. Ang Law of Moses ay spiritual kasi galing kay God, pero it’s not the "engine" for the Christian life anymore. Ang Law of Christ na, which is love empowered by the Spirit ang guide natin.
Pastor Ronald:
Tama! We don't follow the Ten Commandments to be holy; we follow Christ, and in loving Him, naturally fulfill din natin yung moral intent ng Law, pero in a much higher, "Spirit-led" way. Walang pilitan, pure love lang.
Bible Student:
Pastor, follow-up lang po doon sa "Law of Christ." Medyo malinaw na po sa akin na hindi na tayo under sa Law of Moses, pero in practice po ba, paano nagkakaiba ang pagsunod sa Ten Commandments versus sa pagsunod sa Law of Christ? Para kasing pareho lang silang rules, eh.
Pastor Ronald:
Magandang point 'yan! Sa tingin kasi ng iba, pinalitan lang natin ang listahan. Pero ang totoo, ang Law of Christ ay hindi lang "new list," kundi "new life."
Isipin mo ito: Ang Ten Commandments, ang focus niyan ay madalas "Huwag." Huwag kang papatay. Huwag kang magnanakaw. Pero ang Law of Christ, ang focus ay "Love as I have loved you."
Bible Student:
So, mas "active" po ba ang Law of Christ?
Pastor Ronald:
Tama! Halimbawa, sa Ten Commandments, basta hindi ka nagnakaw, "passed" ka na sa exam. Pero sa Law of Christ, hihimukin ka ng Spirit na maging generous. Hindi lang "hindi ka nagnakaw," kundi "nag-share ka pa."
Ang Law of Moses ay minimum requirement para hindi maparusahan. Ang Law of Christ ay overflow of love dahil sa grace ni Jesus.
Bible Student:
Ah, parang yung sinabi ni Jesus sa Sermon on the Mount? Na hindi lang "huwag pumatay," kundi "huwag mapoot"?
Pastor Ronald:
Sakto! Doon mo makikita ang difference ng New Covenant. Ang Holy Spirit ang gumagawa sa loob mo.
Sa Old Covenant, ang motivation mo ay fear: takot maparusahan o masumpa.
Sa New Covenant, ang motivation mo ay gratitude kasi minahal ka na ni Christ at binigyan ka ng bagong identity.
Bible Student:
Pero Pastor, paano kung may nag-insist na, "Kailangan pa rin nating sundin ang 4th commandment (Sabbath) para maligtas o maging faithful"?
Pastor Ronald:
Diyan tayo kailangang maging maingat. Kapag kinuha mo ang isang piraso ng Law of Moses at ginawa mong requirement para sa pagiging "spiritual," parang sinasabi mo na hindi sapat ang Holy Spirit at ang Law of Christ.
Sa New Covenant, ang "rest" natin ay hindi na lang isang specific na araw, kundi ang person ni Jesus. He is our Sabbath. So, if we focus on the day instead of the Savior, bumabalik tayo sa bondage ng "letter."
Bible Student:
So, in daily life, instead na mag-worry ako kung na-break ko ba ang "thou shalt nots," mas dapat pala akong mag-focus sa: "Lord, how can I reflect Your love today?"
Pastor Ronald:
Precisely! 'Yan ang freedom ng Christian. Hindi tayo "lawless," kundi "under the law of Christ" (1 Corinthians 9:21). We obey because we are sons and daughters, not because we are slaves trying to earn our keep.
Real Talk Reflection
"For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" — Galatians 5:14
Call to Action: Today, instead of checking off a list of "don'ts," ask the Holy Spirit to show you one way you can actively "do" love for someone else.


