Emperor Constantine, Bronze, ca. 312-334 A.D.
Capitoline Museum, Rome
Law in the Early Church
New Testament: Rom. 7:14: "The law as we know is something spiritual."
Rom. 10:4-5: "Christ has superceded the law, bringing justification to anyone who will believe (Finis enim legis, Christus, ad iustitiam omni credenti). The account that Moses gives of that justification that comes from the law is that a man will find life in its commandments if he observes them."
Gal. 3:10-13: "Those who take their stand on observance of the law are all under a curse; Cursed be everyone (we read) who does not persist in carrying out all that this book of law prescribes. And indeed, that the law cannot make a man acceptable to God is clear enough; it is faith we are told that brings life to the just man."
2 Corthin. 3:6-7: "All our ability comes
from God, since it is he who has enabled us to promulgate his new law to men.
It is spiritual, not a written law; the written law inflicts death, whereas the
spiritual law brings life." verses: 17-18: "The Spirit we have been
speaking of is that of the Lord; and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is
freedom." (Dominus autem spiritus est; ubi autem Spiritus Domini, ibi
libertas).
Didaché (Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles) and other collections of moral precepts that circulated before ca. 300 A.D.