I was given a book by my SDA mother-in-law titled "The
Antichrist Agenda." Knowing SDAs I knew that the Sabbath
would be the focal point of the book. I agreed to read it,
but told her that I would write my own commentary on the
book. So far I have read a little over half and have found
it full of generalizations that are not backed by scripture
and in many case are contrary to scripture. ...
...
If the Sabbath arguments are so weak as to require lies and
distortions to support them, then the Sabbath position
supported by this book has to be false.
I am a seventh-day Sabbath keeper who is not a member of the Seventh
Day Adventist church. So I will not try to defend any particular SDA
book, but instead I will merely try to explain the truth.
-----
The Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:8-11,
Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
It is obvious to any sane person that the Ten Commandments have NOT
been "done away" or "abolished", because if they had been "done away",
then it would be permissible to murder, to steal, to commit adultery,
and so forth.
Simplistic logic not befitting a thinking person. No one can follow the
teachings of Christ and do as you have listed above. Jesus named two
primary commands, both involving love. These commands are far superior
in
that not only do they command "do not" they also command "do." One can
ignore the starving under the Ten Commandments, but it is impossible
under
the two commandments of love.
Jesus said that it was necessary to keep the "commandments" to have
Matthew 5:20
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall
exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye
shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Righteousness beyond selfrighteousness, a righteousness that is found in
being in Christ's righteousness. Jesus is not teaching you to follow the
Law, but to follow Him.
And following Him is contrary to the Law-10 commandments?
Outward obedience to the law, which the Pharisees were famous for
is not righteousness at all. If you are ego centric, you whole focus on
following Christ is
YOUR SALVATION. However, God requires His children to be obedient.
And, His children willingly accept this because they are motivated by
love,
in responce to His grace, forgiveness and the gift of His Son on the
cross.
2 Cor 5:14-15
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One
died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live
should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and
rose
again.
NKJV
If your obedience is based on self love or self preservation-fear of hell
or
wanting to go to heaven it is legalistic. Obedience is a heart responce to
God, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Matt 23:27-28
7 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like
whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are
full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also
outwardly
appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and
lawlessness.
NKJV
Notice Jesus said here "but inside you are full of hypocrisy and
lawlessness."
Jesus did not condemn them obeying the law, but rather that their hearts
were not right with God. They were motivated by self, not love toward God
or
fellow man.
Matthew 7:21
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven.
The will of the Father in heaven is to love His Son
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God,
that you believe in Him whom He has sent."
1 John 3:23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of
His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.24
The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know
by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
Matthew 19:17
17 ... if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Name one person other than Jesus who has obeyed this verse.
1 John 2:3-4,7
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 3:23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His
Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
...
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old
commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old
commandment is the word which ye have heard from the
beginning.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one
another,
even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
1 John 5:2-3
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we
love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
If one studies the writings of John you will discover that John does not
use the word "commandment" as a reference to the Ten Commandments, but
in
a more informal way as a reference to the teachings of Christ on earth.
Philosphy is nice, but not scriptual. Love towards God or fellow man does
not break the 10 commandments or is it contrary to it. Love in the
biblical
sence is more than just a touchy feely emotion.
James 1:22-27
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man
observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes
away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks
into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a
forgetful
hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his
tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. 27 Pure
and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans
and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
NKJV
James goes on BTW to quite clearly indicate that the 10 commandments are a
governing
Actually, he doesn't. You're reading your church's interpretation into the
term "royal law." Nothing in the text shows that the royal law and the 10
commandments are one and the same thing. The passage would make just as
much sense if the royal law contained the same principles as the 10
commandments, but was a different law from them ... and this is more in
keeping with Paul.
That is what Andrew doesn't want to discuss - that, as a legal code, the
Decalogue is part of the Old Covenant, and is abolished, but we are still
expected to act morally, according to a new law that contains many of the
same commandments, as well as others.
James 2:8-13
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You
shall
love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; 9 but if you show
partiality,
you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For
whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is
guilty
of all. 11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not
murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have
become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will
be
judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one
who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
NKJV
So love is more just a feeling. It requires action. Feeling nice and fuzzy
about someone
is not the biblical love in scripture. Certainly it accompanies action, it
is a motivating
force. Having a converted softened heart is the basis and motivating
factor.
Otherwise one would be as the Pharisees, outwardly compliant, by the
letter
of the law and not the spirit-which is love.
Ezek 36:26-27
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within
you;
and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give
you
a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my
statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them.
ASV
James 2:14-20
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does
not
have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and
destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace,
be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are
needed
for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it
does
not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your
faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You
believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe - and
tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without
works
is dead?
NKJV
The new birth experience is one of dying to the old sinful self and being
reborn to a new life of obedience to God. That is the whole example of
baptism. Dying, being lowered into the water-buried and raised-reborn. We
have died to a life of rebellion against God.
Not so we can continue in sin, and now have an excuse because "we are
under
grace".
Our sin put Jesus on the cross, think about the hypocricy of one who
claims
that it
is lawful now to break God's law.
The misinterpretation of Paul's writing against legalism and to attribute
that to obedience is ridiculous. It is true, OF COURSE, that our
righteousness amounts to nothing, however
that does not mean that God does not require His children to live holy
lives, and yes based on a motivation of love. Our commandment keeping
doesn't contribute to our salvation, but it does show or give evidence of
our faith, love and devotion to God and fellow man.
John was NOT writing about the new commandments of Jesus, or anything
of that sort, because he clarified that he was referring to the "old
commandment", namely the "word which ye have heard from the
beginning". Anybody with a grasp of the English language ought to
have no difficulty understanding that John was referring to the Ten
Commandments, which the Jews had been taught from their infancy.
See above. John is writing to Gentile Christians not to Jews only The
teachings they receaved from the beginning was about Jesus. The word
translated commandment means instruction, teaching or commandment.
Your statement is clearly eisigesis. To think that Gentiles were not
taught
the OT is a fallacy. That was the scripture of that time. The Apostles
taught from
OT scripture as a basis to support Jesus as the Messiah.
Revelation 12:17
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to
make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the
commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 14:12
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that
keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 22:14
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the
gates into the city.
So why would people think that the "commandments of God", namely the
Ten Commandments, have been ended?
How mant commandments did God give? Answer over 600 according to
rabinical
count. Do you keep all 600? The Ten Commandments were the main points
of
the Law, but the Law didn't stop at ten. How do you know what adultery
is
and where do you find it in scripture? How do you define murder as
opposed to an accidental death and where do you find it? What are the
definitions of theft and where do you find it? How do you observe the
Sabbath and where do you find it? What is the appropriate penalty for
any
of the above and where do you find it?
Murder was murder long before Moses-see Cain and Abel.
Did Cain know it was murder? How did he know?
Not from reading Exodus and seeing the 10 Commandments written there. The
moral principles existed apart from the legal code, as they do today.
1 Corinthians 7:19
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing,
but the keeping of the commandments of God.
In fact, Paul specifically advocated keeping most of the Ten
Romans 13:9
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not
kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false
witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other
commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying,
namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Bingo perhaps you are starting to catch on. The principles of the the
law
continue in two laws. Paul names one of them there. Please show me
somewhere in the New Testament where somebody said that the Sabbath day
is
a continuing principle of the new covenant.
The NC states that God writes His law upon our hearts, sort of how Cain
had it and became guilty in his consciousness before God.
God made the 7th day Holy-sanctified it. Please show me a verse that says
God
un-sanctified it. Until He does, it remains a holy day.
It was limited to the Old Covenant. Therefore there is no reason to need a
separate statement saying that we need not keep it. Even then, several are
supplied in the New Testament by Paul.
http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/col2.html
http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/rom14.html
http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/gal4.html
Ephesians 4:28
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him
labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that
he may have to give to him that needeth.
Just because a principle of the Law is named in scripture does not mean
that the entire law is continued forward. How can one steal from and
love
his neighbor as himself at the same time?
Ephesians 6:1-3
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is
right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first
commandment with promise;
3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long
on the earth.
If you think that Paul taught that the Ten Commandments were ended,
you will have a difficult time explaining any of this.
The principles of the Ten Commandments existed before Moses and still
do,
but the specifics of the Law are different. If you disagree, please
execute the next Sabbath breaker you meet as commanded in the Law.
Also, the Epistle to the Hebrews supports the commandments against
Hebrews 13:4-5
4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but
whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be
content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Don't see what this has to do with the Sabbath or the Ten Commandments.
Moreover, the epistle writer James made it clear that the Ten
Commandments were one united package, and that they cannot be
James 2:10-11
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend
in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do
not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill,
thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Will you please notice that James named the Law, not the Ten
Commandments.
As stated above, where does one find the definitions of adultery and
murder. By the way, James is using the Ten Commandments to teach a
principle of the what James calls the Law of Liberty, love your neighbor
as yourself. James 2:1-13 is a treatise correcting the common practice
of
showing favoritism to the wealthy and acting scornfully toward the poor.
Lev 19:18
You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of
your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
NKJV
It wasn't a new teaching by Jesus at all. Love is the basis of all law
keeping.
Jesus did NOT teach that the Sabbath was ended. He taught the correct
Matthew 12:12
12 ... Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
Is going to work to support one's family doing well on the sabbath?
Jesus corrected the Pharisees on their incorrect understanding of the
Sabbath, Matthew 12:1-13. He told them that it is lawful for the
hungry to gather enough food for their immediate needs, and that it is
lawful to heal on the Sabbath day. It is clear from this that Jesus
was saying that the Sabbath remained in effect, but that the Pharisees
had a false interpretation of what was permitted on this day.
Which is in conflict with the teachings and practises of the Law of the
Sabbath. One was to collect, gather, purchase, harvest and prepare on
Friday for two days. That the Sabbath was a ceremonial practice rather
than moral Jesus made clear in the passage you cite. (12:5 Or have you
not
read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the
Sabbath and are innocent?) Please tell me what moral law can be set
aside
as the Sabbath is?
The Sabbath was not a ceremonial practice. It was founded at creation.
It is a moral imperative, just like the other 9 it's included with.
It was not revealed to any human beings until the time of Moses.
http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/beforemoses.html
http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/gen2.html
Mark 2:27
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and
So why do people think that the Sabbath is NOT made for man?
Not to be changed by man. But to be used by man for rest, spiritual
refreshing,
a day set aside for comunion with God.
Mark 2:28
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Luke 6:5
5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also
of the sabbath.
Means has authority over, not the object of.
So why do people think that Jesus does not care about the Sabbath?
Why do people think that they think that they can neglect the Sabbath,
without neglecting Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath, as well?
Why do you think that making Jesus the Lord of one day a week is
superior
to making Him Lord seven days a week?
He is Lord of of all days. However you are trying to make that a basis for
making the 7th day ambivalent. It is God who set aside one day, not us.
For a certain people at a certain time.
http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/beforemoses.html
Genesis 2:2-3
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had
made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work
which he had made.
because that in it he had rested from all his work which God
created and made.
It was also given in memorial of being freed from Egypt.
That's beacuse the Jews could not practice it in Egypt
Actually, it was because the Jews didn't know about the Sabbath until later.
http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/beforemoses.html
God bless,
Stephen
--
Stephen Korsman
website: http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/
blog: http://www.theotokos.co.za/blog/
IC | XC
---------
NI | KA
add an s before .co.za
Exodus 20:11
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea,
wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
That the Sabbath day was a very specific day of the week, and not an
arbitrary choice of any one day in seven, is indicated by the fact
that God provided a double portion of manna to the Israelites on the
sixth day of the week, so that no labor would be required to gather
the manna on the Sabbath day, Exodus 16:22-23. This continued for
FORTY YEARS, Exodus 16:35, Joshua 5:12. By that time there was no
doubt in the minds of the Israelites concerning which day was the
Sabbath, nor was there any thought that one day of the week was the
same as another.
Yet when one looks at the Old Testament the one sin that the Israelites
were punished for by being led away captive in Babylon was the sin of
not
observing the Sabbath--YEAR
There has been no other commandment or revelation from God given on
this question that has changed the day to any other day. Those who
deliberately observe the Sabbath day on some other day of the week do
so by their own initiative, or by the influence of false tradition.
They do so in defiance of the word of God.
Nope, as I read my Bible and came to my conclusions by reading the whole
Bible, not just selected pieces. Most simply put the Ten Commandments
were given to a specific people at a specofic time.
Why did Jesus die on the cross? Was it for the sins of Jews only?
If it's for the sin of the whole world, what defines sin?
Rom 7:7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I
would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have
known
covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."
NKJV
1 John 3:4
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the
transgression of the law.
KJV
The Old covenant is not
limited to just the Ten Commandments, but includes them in the Law of
Moses. The Sabbath was to be a sign between God and Israel (Ex 31) and
therefore was exclusively meant for Israel. Paul chided believers for
observing special holy days (Rom 14, Gal 4)
That Gal verse is not in regard to Jewish holy day
and said that we are to let no one judge
us about the Sabbath (Col 2:16). We as Christians are to enter His rest
by believing because those who observed the seventh day and those who
entered "rest" in the promised land failed to enter His rest. We have
our
Sabbath rest in Jesus by trusting in His work of salvation and ceasing
from ours. (Heb 4)
I partially agree with your statement, but once again, you are egocentric
and view obedience in regard to YOUR salvation rather that in responce to
it.
Yes Jesus gives us spiritual rest, but the sabbath was also meant as a
physical rest.
Col 2:16 doesn't speak to the weekly sabbath but to festival days which
were
fulfilled
by Christ in His sacrifice and life. A shadow of Christ. The weekly
sabbath
is no more
a shadow than "thou shalt not steal" is a shadow.
Yes Jesus fulfilled the the laws requirements completely. And He is our
substitute
and surety, His righteousness is the basis for our
salvation.....HOWEVER....
Christ IN YOU, sanctification is the life of Christ being fulfilled
through
the life of the believer. That same righteous life that Jesus lived is
regenerated in the life of a believer.
It doesn't save us in an eternal life sense, only the blood of an innocent
could do that.
That is the basis of the atonement. Only through Christ's blood and
sacrifice, His rioghteous life can we be saved. But the question is then,
are we then free to live a
life of sin, is salvation an excuse for sin? God has saved us FROM our
sin,
given us a new heart that that is plyable to His Holy Spirit which enables
obedience.
Why would God save us, allow His Son to die on the cross, so we can be
excused to sin? No, so that we can now live lives according to God's
will.
And that will is not contrary to His law. Sin, breaking of God's law is
what
put Jesus on the cross. God, out of love offered us redemption. Through
His
Son we have that.
But sadly many Christians stay at this point, on the milk and not to solid
food.
If God did away with His law, then Jesus didn't have to die. Because
where there is no law, there is no sin. So God could have said "that's it,
I'll change MYSELF, to fit humanity, I'll do away with my law, so everyone
is now innocent".
"Jesus doesn't have to die". But Jesus DID DIE! God did not change to fit
man.
God gave us a way to become "changed", from glory to glory.
Can you imagine what accusations Satan would have had if God just did away
with His law to excuse humanity?
God so loved us, He gave us His Son. WHY?
2 Cor 5:14-21
14 For the love of Christ compels us , because we judge thus: that if One
died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live
should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and
rose
again.
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even
though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him
thus
no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old
things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all
things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ,
and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was
in
Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to
them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading
through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21
For
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.
NKJV
Anyone who does not keep the Sabbath, or who deliberately keeps it on
the wrong day, does not love God. John wrote that if he claims to
love God, he is a "liar".
- James
The new covenant Sabbath is resting in Christ, if you choose to rest in
a
day instead of Christ, may God have mercy on you. If you choose to rest
in a day and in Christ, then you are a brother in Christ with whom I
have
some disagreements.
In Him
WT
You are very mistaken sadly. The day is not our Lord, as Jesus said God
made
the sabbath FOR MAN not MAN FOR THE SABBATH.
Personally I rest in Christ and His righteousness for my salvation.
I trust in Him only, my righteousness is as filthy rags. However I also
understand that God saved me not to continue in sin, but from Sin, that I,
out of love for Him seek his will,
and to glorify Him. We glorify and honor God by bu living lives out of
obedience.
Obedience is not burden when it is for Him, if it is a burden than we have
1 John 5:3
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His
commandments are not burdensome .
NKJV
Yes, there is a constant struggle against self, the old man. We have
sinful
natures that will be with us till we die. That nature craves sin and
rebellion against God. But Jesus said, pick up your cross and follow me.
Luke 9:23-25
Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny
himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me . 24 For whoever
desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My
sake will save it.
NKJV
The Christian life is one of self-sacrifice, not self improvement.
Too much in Christianity today, the motivation is, "How can I be blessed,
how can I be improved". But truly the Christian life is one of loving God
with all, and your fellow man.
Matt 22:37-40
37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your
heart, with all your soul , and with all your mind .' 38 This is the
first
and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and
the Prophets."
NKJV
Those two commandments, which BTW are found in the OT, are not contrary to
the 10.
Gen 1:1 - Rom 13:10
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another
has
fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit
adultery,"
"You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false
witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment,
are
all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as
yourself." 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the
fulfillment of the law.
NKJV
Paul is not speaking against the Law, but rather revealing the true nature
of them and the motivation for keeping them-LOVE!
Gal 5:13-15
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty
as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14
For
all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware
lest you be consumed by one another!
NKJV
Gal 5:5-6
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails
anything, but faith working through love .
NKJV
Hearts that have been changed, who appreciate the great gift that God has
given us
in His Son, desire to please God, to live their lives for Him and for
their
fellow man.
We are truly servants to the world, and children of God.
Jesus foot washing showed the humility in service to others.
Jesus death and righteous life is ours, and the condemnation of the law
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty
as an opportunity for the flesh,
The law serves a purpose, it is the same purpose it always had, not as a
means of salvation or self glorification as the Pharisees distorted it to
be, but as a means of pointing out sin. Written upon the heart of the NC
Christian, through the Holy Spirit,
we are convicted of sin, and constantly led to the foot of cross, where
God
is able to
give us grace and forgiveness. One who has been loved much, loves much.
No confessional is needed, we have a direct contact with the Father
through
Jesus Christ, who is our preist, saviour and God.
Rom 7:9-12
9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin
revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I
found
to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived
me,
and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment
holy
and just and good.
NKJV
Gal 2:21
21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through
the law , then Christ died in vain."
NKJV
But many Christians interpret that to mean that Paul was "anti-law". NO!
He
was anti-legalism. There is a difference. Legalism is about
self-righteousness, self salvation.
Rom 8:1-4
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,
who
do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of
sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through
the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,
on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous
requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according
to
the flesh but according to the Spirit.
NKJV
The Spirit and the Law are not in conflict, our sinful flesh and the law
are.
Because the law is spiritual, only the spiritual man can fulfill that
requirement.
Rom 8:4-8
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things
of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of
the
Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded
is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it
is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who
are in the flesh cannot please God.
NKJV
Gal 5:16-26
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the
flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the
flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the
things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not
under
the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,
fornication,
uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions,
jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21
envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you
beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice
such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love , joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against
such
there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh
with
its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying
one another.
NKJV
May God bless you in researching this. There is a delicate balnce between
law and grace.
The Law has a purpose, that is to point out sin, it can not save anyone.
Grace is God's unmerited favor, He bestows it freely with out us earning
it
in anyway.
Satan will try to twist scripture, either towards legalism or towards
cheap
grace.
What many Christians are not seeing though is past their own perspective
and
their own salvation, it is egocentric. That of course is the basis of our
sinful natures, selfishness.
But meditate upon Christ on the cross, see His face. See the agony, His
weeping for you
and me, how shall I respond? To a life of self improvement? Or self
sacrifice?
God asks for a life of obedience and self denial, it may sound rugged and
hard,
but if you understand, that it is for His glory, not yours, that it is not
for your salvation,
but out of love and appreciation for the wonderful gift that God has given
in His Son.
It is only hard when we see it as "what's in it for me".
We are in a constant battle, daily. But when you realize that we are
fighting for God, not for ourselves, the battle becomes a little bit
easier.
There is something in the fact that fighting for yourself is rugged and
hard.
I'm not sure why that is, something about our condition I suppose.
The 'liberty" Paul spoke of though sets us free, not to sin, but free to
serve out of love.
God Bless,
John