LAWKEEPERS & GRACE
Many years ago, the Mosaic Law was given by God to the Israelites for a distinct purpose--for a distinct period. It had a determined beginning and an end. For most, that is probably a very elementary statement--we all know that, right??!!!
Sometimes, it seems though, that we forget that the Law ended when Grace began--at Calvary. We readily embrace the Mosaic Law as the guideline for living not realizing that doing so makes us debtors to the entire Law--all 600+ points of it, including the animal sacrifices, the dietary laws, the laws regarding punishment for sin--including stoning, etc. The Ten Commandments are part of the Mosaic Law--there time has come and gone, too. Am I saying it's okay to kill, lie, bear false witness, or take God's Name in vain? God forbid! What I am saying is that, the Law is not the means to avoid doing those things--if it were, we wouldn't have needed Jesus; surely, we did!
We know that the Law was good--it made man aware of his transgressions, but that is all that the Law could do (Hebrews 7:14-19)--or any of the laws that we have created, as well. No law has power to stop us from sinning, or erring; there has to be a power within us to cause us to live righteously--not based on the law, but our desire. That's where grace comes in. When Jesus died and demolished death (for those of us, who believe and accept Him), He gave us what Abraham and all of the patriarchs, prophets and judges of the Old Testament awaited. Jesus made the way for us to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within our hearts, where righteousness happens by faith.
See, it's really very prideful and arrogant of us to think that we can do this righteousness thing by the Law/laws/rules. We cannot do it, will it, accomplish it or make it happen--we can fake it; but for it to really happen it must be the Holy Spirit within us, that does the work--and, our surrender that invites Him to do it. That's my part--welcoming Him in to reign and have His way and make me righteous. I can't do it. All of my striving to "make 100%" is futile. In fact, "Christ is become of no effect" if I attempt to justify myself by the Law--or laws and rules, and I fall from grace, as a result (Galatians 5:4)! The best that I can do is butt out of the work of the Cross in me, and allow Christ to perfect me.
Remember this, it might help. When the promise of grace came to Abraham, there was no Law--in fact, it didn't come until 430 years later. The Law cannot supersede the promise of grace given to Abraham!
"But the Law does not rest on faith [does not require faith, has nothing to do with faith], for it itself says, He who does them [the things prescribed by the Law] shall live by them [not by faith].
Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified);
To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit.
To speak in terms of human relations, brethren, [if] even a man makes a last will and testament (a merely human covenant), no one sets it aside or makes it void or adds to it when once it has been drawn up and signed (ratified, confirmed).
Now the promises (covenants, agreements) were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, his Heir). He [God] does not say, And to seeds (descendants, heirs), as if referring to many persons, but, And to your Seed (your Descendant, your Heir), obviously referring to one individual, Who is [none other than] Christ (the Messiah).
This is my argument: The Law, which began 430 years after the covenant [concerning the coming Messiah], does not and cannot annul the covenant previously established (ratified) by God, so as to abolish the promise and make it void.
For if the inheritance [of the promise depends on observing] the Law [as these false teachers would like you to believe], it no longer [depends] on the promise; however, God gave it to Abraham [as a free gift solely] by virtue of His promise.
What then was the purpose of the Law? It was added [later on, after the promise, to disclose and expose to men their guilt] because of transgressions and [to make men more conscious of the sinfulness] of sin; and it was intended to be in effect until the Seed (the Descendant, the Heir) should come, to and concerning Whom the promise had been made. And it [the Law] was arranged and ordained and appointed through the instrumentality of angels [and was given] by the hand (in the person) of a go-between [Moses, an intermediary person between God and man].
Now a go-between (intermediary) has to do with and implies more than one party [there can be no mediator with just one person]. Yet God is [only] one Person [and He was the sole party in giving that promise to Abraham. But the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity was dependent on both].
Is the Law then contrary and opposed to the promises of God? Of course not! For if a Law had been given which could confer [spiritual] life, then righteousness and right standing with God would certainly have come by Law.
But the Scriptures [picture all mankind as sinners] shut up and imprisoned by sin, so that [the inheritance, blessing] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ (the Messiah) might be given (released, delivered, and committed) to [all] those who believe [who adhere to and trust in and rely on Him].
Now before the faith came, we were perpetually guarded under the Law, kept in custody in preparation for the faith that was destined to be revealed (unveiled, disclosed),
So that the Law served [a][to us Jews] as our trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ [came], that we might be justified (declared righteous, put in right standing with God) by and through faith.
But now that the faith has come, we are no longer under a trainer (the guardian of our childhood).
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. (Galatians 3:12-26, The Amplified Bible)
The reason so many struggle to live a holy life is because they are trying to will themselves holy and righteous by (self) will power and human strength in keeping laws and rules--and that will not save or keep anyone. "Oh, to be kept by Jesus!" Solomon wrote that, "the way of the transgressor is hard". What are we transgressing? For us, in this dispensation, the transgression is in our attempt to circumvent grace and faith, and rely on rules and laws to become righteous--making the cross of "none effect" in our lives. It has been made so simple for us; if we could only receive the blessing of grace and walk in it--what a relief it would be!
To walk after the Spirit--and in grace, is to allow love to cause us to live righteously. Love destroys sin. How? Matthew 22:37-40 says, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (King James Version). Paul reiterated this, too in Romans 13:9-10, and Galatians 5:13-16. This means that if we love God with all of our being and mankind the way we love our own skin (we don't want to hurt or feel pain), then we will not sin against God or one another. The problem with us and sin, is that love is not perfected in our hearts. When love is perfected (grown up, mature), sin won't be the struggle that it is. That's nutshell grace. I know that it works--I have tried both ways--I'm sticking with love, it works!
Salvation really is by GRACE, alone--think on these things!!!
Grace,
Lisa
Sometimes, it seems though, that we forget that the Law ended when Grace began--at Calvary. We readily embrace the Mosaic Law as the guideline for living not realizing that doing so makes us debtors to the entire Law--all 600+ points of it, including the animal sacrifices, the dietary laws, the laws regarding punishment for sin--including stoning, etc. The Ten Commandments are part of the Mosaic Law--there time has come and gone, too. Am I saying it's okay to kill, lie, bear false witness, or take God's Name in vain? God forbid! What I am saying is that, the Law is not the means to avoid doing those things--if it were, we wouldn't have needed Jesus; surely, we did!
We know that the Law was good--it made man aware of his transgressions, but that is all that the Law could do (Hebrews 7:14-19)--or any of the laws that we have created, as well. No law has power to stop us from sinning, or erring; there has to be a power within us to cause us to live righteously--not based on the law, but our desire. That's where grace comes in. When Jesus died and demolished death (for those of us, who believe and accept Him), He gave us what Abraham and all of the patriarchs, prophets and judges of the Old Testament awaited. Jesus made the way for us to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within our hearts, where righteousness happens by faith.
See, it's really very prideful and arrogant of us to think that we can do this righteousness thing by the Law/laws/rules. We cannot do it, will it, accomplish it or make it happen--we can fake it; but for it to really happen it must be the Holy Spirit within us, that does the work--and, our surrender that invites Him to do it. That's my part--welcoming Him in to reign and have His way and make me righteous. I can't do it. All of my striving to "make 100%" is futile. In fact, "Christ is become of no effect" if I attempt to justify myself by the Law--or laws and rules, and I fall from grace, as a result (Galatians 5:4)! The best that I can do is butt out of the work of the Cross in me, and allow Christ to perfect me.
Remember this, it might help. When the promise of grace came to Abraham, there was no Law--in fact, it didn't come until 430 years later. The Law cannot supersede the promise of grace given to Abraham!
"But the Law does not rest on faith [does not require faith, has nothing to do with faith], for it itself says, He who does them [the things prescribed by the Law] shall live by them [not by faith].
Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified);
To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit.
To speak in terms of human relations, brethren, [if] even a man makes a last will and testament (a merely human covenant), no one sets it aside or makes it void or adds to it when once it has been drawn up and signed (ratified, confirmed).
Now the promises (covenants, agreements) were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, his Heir). He [God] does not say, And to seeds (descendants, heirs), as if referring to many persons, but, And to your Seed (your Descendant, your Heir), obviously referring to one individual, Who is [none other than] Christ (the Messiah).
This is my argument: The Law, which began 430 years after the covenant [concerning the coming Messiah], does not and cannot annul the covenant previously established (ratified) by God, so as to abolish the promise and make it void.
For if the inheritance [of the promise depends on observing] the Law [as these false teachers would like you to believe], it no longer [depends] on the promise; however, God gave it to Abraham [as a free gift solely] by virtue of His promise.
What then was the purpose of the Law? It was added [later on, after the promise, to disclose and expose to men their guilt] because of transgressions and [to make men more conscious of the sinfulness] of sin; and it was intended to be in effect until the Seed (the Descendant, the Heir) should come, to and concerning Whom the promise had been made. And it [the Law] was arranged and ordained and appointed through the instrumentality of angels [and was given] by the hand (in the person) of a go-between [Moses, an intermediary person between God and man].
Now a go-between (intermediary) has to do with and implies more than one party [there can be no mediator with just one person]. Yet God is [only] one Person [and He was the sole party in giving that promise to Abraham. But the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity was dependent on both].
Is the Law then contrary and opposed to the promises of God? Of course not! For if a Law had been given which could confer [spiritual] life, then righteousness and right standing with God would certainly have come by Law.
But the Scriptures [picture all mankind as sinners] shut up and imprisoned by sin, so that [the inheritance, blessing] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ (the Messiah) might be given (released, delivered, and committed) to [all] those who believe [who adhere to and trust in and rely on Him].
Now before the faith came, we were perpetually guarded under the Law, kept in custody in preparation for the faith that was destined to be revealed (unveiled, disclosed),
So that the Law served [a][to us Jews] as our trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ [came], that we might be justified (declared righteous, put in right standing with God) by and through faith.
But now that the faith has come, we are no longer under a trainer (the guardian of our childhood).
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. (Galatians 3:12-26, The Amplified Bible)
The reason so many struggle to live a holy life is because they are trying to will themselves holy and righteous by (self) will power and human strength in keeping laws and rules--and that will not save or keep anyone. "Oh, to be kept by Jesus!" Solomon wrote that, "the way of the transgressor is hard". What are we transgressing? For us, in this dispensation, the transgression is in our attempt to circumvent grace and faith, and rely on rules and laws to become righteous--making the cross of "none effect" in our lives. It has been made so simple for us; if we could only receive the blessing of grace and walk in it--what a relief it would be!
To walk after the Spirit--and in grace, is to allow love to cause us to live righteously. Love destroys sin. How? Matthew 22:37-40 says, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (King James Version). Paul reiterated this, too in Romans 13:9-10, and Galatians 5:13-16. This means that if we love God with all of our being and mankind the way we love our own skin (we don't want to hurt or feel pain), then we will not sin against God or one another. The problem with us and sin, is that love is not perfected in our hearts. When love is perfected (grown up, mature), sin won't be the struggle that it is. That's nutshell grace. I know that it works--I have tried both ways--I'm sticking with love, it works!
Salvation really is by GRACE, alone--think on these things!!!
Grace,
Lisa
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