So, many well-being, well-feeling, yet wrong-believing Christians are bringing back the law into their lives, convinced that the inner workings of Christ in us through the Holy Spirit are not adequate to lead us.
The Bible is very clear on the matter of faith and our commitment to a Person, not to a code, a creed, or a concert of conduct:
We are called to live by faith:
"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15: 6)
This verse contains the first mention of faith, and this faith is connected with depending on the LORD, the God of Abraham who was, is, and always forever will be for us (Hebrews 13: 8) because of all that Jesus Christ has done at the Cross.
"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just
shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2: 4)
and
"By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5: 2)
This faith gives us grace:
"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by
grace ye are saved;)" (Ephesians 2: 5)
and then
"For by grace are ye
saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2: 8)
Now faith saves us, and by faith we live.
Jesus taught us to believe on Him, the only work:
We can have God's faith:
"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. (lit. have the faith of God) (Mark 11: 22)"
"29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)
Paul writes about the faith of God:
"For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God
without effect?" (Romans 3:3)
He also writes that we live by the faith of the Son of God:
"20I am crucified
with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the
life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who
loved me, and gave himself for me.
"21I do not frustrate
the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is
dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)
It's all about Jesus Christ, who gives us His Life, and through His Life, we live:
"9In this was manifested
the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the
world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4: 9)
This faith is a gift from God, and it all centers on Jesus Christ!
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ReplyDeleteKeep reading, Theodore:
ReplyDelete"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3: 20)
also
"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" (Romans 5: 20)
and then
"14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6: 14)
It may offend our modern sensibilities, yet the Bible is very clear -- if you live under law, sin will abound in your life.
How then do we live? Not in ourselves, but by the grace of God:
"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 11-14)
Law brings out our sin, that we see our need for a Savior:
"23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3: 23-25)
Regarding Hebrews 7: 12 --
ReplyDelete"11If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law." (Hebrews 7:11-12)
There is a new Priesthood in Christ Jesus, who has enacted a New Covenant, one of grace:
"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." (Hebrews 8: 10-13)
The writer of Hebrews speaks explicitly that we are no longer under Sinai, but in Mount Zion:
"For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels," (Hebrews 12: 18-22)
You can also see this movement from Sinai in Galatians:
ReplyDelete"21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." (Galatians 4: 21-26)