Jesus warned us of false prophets and teachers who would mimic His miracles with signs and wonders, while preaching and promoting "another" gospel. And, in fact, we are seeing more and more teachers who preach a gospel that has nothing to do with our Lord God and Saviour, but promote their ideology under the guise of Christianity.
Perhaps, this is why Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto Me, "Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works?" And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23)
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you -- as Paul would say. As believers in Jesus by faith, we are to believe the truth that is in His Word. Indeed, we are sanctified by the truth. "Thy Word is truth." (John 17:17)
And who is the Word? Jesus.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not ... He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God -- [even] to them that believe on His name ... and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." (John 1:1-18)
But if the teachers among us speak only of God, and not God in Christ, from whence comes our salvation? The scriptures state, "for ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ .... and if ye be Christ's, then ye are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26-29)
Sadly, however, many within the modern day religious culture do not want to accept the liberty that we have in Christ Jesus. Instead, there is this collective desire among them to entangle us once again with the law, and church legalism, because for them, grace being a gift of God is too difficult to understand. The Word compensates for this, stating:
"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." (I John 2:19)
For the record, "the scripture hath concluded all under sin -- that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith -- BUT AFTER THAT FAITH IS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER." (Galatians 3:22-25)
Is this to suggest that the law then is against the promises of God? Of course not. Rather, just a much needed reminder that we are all sinners saved as a consequence of the mercy and love of our Lord God and Saviour. He paid the price on the cross, when He shed His precious blood for you and I.
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." (Galatians 3:13)
He who knew no sin gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Apostle Paul said it right. "But I certify you brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not after men. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:1-12)
"By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves -- it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man boast." (Ephesians 2:8)
"Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world, but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son made of a woman, made under the law -- to redeem them that were under the law -- that we might receive the adoption f sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent for the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore, thou art no more a servant but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4:3-7)
And because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, we no longer have to turn to the weak and beggarly elements, "where unto ye desire again to be in bondage." (Galatians 4:9)
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments." (I John 2:1-3)
Stand in the offering plate.
Perhaps, this is why Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto Me, "Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works?" And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23)
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you -- as Paul would say. As believers in Jesus by faith, we are to believe the truth that is in His Word. Indeed, we are sanctified by the truth. "Thy Word is truth." (John 17:17)
And who is the Word? Jesus.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not ... He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God -- [even] to them that believe on His name ... and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." (John 1:1-18)
But if the teachers among us speak only of God, and not God in Christ, from whence comes our salvation? The scriptures state, "for ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ .... and if ye be Christ's, then ye are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26-29)
Sadly, however, many within the modern day religious culture do not want to accept the liberty that we have in Christ Jesus. Instead, there is this collective desire among them to entangle us once again with the law, and church legalism, because for them, grace being a gift of God is too difficult to understand. The Word compensates for this, stating:
"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." (I John 2:19)
For the record, "the scripture hath concluded all under sin -- that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith -- BUT AFTER THAT FAITH IS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER." (Galatians 3:22-25)
Is this to suggest that the law then is against the promises of God? Of course not. Rather, just a much needed reminder that we are all sinners saved as a consequence of the mercy and love of our Lord God and Saviour. He paid the price on the cross, when He shed His precious blood for you and I.
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." (Galatians 3:13)
He who knew no sin gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Apostle Paul said it right. "But I certify you brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not after men. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:1-12)
"By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves -- it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man boast." (Ephesians 2:8)
"Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world, but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son made of a woman, made under the law -- to redeem them that were under the law -- that we might receive the adoption f sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent for the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore, thou art no more a servant but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4:3-7)
And because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, we no longer have to turn to the weak and beggarly elements, "where unto ye desire again to be in bondage." (Galatians 4:9)
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments." (I John 2:1-3)
Stand in the offering plate.
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