"Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:13-18)
Currently, we as believers in Jesus by faith live in the period of time referred to as the dispensation of grace. Granted, we follow the SAME Christ that that our fathers did when they were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did eat all the same spiritual meat, and did drink all the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ." (I Corinthians 10:1-4)
But we are no longer under the law and ordinances of the old covenant, because when the Lord came forth as a mighty man (as prophesied in Isaiah 42:13), He ushered in a new testament. He Himself who knew no sin became sin for us, His body being hanged on a tree. (Deuteronomy 21:23) And in so doing, the vail [veil] which covered the hearts of men was torn from top to bottom -- heaven to earth -- so that we could experience His plan of salvation. His promise to those who were afar off. His free gift of life -- after the kindness and love of God our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7)
"And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance ..." (Hebrews 9:15)
Further, "what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:3)
"The law was a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year, continually make the comers thereunto perfect ... for then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshipers once purged should have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when He come into the world, He saith, "Sacrifice and offering Thou would not but a body hast Thou prepared Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, "Lo, I come (in the volume of the book, it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God." Above when He said, "Sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and offering for sin Thou would not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law," then said He, "Lo I come to do Thy will, O God, He takes away the first that He may establish the second ... by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all ..." (Hebrews 10:1-10)
Did you catch that? When we obey His voice in our hearts -- He who loved us so much that He decidedly became our Saviour - and are also water baptized in His Name -- the precious Name of the Lord Jesus, receiving the Holy Ghost in our hearts, we should have -- once purged -- no more conscience of sins. (Acts 2:36-38; Hebrews 10:2; I Peter 3:21-22; Romans 6:3-4)
Why? Because we are saved by grace through faith. Not of our doing, because there is nothing that we could ever do to save ourselves but because of the Lord's sacrifice on the cross through the shedding of His precious blood are we saved. He paid the ultimate price for you and I.
"And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of GOD IN CHRIST, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect ... for if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave [it] to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serve the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid; for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily, righteousness should have been by the law. But 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 afterward 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. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ ... for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:17-29)
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, so that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles (those who are not Jews) through/in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:11-14) This is why the just shall live by faith.
And, as apostle Paul points out -- "And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (I Corinthians 6:11)
If you struggle with this teaching, I encourage you to study the Word of God at every opportunity. He wants His people -- the born again believing body of Christ -- to be in one accord, just as these were on the day of Pentecost, when the first 3,000 souls in the new testament church repented, believing Jesus to be both Lord and Christ, and were water baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hear ye Him. Obey His voice, saith the Lord. (Acts 2:36; John 3:16; John 1:1-14; John 1:33)
Let him/her with ears to hear, hear what the Lord has to say to His beloved. Stand in the offering plate.
Currently, we as believers in Jesus by faith live in the period of time referred to as the dispensation of grace. Granted, we follow the SAME Christ that that our fathers did when they were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did eat all the same spiritual meat, and did drink all the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ." (I Corinthians 10:1-4)
But we are no longer under the law and ordinances of the old covenant, because when the Lord came forth as a mighty man (as prophesied in Isaiah 42:13), He ushered in a new testament. He Himself who knew no sin became sin for us, His body being hanged on a tree. (Deuteronomy 21:23) And in so doing, the vail [veil] which covered the hearts of men was torn from top to bottom -- heaven to earth -- so that we could experience His plan of salvation. His promise to those who were afar off. His free gift of life -- after the kindness and love of God our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7)
"And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance ..." (Hebrews 9:15)
Further, "what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:3)
"The law was a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year, continually make the comers thereunto perfect ... for then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshipers once purged should have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when He come into the world, He saith, "Sacrifice and offering Thou would not but a body hast Thou prepared Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, "Lo, I come (in the volume of the book, it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God." Above when He said, "Sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and offering for sin Thou would not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law," then said He, "Lo I come to do Thy will, O God, He takes away the first that He may establish the second ... by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all ..." (Hebrews 10:1-10)
Did you catch that? When we obey His voice in our hearts -- He who loved us so much that He decidedly became our Saviour - and are also water baptized in His Name -- the precious Name of the Lord Jesus, receiving the Holy Ghost in our hearts, we should have -- once purged -- no more conscience of sins. (Acts 2:36-38; Hebrews 10:2; I Peter 3:21-22; Romans 6:3-4)
Why? Because we are saved by grace through faith. Not of our doing, because there is nothing that we could ever do to save ourselves but because of the Lord's sacrifice on the cross through the shedding of His precious blood are we saved. He paid the ultimate price for you and I.
"And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of GOD IN CHRIST, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect ... for if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave [it] to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serve the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid; for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily, righteousness should have been by the law. But 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 afterward 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. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ ... for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:17-29)
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, so that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles (those who are not Jews) through/in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:11-14) This is why the just shall live by faith.
And, as apostle Paul points out -- "And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (I Corinthians 6:11)
If you struggle with this teaching, I encourage you to study the Word of God at every opportunity. He wants His people -- the born again believing body of Christ -- to be in one accord, just as these were on the day of Pentecost, when the first 3,000 souls in the new testament church repented, believing Jesus to be both Lord and Christ, and were water baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hear ye Him. Obey His voice, saith the Lord. (Acts 2:36; John 3:16; John 1:1-14; John 1:33)
Let him/her with ears to hear, hear what the Lord has to say to His beloved. Stand in the offering plate.
No comments:
Post a Comment