"But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25)
Indeed, as believers in the risen Jesus — whom Peter (standing with the eleven on the day of Pentecost) identified as both Lord and Christ — we are instructed to stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and to not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Acts 2:36; Galatians 5:1)
Why is this important to understand? Because as apostle Paul further states, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one Word, [even] in this; “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Galatians 5:13-18)
When Jesus walked on this earth, He summarized the ten plus commandments into two, instructing those who profess to believe in Him by faith, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and from His abundant and everlasting love flowing through us -- to love one another. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31)
But as we have seen throughout the old covenant, too often the people did not listen, and instead turned and polluted His precious, holy Name. Because these did not hearken unto His goodness and grace, in proclaiming liberty every one to his brother, and to his neighbour, these reaped the downfall that was never intended for them.
Most certainly, we see this in Jeremiah wherein these “turned and polluted My Name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids. Therefore thus saith the Lord, “Ye have not hearkened unto Me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you,” saith the Lord, “to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.” (Jeremiah 34:17)
In other words, if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This explains why then the Lord hath encouraged us to "walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5:16-18)
Again, if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are no longer under the law. Rather, we have been set free to stand fast in the liberty wherewith is Christ.
"And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another ... " (Galatians 5:25)
" ... that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:4) Knowing too that "there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)
Why is this important to understand? Because as apostle Paul further states, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one Word, [even] in this; “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Galatians 5:13-18)
When Jesus walked on this earth, He summarized the ten plus commandments into two, instructing those who profess to believe in Him by faith, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and from His abundant and everlasting love flowing through us -- to love one another. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31)
But as we have seen throughout the old covenant, too often the people did not listen, and instead turned and polluted His precious, holy Name. Because these did not hearken unto His goodness and grace, in proclaiming liberty every one to his brother, and to his neighbour, these reaped the downfall that was never intended for them.
Most certainly, we see this in Jeremiah wherein these “turned and polluted My Name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids. Therefore thus saith the Lord, “Ye have not hearkened unto Me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you,” saith the Lord, “to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.” (Jeremiah 34:17)
In other words, if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This explains why then the Lord hath encouraged us to "walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5:16-18)
Again, if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are no longer under the law. Rather, we have been set free to stand fast in the liberty wherewith is Christ.
"And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another ... " (Galatians 5:25)
Stand in the offering plate.
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