"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood ... for I know that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." (Acts 20:28-29)
Not everyone understands that Jesus has set us free. And sadly, even more critical are the many who fail to understand that because of Jesus -- the world can be sustained without the law -- because He has written those laws in our heart. Thus, when the scriptures state that the law (the 10 commandments / the 613) is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, it is so that come to the knowledge of His goodness and mercy and grace.
This is why Jesus summarized the ten commandments into two. That is, "Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one. Lord. Love the Lord with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength, and love one another." (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31)
And of course, there are the four additional instructions to the Gentiles -- to keep ourselves from idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication (the worship of other gods). (Acts 21:25; Acts 15:21, 29)
But there are professing believers who have concluded that without the law, the world (and the body of Christ church) will become totally corrupted. However, this is not what the scriptures state. Why? Because when Jesus is in your heart, and you make His purposes your own, then you will love one another -- the foundation (that when we take hold of His truth) it binds us to the laws that He has written in our hearts.
These include -- the law of love and faith. Consider the following scriptures. I would encourage you also to study the context of thee scriptures so that we can all come into one accord on matters that have had (and still have) the power to divide.
" ... but, with perfection, the partial is abolished." (I Corinthians 13:10)
"Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: and not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: but their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (II Corinthians 3:12-18)
Therefore, when death was being distributed (carved in letters of stone) it was a glorious thing -- so glorious that the children of Israel couldn't look at Moses face because of the glory -- a glory which was to later be abolished.
"But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious." (II Corinthians 3:7-11)
You see, the hearts and minds of the Israelites was hardened. And that same veil lies over the reading of the old covenant right up to this day -- for those who do not have the promised Messiah in their heart. Only with Jesus, can the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. Our salvation is in Jesus, and when He dwells within, and our purposes are in Him, then He has set us free from the entanglements of the law.
By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves -- it is the gift of God.
"For He is our peace who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle of the wall of partition [between us] having abolished in His flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace -- and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby ... but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner[stone]; in whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:14-22)
You see the Lord God Himself pitched the tent when He destroyed the barrier -- the veil -- that kept us from Him. He tore the veil from top to bottom -- from heaven to earth - so that we could come to Him with all our brokenness so that He could make us whole again -- setting us free from the entanglements and bondage of the world. So that instead of standing on the outside of the body of Christ, that we can be confident in our salvation -- because we desire the Lord's heart in our own.
"By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among the nations -- for His Name -- among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ." (Romans 1:5-6)
As apostle Paul wrote -- "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, the just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17)
There are so many more scriptures including Hebrews 9:8, 15-18 that will lead and guide you into all truth.
There are so many more scriptures including Hebrews 9:8, 15-18 that will lead and guide you into all truth.
On a different note, given the times and seasons in which we live, understand that no weapon formed against His anointed, His blessed body of Christ church -- can prosper. And that, also, this same Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and He will come again -- "and receive you unto Myself; that where I AM, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know." (John 14:3-4)
He is the Great I AM, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending, and He willingly clothed Himself in flesh so that we could be set free.
Stand in the offering plate.
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