Jesus confirmed this Himself when speaking with the scribes and Pharisees after going unto the mount of Olives. Early in the morning, He had come into the temple, and all the people came unto Him to listen to His teachings. About the same time, the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Jesus a woman who had been caught in adultery. These referenced Moses, and how the law commands that the woman should be stoned. They then asked Jesus, hoping to tempt Him so that these could accuse Him -- "What sayest Thou?" But Jesus knowing their hearts stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground [as though He hear them not]." (John 8:1-6)
Jesus then said to them, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." And again, a second time, Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard, they were convicted of their own conscience, and went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last, until Jesus was left alone with the woman. When Jesus had lifted up Himself and saw no one there but the woman, He said, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?" She said to Jesus, "No man, Lord." And Jesus said unto her, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." (John 8:7-11)
Jesus then said to those in the treasury who observed -- "I am the Light of the world; he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)
The Pharisees then said unto Jesus, "Thou bear record of Thyself; Thy record is not true." Jesus answered and said unto them, "Though I bear record of Myself, yet My record is true, for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One that bear witness of Myself and the Father that sent Me bear witness of Me." This was not sufficient for the scribes and Pharisees, who asked Him, "Where is Thy Father?" Jesus answered, "Ye neither know Me, nor My Father: if ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also." (John 8:13-19)
Let me repeat Jesus words again -- "Ye neither know Me, nor My Father: if ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also." (John 8:19)
Jesus goes on to tell them that He will "go My way, and ye shall seek Me, and shall die in your sins; whither I go, ye cannot come." And He said unto them, "Ye are from beneath: I am from above; ye are of this world: I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am [He], ye shall die in your sins." (John 8:21-24)
This caused these same Pharisees to ask Him, "Who art Thou?" And Jesus said unto them, "Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but He that sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of Him." They understood not that He spake of them of the Father. Then Jesus said unto them, "When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [He], and [that] I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things.And He that sent Me is with Me; the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do ALWAYS those things that please Him." As Jesus spake these words, many believed on Him. (John 8:25-30)
And herein comes the crux of the message today. At this point (and we see this in increasing measure within the modern day religious culture of these times) there are those who wholly desire to build a tabernacle unto Moses. These want to remain steadfast under the Mosaic Law and the ten commandments. These do not accept that Jesus came to do a new thing, as prophesied afore by the Word of the Lord speaking to Isaiah. These do not accept that we are to "remain steadfast in the apostles' doctrine" or that those who preach "another" gospel are (as apostle Paul indicates) accursed. (Acts 2:36-42; II John 1:9-10; John 7:16-19; II Corinthians 11:13; Titus 2:1; Isaiah 29:24; Galatians 1:8-9)
Indeed, these reject that Jesus came to set us free as freemen and not servants of men, so that we as believers in Jesus by faith can stand fast in the liberty wherewith is Christ. (Galatians 5:1;I Corinthians 7:22-24) Rather, these new Pharisees of this day desire in their hearts to constrain us again under the Law and ten commandments, putting us back under the bondage from which Jesus set us free by shedding His precious holy blood on the cross for you and I. These do not want to accept that the purchase which was made with holy blood can be sufficient for our salvation, Nevertheless, as is so clearly stated within the scriptures, the Lord has done a new thing in this current dispensation of grace. In the fullness of times in which we live. (Ephesians 3:2; Ephesians 1:10; Romans 11:16; Romans 5:15; Romans 6:14-15)
"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19)
"Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." (Isaiah 42:9)
Therein, Jesus goes on to speak the words to the many who did believe on Him. Note that Jesus is speaking specifically to the Jews which believed on Him. This is critical to understand because of those who want to make us Jews today, and do lie, according to Jesus' words in Revelation 3:8-9. So Jesus here is setting the record straight once and for all. He states to these Jews who believe on Him -- "If ye continue in My Word, [then] are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:30-32)
Let's look at what is happening here again. Jesus is speaking to those Jews whose hearts have turned and do believe on Him. These are the same Jews who in their own lives have subscribed to the Mosaic law and ten commandments, but now these believe on Jesus. There is no doubt that these would have been of the circumcision. What does Jesus say to them?
"IF YE CONTINUE IN MY WORD, [then] are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:30-32)
Jesus does not say -- if ye continue in the Law -- but specifically -- if ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. In yet another place, Jesus clarifies this further by saying, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes unto the Father but by Me." (John 14:6)
Were the Pharisees who were observing the very same teachings that led other Jews to believe on Him satisfied? Not from what we can see in the scriptures because these answered Jesus clarifying that "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest Thou, "Ye shall be made free?"
Jesus, knowing their hearts intent answers them saying:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you -- whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin, and the servant abides not in the house for ever; but the Son abides ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill Me because My Word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with My Father, and ye do that which ye have seen with our father."
The Son makes us free when we gladly receive His Word. When we accept Jesus into our hearts as the King of kings and Lord of lords, the vail that was torn from heaven to earth is removed from our hearts. This same vail, as the scriptures state, that "is untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ." But as acknowledged before, "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." (II Corinthians 3:14-17; II Corinthians 3:11-18)
And we see this happening from the Pharisees' response. They again answered and declared unto Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said unto them, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill Me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God. This did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father."
Then again said unto Him, "We be not born of fornication; we have one Father; [even] God." Jesus said unto them, "If God were your Father, ye would love Me for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye cannot hear My Word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own; for he is a liar and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not? Which of you convinces Me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe Me? He that is of God hears God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God!" (John 8:34-47)
Too often, we take the counsel of men who want to bring us back to that place of bondage. When these do, we need to remember from whence came our salvation. If the Law had been sufficient, then there would have been no need of a Saviour.
"The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing, which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in meats and drinks, and diverse washings, and carnal ordinances, imposing on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come as a high priest of good things to come ..." (Hebrews 9:8-28)
Yes, but Christ!
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for HIM shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)
The Law being a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 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." (Galatians 3:24-29)
Jesus was trying to tell the Pharisees that the law to which the Pharisees subscribed WAS intended to be a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. And, similarly, that if our hearts do not turn to Jesus the Christ, the vail which is on our hearts remains. Because even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness, know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham. (Hebrews 3:6-7)
"And the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, "In thee shall all nations be blessed." So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (Hebrews 3:6-9)
Don't be fooled by those who want to keep you under bondage. Search the scriptures for yourself so that you can "rightly divide the Word." (II Timothy 2:15)
Why? Because we serve a Lord God and Saviour who loves us beyond measure who calls us into His liberty.
"After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)
Stand in the offering plate.
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