Leviticus 19: "Be Ye Holy for I AM HOLY"

[farouk]

@1to3 Paul in Romans speaks of 'the obedience of faith' and 'obedience to the faith'; it is not meritorious.

Paul goes on to say to the Galatians, 3.3-4:

"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? "

All the law-keeping in the world isn't going to do me any good for eternity.

"For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." (Hebrews 13.9b-10)

I belong with the carcasses of dead animals, fit only to be burned on the trash-heap, out of sight and out of mind from all the earnest law-keepers and religious zealots. This is where the Lord Jesus is.

"For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach." (Hebrews 13.11-13)

Edited May 1, 2023 by farouk

[1to3]

44 minutes ago, farouk said:

@1to3 Paul in Romans speaks of 'the obedience of faith' and 'obedience to the faith'; it is not meritorious.

 You proved my point :

2 Peter 3:14-18

14) Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; (15) and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, (16) as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (17) You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; (18) but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Verse 14 mentions peace, yet when Christ returns as the Captain of heaven's armies—as the chapter proclaims—there will be war. The iniquity of the world will be full, and He will fight against those opposed to Him. Peter counsels us to ensure that when He returns, He finds us at peace with Him rather than in opposition.

That may sound obvious, but consider how it might apply. If we are opposed to the requirements of God's law, then we are not at peace with the Lawgiver. If we are angry with God for some reason, we are not at peace. If we disagree with God's reaction or non-reaction or overall management of His creation, then we are not at peace with Him.

There can be as many applications as there are individuals, because wherever carnality exists, a measure of enmity remains (Romans 8:7). Peace with God depends on our trusting Him absolutely with our lives. Only then will we not take His words and actions as being hostile toward us, and we will not be hostile toward Him because we trust Him to have our best interests in mind. If our faith—trust—slips, then peace with God begins to fracture.

Peter observes that some of the things Paul writes are hard to understand and that people tend to use Paul's writings in particular in a destructive way. Even today, Paul is falsely known as a champion of a no-works theology, and his writings are cited to say that God's law has been abolished. Twisting Paul's writings in that way is what will cause destruction, because when the Judge returns, He will use His law as the basis of judgment.

Peter leaves us with these final thoughts:

You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (II Peter 3:17-18)

Matthew 5:17- Christ Jesus said:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

 

The apostle warns against being deceived by all the things he talks about in this chapter, and his warning probably includes the previous chapter. As the saying goes, “Forewarned is forearmed.” Paul prophesies, though, that some are going to depart from the faith (I Timothy 4:1). We have seen that happen. To keep it from happening to us, Peter counsels us to focus on growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. He refers to the completion of the repentance or conversion process and our pursuit of salvation to its conclusion.

Jesus is not delaying His coming. He is giving us time to put our houses in order so that we can respond correctly to the work He has begun in us. As Peter says, “To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

 

[1to3]

Twisting Gods Word

Romans 16:17-20

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

 

Other verses concerning twisting Gods Word:

https://www.openbible.info/topics/twisting_gods_word

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

"The Cross takes us back to Sinai and Sinai takes us to the Cross"   

Interesting statement.  Let's look at it.  The sacrificial system in the Old Covenant looked forward to Calvary.  The covenant at Sinai required the sacrifice of clean animals.  All these animals symbolized Yeshua who fulfilled the whole Torah at Calvary.  

The New Covenant is the fulfillment of the Old.  Yes, it is better than the old, yet it reminds us of the old, so, yes, it takes us back to Sinai, or at least, it reminds us of Sinai

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

"Sinai takes us forward to Calvary, and Calvary takes us back to Sinai" interesting statement!  

The Sinai covenant brought on the animal sacrifices, all which pointed forward to Yeshua, and the Covenant Renewed, at Calvary fulfilled the covenant at Sinai, so, yes, it looks back to Sinai