Function of the Law in Salvation

[deut31:12]

This is very good Pilgram7. It shows that we even though we are Christians we still have a responsibility as debtors.

[Pilgrim7]

Amen deut31:12,

We just change masters when we turn to Christ. From Satan and sin, to Chist and righteousness.

Joh 13:13

You call me

Master

and Lord:

and you say well; for

so I am

.

God Bless,

Dennis

[Pilgrim7]

Serving in 'Newness of Spirit', not 'Oldness of the letter'

Here Paul speaks of serving God in 'Newness of Spirit' and not in the 'Oldness of the letter'. Some think that that does away with the Ten Commandments, but this is not the case.

Rom 7:6

But now we are

delivered

from the

law

(the penalty of the law which is death, not obedience to the law which is part of righteousness),

that

being dead

(one who is aleady dead to the flesh, having been crucified with Christ, cannot be condemned to die)

wherein we were held; that

we should

serve in newness of spirit

,

and

not in the

oldness of the letter

.

There are two ways to serve God, in the 'flesh', or in the 'Spirit'. The 'Religious' man, which is what Paul was before His conversion, who is in the 'flesh', seeks to serve only by the 'letter', seeking to obey the 'bare minimum' of 'God's will' through 'duty', with no 'love' of God's will for the 'flesh' does not and cannot 'delight in the laws of God'. To him obedience is a 'chore', a 'drudgery, by which he thinks he deserves a reward for his service. He knows not that He must be 'born again' by a miracle of the Spirit of God. His service is done while he is 'dead to God in tresspasses and sins' and therefore does not 'please God' and is 'unacceptable' to Him.

Col 2:13

And you,

being

dead

in your

sins

and the uncircumcision of your

flesh,

has he

quickened

(given new life, Spiritual life)

together with him, having

forgiven

you all

trespasses;

Eph 2:5

Even

when

we were

dead in sins

(God regards the man in sin as dead, dead to God),

has

quickened

us

together

with Christ,

by

grace

you are

saved

(quickened, 'born again', freed from sin, the law of God is written in you heart by the Spirit];

Those who serve in 'Newness of Spirit', love God, His will and His laws, for they have been written in his heart. He delights to do the 'will of God' for he has been 'reborn', 're-created' through the indwelling Spirit in holiness and righteousness. He is now, in His 'New Nature', through faith, free from sin, dead to sin, hates sin and loves righteousness. He is a 'New Creation', filled with the Spirit of God, with Christ dwelling within Him, living His Holy life through him. This is the Power of the Gospel that sets men free from their captivity in sin and thus sets them free from the 'Ministration of death', the condemnation of the Law, not from obedience to it.

2co 5:17

Therefore

if

any man

be in Christ, he is a

new creature

:

old things

are

passed away

;

behold,

all things

are

become new

(in the 'new man', although the 'old man is still around to resist and tempt the 'new man').

5:18

And

all things

are

of God

(in the 'new man'),

who has

reconciled

us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the

ministry of reconciliation;

Gal 6:15

For

in Christ Jesus

neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a

new creature

.

Rom 6:1

What shall we say then?

Shall we

continue in sin

(continue transgressing God's laws),

that

grace may abound

?

6:2

God forbid

.

How shall we, that are

dead to sin

,

live any longer therein

Rom 6:7

For he that is

dead

is

freed

from sin.

Rom 6:18

Being then

made free

from

sin

,

you

became

the

servants

of

righteousness

.

Rom 6:22

But

now

being

made free

from

sin

,

and

become servants

to God,

you

have

your fruit

unto

holiness

,

(doing that which is holy, including His Holy Law, the 'Ten Commandments')

and the

end

(result of holiness)

everlasting life.

The 'carnal' or 'old nature' is still present, but not 'master' anymore. Thus the continuous 'battle' between the 'flesh and Spirit' begins and continues as long as life shall last. Satan, through the flesh will seek to weaken or destroy our faith that makes us a 'New Creation' and thus re-insert himself as 'master' once again. Thus the 'new Creation' is to 'abide with' Christ, 'feed on' Christ, 'depend on' Christ who dwells within his heart, the 'new temple' of God in which he now dwells. Those who do this will grow strong in faith, overcoming sin, the world and the devil. Those who fail to do this will grow weak and sickly in faith, and their heart will harden in unrepented sin until Satan once more rules the temple.

We will elaborate more later

God Bless

Dennis

Edited March 10, 2008 by Pilgrim7

[Pilgrim7]

The Letter versus the Spirit

As mentioned last post, Paul refers to the 'letter of the Law' which would include the 'Ten Commandments'. The word letter means 'writing' or 'written', thus the Jews had the 'written' law, in the Books of Moses and the 'Tables of Testimony' written in stone. What they didn't have was the 'law of God' written in the heart, which was the 'weakness' of the 'Old Covenant'. Because they had love for the 'Written law' but no love for its principles which were part of righteousness, no love to keep it, and thus transgressed it even while teaching it, boasting of it and purporting to keep it. They even added many burdensome duties to it, making it a 'yoke' rather that a 'delight' and a 'blessing'.

Thus we see the need of 'Jesus' and His 'Spirit of Holiness' to establish the 'New Covenant' in which all the 'will of God' would be written in the heart of the 'believer', leading to a love of God's will and hatred of sin, the transgression of His Will as revealed in the 'Law of Commandments'.

The 'Ten Commandments' are the 'foundation' of righteousness, the bare minimum requirements of God, the 'ceasing to do evil' as one tuns to God through Jesus. Now we will go through the Commandments, one by one, and see how this principle works and show how God writes these in the heart of the 'Spiritual Man' in 'Two Great Commandments', a Spiritual form of His Law, and how it establishes the 'Ten Commandments', rather that doing away with them.

Commandment #1:

The letter of the Law, written in stone.

Ex 20:2

I am the LORD your God,

who has

brought you out

of the land of Egypt, out of the

house of

bondage

(to Egypt, idolatry and sin).

20:3

you shall have

no other gods

before me.

Now is this the 'sum total of Righteousness' regarding God, or is it a statement of fact, and an identification of sin? It is just the starting point in dealing with God, realizing that he is the only God and forbidding having any other Gods. There is no mention of loving God, praising God or worshiping God, just the prohibition of the 'sin' of having other gods. Thus it is a beginning point of righteousness, ceasing unrighteousness and sin.

Command #1:

Written in the heart, the Spirit of the law:

Mat 22:36

Master,

which is the

greatest commandment

in the

law

(book of the law)?

22:37

Jesus said to him,

you shall

love the Lord

your God

(not just Jesus, but the Father also)

with [

u]all your heart

,

all your soul

,

and

all your mind

(Mark and Luke add

[Guest]

Amen!

For By Faith Are We Saved

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. (Galatians 3:10-11)

And From Faith To Faith We'll Live

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17)

And It Is By The Only Wise God Our Saviour We'll Stand

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

And For His Name's Sake We're Forgiven

I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (1 John 2:12)

And Set Free

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)

Hallelujah!

Amen

[patricia1]

I have not read all the posts so if I repeat stuff I am sorry.

Was it not the israelites who asked for the law in response to their deliverance from Egypt? Saying we will do anything?

I always thought the law was set there to show us our need for Jesus. Noone can keep the law. It was not that God was wanting to give of it, it was aked of Him.

Gives new meaning to be careful what you ask for...

[Guest shiloh357]

I have not read all the posts so if I repeat stuff I am sorry.

Was it not the israelites who asked for the law in response to their deliverance from Egypt? Saying we will do anything?

I always thought the law was set there to show us our need for Jesus. Noone can keep the law. It was not that God was wanting to give of it, it was aked of Him.

Gives new meaning to be careful what you ask for...

No, the Law given by God on His own initiative. They did not "ask" for it. God led them Horeb to give it to them. He presented the Law to the Children of Israel and they said, "what the Lord says we will do."

[patricia1]

hello there...so you do not think that ex 19:8 which is prior to the ten commandments, did not come from pride. Cause the ten commandments came from Moses repeating what they had said. So deutorotomy, the repetition of the first law was to remind them...

Maybe you are correct.. New generation moving into a new land..hmmm will be thinking..

thanks for the different perspective...

[Pilgrim7]

Patricia,

No one can keep all the law unaided by the Spirit of God. They may be able to keep some, but there will always be that which they cannot keep, for they are captive to sin. Scripture says that the 'believer', who has been set free, can do all things through Christ who dwells in His heart, living His holy life through the 'Believer' by faith. Thus through faith, the indwelling Jesus provides all the power for obedience, thus enabling one to keep all the will of God. As the Scriptures say, God's commandments are not grievous or hard for the 'Spiritual man'.

It is the 'carnal man', the 'unsaved man' of the 'flesh', who cannot keep god's Commandment, for his 'carnal heart' is at war with God and His Commandments, for he is not subject to the law of God. See Romans 8:7

Nothing is too hard or impossible for the 'Spiritual man/woman' who can do all things through Christ who dwells within:

Php 4:13

I

can

do

all things

through Christ

who

strengthens

me.

There is no temptation that he/she can't over come, for God always provides a way of escape for the 'believer':

1Cor 10:13

There has

no temptation

taken you but such

as is

common to man

:

but

God is

faithful

,

who

will not suffer

(allow)

you

to be

tempted

above

(beyond)

what you

are able

(to bear, handle, overcome);

but

will with the temptation

also

make a way to escape

,

that

you may be

able to bear

(endure, overcome, get the victory over)

it.

If God always makes a way of escape for all temptation, which always has to do with disobedience and transgression, then the 'believer is without excuse and able to keep God's Commandments.

Faith keeps God's Commandments, and overcomes all of the world, and Scripture tells us that all of the world is not of the Father, not righteousness.

1John 5:2

By this

we know

that

we love

the

children of God,

when

we

love God

,

and

keep his commandments

.

(notice it also includes God's Commandments, not just Jesus Commandments)

5:3

For this is the

love of God,

that

we keep his commandments

:

and

his

commandments

are

not grievous

(hard, heavy, severe, a burden for the Spiritual man/woman).

5:4

For

whoever

is

born

of God

overcomes

the

world

:

and this is the

victory

that

overcomes

the

world

,

even

our faith.

(thus faith overcomes the world with all its transgression, sin, pride etc which is not of God)

5:5

Who is he

that

overcomes

the

world

,

but

he that

believes

that Jesus is the Son of God?

Thus 'Believers' over come the flesh, the world and the Devil who hates the Law of God and from the beginning has tempted men/women to transgress it.

Since Jesus indwells the 'Believer' through faith, then he is able to grow up into Christ in all things:

Eph 4:15

But speaking the truth in love,

may

grow up

into him

in all things

,

who is the head, even Christ:

The 'Spiritual Man/woman' is a 'new Creation', the 'living Temple' of God, indwelt by the Spirit of holiness who empowers the 'believer' to be Godly, obedient, 'more than a conqueror' in the battle with sin, the world, and the Devil. He/she is a soldier of Christ, a fighter under the mighty banner of the Christ who has already conquered the world all the result of faith.

The Children of Israel had been in captivity in Egypt and had forgotten God and His will. They were not only in bondage to Egypt, but the sins of Egypt, thus needed to be set free and retrained in the Will of God, thus the need for the law to show them what sin was. These had always been the will of God,since the beginning of time. They were not something new that God thought up just for the Israelites, but were the beginning of righteousness. God just wrote them down to train them in the foundation of His justice. There is not one of them that have not been the will of God from the beginning. There has never been a time when God changed His will as to righteousness or sin.

God Bless,

Dennis

[Guest]