Live by His Spirit

[Guest smoothdeath]

...you were put to death to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to the one who raised from the dead in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the flesh, our sinful passions, awakened by the law, worked in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, dead to what held us captive, so that we may serve in the newness of the spirit and not under obsolete letter...

Romans 7:4-6

You see how we depend on our Father to lead us? We have setup the scriptures as a rule book to follow and this is exactly what we should move away from... We need the Spirit to renew our minds and hearts. We need the Spirit to give us the mind of Christ. We have been put to death to the law through the body of Christ. What this means is that we don't try to follow the scriptures to the letter... depending on ourselves to follow the law... pumping ourselves up with emotion and then falling back again. This will become an endless cycle and evetually you will become tired and give up. You depend on the Spirit; your feet planted on Jesus the foundation; praying to the Father. Be patient and endure while seeking God; watch Him work in you while you recognize He is your only hope.

Am I saying that since we have died to the law we can live however we want? No. Wipe your mind of the law and depend on God to lead you. You live according to the Spirit to fulfill the law...

I should also add that the scripture above was directed towards the Jews. Paul was talking about the law within the old testament that they were depending on for their salvation... But we can apply the same teaching to the scriptures we have received from John, Paul, Peter, Mark, Matthew, Luke, etc.. Don't rely on scriptures to save you, trying to follow them in your flesh. Take the pressure off yourself and hand you mind and heart over to God

[BoldlyProclaimingChrist]

That was very nice, thank you. A good reminder.

[Guest sanctification]

I have actually mentioned that "the power of sin is the law" 1 cor 15:56 to Christians before and they seem shocked, because they think that I preach that whether or not I end up obeying the law does not matter to Him.

Only when we are freed from the penalty, free from being measured by the law, are we free to serve Him!

John 3:20-21 "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

It is not that we have been freed from obeying God. It is just that if we preach law and do not also give a reminder of the cross of Christ and that resurrection power in the same breath, we simply have a religion, without a relationship.

I think that our being freed from the laws of God is a, or the, key to tolerance and forgiveness of other's in their sins.

[Guest compasskid]

You live according to the Spirit to fulfill the law...

Jesus is your savior. What is Jesus saving you from? Immediately you are going to think hell and you are correct, but it is a little deeper than that. He saves you from this world and brings you out of the darkness into the light. He puts you in the light and the light in you. He brings forth in the light in you. When you come to Christ you then depend on the Holy Spirit to renew your heart, mind, and soul. Let the Holy Spirit work in you. Let Him lead you in all things. The Holy Spirit will renew your mind to become like Christ.

So yes, we do tolerate people that sin. But it is because we know that we are sinners saved by the grace of God and that the Holy Spirit has planted a true love within our hearts

You literally have to depend on the Holy Spirit to give you everything. To give you a true love. To give you a renewed mind. To give you a renewed heart. Be patient while you pray for the Lord to work in you. Endure. See how you can't boast? You have literally received everything from Him! It is not you who is good. It is God that is good and He is the one living in one. For you to die and for Him to live is to gain.

[Guest compasskid]

Oh by the way... I was smoothdeath... But now I'm compasskid

[gypc]

Hmm...I'm thinking that this has some holes.

You said...

"You depend on the Spirit; your feet planted on Jesus the foundation;"

...and

"What this means is that we don't try to follow the scriptures to the letter... depending on ourselves to follow the law.."

The 1st Chapter of John tell us that Jesus is the word. If we have our feet planted on Jesus, then we are planted in the word of God. John 15:10 says "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love"

James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word and so DECEIVE yourselves. Do what it says."

1stJohn 4-6 "The man who says "I know him" but does not do what he commands is a liar and the TRUTH is not in him5) BUT IF anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we kow we are in him: 6) Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did"

Now, we cannot depend on ourselves to do what he commands but the Spirit that is in us and the Blood of Jesus.

Romans Ch 8:1-4 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he CONDEMNED sin in sinful man, in order that the RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULLY MET IN US, WHO DONOT LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT"

Notice that there are 3 laws at work here;

The law of the Spirit of Life;

The law of sin and death;

and The written law;

The law that we are FREE from is the law of sin and death because of the Blood

I will try to follow the Scriptures to the letter because of the provision God has made through the Blood of Jesus.

Father, plant your word deep in us that we might not sin against you!!

In his love,

Brian

Edited May 16, 2004 by gypc

[Guest compasskid]

You are exactly right GYPC... You do fufill the law... You have missed the point. Read it again

By the way, I know your heart is open GYPC and would love to speak to you someday