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Law or Grace?
Galatians 3:12 -- And the law is not of faith: (KJV) Acts 15:10 -- Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? (KJV) 2 Corinthians 10:3 We are to walk in the flesh, not of the flesh. 2 Corinthians 10:4 We are a spiritual force of occupation. Our King has taken captivity captive freeing us from the bondage of the enemy. He has taken the keys (authority and power) of the enemy and left us to "occupy till I come". The greatest guerrilla war in history is being fought for our minds (selves, souls). The more we try to walk after the flesh the more vulnerable we are to such spiritual attacks. 2 Corinthians 10:5 The mind is the battle ground for the soul (self). Any fantasy, imagination of what could happen, and every religious thought that God is somehow still dealing with us under the law is not of faith. What ever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Anything that "exalts itself against the knowledge of God" is disobedience not faith and is not pleasing to the Father. Such thoughts do not honor the Savior, they doubt the efficacy of His finished work at Calvary and His justification of all who believe in Him. (See "Spirit, Soul and Body" on this site.) Romans 14:23 Whatever is not motivated by and from faith is sin. 2 Corinthians 11:3 We must not let our minds be corrupted from the simplicity of faith in Christ. Philosophy and the traditions of men are such subtle deceptions. The oldest trick in the enemy's arsenal is deception of the believer. If the believer can be influenced to "interpret or "add to" God's word, it is simple to lead that one to destruction. Eve quoted God accurately in that they could not eat of that particular tree but she then added "neither shall you touch it" something God did not say. Adam and Eve had every perfect thing in a perfect environment yet they were tempted to think there was something good that God was withholding from them. Having everything good, they wanted more! How like us today. We have everything God has to give us, but instead of walking in His provision by means of faith, we constantly assume He is withholding His blessings because we are not somehow pleasing Him enough. Isn't this the deception which led to the origination of Sin? (See "Keys to the Scriptures" on this site.) Galatians 2:16 This is the foundation of faith in Christ Jesus. It is all about Him, who He is and what He has done! The Apostles knew that a we are not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. No one can put themselves in right standing with God. We can never again return to the works of the law to satisfy God. (See "Law or Grace?" on this site.) Everything that can be done to cause salvation and all God's blessings to come upon the believer has been done by the Lord Jesus Christ! If that is not enough, we are completely hopeless! Thank God who has accepted us in the Beloved! Galatians 2:20 Our flesh and spirit were crucified with Christ. We died, our spirit was taken unto God and replaced with a new creation, a new spirit. This new spirit is alive with the same life with which Jesus was made alive when God raised Him from the dead. We have the spirit of Christ in us. Our soul (self) was not changed, our body was not changed. We must work out the salvation of our souls (selves) with fear and trembling by washing the mind of the flesh with the water of God's word until we are conformed to the image of Christ who is our life. (See "Spirit, Soul and Body" on this site.) Galatians 2:21 Do not frustrate the grace of God. If it was possible for righteousness to come by keeping the law, then Christ died needlessly! When we attempt to live by our own virtue, power or intellect, we frustrate the Grace of God who saved us by the finished work of Christ. If we can do what is necessary to qualify for God's blessings by the power of our flesh, Christ died needlessly. Even now, we live by "the faith of the Son of God," not by our own ability to believe in Him. (See "The Atonement" on this site.) Galatians 3:1 Remember, did salvation come through our ability and strength in keeping the law or through faith in Jesus, who He is and what He has done? Nothing in this regard changes after being born again, we always walk in Him and live by His faith exercised in our hearts. It is always Jesus, who He is and what He has already done! Galatians 3:2 Did you receive the Spirit by the keeping the law, or by faith in His Word? (Remember Jesus is the Word) Remembering to ask and answer this question in every situation will keep us from the deception of the enemy. (See "Holy Spirit Study" on this site.) Galatians 3:12 The Law has nothing to do with faith. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law so that everyone who believes in Him is able to receive the promise of the Spirit. Romans 8:1-8 For those who live in Christ Jesus, there is no longer any condemnation. We now walk not after the manner of the flesh, but after the manner of the Spirit. The spiritual law of life in Christ Jesus made us free from the law (Torah) and it's curses. To be interested only in (fleshly, works oriented) things leads to death. Being spiritually (Christ) minded brings life and peace. Those who follow only fleshly interests cannot please God. Jude 1:5 Be careful to remember those the Lord saved out of Egypt, only to destroy them because they refused to believe. Jude 1:11 Those who seek reward for their own goodness thinking they can earn God's favor are hopeless! They bring trouble to your fellowship. They are off chasing the latest "revelations" and are completely unstable in faith. Note: The word reward is misthos, mis-thos'; means pay for service; hire, reward, wages. Thinking we can keep the Law means we think we are earning God's blessing. This is impossible! Seeking to "please" God by works or earning His favor by keeping the "Law" or "Torah" or works is the deception which stems from seeing in the flesh and not after the Spirit. Galatians 4:21-31 Do you not understand the law? It tells us Abraham had two sons, the one by a slave, the other by his wife. The slave's son was born according to the flesh, signifying bondage and rejection from the promise. The son born of the wife was the result of God's promise. These stand for two covenants. The Old Covenant came from mount Sinai, which leads to bondage. The New Covenant brings freedom. See "Jews, Gentiles and the Church of God" on this site.) Galatians 5:1-8 Stand steadfastly in the covenant Christ made for us, and do not be entangled again in bondage. Those who try to be justified by the Law must keep all its provisions which no ordinary person has ever done! Failure in this means certain destruction! Those who rely on Jesus Christ for right standing with God expect the result to be eternal salvation of spirit, soul and body. Teaching that keeping the Law brings salvation does not come from God. A little deception leads the whole group astray. (See "Spirit, Soul and Body" on this site.) Our mother is the Jerusalem above where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. We can not go back to "Egypt" for we are no longer Jew or Gentile. In Christ Jesus we became a new creation. Something which never before existed! The inheritance of lands is for the restored nation of Israel here on earth. The inheritance of the saints in light is Life in Christ Jesus and eternal glory with Him at His coming. Our inheritance is not of this world, the Kingdom of God is within you. tfm@threshingfloor.org Return to the Threshing Floor Ministries Home Page Copyright ©1996-2008 Daniel R. Milburn, All rights reserved |
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