Something More

Post 235

 

Having spent so much time in the recent previous posts expounding on the virtues of the commandments as did Jesus (and all the writers of the New Testament), am I suggesting we Gentile believers take up adherence to the Jewish law of works? In no way. That would be going backwards from zero as the Jewish law was not even given to the Gentiles to start with.

What is the message of the New Testament that makes it so different from the Old Testament that it would require its writing? Is it not clear that Jesus is the Christ that was promised in the Old Testament and that same Jesus is the sum of all the law and the prophets?   (Luke 24:44-47, John 1:45, Acts 13:15-41, Acts 28:23). Jesus is not the anti-law that takes away the law; He is the long awaited fulfillment of all the law that was ineffective before he came to complete it (Hebrews 10:4, Romans 3:21, 27). Jesus is the Power to become the children of God without the need of the law of works but with another law of faith and liberty;

“But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” John 1:12-13.

So why then while we are confident that this passage is true, do “struggling Christians” everywhere find it impossible to live this out in real life? The key is in the specific wording;

Note that it does not say; “But as many as received him, to them made he the sons of God.” No. These were given the POWER TO BECOME. The becoming is not God’s to do! Yet without the power the becoming is impossible. If you have received Jesus Christ then the power to become is yours, so why can you not use that power to successfully become the sons of God in actuality? Is it because you have been convinced that the job is God’s to do and so you wait in your sin? (Spiritual anarchy). Or is it because in the strength of the flesh you have attempted to become the sons of God by the will through discipline and obedience to the law of works? (Legalism) *1.

Do you attempt to buy your sonship by the sacrifice of things and desires and lifestyle, and more, described here in this verse as of blood? This is idolatry!

The power to become the sons of God is given by God through believing on the name of Jesus alone, but the belief; the receiving is yours to do (Acts 10:43, I John 3:23-24, 5:11-13, Romans 6:16-18) otherwise you would be an unwilling slave, which God will not do to his sons. But belief is far more than a mental acknowledgment of existence (James 2:19+20), continue reading this passage in James and you find this is Old Testament stuff here in the New Testament, and that in both New or Old Testaments the body is still dead if the spirit is missing; and so is the faith without works. So put away for good the deception of a life in Christ while continuing in sin. Such a faith is dead. We all know John 3:16, but the verses just before it lays the groundwork for it;

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” John 3:14-15.

There is a whole study here regarding the brass serpent (Numbers 21:9) but to maintain the present topic I only stop at the point that there were those who would not look upon the brass serpent and so they died. The serpent was given but it was theirs to accept (receive, believe).

Now of course looking back in hindsight we can see the type-and-shadow representation of Christ on the cross, but to the Hebrews this brass serpent was an idol that they were forbidden to look to (Exodus 34:17) yet was still provided by God through Moses. What were they to do?

It was the obedience to the letter without the spirit, that killed them *2 as they turned away from accepting this provision of God through Moses (Numbers 12:8) to look upon this new thing *3; the hanging serpent for salvation from the death that they brought upon themselves after having received the law but broke it.

This concept is indeed very hard to wade through on a shallow level and is tied deeply to the second part of Deuteronomy 29:26b; Indeed Jesus is not the Father God but is from the father revealed in these last days, he is in effect another God whom the Father DID GIVE (allowed in Deuteronomy 29:26) and was foreshadowed by the brass serpent Type of the Messiah’s sacrifice being made sin for us, which John 3 makes plain.

It is this provision of Jesus by the Power of God, given as a gift of mercy, that was represented by the brass serpent whom the people looked to for deliverance from death which was brought on by their speaking against God and Moses (Numbers 21:4-6). Today we have been given, by the Father, the long awaited fulfillment of that type, in Christ Jesus the slain whom God then raised from the dead in power.

It is this power of resurrection from the dead following his sacrifice and payment for our past sins *4 that enables us to become the sons of God (Colossians 2:12-14), and as these children of God in power we are not subject any longer in the bondage to burdensome laws that were designed to lead us to Christ (Romans 3:19, James 2:10), But neither can we interpret the scriptures to indicate Jesus has freed us unto lawlessness (Romans 6:1). Be careful to note the difference between the Commandments of God and Jesus Christ, which Jew and Gentile, Old Testament and New are to perpetually obey, and the law of works which the law of liberty trumps without destroying (Romans 3:27-31, Matthew 5:17). Just as with all scripture on all points, we must not generalize scripture but search out its specific intent to reach correct understanding. The real question of the debate should be; What exactly is the law of faith and the law of liberty? (Romans 3:27, James 2:12).

Yet just as with God’s comment to Cain regarding his unaccepted offering (Genesis 4:7), most all the confusion of proper conduct can be simply avoided in adherence to the sum of all the law and the prophets in one simple commandment;

“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” Deuteronomy 6:5.

But don’t stop there; the very next verse comes with a result;

“and these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…” Deuteronomy 6:6-7a.

This verse 6 is not so much a commandment but a natural result of fulfilling verse 5. This is New Testament stuff here in the Old Testament! (Romans 2:14-15).

Now understanding this cause and effect relationship of love and obedience, we see that verse 5 is not actually a command either but a result of adherence to verse 3-4 which is the commandment to obey verses 1-3 which says;

“Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:”

So although the commandment comes first by hearing, the argue-less obedience to the commandment engenders a love of God, which in turn causes us to obey the commands from our heart, which causes us to love God, which causes us to obey his commandments...

Don’t miss that the ignition of this self-perpetuating cycle of obedience and love resulting in success and blessing, first starts with hearing then proper obedience to the commandments heard. In love of God we teach our children the same, who first hear, then obey, then love, etc., just as we did, and walah! A new generation of faithful from the heart.

I am belaboring this point and topic of obedience from the heart for a very good reason that reaches far beyond simply successful Christian living, but if there were no other reason than that it would be enough; Modern Christians are living in a great failing struggle with the implementation of the faith in this present life because they simply have not broken free from the love of other gods (I John 2:15-17) which disallows the love of God with their whole heart and soul and might. This compromised powerless faith is in direct violation of the first commandment:

“Thou shalt have none other gods before me” (Deuteronomy 5:7).

Separating oneself from these socially approved familiar gods is far harder than one would think, but turning to them in the first place is strikingly easy as is represented by the type-and-shadow of addictions such as Drugs and Alcohol. As they say; Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery, but most modern Christians dwell in denial as their spiritual life is in shambles and their family falls apart around them and their children depart from the faith while the parents continue to boldly declare like Selena that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. This is taking the name of God in vain which is breaking the 4^th commandment, and so the slide begins by degree in the “I’m in control” denial of the effects of every sin.

But my point is far more reaching that this, and far more significant than a present struggle in this momentary life while waiting in hope to enter the bliss of heaven: I intend to show in the next few posts a secret of God regarding who will even be content to dwell there! The concept is jaw dropping as the understanding dawns.

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*1 Legalism:

If you gravitate toward obedience to the letter of the law, it is little different than those gravitating to spiritual anarchy through dirty grace. Legalism is an easy to grasp work of the flesh in denial of the Spirit. Both Legalism and Dirty Grace are religions of the flesh and deny the faith of God in the power of Jesus Christ. legalism drives out love and anarchy despises love. and love is what its all about.

The reason why these religions of the flesh are so easy is because they allow any degree of religious devotion desired while maintaining sovereign will over your own life. Know this; Jesus Christ will not share his throne. He is either king or he is not. That choice is all yours.

“A faith and practice that makes one happy without being holy is but a sham,  for it lures and pleases without the least advance toward saving your soul.” 

 - Charles G. Finney

*2 “…our sufficiency is of God who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” II Corinthians 3:5-6.

*3 New thing: I John 2:8, Matthew 13:52

*4 Past sins: Romans 3:25

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