Subverters of Souls

[Pilgrim]

“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, [Ye must] be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no [such] commandment:”  Acts 15:24

   The Ten Commandments are the very heart of the Old Covenant between God and Israel.  In many of today’s churches the Ten Commandments play an important role.  Many of the churches in the area in which I live start their services each week by reciting the Ten Commandments.  Many professing Christians will use the Ten Commandments as the ultimate guide and rule for their life.  In our society conflicts concerning the Ten Commandments are often in the national news.  Almost every year we hear of a court case concerning the display of the Ten Commandments in public places such as schools or court buildings.  
   With the emphasis that many churches place on the Ten Commandments as well as all the fuss in society concerning them, one would think that Ten Commandments would be very well understood especially by religious people.  In fact just the opposite is true.  If religious people really understood the law of Moses (in which the Ten Commandments are the very heart) they would be horrified by what they have done with them.
   If a person was to claim that the Ten Commandments never applied to the gentiles and that they applied only to the Jews from Moses to the cross many would label this person as a heretic. If the person went on to say that the Ten Commandments was a ministry of death and condemnation and was not given for a righteous man many would say that this person is not only a heretic, but a lunatic as well.  If this person went on and said the Law of Moses was made void and made obsolete by Jesus because it had a major fault in it and that those who tried to live by it were cursed, then this person better be prepared to be stoned.  Yet, the Word of God teaches these things and more about the Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses.

Below are a few very important truths concerning the Mosaic law from God’s Word that well greatly help the truth seekers.  

John 1:17 “For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”

These two verses let us know the beginning and the end of the Mosaic law which was from Moses to the cross of Jesus Christ where He fulfilled the law.

John 1:17 tells us that the law came by Moses. This teaches two important points about the law of Moses. 1, as stated above it had a beginning and 2, that before Moses many generation existed without the law of Moses. This does not mean that people from Adam to Moses were not accountable to God for their sin. Romans 5:13 says “(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  14  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.”

God gave mankind many commandments before Moses came along with the Mosaic law. The first command God gave to mankind in which mankind broke was not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen 1:16). There are many commands God gave to man before Moses Gen. 9 records a few:

Gen. 9:1 “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.  2  And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth [upon] the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.  3  Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.  4  But flesh with the life thereof, [which is] the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.  5  And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.  6  Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.  7  And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.”


Here God commands mankind to be fruitful and multiply, not to eat flesh with the blood still in it and not to shed another mans blood. God also allows mankind here to eat any animal whether clean or unclean unlike the Mosaic Law which forbids the eating of unclean animals. So we clearly see that even without the Mosaic law mankind was responsible before God concerning his sin. God defined certain sins and set limits upon mankind many generation before Moses, God also judged sin as seen in Romans 5:13-14 many generations before the Mosaic law was given.
Continued

[Pilgrim]

Continued
In Exodus 19 God is going to make a covenant with a certain group of people. This covenant as one can read is the Ten Commandment which follow in Exodus 20. A covenant is a legally binding contract between two or more parties. In this case the text of Exodus 19 is clear that the covenant (contract)  is between God and the children of Israel that were delivered from Eygpt.

Ex. 19:1 “In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they [into] the wilderness of Sinai.  2  For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come [to] the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.  3  And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;  4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and [how] I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.  5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine:  6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.  7  And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.  8  And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.”

There are two very important observations that a careful student of God’s Word will notice in these verses.

1. The Ten Commandment was a covenant that God made ONLY with the children of Israel.

Verse 1 “children of Israel”, verse 2 “Israel”, and in verse 3 “the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;”

It is clear that God is making this covenant with only one group of people, Israel. No gentile nations or people are even mentioned or hinted at in this passage. God is singling one nation out of the entire world and making a covenant with then exclusively. Deuteronomy 5 even claims that the covenant of the Ten Commandments was not even made with the forefathers of Israel but to them alone.

Duet. 5:1 “And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.   2  The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.  3  The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, [even] us, who [are] all of us here alive this day.  4  The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,  5  (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,”

2. The result of the covenant that God made the with Israel was that they would be a peculiar people distinct and separate from all other people.

Ex. 19:5 says “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:” The result of this covenant was to make Israel a “peculiar treasure unto me above all people.” This is important to grasp because it too means that the Ten Commandments were given ONLY to the children of Israel. If the Ten Commandments were given to the gentile nations and people as well then verse 5 would not be true. The covenant God made with Israel made them distinct and separate from all other nations and people in the world which would not be the case if this covenant was for all people.

Today, there are many who want to place Christians under the Ten Commandments which was a Covenant that God made with the children of Israel from Moses to the cross only. In doing so they tempt God and subvert the souls of those who listen to them (Acts 15:1,5,10,24). In effect they become enemies of the cross of Christ and rob the liberty (which is the freedom to serve Christ) a child of God has in Christ. A child of God would do well not to listen to their deceptive lies and instead obey from the heart Galatians 4 and throw out the bondwoman.

Gal. 4:21 “Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?  22  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.  23  But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.  24  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.  25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.  26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.  27  For it is written, Rejoice, [thou] barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.  28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.  29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.  30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.  31  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.  5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

God bless,
Pilgrim

[Pilgrim]

Galatians 1:6 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

Some time after the Galatian Church was started and was well on its way to maturity something horrible happened to it. In fact something so dreadful as to cause the apostle Paul to question the profession of the people there (Gala. 4:11,19). The problem Paul was facing head on was that the people were turning from the true gospel to a false gospel. Paul is amazed that this happen so quickly to the people of the Galatian Church.  How did something so horrible happen to a Church that started out so well? We find the answer in verse 7 “but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” As one reads the book of Galatians they will discover that trouble makers entered in and started teaching that Christians must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. This very same problem was dealt with by the apostles, elders and brethren of the Church of Jerusalem in Acts 15 (Acts 15:1,5). In Acts 15 the apostles, elders and brethren said that those who taught that a Christian must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses were tempting God and putting a yoke around the neck of the disciples that neither they nor their fathers could bare.

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?”

They also said that those who taught that a Christian must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses were subverting souls and that they themselves never gave such a command which means that those who taught this did so on their own authority.

Acts 15:23 “And they wrote [letters] by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren [send] greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:  24  Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, [Ye must] be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no [such] commandment:”

Notice Acts 15:24 teaches it was those who taught that a Christian must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses who were the troublemakers. Galatians 1:7 teaches the same. In fact Paul teaches in Galatians 1 that those who taught that a Christian must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses were teaching a false gospel. Preaching a false gospel is a serious sin, in fact Paul said “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.“ These are strong words that should strike fear into the hearts of those who teach this false gospel. Yet, even with such a strong curse to anyone foolish enough to teach this false gospel, the Church today has it’s own troublemakers teaching the very same old age false gospel found in Galatians 1.

God bless,
Pilgrim

[psalmistsinger]

Pilgrim!

Yes! Yes ! Yes!

What a great statement of the grace of God! The reality of was accomplished in Christ Jesus! Live by the Spirit and not the dead letter! The Living Character of God written on our hearts and not the coldness of stone!

Grace and righteousness. Side by side, hand in hand.  Eternally coexistent, yet the question is which begets, or is dependent upon, the other?            

The understanding of many is that grace is the result of righteous living. It is believed that the grace of God is the reward or payment from the Almighty for living according to His laws (that would be His old covenant laws; i.e. the 10 commandments) and that in living righteously we have earned the right to become a part of the body of Christ. To the legalist (and neither Jesus nor Paul were legalist) grace is a controversial concept, and those who promote it live in danger of being seen as approving of sin.

Nothing could be further from the truth, for to preach grace is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.       

How so? Because according to the gospel of John grace is what Jesus brought (For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ -John 1:17).                    
On the one hand is works of the law; on the other is simply trusting Jesus. (John 6:29)

Any "gospel" message that leaves out the grace and truth of Jesus is not a gospel message at all.

The "truth"of this message?

That Jesus is the only way. (Jesus saith unto him "I am the Way the Truth and the Life: no man cometh to the Father but by Me" John 14:6)
                  
In many ways the issue of works and grace for the believer is one of identity. Are those who call themselves Christians called so by works of righteousness (overcoming sin by their own efforts and will),  or is it by birth?    

If the answer is that we are Christians by overcoming this world and our human nature then truly grace is produced and earned by our own virtues and we have something of which to boast. However Paul says "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9  

What the New Testament teaches is that we are sons of God, born of the Spirit (John 1:13, John 3:3, John 3:6, 1Peter 1:23) and that righteousness is not earned, but imparted as a result of that birth! The righteousness of God is imparted by grace through faith! ( "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" - Romans 4:5)
            
So am I saying that one ought not to seek to live righteously? Not at all! This is something Paul was accused of in his preaching of the gospel ( "And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just."  Romans 3:, rather it is Gods grace that enables us to live righteously by virtue of the Spiritual nature that is born of Him, for as Paul also said "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? " Romans 6:2
      
Grace is the unmerited favor of God, that teaches us ".. that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" Titus 2:12 , and as it teaches us it never ceases to be the unmerited favor of God! ; "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" Titus 3:5   

Amazing Grace indeed!

[psalmistsinger]

We'll pray for one another!
 

[Pilgrim]

Amen! psalmistsinger on post #5


Gala. 2:1 “Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with [me] also.  2  And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.  3  But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:  4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:  5  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

Titus was living proof that a person could be a Child of God without having to keep the law of Moses. The Word of God says that Titus went with Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem and was not compelled to be circumcised. Yet, those who would subvert the souls of those who listen to them, teach that one must be circumcised according to the law of Moses in order to be saved. Titus was living proof to the contrary. Notice carefully what Paul has to say about those who teach that Christians must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. In verse 4 he calls them false brethren which mean that they were not even saved themselves. This is ironic for the very fact that these unsaved subverter of souls were trying to teach others how to be saved. We remember the Words of Jesus as he confronted the Pharisees over this type of hypocrisy in Matthew 23:

Matt. 23:13 “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.  14  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.  15  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”

These false brethren were spying on the liberty of the real Christians and trying to bring them under bondage to the mosaic law. Paul was earnestly contending for the faith when confronting these subverter of souls, so much so, that he would not give place to them for even a moment. Like Jesus, Paul had sharp rebukes for these lost religious people and fought earnestly against their false Gospel of works. Today we have these same subverters of souls in our mist who teach that Christians must keep the law of Moses. They like the troublemakers of the past can’t stand the true liberty a child of God has in Christ Jesus and insist that they be put under the bondage of the Mosaic law. They are enemies of the cross and pervert the true Gospel of God and like the Pharisees of old makes their converts twofold more the child of hell than themselves. Thank God for the true Gospel of Jesus Christ which truly sets a soul free.

Pilgrim

[Ambassador4Christ]

Pilgrim, you get **** + a DITTO  

[Ambassador4Christ]

Pilgrim!

Yes! Yes ! Yes!

What a great statement of the grace of God! The reality of was accomplished in Christ Jesus! Live by the Spirit and not the dead letter! The Living Character of God written on our hearts and not the coldness of stone!

Grace and righteousness. Side by side, hand in hand.  Eternally coexistent, yet the question is which begets, or is dependent upon, the other?            

The understanding of many is that grace is the result of righteous living. It is believed that the grace of God is the reward or payment from the Almighty for living according to His laws (that would be His old covenant laws; i.e. the 10 commandments) and that in living righteously we have earned the right to become a part of the body of Christ. To the legalist (and neither Jesus nor Paul were legalist) grace is a controversial concept, and those who promote it live in danger of being seen as approving of sin.

Nothing could be further from the truth, for to preach grace is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.       

How so? Because according to the gospel of John grace is what Jesus brought (For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ -John 1:17).                    
On the one hand is works of the law; on the other is simply trusting Jesus. (John 6:29)

Any "gospel" message that leaves out the grace and truth of Jesus is not a gospel message at all.

The "truth"of this message?

That Jesus is the only way. (Jesus saith unto him "I am the Way the Truth and the Life: no man cometh to the Father but by Me" John 14:6)
                  
In many ways the issue of works and grace for the believer is one of identity. Are those who call themselves Christians called so by works of righteousness (overcoming sin by their own efforts and will),  or is it by birth?    

If the answer is that we are Christians by overcoming this world and our human nature then truly grace is produced and earned by our own virtues and we have something of which to boast. However Paul says "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9  

What the New Testament teaches is that we are sons of God, born of the Spirit (John 1:13, John 3:3, John 3:6, 1Peter 1:23) and that righteousness is not earned, but imparted as a result of that birth! The righteousness of God is imparted by grace through faith! ( "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" - Romans 4:5)
            
So am I saying that one ought not to seek to live righteously? Not at all! This is something Paul was accused of in his preaching of the gospel ( "And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just."  Romans 3:, rather it is Gods grace that enables us to live righteously by virtue of the Spiritual nature that is born of Him, for as Paul also said "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? " Romans 6:2
      
Grace is the unmerited favor of God, that teaches us ".. that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" Titus 2:12 , and as it teaches us it never ceases to be the unmerited favor of God! ; "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" Titus 3:5   

Amazing Grace indeed!

You also get **** + a DITTO  

[Ambassador4Christ]

Pilgrim!


   Another one to pray for!  

I will pray and fast for you Michael  

[Pilgrim]

Gal. 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Law and Grace cannot be mixed. The apostle Paul made this clear in verse above. The Greek word for frustrate in the above verse means to do away with, to set aside, to disregard, nullify, to make void, to reject, refuse. Those who think that they are establishing righteousness by the deeds of the law have frustrated the grace of God. No wonder Paul announced such a severe judgement on those who taught that Christians must keep the law of Moses (Galatians 1:6). They were leading people to damnation rather than salvation. In doing so they became enemies of the cross as Paul shows in the last part of the verse “for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” The cross of Jesus Christ is the single most significant event in history and those who teach righteousness by the deeds of the law turn this grand event into nothing. This is the exact thing that happen to Israel as a whole. They rejected the righteousness that Jesus gained for those who believe on Him and instead set out to establish their own righteousness by the deeds of the law.

Rom. 9:30 “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.  31  But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.  32  Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;  33  As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

The horrible consequences of trying to be righteous by the works of the law is that those who try to do so will remain lost and without salvation as Paul goes on to explain:

Rom. 10:1 “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.  2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  4  For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.  5  For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.  6  But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above]  7  Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)  8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;  9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

Paul acknowledges that Israel had a zeal for God, the problem though was that it was not according to knowledge. In others words they were religious but lost. They rejected the righteousness that God offered them through Jesus and foolishly thought that they could attain righteousness by the deeds of the law. In doing so they demonstrated their unbelief. Their only hope of salvation would be to repent of their own efforts of righteousness by the deeds of the law and accept the righteousness of God which one freely receives through the cross of Jesus.

Law and Grace cannot be mixed. Living by law will bring damnation and death, living by Grace will bring life and a clear conscience before God. Those who teach righteousness through law keeping subvert the souls of those who foolishly listen to them, those who teach salvation by the grace of God bring the words of life to those who listen to them.

Pilgrim

[psalmistsinger]

"But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?"
2Corinthian 3: 7-8.

 I have been told, “You speak so much of grace and love, yet the Bible contains two covenants.  Is there not a balance in God?”
     
The answer is yes, there is balance in God for a "..just weight is his delight"  (Proverbs 11:1),  but the balance to grace is not law!
    
The balance of God is given to us in the scriptures. "For the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1: 17).

The Grace and Truth that Jesus brought is the balance of, and in, God!

A just balance requires an equal weight.  On a balancing scale only 7 pounds is equal to 7 pounds; 6 just won’t do!   So neither is the letter (the law) that kills equal to the Spirit (grace) that gives Life!

The bible tells us that God is One and that He is Word (John 1:1) and Spirit (John 4:24), and herein lies the just weight; for only GOD equals GOD and only the Word (GOD) that is truth is equal to the Spirit (GOD) of Grace!

The prophet Zechariah prophesied of the truth of Gods grace to come in the New Covenant by the word of the Lord;

"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. " (Zechariah 12:10)

And Jesus prayed in the garden the night before His crucifixion,

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (John 17:17)

When was the Spirit of this Grace, spoken and brought by the Word of Truth, poured?  
Was it not purchased at Calvary and shed upon the church at Pentecost?

Demonstrating that the partakers of the New Covenant are the  "inhabitants of Jerusalem"  who are the recipients of this grace, as well as displaying that Earthly is not equal to Heavenly (nor Old to New), the writer of Hebrews says,

"For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,"   (the Old Covenant – the law) "And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) But ye are come unto mount Sion,"  (the New Covenant – Grace and Truth!) "and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things" (mercy) "than that of Abel" (vengeance). (Hebrews 12: 18-24)

Of this same Spirit of Grace the writer of Hebrews says,

"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29).

Thus warning that to trust in anything but the sacrifice and shed blood of Jesus, to seek to balance God with anything but God, is to count the grace by which we are purchased an unholy thing!

Can the sacrifice of bulls and goats equal the sacrifice of the Son of God?
No!

Is seeking to be justified by the works of the law equal to being justified freely by His grace (Romans 3:24), or is Hagar (the bondwoman) equal to Sarah (the freewoman) (Galatians 4:21-31)
NO!

Is the servant equal to the son?  
NO!  

Are not they who are led by the Spirit the sons of God? (Romans 8:14)  
YES!

And a son abides in the house forever! (John 8:35)

As only GOD Equals GOD, so only does Word balance Spirit, and is Grace balanced only by Truth.  

Let us trust only in the just weight of the living God that is found only in the love of Christ Jesus.

For God is Love. (1John 4:          

Gabriel
the psalmistsinger

[Pilgrim]

psalmistsinger,

Amen! Amen! Amen! to post #14

Pilgrim

[asaph]

I am sitting here listening to this argument and wondering where it is taking root and what it is growing into.
There is obviously a misunderstanding of motive here. The law is good if a man uses it lawfully. The law is not made for the righteous. Christ is the end of the commandment.
However, through the Holy Spirit Christ still gives commandments daily to each of us. What we do with that instant word is crucial. If we do not listen to the Spirit in that instance and go our own way we have disobeyed the Spirit of Christ and are subject to discipline. If we are not disciplined then we are bastards and not true sons.
Jesus kept and fulfilled the commandments he gave at Sinai. He would not lead us to go against them. He daily gives ramah words (instant words) that we are to obey. You could say it is the still small voice.
For instance today I began to argue with my wife to the point being tempted to say harsh words. But the Spirit checked me and I obeyed. Does not this fulfill the commandment to love my wife, neighbor etc?

asaph

[Pilgrim]

Gal. 3:1 “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?  2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?  4  Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if [it be] yet in vain.  5  He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, [doeth he it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

Those who teach and hold that Christian must keep the law of Moses would do well to pay attention to the apostle Paul in the above verses. Paul is so amazed that those who were on the right path to begin with are now far removed from the true gospel and have instead embraced a false gospel of law keeping. How can this be? Paul calls the Galatians who think that they have to keep the law of Moses foolish (verse 1,3). Paul goes on to demonstrate their foolishness by asking a couple of rhetorical question. Any one who teaches that Christians must keep the law of Moses would do well to answer these questions as well. Paul first ask:

“This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

This is a rhetorical question and the obvious answer is that anyone who is saved was saved by grace through faith and not by their own attempts at keeping the law of Moses as Eph. 2:8-10 declares. Paul then builds upon this question by asking another rhetorical question:

“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? “

In other words are you so foolish in acknowledging that you were saved by faith to think that your sanctification  will now be made perfect by your fleshly attempts at keeping the law of Moses? Paul is teaching the Galatians by rhetorical questions that not only are they saved by faith but that their perfection is of faith as well. Our salvation is though faith and our Christian walk is by faith, not by the deeds of the law as false teaches would have you believe.

Gal. 3:11 “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, [it is] evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

Law and Grace cannot be mixed.

God bless,
Pilgrim

[asaph]

Is anyone listening? Am I in this conversation? Any response to my previous post? Did it make sense?
I am under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus! This includes His commandments; they are not a burden. You are not a burden to me either but a blessing from God.

asaph