The Law: all or nothing? Done away or still today? There is not a third, modified choice -- not according to Christ's Promise
Here is His promise:“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." - Matt. 5:17-18
You may need to read this several times, slowly, to let the point of this article sink in. I know that this is not something that I saw until fairly recently. And I had read -- and perhaps at some time even memorized -- this passage, still not grasping Christ's powerful point. The point of this passage is that there will never be a time when the Law will operate only
partially. For instance, there will never be a time when we are obligated to keep the Ten Commandments -- without keeping every other lesser law (every "
jot" and "tittle"). Yet, this is exactly what many do today. They erect a distinction between ceremonial law (for the Jews only) and the eternal law (binding on all believers).
Quick quiz: What is the Greek word for "ceremonial", as in "ceremonial law"? How about the Hebrew word? There is none. That is already an indication itself that this distinction is man-made, not God-ordained.
Because it is difficult to actually see what this verse is saying, seeing that we are overly familiar with what we think the verse is saying, it might be helpful to try a different tack. Let's try the mathematical word-problem approach. To solve a hard word problem it is often helpful to substitute values to gain insight into the problem. In Matt. 5:18, let us forget, for the moment, some phrases and replace them with different phrases. This way we will be able to see just what type of action is being described, and -- more importantly -- the actual duration of those actions. After all, this is the very gist of the misunderstanding of this passage.Poor Ned
Note that the substituted phrases are in brackets: For assuredly, I say to you, till [Ned's prison sentence is completed], [not one day will pass without him wearing an orange suit and being a prisoner] till [he has served out the mandated punishment].
Consider poor Ned's case. He is laboring under a double whammy: because he has a sentence to fulfill he has to wear that orange suit and, more importantly, he is imprisoned. When does relief come to Ned? When his sentence is completed. At that time -- and exactly at that time, not a second sooner -- he is free to dress as he pleases and to leave the prison. He is a new man!
And here is the clincher: the place of Ned's incarceration, and where the records were all kept, burned to the ground! You might say that this addition is unwarranted from Scripture, but read on.Application for usNow consider our case. Mankind was laboring under sin and condemnation. Christ put an end to all this by his sacrifice on the cross. All of our condemnation, our incredibly detailed and discouraging rap-sheet, was nailed to the cross.
And here is the clincher for us: like Ned's case, the place where our guilt was perpetuated ("through the Law is the knowledge of sin", Rom. 3:20) was likewise destroyed. At the cross the Temple veil, that reminder of our estrangement from God, was already torn in half, top to bottom (God's initiative, not ours). At the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70 the only means of perpetuating and observing the Law was likewise destroyed.
The elements (the stoichea), the basis of our condemnation, likewise burned to the ground. Hallelujah! Peter tells us twice that the "elements will melt with fervent heat". What are these elements? None other than the foundational principals of the whole Law system, Gal. 4:3; Col. 2:8, 20. With the burning of the physical bricks and stones of the Temple there was an inexorable but invisible burning up of that whole system. We couldn't return to the Law if we wanted to.
But why would we even want to, seeing that it only ever condemned us before God, never commended us to God?
New Heavens, New Earth -- Right Now
When Ned was free from his sentence and condemnation he was a new man. By comparison, when we are free from our condemnation we were not only new creatures in Christ, but we were also, from that time on, in a new heavens and new earth.
If you don't believe me, go back to the original passage. At the very time when we were no longer under the Law and its condemnation, at that very time we are in the new heavens and new earth. We have this right now. We are not waiting for this still to happen in the future. The New Heavens and New Earth is the world of the new creature in Christ. If we are not in the New Heavens and New Earth then we must still be under the Law - all of it, every jot and tittle. Under the Law and without place or means to practice the Law -- in its entirety. We would be, of all men, the most miserable!
Eternal and Invisible
An objection might be raised: this does not look at all like the New Heavens and New Earth, not at all what I would expect. Well, the problem is in our perception. We have been taught a certain way. Look again at what the Bible says, not what man's teaching insists. "We walk by faith, and not by sight." - 2 Cor.5:7"We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." - 2 Cor.4:18
Do you think the Law is done away or still today?
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Comments (16)
I think it has been totally fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I agree with YourOuterCritic, except that after studying the laws and feasts, I'd have to say that there is a second fulfillment going on right now. The Second coming. But I have to argue that just because it's been fulfilled, doesn't mean it's time to stop following the laws. As the author stated: "Do not think I've come to abolish the law .... but to fulfill it." That says to me that it's all still in effect, since our heaven and earth have not passed away. I don't believe we're in the new Heaven and Earth, not until the second coming when He establishes His reign on earth. Right now, the world is in too much turmoil. I think though, that we're well past the "birth pangs" and headed right into the birth of the new earth. Let's see what the future brings, shall we? :)
Old Law (Old Covenant, Testament) = Isreal, Judaism. While destroyed, it's not to be forgotten, nor was it replaced by Christianity.
New Law (New Covenant, Testament) = the Catholic Church! Clearly established by Christ to FULFILL the Old Law, not to abandon the status quo and constantly look for the new and improved, latest and greatest. In all honesty, it seems like your concepts of 'old' and 'new' are a bit off.
It's not about whether or not we should follow the 'law' aka, listen to the religious authority, whether it be Catholic or not--because the irony is that if you take the very idea that you're proposing in this post to it's finality, you either have to become Catholic or atheist, and that's evident in the fact that protestant churches do in fact have ecclesiastical structures in place, as much as you'd like to believe the contrary.
By very definition, Protestantism is a 'third, modified choice'. Just look at Church history to see that. well, it's actually not a 'third' choice but a... well however many different demonitionseth choice.
A great book that touches on this topic is "Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist."
@greene_lily@xanga - @rusty0505@xanga - You both would enjoy it!
@rusty0505@xanga - The New Testament/ New Covenant does not, in my opinion, equal the Catholic Church. I have many, many issues with just the teachings of the Catholic church, but I'd rather not begin another debate during this one. I would have to say that the New Testament/New Covenant ushered in the Messianic era, a time of new understanding and enlightenment. What denomination of christianity you chose is up to you, but I would say not to limit it only to one specific denomination. Personally, I don't consider myself to be a christian at all. I'm a Christ follower, though I prefer Yahshua follower. I'm a Messianic Jew.
Wow, yeah, this is good. Love exploring God in creation...thanks.
There are some who believe in the concept of the 'now and the not yet.' Its a tension-filled thought that the New earth (would you agree that's the same as the Kingdom of heaven/God mentioned by Jesus in the Gospels?) is here...and at the same time is not yet here. If that sounds confusing, not sure an example helps, but here's one. So Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is here (Mat 11:12) and then describes what it looks like throughout the Gospels, a buried treasure, forgiveness, filled with little children, physical healing, etc. So we can look around and agree that earth doesn't always look like the kingdom of heaven that Jesus walks in and yet sometimes it looks exactly like that.
I am open to new revelation, but currently believe the law exists today. The mosaic law has been fulfilled by what some call the law of love. If that's the case then your Ned analogy might have a slight twist. Rather than Ned having to wear an orange suit, he has to wear only the best possible clothes...the one's he most wants to wear. And he wouldn't be allowed to wear anything but those. We're led to believe the Gospel is only good news and sin is merely 'missing the mark,' (by definition) and may get in the way of us experiencing the abundant life offered by Jesus.
What do you think? You've likely heard this thought of now and not yet.
1st Timothy 1:8-10
"But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that the Law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching..."
It would appear that the law is still in full force today and governs those who are under its jurisdiction. The reason why Christians are not under the law is that they have been removed from it and placed under the law of the spirit of life in Christ.
This is one reason why Paul warned the Galatians so severely not to place themselves back under the law by being immoral. He knew that the law governed such things, but Christians are to live Holy and Godly lives, not under the law, but under Christ.
So, to answer the question, yes I believe the Law is still in effect today, and that Christ is the only fulfillment of the Law. Therefore, He is the way, the truth, and the life.
@greene_lily@xanga - If Christ has not established His reign, then who is currently in charge of the Earth?
This is an interesting topic. There is the Mosaic law that Jesus is referring to. And then there is the Divine law that Paul is referring to.
Jesus said that the Mosaic law would not pass away "till all is fulfilled."
Didn't Jesus death and resurrection fulfill the Mosaic law and establish the Divine law that Paul is talking about?
@greene_lily@xanga - "What denomination of christianity you chose is up to you..."
We are in Advent. Soon, Christmas. Here we see how Jesus came to us because we could not go to Him. It is always God who chooses us first, loves us first. We are to respond, to say yes to God, as Mary did.
Jesus left Peter in charge. We have a way, a Church, The way, The Church.
My way of saying yes, is to be a part of the Catholic Church. I don't feel that it was up to me, it was up to Him who loved me first. If I don't go to church, then I say no to God. But a different denomination... this is not a choice. It is only to follow or not to follow... Peter followed, so I try to too.
So far, none of these comments, have addressed the main points of my article, summarized as:
1. When any part of the Law passes away it all passes away - together.
2. When that does happen - and I believe it did, since the means of
keeping that Law is now gone - then we are necessarily in the new
heavens and new Earth.
All of this (except for the parenthetical part of #2) is clearly stated in Matt. 5:17-18.
This is why I went to the trouble of bringing in the Ned illustration. Illustrations have a way - at least I hoped they would! - of helping us think afresh about seemingly familiar verses. Christ did not give us a third choice. Neither did He give leeway for modification of this either/or situation. We are either under the Law now (2011) and in it's entirety - or at has been done away with - in it's entirety. My point is stated in the title: We either are obligated to all of the Law or to none of the Law. There is no middle choice. The question of "how", "in what way", etc. is beside the point.
The "moral, ceremonial, and civil distinctions" (as someone wrote to me) are also, likewise,
beside the point. Unless you want to argue that Christ only fulfilled part of the Law. Still no one has addressed the main conundrum raised by this passage in Matt. 5: Christ said that all of the Law - necessarily, as an inseparable unit - becomes deprecated at the very same time.
And that very same time is followed immediately by the new heavens and the new Earth.
This is is all in the text.
In answer to those who want to make a distinction here between ceremonial law and moral law, I would agree that there is one. But Christ is here is speaking of God's Law in its totality, ceremonial and moral; Jots, tittles of every minute proscription along with the Decalog.
"Law" here is based on Christ's use in Matt. 5:17-18. In that passage He was demonstrably not restricting Himself to the Ten Commandments, but to the wide range of the Law. His series of "You have heard that it was said, but I say unto you..." draw upon both Decalogue commandments and lesser ones. The very fact that He treats of all them in the same discourse shows that He sees all of them as "Law". Thus His comments in verses 17-18 must be seen in the light of these later applications.
The only mention of either "law" or "commandments" is in the first and last chapter (7:11 and 22-23) of this Sermon on the Mount, yet the application is throughout.
In 7:11 He sums up the Law as proactive care for our fellow man. "[T]his is the Law and the Prophets."
Not to follow the closing positive injunction of the above verse 11 is to incur the judgment of vs.23:
" ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"
All of this is to say that the Law we encounter here is not just those ten commandments, but the entirety of God's injunctions to man.
@ProudToBeAChristianFruitcake@xanga - Take your pick of people. The way I see it, and I'm not asking you to agree this is just my personal view on it, is that the first coming of Yahshua fulfilled the OT promises that we would have a Messiah to redeem us. It ushered in a new era of understanding, a new hope for the world. If Yahshua were reigning on earth, do you think humanity would still be trying to kill one another? Do you think people would still be worshipping other gods? I believe that things have been set in motion for the new earth/reign of Yahshua to begin, when He will dwell with us permanently in the flesh and not just in spirit. If you mean that the new earth began with the enlightening and new method of redemption (meaning not slaughtering animals) by accepting Yahshua, then perhaps you are right. But if you mean a physical new earth, where there was no killing, no tears, all resting in the peace of our Lord, then I have to disagree. Hopefully this isn't all we can expect as our promise of a new heaven and earth.
@monobeam@xanga - What denomination you chose IS up to you. I chose not to be pentecostal, baptist, evangelical, catholic. Those are denominations of christianity. I chose to keep the OT Laws and follow the teachings of Yahshua. I do not attend church. I actually refuse to attend church because I do not agree with the teachings of most christian churches. "If I don't go to church, then I say no to God." I have to say I wholeheartedly disagree with this. I chose to worship God in my own home, away from the teachings I disagree with. My family holds our own services, studying the Torah, and praying. We are close to God in the sanctity of our own home. If you feel that you prefer to be in church, that is your choice. We each have different ways of being close to God and neither is wrong. @asterisktom@xanga - I fully believe that the Law is in effect today. Although, I don't believe that ALL of it has passed, only some. Just as only some of the prophecies concerning the Second coming have passed, but not all of them have been fulfilled. Yahshua has fulfilled the Laws concerning sacrifices for sins. If we believe that Yahshua is the Son of God sent here to redeem us, and He tells us to keep the Laws, that's reason enough for me to keep them. But the Laws were also put into place to show us what is considered to be sinful in the eyes of God so that we may know what to do and what not to do to keep ourselves holy and set aside for Him. But violating the Laws is not damning because though it is sin, Yahshua atoned for our sins. This is just my personal belief here: even though He has atoned for our sins, why would I want to take advantage of that gift and continue on a sinful path? It seems disrespectful in a major way. Like saying "thanks for dying for me, but I'm still going to live my life how I want." Thanks for paying my bail, now I'm going to go back to doing what it was that got me convicted in the first place.I do think, though, that some of the laws are not still in effect. For example, we no longer need the laws concerning the sacrificing of animals for redemption of sin. Yahshua did away with those laws when He sacrificed Himself. We no longer need the laws concerning circumcision, because it was, essentially another type of blood sacrifice and again, Yahshua took care of that for us. (I believe that circumcision is now of the heart, and not physical, but that's another debate.) But we as non-heavenly beings, are always subjected to sin and it will be that way until the New Heaven and Earth are physically established. The Laws are there to help keep ourselves as holy as humanly possible, separated from those who are lawless and unholy just as God separated Noah from the rest of the world. And thank you for making the distinction between just the 10 Commandments and the entirety of the Law. There are 613 mitzvot (commandments), part of them for the priestly cast, part concerning sacrifices and the rest basically summed up by "The Big 10". The Law wasn't put there as a burden, I keep the Laws but I also understand that it isn't the most important part of my relationship with God. “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 (In other words, don't brag about who you are, that you are saved, or that you do great works because none of it was by your own hand. Just ask Moses. He took credit for ONE thing and despite everything that happened prior to it and afterward; he was refused entry into the Promised Land.)We are each entitled to our own opinions, and each have to serve as we feel called. If you feel that the Laws are no longer in effect, good for you, but I would like to respectfully disagree. I would like to ask, though, what part of the Law are you referring to? There's so much to it, that you can't just say The Law isn't for me anymore. Because there are also holy days that are a part of the Law, Feast days, that are, too me a HUGE part of understanding the life of Christ and the symbolism of the coming days. (and sorry this response is so very long) I recently did a post about why I believe the way I do, if you're interested, you can find it here.
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - I'm familiar with Dr. Pitre's work. It's wonderful! I haven't read his books (only because i lack time and, in all honesty, motivation), but i have heard a talk of his on the Jewish roots of the Papacy!
@rusty0505@xanga - I've heard him give a talk on the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist on Relevant Radio; I imagine you can get it at Lighthouse Media, too. If you have the motivation to seek the audio, go for it!
The law is fulfilled. Yes. But this does not mean that those who live apart from Christ do not need the law to govern them. The law is still a necessary guidepost TO Christ. If every person were actually living the new life that Christ bought for us, then the law would be rendered unnecessary, because as Jeremiah 31:33- 34 puts it,
33“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Sorry for the change in font size. I copied and pasted this so that it would be word for word rather than a paraphrase.)
Considering that those who believe in Jesus are considered to be as vines grafted into the lineage of Abraham, adopted sons and daughters, so to speak... these verses are completely applicable.
However, not everyone is in Christ. So, the law has not yet been fulfilled in EVERYONE. It has been fulfilled in those who are in Christ, we live by the spirit, by faith, not by the letter of the law now.
A letter I sent to my sabbath day pastor
Setting the record straight
There seems confusion as
to what I believe. I hope this will set the record straight. God is the same yesterday today and forever.
He said “I am the Lord God
I do not change.” So if God does not
change then his laws also are as constant as he is.
I do not believe the law
has been done away with only one exception and I believe it has always been the
way it is now and that is a spiritual law.
In the flesh we cannot
keep the law. If we walk after the spirit then the law becomes part of us. Because
of what Christ did God made a change in us
not the law. Please let’s
examine the law in the spirit. Christ came not to do away with the law but to
fill it full. Bring it to competition.
Let’s examine the whole
purpose of the law
Gal3: 10
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written:
“Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book
of the Law11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified
before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.] 12
The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does
these things will live by them.”[g] 13 Christ
redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is
written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.] 14
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the
Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of
the Spirit.
15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an
example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human
covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say
“and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”[i] meaning one person, who is Christ. 17
What I mean is this: The
law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant
previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18
For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the
promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
I know people use these
scriptures and many more like them to prove the law was done away. I do not
believe that If that were so we could sin with impunity. That is not so.
God has always intended
the law to show us we are lost and as a guide and teacher but not as a savior.
Under the law in the flesh man we are cursed.
Romans 5:
20The law was brought in so that
21the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased
all the more,
so that, just as sin reigned in death, so
also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord. (This doesn’t mean so man would sin more but to show we
sin and fall short. Never
the less that was the purpose of the law.)
Please examine what was written above “Cursed is
everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.
It is not a smorgasbord that we can pick or
choose which parts we will follow and discard the rest.
The law either has complete authority over us or no
authority what-ever. Then through Christ do we find our atonement. In Christ do
we find Passover. We throw yeast out of our homes and the spiritual
form of this is all that is required and our bodies the
temple of the holy spirit is where the yeast is that needs to be cleared out.
Again you cannot pick and choose. If you throw yeast out of your homes then you
must keep the entire feast and the whole law. This cleaning of the temple of
the holy spirit is not a one time a year thing but a daily and constant thing.
If you choose to throw yeast out fine but do not condemn
those who do not.
We hear preacher use the term throughout your generations..
Again you cannot pick and choose.
Here is a list of
throughout your generations.
Sabbath Day:
Exodus 31:16-17
Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the
Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 'It is a sign
between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made
the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'
Sabbaths:
Exodus 31:13
Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall
keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you
may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.
Feast of Unleavened Bread:
Exodus 12:17
'So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I
will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall
observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance.
Grain offering:
Lev 6:15-18; 23:13-14
Then one of them shall lift up from it a handful of the fine flour of the
grain offering, with its oil and all the incense that is on the grain offering,
and he shall offer it up in smoke on the altar, a soothing aroma, as its
memorial offering to the Lord. ... Every male among the sons of Aaron may eat
it; it is a permanent ordinance throughout your generations, from the offerings
by fire to the Lord.
Burnt offering:
Exodus 29:39-42
"One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall
offer at twilight... This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your
generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord, where I
will meet you to speak with you.
Burn incense:
Exodus 30:8
And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a
perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.
Sin offering:
Exodus 30:10
And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of
the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it
throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord."
Anointing oil:
Exodus 30:31
And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'This shall be a holy
anointing oil to Me throughout your generations.
Atonement yearly:
Ex 30:10
And Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year; he shall make
atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year
throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.
Day of Atonement:
Leviticus 23:28-31
And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement,
to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. For any person who is not
afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. And any
person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from
among his people. You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever
throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Heave offering:
Numbers 15:21
Of the first of your ground meal you shall give to the Lord a heave offering
throughout your generations.
Tabernacle work:
Numbers 18:22-23
Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of
meeting, lest they bear sin and die. But the Levites shall perform the work of
the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a
statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel
they shall have no inheritance.
Priests washing:
Ex 30:21
So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they may not die; and it
shall be a perpetual statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout
their generations.
Feast of tabernacles:
Lev 23:34-43
You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the
year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall
celebrate it in the seventh month. 'You shall live in booths for seven days;
all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths
Passover:
Ex 12:14
Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a
feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a
permanent ordinance.
Carry breast piece:
Ex 28:29
And Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breast piece of
judgment over his heart when he enters the holy place, for a memorial before
the Lord continually
Numbers 15,38
"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'Throughout the generations
to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue
cord on each tassel.
I have heard people say you must keep the Sabbath and then not teach all the
throughout your generations. If you teach and keep one then you shall keep all.
Again you cannot pick and
choose..
I am not saying it is
wrong for you to keep Gods Sabbath day. I am not saying it is wrong to keep his
holy Sabbaths (plural) I am saying it is wrong for you to tell other people
they must.
If you can keep them all
perfectly then feel free to impose your will on others as you are as good as
Christ. I did not write the Bible I did
not say you must keep the whole law .
James 2 8 If you really keep the
royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you are doing right. 9
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as
lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at
just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said,
“You shall not commit adultery,”[b] also said, “You shall not murder.”[c] If you do not commit
adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those who are going
to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment
without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs
over judgment. James is speaking of the law that is kept in the spirit Love
your neighbor as yourself. Be merciful and you shall obtain mercy. Forgive and
you shall be forgiven. Etc.
All the law is in the
spirit. Sacrifices have not been done away. We are to become a living sacrifice.
Circumcision is of the heart (kept in the spirit) The Sabbath and all Sabbaths are kept in the spirit.
This a continual daily for
the rest of your life thing Prayer and good works is the incense burning in the
temple of the holy spirit If you see
your neighbor hungry and you have plenty and share you have filled the grain offering. I keep the feast of God with the sdcog group
not because I have to and I will never tell anyone else they have to. I do it
because it makes me happy they are beautiful.
I do tell people where the
Pagan days come from and I do not keep them I do not pound them over their
heads If I warn them one time I have done my duty and not to be blamed.
Now to judgments …. Jesus and
Beelzebul 22 Then they
brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him,
so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were
astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 But when the
Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of
demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25 Jesus knew their
thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be
ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26
If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his
kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do
your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of
God has come upon you.
29 “Or
again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions
unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
30 “Whoever is not with me
is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And
so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy
against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word
against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy
Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
In other words if you say
something that is of God is of Satan you Blaspheme the holy spirit. I have
heard people in the church say that Billy Graham when he preached and people
came to Christ they really wasn’t saved If you make that Judgment and you are
wrong you blaspheme the holy spirit. How many times must people be warned not
to judge.
When Satan disputed with
Michel the Angel over Moses body the Angel brought no railing accusations but
said the Lord rebuke you.
When Christ was confronted
by his disciples about a group preaching a different message then them he said
let the blind lead the blind.
When Paul made the
statement about the motives people were preaching about Christ he said never
the less Christ is being preached.
There non-Christians and real
Christians in every denominations.. Who are we any of us who are good enough to
judge who belongs to Christ and who doesn’t.
Christians lives are hard
enough why can we not learn to pray, fellowship and be kind one to another with
clean non judgmental hearts.
In conclusion the Law is a
law of faith it is an ongoing process that God is working in us..The law is in
our spirits daily so am I a Sabbath keeper I say yes in the purist sense.
I am thankful that Christ
came and did for me what I could not do for myself. He became all things for
me.
If because I believe this
way I am considered wrong and judged to still be in sin then you must dismiss
me from the church.
If I am right then you
must reconsider what the church teaches.