Results 1 - 1 of 1
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: twlavista Ordered by Date |
||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Correct Understanding of verses? | Bible general Archive 4 | twlavista | 219247 | ||
Dear justme, Your statement, "Recently there has been some dialogue about this very subject. It pains me that those who believe the keeping of the LAW are so adamant that those who do not believe the way they do, are or as I understand their dialogue, not true believers." Your statement is absolutely correct. Those who do this are those who believe in the "Law as a Rule of Life". And, like you, it pains me that so many new believers have been led down this erroneous path into a life of fear rather than a life of victory in Christ Jesus. I believe you'll benefit from the words written by William Kelly taken from "The Writings of William Kelly". The final paragraph is particularly enlightening. "Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of the Christ, let us press on unto full growth." The new status of the Christian depends on Christ dead, risen, and in heaven. The infinite sacrifice is already offered and accepted; and only so has Christ taken His seat on the right hand of the Majesty on high. We cannot therefore go to elements before the cross for that which forms and fashions the Christian. We, if full-grown, need the corn of the land, now that it is no longer a question of raining manna in the wilderness. "For those that were once enlightened, and tasted the heavenly gift, and became partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted God's good word and powers of [an] age to come, and fell away, [it is] impossible to renew again unto repentance, crucifying for themselves as they do and putting to shame the Son of God. For land that drank the rain that often cometh upon it, and bringeth forth herbage meet for those for whose sake it is also tilled, partaketh of blessing from God; but Yielding thorns and thistles [it is] worthless and near a curse, the end of which [is] to be burned" (verses 4-8). It is observable that we read here of enlightenment, not of new birth or eternal life. Undoubtedly the heavenly gift comes before us; and so it is not earthly like the associations of the Messiah, but "heavenly" because of contrast with Canaan hopes. How great a boon that God is now revealing heavenly grace! Further, it is not the old and essential truth of the Holy Spirit quickening a soul by the word, still less of now sealing the believer and for ever dwelling in him. We must not forget that He was sent down also to constitute the assembly of God's habitation; so that all introduced therein were in a general way partakers of the Spirit. Whoever bowed to the gospel tasted God's word as good, and received it with joy as of far different savour from that law which was a ministration of death and condemnation. twlavista |
||||||