Results 341 - 360 of 361
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Bill Mc Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
341 | I'm sorry, Readers, and Reformer Joe | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12951 | ||
I'm sorry, Readers and Joe, if my comments about Reformer Joe came across as an insult to him or his doctrinal beliefs. That was not intended. I do not personally know him, but I was not attempting to undermine the body of work that Joe has contributed to this forum or call his character into question. I know it could be taken that way. We do need to learn from each other. I was seeking to get Joe's reasons for his interpretation of the words 'sanctification' and 'the Law.' We, if you have been following this thread, obviously disagree on a few things. But we are still brothers in Christ, and, Joe, if you're reading this, I'm sorry. We are all entitled (and responsible) for our interpretations of Scripture. I was seeking to accertain where the concept of positional/practical truths is taught. Perhaps I missed something, I don't know. None of us are infallible. But I would urge everyone to be a 'Berean' and search these things in the Scriptures to see if they are so. And to let God's Word speak for itself. I'm sure Reformer Joe would agree. |
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342 | Is the Christian under Law? | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12942 | ||
Dear JVH0212, I, for the time being, stand corrected. I will look into the other 613. Please accept my apologies until I do further research. I though the reference was to not picking grains of wheat on the sabbath, etc. But, my initial assertion still stands. We, as Christians, are not under the 10 or the 613. Thanks for the 'gentle' correction. In Christ, Bill MC |
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343 | Are Positional and Practical truths true | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12938 | ||
Dear Joe (not Steve, my apologies), In Philippians 3, look at what Paul is talking about. Consider context. Look at verse 11 - "In order that I may attain to the resurrection of the dead. Not that I have already obtained it..." Joe, is he not talking about the completed creation? When we stand before God redeemed not only in spirit, but in soul and body also? He is talking about PHYSICAL bodily resurrection in verse 11, is he not? How could you miss this? As I understand it, this perfect can be translated 'complete.' We will not be 'complete' until we have our new resurrected bodies. But our spirit is our identity. And our spirits have been joined to Christ's Spirit, haven't they? As to righteousness, Rom 5:16 says that it is a gift that must be received. How can you earn a gift? 2 Cor 5:21 - When was Christ made sin? When we made righteous (it says made, not declared, brother)? Eph 4:24 - Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God HAS BEEN (past tense) created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Phil 3:19 - the righteousness which comes from God (not ourselves and our efforts) on the basis of faith (not good works or Law-keeping). You said, "Therefore, in one sense Christ's righteousness has been imputed to our account and we have been declared righteous (rather than the "infused" righteousness of Roman Catholicism), but another sense in which that spiritual reality is to be lived out in our day-to-day existence, with a goal in mind and by the power of the Holy Spirit." Bingo! You do understand! So it is, as you say, a spiritual reality. Right! Because it is a reality, we live it out! I have never said, "Let go and let God." What I would say is, walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. My "resting in Christ," which you seem to loathe is far from an inactive, stagnant, lethargic,'robotic'attitude which you seem to think it is. I agree, our wills ARE definitely involved with our outward conforming to Christ's image. But, it is a attitude that says, as Christ did, "God, I trust that YOU and YOU ALONE will be my source for everything I do. And that I will do it only because YOU are doing it through me." This was Christ's attitude. He said that He said nothing and did nothing unless the Father told Him to say or do it. He relied COMPLETELY upon the Father as His source for everything. Let me ask you, Joe, was Christ a 'robot?' Did He 'turn everything off?' No, of course not. He trusted God the Father to operate through Him every moment of His life, even when, in the garden, His human will wanted the cup to pass from Him. This is my goal, brother. Not to keep the Law of Moses, but, rather, the law of Christ. I want to say, as Paul did, "I, Bill Mc, no longer live, but Christ (not the Law) lives in me. And the life I live in my body, I live BY FAITH (not rules) in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. It is anything but 'turning everything off.' It is almost scary to trust God that way. I lived out of my flesh (self-sufficiency) for so many years. My life is now hidden IN Christ. And, trust me, Joe, it is anything but inactive. In Christ, Bill Mc |
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344 | What is your identity in Christ? | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12929 | ||
Well said, Joe. Untrue, but well said. The church fathers which you so highly regard "rested" their cases upon Sola Scriptura. As you know, Martin Luther was converted due to the fact that a man is justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ, and not works (keeping the Law). But, brother, since we are on the subject, let's look at a quote from Spurgeon: "According to this gracious covenant, the Lord treats His people as if they had never sinned. Practically, He forgets all their trespasses. Sins of all kinds He treats as if they had never been; as if they were quite erased from His memory. O miracle of grace! God here does that which is certain aspects is impossible to Him. His mercy works miracles which far transcends all other miracles. Our God ignores our sin now that the sacrifice of Jesus has ratified the covenant. We may rejoice in Him without fear that He will be provoked to anger against us because of our iniquities. See! He puts us among the children ; He accepts us as righteous; He takes delight in us as if we were perfectly holy. He even puts us in places of trust; makes us guardians of His honor, trustees of the crown jewels, stewards of the gospel. He counts us worthy, and gives us a ministry; this is the highest and most special proof that He does not remember our sins. Even when we forgive an enemy, we are very slow to trust him; we judge it to be imprudent to do so. But the Lord forgets our sins, and treats us as if we had never erred. O my soul, what a promise is this! Believe it and be happy. - Charles H. Spurgeon Even Spurgeon believed in a PRACTICAL, not positional forgiveness. He said that God ignores our sin now the the new covenant was ratified. Maybe Spurgeon's NT was thinner than yours... I still feel that you misunderstand my position. Let me try, one more time, to clarify it. At salvation, conversion, the new birth, we are MADE, in our spirits (our identities), holy, righteous, acceptable, saints, because of our exchange with Christ. He became sin for us, we become the righteousness OF God (not our own) in Christ. We now, as Christians, get to live out through our souls and bodies what we have been made spiritually (you would probably call this practical sanctification). This 'living out' is a process of having our souls (minds, wills, emotions) renewed through Scripture and the Holy Spirit to conform us outwardly to the image of Christ that we have already been made inwardly in our spirits. Brother, you have tried to redefine every Scripture I have mentioned into practical and positional qualifications. So you are dismissing them out of hand. You're implying that, "Yes, God sees me as positionally righteousness but that's not what I really am." Further quoting of Scripture is pointless if you don't believe them anyway. And, Joe, if you're going to redefine the Scriptures, then further discussion is, unfortunately, unprofitable for us both. But, I think no less of you. You know your Scriptures. I admire that. Unfortunately, I confess, I don't know very many. Though I have been a Christian for 30 years, most of that time has been spent listening to others interpret it for me instead of relying on the Holy Spirit and other Scripture to reveal it to me. So, practically (hey, I used that word), I have a way to go. So, I may be ignorant but arrogant? Anyway, I guess until I'm better equipped, I'll not debate this particular issue with you, brother. In the meantime, I'll search my thinner NT for where God describes His church as a fat, lazy, impotent element of soceity. Interesting view...maybe in Revelation cahpters 2 and 3... In Christ, Bill Mc |
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345 | What is your identity in Christ? | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12913 | ||
Dear Joe, I guess we will just have to agree to disagree. Contrary to your conclusion, my friend, I am no longer a sinner. I am a saint, a child of God, who occasionally still sins. But Christ has changed my identity. I was a sinner. Now, I am a saint. 63 times in the New Testament believers are called "saints." Beleivers are NEVER called sinners in the NT. Even the Corinthians who, admittedly, had a lot of sins in their midst, are called saints. It costs Christ His life to change my identity to a saint. I will not insult what He has done by saying that I'm still a sinner. My actions do not determine my identity. My birth does. And because Christ is a righteous, perfect person, and I am IN HIM, I am righteous and perfect before God. And I never said that I don't sin. But my sin has been dealt with by Christ, once for all. As to anti-law, I already adressed that issue. I am not against it. It leads us to Christ. It's wonderful at pointing out a sinner's need for a Savior. When it has done that, it has fulfilled it's purpose. I'm joined to the Reality, not the shadow. I do believe in law - it's called the law of the Spirit of Christ Jesus (check Rom 8:1,2) and it has set me free from the law of sin and death. Paul calls it "the law of Christ" - love. Well, brother, I feel we've probably taken this as far as is profitable. You can cling to what you allege that Catholics, Protestants, Reformed, Dispensationalists, Calvin, Luther, Augustine, Edwards, and Spurgeon say. I'm going to "rest" in Sola Scriptura. Nevertheless, Joe, thanks for your correspondence. I understand your opinion. I was taught it and believed it for 30 years of my life. But I pray, Joe, that you, being rooted and grounded in love (not Law), may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth , and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. In Him, Bill Mc |
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346 | Old T. and New T. | Matt 10:5 | Bill Mc | 12908 | ||
Dear WDC, I agree with Reformer Joe's answer above for the most part. God's attributes have never changed and never will. The Bible makes that very clear. But, for time's sake, as you know, I believe that God deals with mankind in different ways in different periods. Man has ALWAYS been saved by faith in what God says. But God has said different things to mankind down through the ages. (That is why your Bible is so thick) As you know, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham - none of these had 'the Law' as we know it. But they did believe in God's revelation to them during their respective time periods. They all had faith, and acted upon their beliefs. And, according to Hebrews, their faith was credited to them as righteousness. Old Testament saints were saved by belief in God's word to them. But, in these last days, as I'm sure you know, God has spoken to us through His Son. The Old Testament contained a progressive revelation of the 'once for all' sacrifice that Christ would make. There are many 'types' of salvation pictured in the OT. Hebrews says that the Law was a 'shadow' of the better things that were coming (Christ). Christ is the full revelation of God's plan to save mankind and, once again, to put His divine life back into His creation where it was designed to be. As to the seeming descrepancies of God's characteristics, I will leave that for others to reply to who may have a better answer than I. I'm not saying this as a cop-out. I'm just being honest. I don't understand why God has mercy on whom He will have mercy. There are too many specifics to answer every question as to the Lord's motives or actions, like, "Why did He allow innocent children to be slaughtered?" I believe that God gives us everything in the Bible that we need to know about Him and salvation. But He doesn't tell us everything He knows. His ways are not our ways. And I try not to use my limited understanding of Him to force Him into a box of neat little compartments so that I can fully comprehend Him. But, WDC, I can tell you this. I trust Him. He has ALWAYS been faithful to me. I, too, will have many questions to ask when I finally see Him face to face. This much I know - it was not just for the Son of God to leave heaven, take the form of a puny creation, live a perfect life amongst a sinful world, and to die a thief's death on a cross. It was not just for Christ to bear the sins on the world in His body. It was not just for Him to be separated from the Father when He never did one thing wrong. It was not just for Him to take my sins and for me to get His righteousness. It was not just for Him to take my death and to give me His life. It wasn't just, but it was love. And for that, I'm eternally grateful. In Him, Bill Mc |
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347 | Is the Christian under Law? | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12902 | ||
Hi Rob! Welcome to the forum. Seeing as you've probably been reading many of my posts in this topic (I'm rather long-winded), I'll offer my answer and you can repost the question if you would like other's input. From this topic, I've been referring primarily to the 10 commandments. Galatians, the book most cited to show that Christians are not under law, defines it in chapter 4:24 as '...the covenant proceeding from Mount Sinai...' These are the 'Words' of God given to Israel through Moses. The Jews invented the other 613 OT laws to give practical application as to how to keep the primary ten. So obviously, if the Law (10 commandments does not apply to the Christian, then the other 613, by default, are no longer applicable also. So, from Galatians and Hebrews, I've been trying to substantiate the passing of the Law as the primary 10 commandments given to the Jews. Hope this helps. In Christ, Bill MC |
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348 | What is your identity in Christ? | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12900 | ||
Dear Joe, Please see my "Are Positional and Practical truths true?" posting before you read this one. Once again, brother, you are trying to redefine the terms. In the last posting, you redefined sanctification into 3 facets. Here you do the same thing with the Law. The Scriptures I mentioned only say " the Law." You don't believe it so you have redefined the Law into your own 3 terms: "The Law still exists in a moral sense. It is the sacrificial and ceremonial aspects of the law which were fulfilled in Christ's life, death, and resurrection." So, you've taken the word 'Law' that Scripture uses and relegated it to: 1. Moral law 2. Ceremonial law 3. Sacrificial law This way YOU can decide for yourself which of the three has been fulfilled and passes away. Joe, why not accept what God says for what it says? It has been my experience that God says what He means and means what He says. He does not stutter. And, Joe, if Christ kept and fulfilled the Law (you pick which one), and you are in Him, then haven't you also, by your union with Him, fulfilled it? Look at Romans 5:19 - Because of Adam's disobedience, we were all made and born sinners, right? Is this a positional truth or a practical truth? Are we born as positional sinners or practical sinners? Do we positionally sin or practically sin? The verse continues by saying, "even so through the obedience of the One (Christ) the many (us) will be made righteous." Is this positionally righteous or practically righteous? If God says that, because of Adam's sin, our old nature is sinful, then, using the same hermanuetic, our new nature is righteous, right? When are we made righteous, Joe? When we die? What does death have to do with your identity? Those 'in Adam' are sinners because of their birth, not because of their destination - hell. We are righteous because of a new birth, not because we will one day get to heaven. Birth, my friend, determines your identity - not where you end up. I'm going to heaven because Christ has MADE me righteous, not to be made righteous. Rest in that, won't you? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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349 | Is the Christian under Law? | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12898 | ||
Dear Risen, you explained it better than I! Thank you! In Christ, Bill Mc | ||||||
350 | Are Positional and Practical truths true | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12897 | ||
Dear Joe, thanks for the reply. Please allow me to respond to a couple of things you said: "Our spirits however, are not 100 percent SANCTIFIED at conversion." See Eph 1:4; Eph 5:27; Col 1:22 and especially 1 Cor 1:2 - '...to those who HAVE BEEN (past tense) sanctified in Christ Jesus' 1 Cor 6:11 - '...but you WERE (past tense) washed, but you WERE sanctified, but you WERE justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ...' Heb 10:10 - 'by this will we HAVE BEEN (past tense) sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ...' Heb 10:29 - '...and has reguarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he WAS (past tense) sanctified...' There is only three things you can do with these verses, Steve: 1. Accept them as truth. 2. Reject them as lies. 3. Redefine sanctification and what it is. Redefination is the road most often chosen. Most theologians get around the truth of these verses by saying what the Bible does not say and that is... "There are three dimensions to our sanctification as revealed in Scripture: initial, progressive, and final." Please show me these words used of our sanctification in the New Testament. They are not in there. What you are really saying is that you DON'T BELIEVE that Christ has done it ALL and that, somehow, YOU must do it. So theologians relegate their unbeliefs into "Positional" and "Practical" truths. "Positional" means, as I understand it, that "God said it so, somehow it's true, but it doesn't make sense to me so it's a positional truth." "Practical" means, "Though I know what God says, here is what my experience tells me. So I'll rely on what experience says instead of God and His Word." Please don't take this the wrong way, Steve, but 'hogwash.' Truth is truth. Truth is God's viewpoint and His perspective is reality. Christ has done it ALL. Because people will not except the Scripture as true they decide to put their own spin on it and attempt to invalidate what Christ has done. Or they say, "Well, yes, this is truth, but it only applies to when we get home, in God's presence." Support? "Final justification occurs when the believer enters God's presence, and is made perfect in righteousness." Let me ask you, child of God, what is it about the physical death of your body that would make you justified in spirit, soul, or body before a holy God? What is it about being 'in God's presence' that would justify you? What impact would the death of your body have upon you being righteous, holy and blameless before God? I believe that Christ alone and His work justifies me before a holy God. The state of my body is inconsequential. If a holy God can now dwell in me, it is ONLY because He has already made me holy. Paul says that the temple of God is holy and THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE. Not 'what you will be.' "We may positionally be seated with Christ, but I think you would agree that that is practically not the case in our lives as we now live them." I don't agree, brother. Again, you need to resort to positional and pratical truths because you will not accept what God says as TRUTH. I am spiritually (in God's true, eternal, outside-of-time realm) seated with Christ (Eph 2:6) though my physical body is seated in a chair typing this note. Just as I was crucified, raised, and seated with Christ spiritually 2000 years ago. In this dimension called time, I get the wonderful experience of 'seeing' what I know to be truth by faith 'worked out' in my life. We live godly lives, brother, because Christ lives in us. If Babe Ruth's spirit came inside you, would you want to take up ballet? What would you want to do if Babe Ruth's spirit dwelt in you? Well, we have Christ's Spirit, the Holy Spirit, living inside of us. He causes me to live a holy life, not so I WILL BE holy, but because, I AM HOLY. But it is not because of what I do or don't do. It is because, through Christ, I have become a NEW CREATION, created in righteousness. Do I do good works? Yes. But not to affect my status before God. I do them because OF my status before God. "God wants righteousness from His people." No, brother, God wants His people to accept and believe in the righteousness that comes FROM God. The Jews sought to establish THEIR OWN righteousness through keeping the Law. And the Pharisees would agree 100 percent with your statement and tell you exactly what that should look like. So, Steve, are you going to believe what God says about your sanctification, exercise faith and accept it, or are you going to cling to your nice little 'positional' and 'practical' truths? The truth is there, dear brother. As the Keeper of the Holy Grail said, "Choose wisely..." In Christ, Bill Mc |
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351 | Is the Christian under Law? | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12845 | ||
Dear Steve, Here are your answers (in brief): 1. See John 16:8-11. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgement. But notice what the sin is in vs. 9 - the world doesn't believe in Christ. This is why people go to hell. Because they don't accept Christ. 2. I already stated what God wants. He desires a people that have Himself living in them as Adam and Eve did. God has made man in such a way that we are design to 'run on God.' He wants to be our source for life and everything we need and are. And, brother, look at Matthew 5:18, ALL OF IT, Christ says, "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law UNTIL all is accomplished." Did Christ accomplish the fulfillment of the law? If He did, if it is truly "finished" as He said, then He had every right to bring in the New Covenant and make the Law obsolete. As far as the Law goes, Christ did fulfill it. He was not saying that the Law would pass away until heaven and earth do. He was saying that the Law would not pass away until He fulfilled it - until the Law was accomplished. He said, "I did not come to abolish (destroy) the Law, but to fulfill it." Steve, did Christ do it? If He did, and He is our righteousness, then why are you trying to fulfill it? Do you honestly believe that you can? Yes, I am equating the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil with the Law. And, yes, the Old Testament saints you mention did know right from wrong. However, I miss the point of your question. 3. As for Rom 2:20, Paul is using sarcasm on the Jews who felt they were righteous by holding the Law above everything else, including Christ. He says in vs. 17: They rely upon the Law (not Christ) and boast in God saying, "WE know His will, WE are the ones who approve what's essential because the Law taught us. WE are a guide to the blind, WE are a light to those in darkness. WE are the correctors of the foolish, teachers of the immature. WE have the Law, which is the entire embodiment of knowledge and truth." How ludicrous. Christ is the embodiment of all knowledge and truth, is He not? These were the claims of the self-righteous Pharisees, the keepers of the Law. They felt that they had (and kept) the Law so they required nothing else. These were not Paul's claims. Paul said that if he boasted, it would be in Christ alone. Rom 5:20 - The Law did make transgressions increase. Paul solidifies this in Rom 7:7-9. Rom 6:14 - Again, brother, "you are not under law but under grace." Rom 7:12 - I agree 150 percent, the Law is holy, and righteous, and good. But it has done it's job in my life. It showed me as being utterly sinful and that I could never keep it. It showed me my need for Christ. But I no longer need it. I have something better than commandments written on stone. I have Christ in my heart. I need Christ and Him alone. In closing, let me say that I've enjoyed this discourse. But, I have to wonder, did you even read my last post? What do you do with all those Scriptures from Galatians and Romans that say we are not under the Law? Do you dismiss them? What about the marriage analogy Paul uses? Perhaps you misunderstand me. I am not anti-Law. It's not a matter of what OT laws I like or don't like. It's a matter of the fact that I am joined, not to the Law, but to Christ. If I died tomorrow, what bearing would the laws of the United States have on me? None. I would be dead and no longer bound by the laws. It's the same for the Christian. Christ has, through His death and our union with Him in it, caused us to be dead to the law. It's not that I don't like the Law. Indeed, I am thankful for the Law. I agree with what Paul says in Romans 7:7 - I wouldn't have known what sin was without the Law. Steve, the sinner, the unbeliever needs the Law to show him his need for Christ. What I am saying is that, once we except Christ, we no longer need the Law as a tutor. I have shown you numerous Scriptures to support this statement. I'm not making it up. I tried to 'keep the Law' as a Christian for 30 years of my life. And, no matter how hard I tried, it was never good enough. Their was always some area of my life where I didn't measure up, where I fell short. But, then, as a Christian, I came to Jesus for HIS life, not my own. Christ is now my life. Do I still sin? Yes, when I walk after my flesh. But I stand before a holy, righteous God not in my own efforts. I stand by faith in Christ and Him alone. Dear brother, I pray that you will search again the Scriptures that I have shared with you and rest in what your wonderful Lord has done. In Christ, Bill Mc |
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352 | Is the Christian under Law? | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12807 | ||
Is the Christian under Law? Dear Joe and Christiankl, God's design for our lives as Christians is to let Christ live His life thorugh us, not to keep the law. Please look at the Scriptures, brothers: Consider the church in Galatia. Paul had preached Christ crucified and risen again in their midst. This was a church of, as far as we can tell, believers in Christ who the Judaizers were trying to put back under the law and all it's requirements. Notice Paul's admonitions: Galatians 2:19 - Paul died to the Law so that he could live to God 3:10 - If you're under law, you're under it's curse - if you sin, you die 3:13 - Christ redeemed us from this curse 3:19 - The Law was added UNTIL the seed (Christ) would come 3:23 - Before faith in Christ came, we were under law's custody 3:24 - Law leads us to Christ so we can be justified by faith 3:25 - Now that faith in Christ is reality, we are no longer under the tutor (the Law) Romans 6:14 - we are not under the law but under grace 6:15 - again, we are under grace 7:4 - we were made to die to the Law so that we can be joined to Christ 7:6 - We have been released from the Law so that we can serve in the newness of the Spirit NOT according to the letter (law) Brothers, are these Scriptures not clear? If you were married to a woman you loved (see Paul's analogy in Roman's 7) and she died, as horrible as that would be, what relationship would you have with her? She would be dead and all the duties you had to her would be null and void. Would that mean you were against her or hated her? No. You would still, in fact, love her. But, you would no longer be in a relationship with her. The relationship is over. She would be dead. Now, Paul says that we were made to die to the Law through Christ's death (Rom 7:4) so that we could be joined to Christ. The first relationship has to end before the next can be binding. But the Law didn't die. We did. We are free of ANY relationship to it, not because there is something wrong with it, but because it has fulfilled it's purpose. It showed us exceedingly sinful so that we could come to Christ. And our relationship with Him will lead us to go places that the Law could never touch. The Law buried us under sin, as Christ did in the gospels (...the Law says...but I tell you...) so we would see our need to be justified by His death and saved by His life. So, obviously, I have a contention with your 3 conclusions: 1. The Holy Spirit now convicts the believer of sin and points us to Christ as sufficient - not the Law. 2. God doesn't want a moral people. The Pharisees were very moral. God wants a people who have Christ living through them. This goes beyond morality to miraculous. We don't need to eat from the morality Tree (of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, right and wrong), we need to eat from the Tree of Life, Jesus Christ. 3. We live out our sanctification. We do nothing to obtain it. Our spirits are 100 percent sanctified at conversion and we have the privelege of seeing that 'worked out' through our souls and bodies as we trust in Christ as our sufficiency and grow in His love. See Titus 2:11 - God's GRACE, not the Law, teaches us to live righteously and godly lives. As you said, God, through Christ, has met all His own moral demands. We, on our own, never could. We have been made holy not by our actions, but by His. We have HIS righteousness, not our own. And we have the joyful experience of living it out. We don't live holy, godly lives to gain sanctification. We live holy, godly lives because 'by this will (New Covenant) we have been sanctified through the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. For by one offering He has perfected for ALL TIME those who are sanctified.' - Hebrews 10:10,14 What do you think? In Christ, Bill Mc In Christ |
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353 | Heb. 8 and Jer. 31 | Matt 10:5 | Bill Mc | 12786 | ||
Thank you, JVH0212, for that wonderful clarification. | ||||||
354 | Selling all required to gain salvation? | Mark 10:21 | Bill Mc | 12782 | ||
Dear Steve, See these verses: Galatians 3:10 - If you are under the works of the Law, you are under a curse UNLESS you can abide by ALL of them ALWAYS. Can you do this? James says that if you break the least of them (ever lie?), you have broken them ALL. Gal 3:11 - You are not justified by the Law NOR should you, as a believer, live by it. We live by FAITH in the Son of God. - Colossians 2:6,7 Gal 3:12 - The LAW IS NOT of faith. It is contrary to faith in what Christ, who justifies the ungodly, has done. Gal 3:13,14 - Christ has redeemed us from the Law so that we can receive His Spirit. We live by that Spirit, not the Law. Does this invalidate what Jesus said? No, Christ taught UNDER the Law - see Galatians 4:4. The Law could not be done away with UNTIL Christ fulfilled it. And He did. Eternal life is found ONLY in Christ's resurrection. The Law NEVER saved anyone. Hebrews and Romans both make it clear that it was only given to show man his sinfulness so that he could come to Christ for life. Salvation has ALWAYS been by faith in what God says, even in the OT. And, in these last days, God has spoken by His Son, Jesus Christ. In Christ, Bill Mc |
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355 | Blessings IN Christ | Matt 10:5 | Bill Mc | 12778 | ||
Dear WDC, One last note. I'm not trying to trivialize your question but, what would you rather have - a long physical life IF (key word) you keep ALL the commands OR an eternal life found only by faith in Jesus Christ apart from works? Christ came to give us life and life more abundant. But it is only found IN Him. It is not something He dispenses apart from Himself. It is Himself. Christ told the Pharisees (who were DOING everything right and their best to keep the law), "You search the Scriptures (OT) because you think that that's where life is. But they (OT Scriptures) all point to ME. But you won't come to Me." They were too wrapped up in self-righteousness to see their need for Christ. He doesn't just give us life, He IS our life. Paul said (not verbatim), 'The life I live in the body, I live BY FAITH (not works) in the Son of God who loved and gave Himself up for me. I no longer live but Christ lives IN ME.' See these verses - Rom 8:32; Eph 1:3; Phil 4:19; 2 Pet 1:3. God has given us Christ Himself through the indwelling Spirit. What more do we need? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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356 | Heb. 8 and Jer. 31 | Matt 10:5 | Bill Mc | 12776 | ||
WDC, We are all trying to rightly divide the word of truth. I am not about to label anyone. Your only label is child of God. I can relate to your frustration in trying to determine what, in the Bible, directly applies to us as Christians and what applies to Israel. There is much discussion of this topic here and elsewhere. There are some who would say that Israel forfeited being God's people so the Christian now 'inherits' everything Israel was supposed to. I believe that certain promises were given only to Israel and that God is not finished with that nation yet. Certain promises are only given to the believer. To discern those, we must know who we are in Christ. Your Bible (and mine) is divided into the Old Testament (covenant, will) and the New Testament (covenant, will). The words testament, covenant, will are all the same in the greek. Check me out on this. These Bible headings are not there in the original Hebrew and Greek. They were added later. And, unfortunately, the New Testament title was put before the gospels instead of after. I do not believe, for reasons that I already stated, that the New Covenant went into effect until Christ's death. Christ did not come to abolish the law. He came to fulfill it. And He did. He was the only one who ever could. He met all the righteous demands of a holy God. Then He exchanged all of that with us. He became sin for us. We become the righteousness of God (not our own) in Christ. That is where righteousness is - in Christ, not the law. Look at the book of Galatians. The Judaizers had moved in after Paul left the church and basically said, "Now that you have accepted Christ, you need to keep the law." That was their 'gospel' - keep the law and all it's regulations - Gal 1:6. It 'sounded right' to the Galatians. We need to remember how radical the gospel was in that day. Paul strongly argues the point that Christians are not under law but free in Christ. Believers in God were used to offering sacrifices to God and could never go into the Holy of Holies. Paul comes along and says, "That has all been done away with. You can now approach God by faith in Christ alone. Only Christ justifies." See the following references: Gal 2:16; 2:19; 2:21; 3:1-3; 3:10; 3:12; Why the law? Gal 3:19 'until the seed (Christ) would come; 3:21,22; 3:23 - before faith came, we were under law; 3:24,25,26 - the Law lead us to Christ so we can be justified by Him, not by keeping the Law. We are no longer under it - 3:25,25; 5:1 - Christ has set us free from the law. Stand firm in that fact. Don't be subject to it again. If you do, Christ is of no benefit to you - 5:2,4; 5:18 - you're called to freedom, but use it to serve others. So... 5:25 - live by the Spirit, child of God, not by the law. As you have received Christ, walk IN HIM (not in the law) - Ephesians 2:6,7. He is our life. Yes, wdc, we have everything we need in Christ. Our problem is that we often don't really know what it is that we need. If you would like more info on our identity in Christ and what promises we have in Him, click on my name and send me an email. I will send you Scripture references, only references (no 'questionable teaching'), of who we, as New Testament believers, are in Christ. Hope this helps. In Christ, Bill Mc |
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357 | Heb. 8 and Jer. 31 | Matt 10:5 | Bill Mc | 12712 | ||
Dear fellow believers, For those who believe that this covenant is made ONLY with Israel and Judah (the Jews) exclusively, during the Millenium, permit me to ask a couple of questions: 1. What does this new covenant provide? See Hebrews 8:12, Hebrews 10:16-18. Do we not have these today as believers? Is God's Holy Spirit not in us to renew our minds? Aren't we forgiven people of God? 2. What covenant is Christ describing in Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 8:6? He says it is the New Covenant, does He not? Didn't His death and resurrection graciously provide for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins? 3. If this New Covenant that Christ describes is not the same one the Lord talks about in Hebrews 8, and the Holy Spirit testifies to in Hebrews 10, how are they different? Did not the gospel go FIRST to the house of Israel and Judah? 4. Whose death will inauguarate the, according to your interpretation, future New Covenant with Israel? Hebrews 9:17,18 makes it clear that covenants only go into effect with the shedding of blood. So what sacrifice will bring in this 'future' New Covenant that only applies to the Jew? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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358 | Heb. 8 and Jer. 31 | Matt 10:5 | Bill Mc | 12706 | ||
WDC, This is a great passage. Look at the following verses carefully. They are inspired by God. My opinion is not infallible. So search it for yourself to see if these things are so. As I understand it, it has a dual fulfillment (hear me out). As you probably know, the original manuscripts did not have verse numbers in them. So look at verse 6. This describes Christ's role as the mediator for the new (better) covenant. Then this passage quotes from Jeremiah 31 where, even in the OT, God says that there is a New Covenant coming. Yes, this does describe Israel during the Millenium, but it also is applicable to us as NT believers. My reasons: 1. Check Heb 9:15-17 - Christ is the mediator of this covenant but it only goes into effect when the one who made it dies. Just like a will (same word in the greek - check it out). Christ will not die again to make a subsequent covenant. 2. This covenant does apply to Israel FIRST. But they, as a nation, have, for the time being, rejected it. This refers back to the passage you originally mentioned. Jesus said to only go to the Jews with the good news. The gospel was preached FIRST to the Jews. But they rejected it (Matthew 21:43) so the gospel, through Paul, was taken and preached to the Gentiles. This covenant was made FIRST with the Jews. Some have accepted it, but most, until Christ returns, have rejected it. But, during this age of grace, we, as believers, enjoy it's benefits (see Ryrie's comments on this passage). 3. (Back to Hebrews 8) Verse 13 reinterates that the first covenant has been made obsolete. Christ fulfilled it. It was still relevant during Christ's lifetime on earth. They still had temple sacrifices. It ended spiritually at Christ's death. The New Covenant (will) goes into effect when the one who made it (Christ, the mediator) dies. But the old covenant physically disappeared when Jerusalem burned in AD 70. 4. Look at Hebrews 10:9-18 - Christ took away the first covenant to establish the second (at His death). By this covenant (Christ's death to take away our sins) we have been sanctified once for all. Note verse 14. Then the Holy Spirit testifies about this great, new covenant. God puts His laws in our hearts and mind (instead of on stone tablets) and He remembers our sins no more. 5. Verse 17 solidifies it - there is no more offerings for sin. Why? Because Christ's once for all offering was suffucient. So we have forgiveness. 6. Verse 19-23 conclude the whole matter. Since we have forgiveness and there is no more sacrifice, we can enter into God's very presence. We can draw near to God. He has washed us clean. 7. Christ, Himself, declared that the new covenant was coming. See Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 11:25. This covenant was inauguarated with His blood being shed. So we see the Lord, the Holy Spirit, and the Son all telling us that there is a New Covenant that we are under and that the Old Covenant is obsolete. By this covenant, we are made holy, forgiven, redeemed, and have eternal life. What so you think? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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359 | what's the difference in these two | Matt 10:5 | Bill Mc | 12655 | ||
Yes, ALL scripture is true. But, my friend, would you take an animal sacrifice to your church for offering next Sunday? Why not? Animal sacrifice was COMMANDED in the Old Testament, was it not? Will you attempt to track down the Levitical priesthood and offer them your tithe? Shall we check men at the church doors to make sure they are circumcised? (It'd give a whole new meaning to our greeters, wouldn't it?) Agreed, ALL Scripture is true and is profitable but not ALL Scripture is directly APPLICABLE to us as believers. Should we build an ark because Noah did? Has God promised to each believer to make a nation from him/her so that the Messiah can be born? Has God instructed us to build temples like Solomon? Shall we each go to Israel and take the land? We MUST properly discern the Word of God. The New Testament tells us to boldly come before the throne and we'll find mercy and help in our time of need. We can enter, because of Christ's sacrifice, the very presence of God and His presence has entered us. Old Testament believers seldom could. How many Israelites can you name that walked right into the Holy of Holies? How many Gentiles? God has brought in a new covenant at Christ's death and it has forever changed the way we approach God and how He can now live IN us. To not recognize this truth keeps us in bondage to the Law. He whom the Son of God sets free is free indeed. |
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360 | "seal of God" | Ex 1:1 | Bill Mc | 12626 | ||
Christiankl, the apostle Paul, as well as the book of Hebrews, makes it very clear that we are not under law (the Mosaic law, the 10 'words' of God). You sound knowledgable of Scripture so check out Romans 6:14,15; Romans 7:4; Romans 8:2; Galatians 2:4; Galatians 5:1. To relegate all these references to 'ceremonial law' is to disregard what the New Covenant gives us - becoming children of God solely by His grace. We are saved by faith in Christ, and we live by the same faith in Christ, by His very life. Jesus Himself said that not the smallest stroke of the law would disappear until it was fulfilled and HE FULFILLED IT. Paul makes it clear the we are not under law but under grace. The New Covenant says that God will write His laws (plural, loving God and loving our neighbor) on our minds, not Law (singular, the big 10). See Hebrews 10:16; Hebrews 8:10. The law has NO PLACE in the life of a New Testament believer because we have been made to die to it so that we could be joined to Christ. Rest in the Sabbath rest that remains for the people of God, Christiankl. Rest from your works and trust in His. Secondly, please don't post your doctrinal beliefs as a question. It is misleading and distracting to others who use this forum to seek answers to their questions. | ||||||
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