Living without the Law
I broach this subject knowing the strong sentiment many Christians have toward the Law. A growing segment of Christianity has stigmatized the Law of God. That last statement sounds very biased, because many Christians believe that Paul stigmatized the Law.
Even more interesting is the way that that segment of Christianity see Israel as a major player in eschatology. To them God has a plan for modern Israel in these last days. Evidently, Israelis are the only ones He authorizes to keep His Ten Commandments, while the Christian church are privileged to live without the Decalogue, granted they love God and love man. We are to be free of law, while Israel must remain legalistic. Is God a respecter of persons?
I also bring up the subject of living without the Law, because of an issue mentioned in the previous post—that of being kept under the Law and “shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.” I raise this issue because many, who accept that the Law is in force, have failed of obtaining the desired peace with God.
As previously covered, the “Royal Law” is still in force (Jas. 2:8-11). “Sin is the transgression of the Law.” (1Jn. 3:4). James, John, Paul, Jesus, all lived by it and preached a Law adorned with love. But what of those who do keep the Law, but don’t have the Christian joy and are still “shut up unto the faith?” What about those who are burdened down with obedience, who find it hard to obey? The yoke they carry is hard, their burden is heavy. What happened? The church has been a poor witness to the peace and joy of the Spirit. Should they have thrown away that hard to bear thing? Should they discard the rules and laws they see in Jesus that are so hard to perform?
Paul spoke of doing what he didn’t want to do and not doing what he wanted to do. It’s the classic scenario of the typical conscience. His conclusion: “With the mind I myself serve the Law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Rom. 7:25). In other words, he discovered that if he relied upon his own strength to please God, he could only disobey; but as he looked to God and His righteousness, God gave him the power to become a son of God.
Returning to today’s Law-minded Christians—why do many experience continued depression and a joyless experience with the Lord?
Here is a touchy issue, one that must be dealt with carefully. Having been there for many decades, I want to treat this with kid gloves. So here goes.
That which prevents so many from the deeper experience with God is a lack of a sincere and honest acceptance of the immutability of His Law and requirements. They know the Law is right, but, like Paul, it is only by mental assent (“I consent unto the law that it is good.”) Its really only theory to them, a doctrine to recite. They do not really obey, but only haphazardly. They aren’t driven to obey; to them the Law is not beautiful nor are they drawn to know the God of that beautiful Law. It’s the lack of persistence to know His unchanging nature, and the genuine work to get to know Him and the love He promises to us, that keeps them languid in faith. Thus they never get beyond the Law; they are stuck in a rut, disheartedly serving rules, and never serving God.
Wrestling with God—how few know what it really is. Wrestling and pressing in to receive that blessing we’ve heard He wants to give us, and finally surrendering like Jacob—its then that He gives us the new name, “Israel,” which interpreted is: “He/she who struggles with God.”
“And He [Christ] said, Let Me go, for the day breaketh. And he [Jacob] said, I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.” (Gen. 32:26). No other method but a intense, life and death struggle, has God ever approved of. Nothing else but getting down to business with God, taking Him to task with His promises, will get His ear, land us on His breast, crying for His blessing, refusing to let go until He blesses us. Your salvation will cost you. Are you willing to pay? Have you counted the cost? Are you afraid of the outcome?
Just biding my time, hoping and waiting to be magically turned into a Christian, will eventually land me in hell. The devil will keep me busy enough to never discover surrender to God, and all the while going to hell, droning the hymn, “I am bound for the Promised Land! I am bound for the Promised Land! Oh, who will come and go with me, I am bound for the Promised Land!” Multitudes will be lost while wanting and wishing they could be saved.
What is our reaction when we hear truth that crosses our pet sins? Do we immediately dismiss it all? Do we shoot the messenger of truth? Or do we allow it to make its way into our gut and needle its way permanently into our memory banks? It can be “hard to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5), but a pricked conscience is just what we need. If it truly is the word of God it will be pointed, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, “piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12). If the precepts of the Bible put our conscience to sleep, then, despite our profession, we refuse the commandments of God.
If we disdain the truth, if we keep ignoring the Spirit of truth (Jn. 14:17), and turning away our ear from hearing the Law and all its supporting principles throughout the testimonies of prophets (Prov. 28:9), we only push the prospect of that fountain of youth further and further down the road, possibly to the end of our short probation in this life, along with the wonderful surrender of self and that saving knowledge of God that is so good.
The Law must be preached and heard. Listen to the sincere responses to John Baptist’s preaching. “And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?” “Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?” “And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do?” (Lk. 3:10,12,14). But when the casual religious leaders strolled up, John sternly proclaimed, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matt. 3:7), and to the rationalizing multitude he warned, “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” (Lk. 3:8). Later, Christ declared to the Pharisees and Sadducees, “Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” (Matt. 21:31). Then after hearing again the forceful words of truth from Jesus which they should have heard from John they sought to kill Christ. All the Pharisees, religious leaders, and multitudes who would not respond to the strong preaching of the Law by John the Baptist, later rejected the science of salvation Jesus brought.
The publicans and sinners were ignorant enough to take the preaching of the law as the serious business that it is. Like a child that has had its attention called to his misdeed, those illiterate folk stood wrapped in conviction when they heard John preaching the primitive, holy precepts of the Law of God. So must we respond to the Law, fearing God, and if we do, we will soon receive His approbation. For “as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.” (Ps. 103:13). “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.” (Is. 66:2).
Because those publicans and harlots responded to the law, later the Spirit spoke to them the word from heaven for themselves, “This is My beloved [child], in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17). And they went to their homes joyful and justified. (Lk. 18:14).
Therefore, the law is and always will be our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might receive the faith that keeps us accepted before God. (Gal. 3:24). And when we are reconciled and justified with God and have His peace, then life gets really, really good.
Even more interesting is the way that that segment of Christianity see Israel as a major player in eschatology. To them God has a plan for modern Israel in these last days. Evidently, Israelis are the only ones He authorizes to keep His Ten Commandments, while the Christian church are privileged to live without the Decalogue, granted they love God and love man. We are to be free of law, while Israel must remain legalistic. Is God a respecter of persons?
I also bring up the subject of living without the Law, because of an issue mentioned in the previous post—that of being kept under the Law and “shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.” I raise this issue because many, who accept that the Law is in force, have failed of obtaining the desired peace with God.
As previously covered, the “Royal Law” is still in force (Jas. 2:8-11). “Sin is the transgression of the Law.” (1Jn. 3:4). James, John, Paul, Jesus, all lived by it and preached a Law adorned with love. But what of those who do keep the Law, but don’t have the Christian joy and are still “shut up unto the faith?” What about those who are burdened down with obedience, who find it hard to obey? The yoke they carry is hard, their burden is heavy. What happened? The church has been a poor witness to the peace and joy of the Spirit. Should they have thrown away that hard to bear thing? Should they discard the rules and laws they see in Jesus that are so hard to perform?
Paul spoke of doing what he didn’t want to do and not doing what he wanted to do. It’s the classic scenario of the typical conscience. His conclusion: “With the mind I myself serve the Law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Rom. 7:25). In other words, he discovered that if he relied upon his own strength to please God, he could only disobey; but as he looked to God and His righteousness, God gave him the power to become a son of God.
Returning to today’s Law-minded Christians—why do many experience continued depression and a joyless experience with the Lord?
Here is a touchy issue, one that must be dealt with carefully. Having been there for many decades, I want to treat this with kid gloves. So here goes.
That which prevents so many from the deeper experience with God is a lack of a sincere and honest acceptance of the immutability of His Law and requirements. They know the Law is right, but, like Paul, it is only by mental assent (“I consent unto the law that it is good.”) Its really only theory to them, a doctrine to recite. They do not really obey, but only haphazardly. They aren’t driven to obey; to them the Law is not beautiful nor are they drawn to know the God of that beautiful Law. It’s the lack of persistence to know His unchanging nature, and the genuine work to get to know Him and the love He promises to us, that keeps them languid in faith. Thus they never get beyond the Law; they are stuck in a rut, disheartedly serving rules, and never serving God.
Wrestling with God—how few know what it really is. Wrestling and pressing in to receive that blessing we’ve heard He wants to give us, and finally surrendering like Jacob—its then that He gives us the new name, “Israel,” which interpreted is: “He/she who struggles with God.”
“And He [Christ] said, Let Me go, for the day breaketh. And he [Jacob] said, I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.” (Gen. 32:26). No other method but a intense, life and death struggle, has God ever approved of. Nothing else but getting down to business with God, taking Him to task with His promises, will get His ear, land us on His breast, crying for His blessing, refusing to let go until He blesses us. Your salvation will cost you. Are you willing to pay? Have you counted the cost? Are you afraid of the outcome?
Just biding my time, hoping and waiting to be magically turned into a Christian, will eventually land me in hell. The devil will keep me busy enough to never discover surrender to God, and all the while going to hell, droning the hymn, “I am bound for the Promised Land! I am bound for the Promised Land! Oh, who will come and go with me, I am bound for the Promised Land!” Multitudes will be lost while wanting and wishing they could be saved.
What is our reaction when we hear truth that crosses our pet sins? Do we immediately dismiss it all? Do we shoot the messenger of truth? Or do we allow it to make its way into our gut and needle its way permanently into our memory banks? It can be “hard to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5), but a pricked conscience is just what we need. If it truly is the word of God it will be pointed, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, “piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12). If the precepts of the Bible put our conscience to sleep, then, despite our profession, we refuse the commandments of God.
If we disdain the truth, if we keep ignoring the Spirit of truth (Jn. 14:17), and turning away our ear from hearing the Law and all its supporting principles throughout the testimonies of prophets (Prov. 28:9), we only push the prospect of that fountain of youth further and further down the road, possibly to the end of our short probation in this life, along with the wonderful surrender of self and that saving knowledge of God that is so good.
The Law must be preached and heard. Listen to the sincere responses to John Baptist’s preaching. “And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?” “Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?” “And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do?” (Lk. 3:10,12,14). But when the casual religious leaders strolled up, John sternly proclaimed, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matt. 3:7), and to the rationalizing multitude he warned, “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” (Lk. 3:8). Later, Christ declared to the Pharisees and Sadducees, “Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” (Matt. 21:31). Then after hearing again the forceful words of truth from Jesus which they should have heard from John they sought to kill Christ. All the Pharisees, religious leaders, and multitudes who would not respond to the strong preaching of the Law by John the Baptist, later rejected the science of salvation Jesus brought.
The publicans and sinners were ignorant enough to take the preaching of the law as the serious business that it is. Like a child that has had its attention called to his misdeed, those illiterate folk stood wrapped in conviction when they heard John preaching the primitive, holy precepts of the Law of God. So must we respond to the Law, fearing God, and if we do, we will soon receive His approbation. For “as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.” (Ps. 103:13). “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.” (Is. 66:2).
Because those publicans and harlots responded to the law, later the Spirit spoke to them the word from heaven for themselves, “This is My beloved [child], in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17). And they went to their homes joyful and justified. (Lk. 18:14).
Therefore, the law is and always will be our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might receive the faith that keeps us accepted before God. (Gal. 3:24). And when we are reconciled and justified with God and have His peace, then life gets really, really good.
posted by David | 6:35 PM
6 Comments:
I definitely need a dictionary for your posts! Only problem is I cannot access it on my computer while reading your blog! Eschatology? I used to know the meaning...
Sorry, Gabrielle Eden!
I guess I can actually access it by opening word. There! I just want to make a suggestion that your posts get a little long and more concise writing would be good because I have a hard time reading your whole post. This is just for people like me who have a harder time reading a lot. Some people love long posts, but my atttention is lost if there is too much detail and not getting right to the point. this mentality is probably forged in TV and film watching because of the brevity and concise nature of things there. Hope you can take this in a constructive way and not be put off by it.
I know, it was long. I apologize and need to learn better writing skills. But I hope you see how important the Law is to our salvation. Thanks for the comment. :)
The law is only important if it points to a Savior. Id like to hear more about him on your blog and more testimony from your own life instead of these long writings. I can tell you are a deep thinker but we don't all think like that all the time.
I do understand what you say about the law. See, the thing is, I've heard lots of teaching on this (by this time, y know.....O.L.D.) and so just by reading briefly, I know what you are getting at. This is why I made the comment about the length of the posts. A lot of us "get it" sooner than when some people stop talking about it.
My brief synopsis about the law. Jesus told us he would fulfill the law. Simple. It's just that it's not fulfilled by getting into the letter of the law, and that balance each person has to learn, to weigh out between him and God.
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