1006. Choose Life (It's Found in Jesus, Not Works and Law)

The law that came to the Jewish people through Moses was considered to be a word that they believed was able to save their souls and result in attaining righteousness. The only requirement was for them to do it—all of it. After the cross, even Jews who came to believe in Jesus lacked an understanding about a new and better covenant ... as they continued to pursue a relationship with that law of works.

The difference in gaining life is found in Christ by faith. Under the law in Deuteronomy 30, "The word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it." It is referencing the word of the law. Paul quoted this reference in Romans 10 but brought a needed revealing of the gospel ... "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."

The word of law that demands doing vs. the word of faith that results in justification by believing ... the difference is as far as the east is from the west.



   
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957. Not One Command From the Law Brings Life

Stop and think about the emphasis that is placed on the topic of faith within our churches and even within multiple religions. Those who believe in a supreme being may often identify themselves as "people of faith." The Apostle Paul stated that the commandments contained within the Mosaic law are not of faith—and yet we find a tremendous emphasis being placed on small portions of that law within the Christian church.

For those who were attempting to be doers of the law, God required the Jewish people under that law to obey all of it (which no one ever did). On the flip side ... Paul told believers in Christ that if they were going to attempt to cling to even one commandment from the law (such as circumcision), they would be obligated to keep the whole law package (containing 613 line items). The result would be a falling away or distancing from grace. He also articulated that if a single law could give life and righteousness, then those things would have been provided by such a law. But life comes by faith in a living Christ—not a religious system of works that seeks to establish phony self-righteousness.



   
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956. "The Great Commandment" According to Jesus (But That You Were Never Under)

In Matthew 22, Jesus had just silenced the Sadducees at one of His press conferences. After seeing this, and after a quick huddle with his co-workers, a reporter for the Pharisees couldn't resist a follow-up question in the attempt to test Jesus when it came to the subject of something near and dear to their hearts. "What is the great commandment in the law?"

Jesus answered: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

The corporate church world has generally made this a foundation for the Christian life. But the key words in the question that Jesus answered was "in the law" ... referring to the law of Moses which was still in effect at that time for Israel. But it is a law Gentiles were never under and was made obsolete for Israelites after the cross and resurrection. It is a commandment no one had ever kept nor has anyone successfully fulfilled it since. The "great commandment" is not the message of the gospel as suggested by those who blend the Bible into one book as if two very different and incompatible covenants were meant to be mixed together. Love is still the answer—but in a very different context.



   
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929. The Two Greatest Commands from an Obsolete Law (There Is a Better Way)

A legal eagle from the Pharisee Bible College desired to test Jesus by asking him what the greatest commandment was from the law. Jesus gave him two ... love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength—and love your neighbor as yourself. The fact is ... nobody has ever lived up to these commands—of which the entire law and the prophets would hang. Jesus was answering a law-based question with a law-based answer. After all, this was before the cross and the law was still in place for these Jewish people.

Church corporations and others have emphasized the "two greatest commandments from the law" as a foundation for Christianity, but these were demands from a law that is now to be considered obsolete—a law Jesus came to deliver and redeem the Jewish people from so they could receive life. Religion leans towards putting the cart before the horse—probably because it's more work. Let's get this turned around in the right direction. The New Covenant is not based on how much you love God, but how much he loves you. This results in returning that same kind of love to Him from the heart instead of being "commanded" to do so as a soldier taking orders (which isn't really love). If a believer in Christ is having trouble walking in love towards others, it's likely because they have not yet understood or believed in the perfect love God has for them.



   
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893. "Just Give Me a List of Commands - So I Know What to Do"

When people disagree on various things from within the realm of religion, sometimes after the debate has run its course, the go-to statement is suggesting the Bible is our final authority. This positively sounds like a spiritual truth, but there is a bit of a problem with it ... and that is ... the very thing that is being strongly disagreed upon is something found within the pages of the Bible! In reality, what is meant with such a statement is "what we think the Bible says is our final authority."

We provide some examples of this with a perspective from a group who believes there are 1,050 required "commandments" found in the pages of the New Testament. You'll notice the lists that are found in various church statements or membership agreements vary quite a bit in length, depending on the denominational brand.

Any works-based ideology will always be vague and leave believers hungering and thirsting for more assurance and peace. While one person can find security and comfort with a message of faith, grace and love, someone else may tend to see a "do this or else" within nearly every Bible verse. Their minds were programmed to make such assumptions partly because they've never been told about what the cross of Jesus accomplished. For some, it's just a rule book (and one they can't live up to).



   
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850. Old Covenant: Purified Flesh (Dead Works); New Covenant: Purified Conscience

The law of works left people in a state of hopelessness through a system of failed commandment-keeping and repeated animal sacrifices seeking more and more forgiveness. Jesus offered Himself one time to free people from that ministry of condemnation which could only attempt to make the flesh look polished. But the flesh profits nothing and the works were dead. Jesus ushered in a better covenant where His blood sealed the deal—and it all began after His earthly ministry with His death.

Eternal redemption. Eternal Spirit. He did it all.



   
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832. Things Seldom Heard in Church: The 10 Commandments Not Written on Our Hearts

In the 8th chapter of Hebrews, the writer was looking back at a prophetic statement from the book of Jeremiah. He was explaining how the previous covenant containing the law was not the same as the New Covenant which was established by Jesus, our new High Priest. God declared to Jeremiah the New would not be like the Old when it was given to Israel at the time they were delivered from Egypt!

When God spoke about His laws being put in our minds and written upon our hearts in this better covenant, the assumption by many church folks is that this is a reference to the Ten Commandments. But why would God want to write something on the hearts of His people which brought condemnation, resulted in sin increasing, and wasn’t based upon faith? In the previous chapter, the writer had just declared that old ministry as one that became nullified or cancelled because it was weak and unprofitable, unable to bring a required spiritual perfection. Our hearts now contain and reflect something new and better than a law of sin and death—it’s “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” It’s based upon the ministry of God’s Spirit in us, the gift of righteousness, faith, love and liberty.

   
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831. Things Seldom Heard in Church: We Don’t Love God Because Law Commands Us

Continuing from last week’s thread … in John’s first epistle, he explains the love of God from the perspective of the New Covenant. This also connects with our love for Him and for others. Jesus was asked what the greatest commandments were under the law (from the first covenant given to Israel). Jesus answered with this from Matthew 12: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Nobody has ever achieved being able to follow those commandments which had the entire law wrapped up in them. This is quite different from what John stated, where the truth revealed that it wasn’t that we loved God, but He loved us. As we begin to receive and understand the fullness of this perfect love, it allows us to freely love God apart from the commandment—because we want to do so—and that love which abides in us also enables us to love others in the same way God loves us. Perfect love casts out fear and provides us with confidence in the day of judgement. It’s better than depending on your own inconsistent strength and abilities which always leave people falling short.

   
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830. Things Seldom Heard in Church: Keeping Commandments - New Covenant Style

This week, we look at a couple of verses—from 1 John chapter 2—that the legalistic mindset will focus upon outside the context of the New Covenant. It’s a perspective based upon a mixture of law and grace which comes from sources who believe “maintaining” salvation involves the working of our own efforts instead of the work of Christ alone. They’ll pitch salvation as a gift apart from works, but then try to sell you an extended warranty, suggesting you can forfeit so great a salvation based upon your actions. It’s nothing but complicated double-speak.

John writes about keeping commandments, but he isn’t very specific in listing them out. Covenant clashers would try to have us believe he is referring to the Ten Commandments and may selectively throw in a few extras for good measure. If John was encouraging believers in Christ to embrace a stone tablet ministry of commandments, then he not only contradicted the Apostle Paul, but also would have contradicted himself in this very same letter. Peter and Paul stated the commandments which came through Moses were burdensome and unbearable. Jesus said the same thing. But John said the commandments he was referring to are not burdensome. Either John disagreed with them … or (and let’s go with this) he is referring to something different as it relates to the New Covenant.

   
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765. Under Law, Sin Increased - But Grace Abounded More

Hollow religion will try to make the gospel about you and your actions, whether good or bad. They will teach an inconsistent doctrine of abiding by a modernized version of the Mosaic law and other rules and obligations, while being pretty clueless about the details of what the old law says.

The good news is meant to be centered upon Jesus and His completed work, having fulfilled the law on our behalf. As Romans 5 explains, sin entered the world through Adam and it increased under the law given to Israel. But where sin increased, grace super-abounded all the more. Sin is not stronger than the blood of Jesus.



   
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