UntoBabes: You wrote that the question arises what do we do when we fail to fulfill the law perfectly. I would say that includes about all of us. Even the Pharisees did not fulfill the law perfectly but put great pride in the fact that they thought they did. When we violate the law of the Spirit, when we transgress, we will know it and the Holy Spirit will prick our hearts and call us to repent (stop doing that thing) and run to God accepting and realizing the forgiveness that has already been provided. The Holy Spirit will lead us into righteousness and holiness. I agree totally that dead flesh does not sin. But we all battle the flesh don't we? I know I do. But just because I battle the flesh does not mean I am brought back under law. We are under the new covenant, a covenant that is better than the old. Hebrews is pretty clear here. Oh the wonders of the grace of God. That I can be regenerated through the atoning death of a savior. That I can be counted as righteous in Him. That His grace, His empowerment, teaches me not to sin (Titus 3) and that He has poured out His Holy Spirit to abide in me and to empower me to by the martyr that lays his life down and rather lives totally empowered by the Spirit of God.
_________________Travis
What does Grace do.It not only takes the Law out of our lives but if gives us something we never had. It justifies us before God, it gives us a new life in Christ, It keeps us in the clutches of the living God, which is a fearful thing if we don't have Christ birthed in us. The greatest thing it does for us is shed abroad love in our hearts, now we can have a love affair with God and His Son and rejoice in the Holy Spirits teaching of this wonderful Grace. Is it Grace alone? I certainly hope so, for if it depends on anything I do I am lost. So now I labor by His working in me, this is my new life in Christ, it is His working in me that makes me perfect. Praise God for His Grace which is Christ Himself in me the Hope of Glory.Romans 5:1-5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this ((((Grace)))) wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.How great is this Grace? It abounds much more that the Law and sin.Romans 5:20-21 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.I myself choose to live in this Grace that the work of Jesus Christ in me might present me perfect to the Father, this being where the Holy Spirit does His work, in my soul and mind bringing me into conformity to life of Jesus Christ that I now live and is in me. Praise God, Jesus has made my spirit no longer of my old father the devil, but I am now of Our Father who has birthed this Son in me, that I might have life unto righteousness and to God our Father.What life are we now living? Galatians 2:16-21 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.WE are free from the Law, I won't return to the Law which makes me a sinner and Christ the minister of sin. He destroyed sin in me by the Grace, Christ in me and the Love of the Father, which is my only goal, to return that love and be obedient even to death by the Christ that is now my life and the power of the Holy Spirit who has sealed me into God.In Christs righteousness: Phillip
_________________"Christ in you the Hope of Glory" "The life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God."
"I was once in jail for a crime that I had committed. The Warden was extremely strict and harsh."In this analogy, I have a couple of questions. We know what the crime was-law breaking. Who is the Warden? The devil? God? The law? If it is the devil, why would he be the warden over the breakers of God's law? If it is God, why is he so harsh? What we do know, is GUILT. When a person sins, they suffer the consequences of sin. Period. In Romans 7, Paul is building the argument that no person can ever be justified by the works of the law. The law justifies no one, because no one can make themselves good enough to be justified. That's why we have Christ. He justifies, regenerates, and adoptes us. He sets free from the law of sin and death.Rom 7:4 "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."What is "fruit unto God"? Holiness of heart and life.Rom 6:22 "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."
Hey, this thread has a good Spirit so far.Thank you JB, twayneb, Oracio, Christinyou, and all of you.
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
The Law is harsh and strict.You said "When a person sins, they suffer the consequences of sin. Period."That is true.I am saying that I do not have a relationship with the law at all because Christ made me dead to the law.The Law is still harsh and strict but it does not apply to me. I do not regard it at all.
_________________Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
"The Warden was extremely strict and harsh. The prison had many rules and regulations to be kept. There was severe punishment even for a small or slight infraction of the rules. The warden and the guards were on a constant watch looking for any opportunity to catch someone breaking the rules. They were very anxious and always ready to pounce on anyone that even looked suspicious."This is not the God of Israel
_________________Jer 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
Tuc wrote "I am saying that I do have a relationship with the law at all because Christ made me dead to the law. The Law is still harsh and strict but it does not apply to me. I do not regard it at all."That is a troubling statement and I hope you do not realize what you're actually saying. I want to address it, but please don't take this as a stern rebuke because you might be agreed with what I am about to write and it might just be a matter of words. It should be said though that just because one is not under the law does not mean the law should not be regarded. Jesus said he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-18). If the law were to not be regarded it would be destroyed, which Jesus warned against thinking he came to do.The law can never save, but it must be regarded. We need to know what we need to be saved from. Example: You are on the internet and a pop-up comes up trying to get you to visit an evil website. You are severely tempted at this moment. You have three choices: 1) Disregard the law and go to the website anyway and sin. 2) Try to fulfill the law in your own strength. You'll either go to the website or at least sin in the mind because God requires we love him with our hearts and minds; and your restraint was merely external. 3) Go to Jesus in this time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16) so that he'll save you by his grace/power so that you will refrain from going to the website because he has truly renewed your heart/mind and you truly hate lust and covetousness by his grace and the knowledge of him. And how can we know if we sinned and thus need to confess and forsake our sin and be forgiven and cleansed (1 John 1:9, Proverbs 28:13) if we don't know what sin is? Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). A mirror can't make us clean, but it exposes dirt so we know we need a shower or bath. The only way a man can rightfully say he's dead to the law is if he's no longer lawless. To submit to Christ means repenting of self-rule of our lives, which is the essence of lawlessness. If one considers himself as his own master, then he has the right in his own eyes to lie/steal/covet/lust/hate, etc if it's in his best interest. When Jesus is Lord that right to be lawless has been renounced and what's right in God's eyes is what is sought and done (Matthew 7:24-27). God has given His Spirit to those who obey Jesus (Acts 5:32) and the Spirit fulfills the law by the life of Christ (Romans 8:1-4) Only when such is a reality is one not under the law (remember 1 Timothy 1:8-11). "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." (Romans 3:31)
Again I hesitate to engage in this thread but it seems that a pertinant question is being asked. What is the standard by which the believer lives under the New Covenant? Even a casual reading of the New Testament will lead to the conclusion that the standard is Jesus Christ. He inaugurated the New Covenant by his death on the cross. The law of Jesus as stated in love of God and love of neighbor is the law of the New Covenannt. Thus Christ is our law giver and not Moses.I think what I am saying is best illustrated in the mount transfiguration accounts recorded in the gospels. Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were standing together in glory talking about his departure from Jerusalem. Moses represented the law. Elijah represented the prophets. As they departed the Father said "This is My Son. Listen to Him." Only Jesus remained. The writer of Hebrews tells us that God has spoken to us in the ultimate revelation of his Son. Thus Jesus and not Moses is who we live by.Posted by Blaine Scogin
Hebrews1:3 He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the [a]out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high, 4[Taking a place and rank by which] He Himself became as much superior to angels as the glorious Name (title) which He has inherited is different from and more excellent than theirs.Please note, if our purpose is to Glorify God, then our sole purpose is to be transformed and conformed into the Image of Christ. The Law is a darkly lit expression of God while Christ is the EXACT imprint of God. Look at His Life, He lived a selfless life devoted to the Father and to His Love for Mankind. Wouldn't it make sense that this is what we should strive for? And if I Love the Lord with all my heart will I take His name in vain and dishonor His name? And if I love my neighbor will I steal from him or murder him? No Love is our motivation. That was the intentions of Christ to no longer be motivated by the Laws sting death but the forgiveness and Love of a Saviour and Lord, Christ Jesus.
_________________"Behold, The Lamb of God!"www.restorationinchrist.comwww.youtube.com/restorationinchristwww.facebook.com/restorationinchrist
