Those who insist that you must obey the commands of Jesus in order to be saved/blessed/forgiven/righteous/holy are assuming that you are either
(a) a time-traveler from Israel’s distant past
(b) the devil
If you are (a), then I suggest you pick up a Sports Almanac, go back in time, and make a lot of money à la Marty McFly. Alternatively you could stick around here in the future, repent and believe the good news of God’s awesome grace, then go tell others.
If you are (b), then, um, well, er… this is awkward. I don’t really have any good news for you at all. You’ve been judged, condemned and disarmed and you have no future at all.
But if you are neither (a) nor (b) then arise, shine! For the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!
For Christ is the end of the Law [the limit at which it ceases to be, for the Law leads up to Him Who is the fulfillment of its types, and in Him the purpose which it was designed to accomplish is fulfilled. That is, the purpose of the Law is fulfilled in Him] as the means of righteousness (right relationship to God) for everyone who trusts in and adheres to and relies on Him. (Rom 10:4, AMP)
Christ has become for us wisdom from God. He is our righteousness! He is our holiness! He is our redemption! Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!
Gal 4:4-5
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born[a] of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you ARE sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7
The holy spirit sees fit to leave “abba” untranslated in our English bibles. Why? Because Abba is a word used affectionately: Not the formal and inapproachable “Father” but the loving “Daddy”! Praise the Lord.
Notice that Paul placed no conditions on the adoption. No “Thou shall keep the law thus adopted as sons due to your good works”. Notice that the adoption is based purely on HIS goodness.
Comment by Kit Fan — January 19, 2012 @ 2:26 pm |
Great Post, short, blunt & very sweet to those who receive the Truth :) thanks so much, Paul, for another wonderful sharing,
Comment by clement NG — January 19, 2012 @ 2:51 pm |
Is not our “yes” to the gift of salvation (believing, receiving), walking in the Spirit, fixing our eyes on Jesus, drawing near to God, abiding in the vine, praising God, preaching the gospel, yielding to his work in us (remaining in Him), to name just a few of God’s words in the Bible, “obedience” to God? For me to live fully in the fullness of God, I need to stay connected (in relationship) with him and that involves my “yes” (choice, submission). My submission to God is obedience, something I do not have a problem with.
Comment by Jackie — January 20, 2012 @ 8:49 am |
Hi Jackie, Our YES is not as you said. Our Yes is simply this: The Apostle Paul and Silas were thrown in jail in the city of Philippi for preaching the gospel. At midnight they sang and prayed until God broke down all the doors and broke the stocks which held their feet with a great earthquake. The poor jailer, frightened and convicted of his sins, came to these two preachers and asked this question. “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” To which the preachers said: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31)
Titus 3:5 says: “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
This is God’s plan of salvation, which is the only plan He has given so that sinners can be saved. What you said: Abiding in Jesus, obedience, good works etc are a RESULT of our saying “Yes.” By Faith alone we say yes. No conditions prelude the Yes. That’s the beauty of His Grace.
Comment by Kit Fan — January 20, 2012 @ 3:47 pm |
BEAUTIFUL….thank u dear Paul for posting, there is currently a page on facebook titled “Christianity is not a religion- it is a relationship with Jesus Christ.” I appreciate this message you’ve sent and i thank the LORD so for it bares relevance….thank u sweet Jesus.
Comment by Priscilla — January 20, 2012 @ 11:55 am |
Who are these people that you people keep going on about, that are trying to resurrect the law in regard to righteousness?
The only people that would even know the Law would be the Jews, the only other people that think that they will get into Heaven, are those that won’t even accept Christ in the first place.
Name one law that Jesus preached that is not also confirmed in the letters of the apostles, not including, when He spoke about the tithes to the Pharisees.
This wasn’t a teaching, He was pointing out there hypocrisy.
Do any of you know even one Christian that thinks that the cross wasn’t enough, I’ve never met one?
This whole argument is a paper dragon, set up by the enemy to stop the perfecting of the Saints in their obedience to the Faith.
Jesus said “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not OBEY the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
And in 2 Thess. 1:8-9, “when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not OBEY the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power”
Jesus warns those that build their house upon sand, those foolish people, that hear His words and don’t act (or obey) on them.
To say that we shouldn’t obey Jesus is to deny the very One who bought us.
We were warned about this teaching in Jude 4. and 2Tim3. and elsewhere.
I choose to believe and obey Jesus, I suggest you do too.
Comment by Peter — January 20, 2012 @ 10:32 pm |
You just answered your own question,
Comment by Paul Ellis — January 21, 2012 @ 6:39 am |
Good post Paul.
Comment by Ryan Rhoades — January 21, 2012 @ 8:03 am |
It seems to me that one of the problems that I have with the Grace message as delivered by some, is that there is no Fear of God anymore. The law that I am talking about, is the moral law, not he Law of ordinances, of sacrifices, washing of cups, holy days etc. There are many “Christians ” in the Church today, that get divorced for no better reason than, “we didn’t get on.”
They then proceed to have relationships and re-marry, thinking “all is well.” Paul says that they that do these things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. (2Cor. God is a loving Father, that is for sure, He grants favor to those that fear Him, and even to those that make mistakes. But because Jesus will judge every-one without partialty, and He will judge according to God’s law, don’t you think it is a good idea to make no provision for the flesh, now, and resist sin. The judgements of God are severe, according to Jesus, and He was talking about believers being cast out into the outer darkness etc. If we are Christians, we have been bought with a price, we are no longer our own, we are called to be Holy as He is Holy. Without the fear of God, we harden our hearts and consider sin as not important.Jesus death on the cross, paid for our FORMER sins (Rom. 3:25, and various other places), we cannot take what was of the Law of Sacrifices, eg, Jesus death, and apply it to the New Covenant.
The Old has finished, we now enter in to the throneroom by the blood of Jesus to find mercy and help in our times of need.
If we sin willingly, there is no longer any more sacrifice for sin, we try to put Jesus back on the cross if we think that what has finished can be resurrected to cover the new covenant. In that case, we count the blood of Jesus as nothing.
To think that your salvation is assured, just because you mutter some prayer that your led to say by some-one, and then claim to be a Christian, is the same as Catholics believing that they are the only ones getting into Heaven, just because they belong to the “One true Church”. I believed that for years, and I know it to be false, it’s just like the Pharisees and Sadduccees thinking they had the right way. Don’t believe that your saved because you name a name, become the person that you are called to be, a son of God, not a slave of sin.
Comment by Peter — January 23, 2012 @ 6:25 pm |
Peter – are you that same Peter who cut off the soldier’s ear? I apologize but it’s clear that you have salvation issues of your own – you feel condemned yourself and then use the Bible as a means of condemning/controlling others – people you don’t even know. That’s a wonder of megalomaniac. Thanks for the warning Pete, but I read my Bible.
Comment by Roshan — January 24, 2012 @ 9:58 am |
Hi Roshan, I don’t have any salvation issues, I know that I am saved by grace, not works, but I also know that I am called to obey the Gospel.
I don’t condemn any-one and certainly don’t feel condemned myself, I have a very good relationship with God, even in my work, if there’s something i don’t know how to do, He teaches me, I am constantly doing, what others deem impossible, but I know and confess that I can do all things through Christ who strenghthens me. If some-one says it’s impossible, I take that as a challenge and without doubting, attack the job at hand, even if I can’t see the end from the beginning, I trust the Lord will show me.
He has never missed yet! I also teach this to my children and now, even they are not listening to the fear of the enemy and doing back flips on the trampoline.
(Well, it’s a start, they were convinced they couldn’t do it, but I told them to give all their fear to God, so when the enemy came, they can say, “I have nothing for you, I gave all my fear to God, if you want it, go and ask Him!”
I also don’t control others, even my children, when they were young, I gave them a smack to get their attention, but now I want them to learn to be obedient through love, using the Father’s love for us, as an example.
I try to love them as the Father loves us, to explain the benefits of obedience and the perils of disobedience, not from me, but that their choices will determine their lifes path.
Do you know that if you judge others, you will be judged with the same measure, If you judge me, you are not only trying to put me under the law, you are also putting yourself under the law.
Better not to judge before the time……..
Comment by Peter — January 26, 2012 @ 12:41 am
After much prayer and study, although I am no longer a slave to sin, I am a slave to obedience which leads to righteousness (Romans 6:16,22). God is my master. I am His fellow worker (1 Cor 3:9) I will work to serve the Lord with all my heart. (Colossians 3:23) and fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim 6:12) in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing (Philippians 2: 16). I will work out my salvation by obeying my Jesus and I will become blameless and pure, without fault and will shine like a star in the universe! (2:15) I will press on toward the goal as I have not yet been made perfect (3:12-14) I am equipped for every good work and real faith shows itself by deeds. (James 2:26) I will put on Christ and perservere in love -”this is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands.” (1 John 5:2-3) We must obey God rather than man! (Acts 5:29) “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power… You are worthy, our Lord and God. Amen and Amen
Comment by Jackie — January 25, 2012 @ 12:05 pm |
Jackie, I totally agree with you, I know what I was, and know that I was saved by Grace, without which I would either be dead or in prison right now.
I know the power of sin and it’s power over our fleshly lusts.
I know that the enemy will only attack our weaknesses, so it is up to us to resist the enemy with the grace we have been given, so that even our weaknesses will become our strengths if we keep our eyes on Jesus, the perfecter of our faith,
I know that, in the Lord, I have come a long way, but I haven’t finished the race, I also press on, like you.
It is so good to know that there are others out there that believe the Gospel as it was given, not a gospel that has turned the Grace of God into a cult, like the Faith movement some years ago, “Name it and claim it!”
Stay true to what the Spirit has revealed to you, not the teachings of men.
You know the Sheperds voice and follow Him. John 10.
Math. 7:14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Bless you Jackie, stay on track!
Comment by Peter — January 26, 2012 @ 12:10 am |
Peter,
I have to commend your desire to raise your children in the ways of righteousness. Paul (the apostle) complimented people like you who searched out truth in the scriptures for themselves. However, I am very confused by your comment that Jesus only paid for our FORMER sins, especially since he was crucified before the foundations of the earth even existed. Actually, a better way to look at it is that SIN was crucified on the cross (he became sin). Sin is now dead, and only comes “alive” under a false reality. Faith really only means to join your thinking with God’s thinking (trading a subjective truth for an objective truth). Several translations of the bible say that God no longer has a sin consciousness, and that the definition of sin has been removed from His memory. An example would be Hebrews 6:2 and Hebrews 8:12 in The Mirror Translation. Along those lines, repentance does not mean feeling sorry and apologizing for something. It only means to change your mind. It requires no words or works whatsoever. All of us repent several times a day without even knowing it when we come across a truth we didn’t know before.
The argument isn’t really the specific 623 laws of the old covenant vs. grace, but works in general. Doing ANYTHING in order to earn your way into God’s good graces or to please Him is the very definition of works (law), and sounds more like Islam. God’s covenant was not made with man so that man could mess it up. He made his covenant with Christ. “Sin” doesn’t even enter into it. Even when God made a covenant with Abraham, He didn’t allow Abraham to partake in it, but instead made him fall sleep. Also, the idea that we are not perfect is taking what Paul said out of context. He was speaking about death and resurrection. He wasn’t talking about sin at all. God sees all of us as perfect and holy, regardless of what you do, because when He looks at us He sees Christ. Paul was speaking to wicked sinners when he told them that In God they lived and moved and had their being. Paul also said that man was only an enemy of God in his mind. That means that it really wasn’t true. “Sin” does not create a great divide or limit God’s ability to work in our lives. If that is the case then we should all start worshiping sin since it has all the power.
Peter, my desire is that you would know you are already a spiritual jedi, and that the Imago Dei is pouring out of you at every second of your life. When people see you they are looking at Jesus. It’s called the “good news” because it sounds too good to be true. You are not going to get more power when you get to heaven. You have everything now! It is finished! I love you bro. Semper Fi.
Comment by Jordan — January 27, 2012 @ 4:11 am
Peter –
May God fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way. Be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patence, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light! (Colossians 1:9-12) We havent obtained everything or been made perfect but we press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us! (Phil 3:12-13) Continue to abide in the Vine and much fruit will be produced for the kingdom! (John 15:1-8) I pray God’s hand of protection over you and your family as you all daily walk with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God’s word is your authority, and the indwelling Holy Spirit is your power to enable you to be a blessing on this earth. Amen (If you would like to connect with me, see my blogspot:http//itiswellwithmysoul-jackie.blogspot.com)
I believe that God is a mystery. We all still have some “blinders”. I pray that all who write, read, and comment on this blog continue to seek God’s answers daily, to verify what they hear with His Holy Word. Be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 1:2-3) May we all honor and glorify our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is worthy.
I will be bowing out of this conversation at this time. Blessings to all!
.
Comment by Jackie — January 27, 2012 @ 9:51 am
Great article Paul! Sharing :)
Comment by Marie Louise Cassidy — January 27, 2012 @ 6:16 am |
Hi again, I finally found out why many people don’t get the gospel as preached by early Church, most people that come to the Lord, don’t follow the pattern that was used.
That is, REPENT and be baptised and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
These days, all people do is “ask Jesus into there hearts”, but this is not scriptural, nor does it cause people to repent of their sin.
Many just continue on, being told that their is no law, so sin doesn’t matter anyway.
Even when the Holy Spirit convicts them, what reference to sin have they got, as the “Church” has done away with God’s word on the subject.
We are even told that the Holy Spirit doesn’t convict us, it is the enemy condemning us!…
Comment by Peter — January 29, 2012 @ 4:03 am |
Peter, thanks for taking the time to comment. I had to shorten your comment because (a) it was more than double the word limit, (b) it wasn’t particularly related to the post above and (c) you’re starting to preach. This is meant to be a discussion thread; not a pulpit. I suggest you post comments pertaining to repentance under a post entitled “3 Reasons Why I Don’t Preach Repentance.” You may want to post comments on confessing sins under this post: “Confession, Conviction, Confusion!” And since you think the Holy Spirit is the one who’s convicting us of sin – something that is not found in the Bible, not even in John 16 – you may want to check out “10 Myths about the Holy Spirit.” Cheers.
Comment by Paul Ellis — January 29, 2012 @ 8:21 am |
Christ is the end of the law. AMEN. Christians are NOT under the law. Gal 5:18 “ye are NOT UNDER the law” Rom 6:15 “we are NOT UNDER the law.’ 1Tim 1:9 “the law is NOT MADE for a righteous man (Christians). Rom 8:2 SET FREE from the law of sin and death. And where there is NO LAW there is NO TRANSGRESSION (SIN) Rom 4:15
“For what the law COULD NOT DO, in that it was WEAK through the FLESH, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us” Rom 8:3,4. In Christ we have life. He is the Tree of Life. Christians are under the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, Rom 8:2. Christians are in the book of Life, Rev 20. But under the law of sin and death, the penalty is death for transgression. This is the tree of knowledge of good/evil resulting in death as God warned in Genesis. This law is what those without Christ will be judged by in Rev 20.
Comment by Harold — February 8, 2012 @ 11:10 pm |
Hi. I definitely disagree with Peter when he said, “Jesus death on the cross, paid for our FORMER sins (Rom. 3:25, and various other places), we cannot take what was of the Law of Sacrifices, eg, Jesus death, and apply it to the New Covenant.”
That is definitely not what the bible and especially the New Testament teaches. John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away THE SIN of the world.” No condition of what kind of sin that is. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary of sins-”the sins” that are past-not the sins committed by the believer before he embraces Christ, but the sins committed under the old economy, before Christ came to “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
—–
Paul, I’m just wondering if you are teaching that we no longer need to obey the law now that we have been fully forgiven by Christ.
Pleas clarify now what is the law to us who have been saved. Do we continue to obey the law and do what is right? Or are you saying it no longer matters in the sight of God what we do with relation to the law?
Comment by Zack T — March 9, 2012 @ 11:52 am |
Hi Zack, I think you may be misreading Peter. Check out my post on 2 Peter 1:19.
Here’s my teaching on the proper relationship Christians are supposed to have with the law: None! The law was put in charge to lead you to Christ. Have you come to Christ? Then the law has done it’s wonderful job. Read more about our relationship to the law here.
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 10, 2012 @ 5:49 pm |
I was referring to Peter your commenter.. not Simon Peter, in case there is a misunderstanding… So I don’t know what am I ‘misreading’ with regards to his comment.
I’m just asking a simple question, Paul: “what is the law to us who have been saved. Do we continue to obey the law and do what is right? Or are you saying it no longer matters in the sight of God what we do with relation to the law?” Since you said, there is NO relationship between a Christian and the law… does that mean you are saying the affirmative to my latter question above?
Comment by Zack T — March 10, 2012 @ 6:44 pm
My bad – wrong Peter! Re: your question, I am saying we are no longer under the law but grace. Those who would try to live by the law set aside grace. Grace + law = law.
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 10, 2012 @ 6:53 pm
Hmmm… I still do not understand your stance, with regards to my question. “what is the law to us who have been saved. Do we continue to obey the law and do what is right? Or are you saying it no longer matters in the sight of God what we do with relation to the law?” Are you avoiding to answer in the affirmative with regards to my latter question?
Comment by Zack T — March 10, 2012 @ 6:56 pm
I’ll try again: Christians are to have NO relationship with the law. None. Zip. Nada. We are not under the law. Imagine the law is the ceiling above your head and it’s keeping the sun off you. Now that you’re outside, what relationship do you have with that ceiling? None!
You asked a simple question; that’s my simple answer. That’s also my long answer.
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 10, 2012 @ 7:05 pm
So, then you are speaking the affirmative to my latter question. It no longer matters in the sight of God what we do with relation to the law? In other words, we can do anything that we please? Is that what you mean, since you speak of ‘absolutely NO relation with the law’?
Comment by Zack T — March 11, 2012 @ 3:40 am |
Zack, I sense you’re trying to set me up. You asked a question about the law; I gave you an answer about the law. Does this mean we can do what we please and God doesn’t care? Of course not – if you stick your face in the proverbial blender He will be grieved as would any parent. But Christ is our righteousness, holiness, and wisdom from God. He is the end of the law for me. Is He the end of the law for you?
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 11, 2012 @ 8:04 am |
I’m just trying to be clear. At least I know your stance is proper and biblical. Since you do still believe that we have to do what’s right and lawful, then I know that you have the right understanding of Christ being the end of the Law for us. Now, since that is the case, I then would like to point out how I disagree with your wordings in explaining that. First, Your saying that Christians are to have “no relationship with the law, none, nada, zip” would then be easily interpreted by MANY that you are preaching Christians can do whatever they want in the eyes of God. But God says, regarding the new covenant, “I will put MY LAW in their minds and write it on their hearts.” (Jeremiah 31:33; quoted in Hebrews 8:10 & 10:16)
With those biblical passages, then your analogy of “the law being the ceiling” and “us being outside” would be, IMHO, inaccurate.
Absolutely no relationship with the law? I don’t believe that is a biblical statement or a biblical way of explaining this.
It is better to preach, absolutely no relationship with “SIN” than “LAW”. God’s law is good and right, it is stated and repeated over and over throughout the book of Proverbs. It is not the Law that we were set free from, but the curse that comes with breaking the Law; that is because we are no longer under the law but under God’s grace. I am glad to know that your understanding of “Christ being the end of the law for us” did not lead you to wrongful belief that now Christians can go out and do whatever they want.
With that said, I also disagree with your picture at the beginning. The law Jesus preached may not be something I must fulfill in order to remain in Jesus’ good book but I must strive to be good just as God is good and righteous, meaning I should (at the very least) try to fulfill the law Jesus preached, because Jesus fulfilled them, and I want to be ever more Christ like in every way. =)
Comment by Zack T — March 11, 2012 @ 10:58 am
This is exactly the sort of covenant-confusion that leads to joyless, insecure Christianity – no offense! The Christian life is not pretending to be Jesus; it’s Christ living His life through you (Gal 2:20). Trying to keep the law for any reason is a flesh trip. The law is not the problem; you are (see Romans 7). So am I – or at least my flesh is. We’re simply incapable of living up to the standard and by merely trying we insult the Spirit of grace that sanctifies us.
Jesus didn’t suffer and die for you so you could get a chance to impress Him with your impersonations. He wants to be with you and He wants you to enjoy Him. To the degree that you are conscious of “doing the right thing” and “avoiding sin,” you are walking after the flesh. You simply cannot reduce relationship to rules.
I appreciate that your performance-based Christian lenses will interpret what I say as a license to do whatever you want. But you’re looking through the wrong grid. You’re mixing your covenants. Paul said “The law is good if used properly” and you’re using it improperly. You can try or you can trust. To the degree you’re trying you’re not trusting. To the degree you’re conscious of sin, you’re ignorant of grace.
I don’t strive to do anything except enter His rest.
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 11, 2012 @ 11:40 am
Does it once we believe we will go to heaven? What is we fail to acknowledge Jesus or backslide?
Comment by Karen — March 14, 2012 @ 12:47 pm |
i believe that if you decide to live under the law, despite you are saved, you will be judged by the law.
Comment by peter kpobi — March 28, 2012 @ 10:02 am |