Author	Thread: WORKS OF THE LAW!
Admin	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 27 Oct, 2009 02:23 PM WORKS OF THE LAW Was it the ten commandments? Remember some of the writings of the Apostle Paul were hard to understand,So we need to be careful so as not to let our preconcieved ideas get in the way of the truth and go astray. What are these �works of the law�? What was Paul talking about? Most so-called Christian ministers, preachers, and teachers claim that these �works� refer to the commandments of the law of Moses � the entire Law of God given to Israel at Mount Sinai � including the Ten Commandments, statutes, judgments, as well as the Temple rituals and ceremonies of the Law. But is this assumption true? Just what teaching is the apostle Paul countering in the letter to the Galatians? Who was the enemy? What were they teaching? Was Paul condemning those who taught the laws of God, the Ten Commandments, should be obeyed? The Church Council of Acts 15 The Law which the legalistic Pharisees tried to bind on the brethren was called �the Law of Moses.� We read that a great controversy arose in the New Testament Church which involved the �law of Moses� and the matter of �circumcision.� Luke wrote in Acts, chapter 15, �But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up� � these were Pharisees who believed Jesus was the Messiah � �saying, �It is necessary to circumcise them [Gentiles], and to command them to keep the law of Moses� (Acts 15:5). What was the real problem here? In verse 6 we read, �Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.� After much discussion, the apostles ruled that God had given the Holy Spirit to Gentiles who believed on Christ, �and made no distinction between us and them [Jews and Gentiles], purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a YOKE on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they� (Acts 15:5-11). Let's understand this! These Pharisees were arguing that Gentiles, in order to be saved, had to be physically circumcised, and to �convert� to Judaism! They claimed that Gentiles had to become �physical Jews� by undergoing the rite of circumcision, as well as baptism, and come under the obligation to obey all Jewish religious law � the whole �law of Moses,� which, in that day, included the observation of all the Jewish �halachah� � the rules and restrictions added by generations of Rabbis from the time of Ezra down to the very day of the apostles! This included all the minutiae, and detailed 39 laws of �Sabbath� restrictions, and washings and the �traditions of the elders� � things which were a �YOKE,� in the words of the apostle Peter! (Acts 15:10). Paul speaks of it as a �yoke of bondage� in Galatians 5:1. In other words, the Pharisee believers were teaching that Gentiles had to become �Jews� first, before they could become �Christians�! They had to first convert to Judaism, and only then could they become acknowledged as believers in Christ! They had to obey ALL the Jewish legal requirements established by generations of Rabbis, and their interpretations of the fine points of the Torah, and Jewish tradition! But Christ Himself had already ruled on these points, in actuality. The Pharisees accused His disciples of breaking the law of Moses by transgressing the �traditions of the elders� 44 (Matt.15:1-2). However, Jesus hurled their accusation back into their own teeth, saying, �Why do you also transgress the law of God by your tradition?� (verse 3). He went on to say, �Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition� (v.6). In other words, the Jews over time had added so many �halachic� principles and rules, in their legislation, in interpreting the Law of Moses, that they had strayed from the very Law itself and had developed a legal system which, in reality, was contrary to and in violation of the spirit of the original Torah, or law of God! The argument, then, was not over the law of God itself � called the �law of Moses� in the Scriptures, because it was first codified and laid out in full during the time of Moses, and through the revelation God gave to His servant Moses (see Ezra 7:6, 10). It was over the �traditions� the Pharisees added to the Law, and their perversions of the Law! Now, let us continue the story in Acts 15. After considering this matter fully, the apostles decided that the Pharisaical believers were dead wrong! Conversion to Judaism, indicated by requiring Gentile believers to be circumcised and keep the entire law of Moses (including the traditions of the elders), was NOT necessary for salvation! But notice. After making this fundamental, paramount decision, the apostles then decided to write a general letter to the Gentile believers throughout the Roman Empire, a very pointed epistle. James, the brother of Christ, and the apostle over the Jerusalem church, declared, �Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, BEING READ IN THE SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH DAY� (Acts 15:19-21). What is this? Why did James stress only these commandments? Was he ignoring or neglecting the laws against murder, stealing, taking God�s name in vain, coveting, bearing false witness, Sabbath breaking � many of the very Ten Commandments? Of course not! When we read this entire passage IN CONTEXT, we see that first of all, James is singling out specific issues which Gentile brethren would be confronted with in their local communities! In Gentile society, in those days, idolatrous pollutions were rampant, sexual immorality and promiscuity were also very commonplace, and meats containing blood � improperly killed � were the norm. God forbids His people to get involved in any sort of idol worship, sexual promiscuity, and His dietary laws were the first thing He stressed to ancient Israel as to how they were to be �different� from Gentile nations � how they were to be �holy� and set apart as a holy nation unto God (Lev.7:27; 11:1-47). Since these things were so common in Gentile society, James felt it advisable to give special prominence to warning the Gentile brethren to avoid these sorts of contaminations and spiritual pollutions. But notice, now! James went on to explain WHY it was unnecessary to mention all the other laws of God, which also should be observed, because, as he said, these other laws were already being preached EVERY SABBATH DAY, in the synagogues throughout the Empires, which both converted Jews and Gentiles were then attending! Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 27 Oct, 2009 04:29 PM 7th day adventism concentrates too much on one thing,you must recognize this before its too late! In Christ Steve Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 27 Oct, 2009 06:08 PM yeah....we know....anyone who worships on sunday is taking the mark of the beast.....and only you true sat. worshippers make it to heaven......go sell crazy somewhere else bub....we aint buyin In Christ steve Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 27 Oct, 2009 06:33 PM dear man, now man, go easy on the crazy insults please.. thanks ole cattle Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 28 Oct, 2009 03:47 AM friend I don't even know you and you accuse me of selling crazy insults,Just let me ask you a silly question,You I assume believe the law was nailed to the cross,Was the only one that was nailed to the cross and done away the Sabbath? And I would like for you to quote me a bible verse from Christ that He was abolishing Gods Sabbath!Because as far as I know it's still wrong to steal,to murder,to commit Adultry and to lust plus James tells me that if I break any one of the laws of God I have broken them all before God James 2:10 Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 28 Oct, 2009 05:01 AM Okay.....sorry for the outbursts....thanks cattle...now what was the question? In Christ steve Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 28 Oct, 2009 07:42 AM Then you don't think anyone else would want to read this post because according to you I am wrong, Belonging to a crazy cult and you are right? For your information there are many Sabbath Keeping Churches beside the SDA Church.What happened to the Words Of Jesus who said Love your enemies,Does that not apply to you and give you permission to insult me? Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 28 Oct, 2009 07:52 AM well....you are wrong.....but if anybody else wants to read it,im not stopping them....I didnt say I hate you.....your just wrong.....How better can you love someone than to try an keep them from........incorrect doctrine? In Christ Steve Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 28 Oct, 2009 07:56 AM I did check your profile beefcake.I like to study messianic jewish view points.Some people decided the facts with out praying about it.They live by the law and have NO COMPASSION.He who lives by the law dies by the law.It is ok to disagree on the day of the sabbath.Mine is Sunday Our friend forgot that jewish believers in christ worship on Saturday. He assumed you were 7th Day Adventist. I have some books on messianic opinions and lean that way. Even, if I am not a jew for Jesus I read a lot of books written by them.:party: Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 28 Oct, 2009 08:13 AM Senior Member Faith is not a work but an instrument in apprehending Christ, by whom we are made ritghteous. The likeness of Christ is greater than the law. And the work of the spirit to renew us in that image is greater than the law can perform. Law-keeping cannot transform us into Christ's image. Walking in spirit and living in Christ will never be contrary to the law. It will always demonstrate the goodness of the law. The hallmark of the NT is death to self: no power or control over maintaining our righteousness or our improvement. The Law cannot keep us in favor with God. The law cannot improve our moral qualities or improve our character. The Law cannot keep flesh in submission. We cannot please God through obedience of the law. We live by faith in Christ and not by obedience to the law In Christ Steve Post Reply
View Profile History	WORKS OF THE LAW! Posted : 28 Oct, 2009 01:48 PM Friends all men are liars.Only god knows the truth.Your view should be I am wrong and god is right.To say that i will correct you is pure arrogance.Selfconciete. That is a person that becomes usless to god.Because they are right and god can not do anything else with them. God is always showing us new things.We need to be flexable.Lest we become pharieses.We all are wrong. He who refuses to budge is claiming perfection-maybe????? The law is not to be thrown out.It is here to show us why we need christ.:excited: Post Reply

First

Page : 1 2

Next  5 >>

Last