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Heavenly Father, we ask that You place a protective covering over all in Joleen's family. Strengthen their immune system so that they can overcome this infection. Bring healing to all and let there not be any residual symptoms post-infection. We ask You these things Father, according to the words of Your Son Jesus that we can ask in His name and You will answer. Amen.
You missed Richard's point markedly. He was referring to two or more gathered together to pray, knowing that when we pray in the name of Jesus, the Father answers our prayers ( John 14:13-14)
And I share in agreement with your comment from 1 Peter 1:2, etc.
But I don't believe that I have had a "change of heart" about the liberty we have in the new Covenant. I've never ever subscribed that a believer should ever think that it is right to live a life of sin, but when sin surfaces, he recognizes it for what it is, repents, & amends his ways with the Spirit's Help. I don't ever see that we can be sinless in this life, but we can deal with 'the sin that works in our members that wars against the law of our minds (what we know by the Spirit as the right way to live)' ( Romans 7:23). This war will always be with us - how we listen to the Spirit's Voice & take hold of His Enabling, will give either victory or defeat. But living a sin-filled & defeated life can never be the mark of one truly born again. Blessings.
Thanks Frankie J. I did note your initial comment about 'how we fulfil the requirements of the Law'. Yet, the point I was trying to highlight is that we can never perfectly fulfil them, as Jesus the sinless One, did. The Law was never designed for men (Israel) to obey as God demanded - it only was given to show them their sin ("by the law is the knowledge of sin" Romans 3:20). We can "pick up the Cross & following Christ", but only by the indwelling Spirit of God can the Law be fully known as God intended (the Decalogue in its given state couldn't do this), all our sin be exposed, & we can experience full forgiveness on the merits of Christ's Sacrifice.
Hebrews 8:13. I should have quoted from Hebrews 8:7-13, where to the House of Israel, a new Covenant will be made, not according to the old Covenant with their fathers. Had the old Covenant been without fault, there would be no need for the New. In this new Covenant, Israel will have God's Laws written into their hearts & minds, that which they had not had before this (future) time. And with the inception of this new Covenant, the Old will vanish away. I see that Israel, because of their blindness & hardheartedness, have yet to acknowledge the Savior of God & until they do & turn wholly to Him in faith, they will still be bound to the old Covenant. But to those IN Christ now, the new Covenant in Christ's Blood is already administered to us, where God's Laws are written upon our hearts & minds by His Spirit, that which Israel still waits for.
And so Jesus is the "mediator of this new Covenant", that speaks of God's Mercy towards the sinner & Grace to receive His forgiveness & healing, something that the shed blood of Abel was in total contrast. It only cried out for vengeance from the ground ( Genesis 4:10). The Old Covenant showed man his sin & God's Vengeance was upon him (but saved by the sacrifices); "but Grace & Truth came by Jesus Christ" ( John 1:17) & we now can receive unconditional pardon.
1 John 2:3-5: speaks of keeping Jesus' Commandments, not specifically the Ten Commandments (there is a clear difference between them). Psalm 119: the Laws, Precepts, Judgements, etc. given to Israel; not to those in Christ Jesus.
"How do I determine what is sin and what is not?" The Holy Spirit Who resides in my life instructs me in all things I need to know or be alerted to: of ALL of God's Laws, of where I slip up, of things just not quite right that can be regarded as sin ( John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 4:30). The Decalogue in & of itself falls far short of what God would require of me. In other words, I would rather be subservient & obedient to the Spirit than to the Letter of the Law. And when I fail Him, I am gently instructed & helped to learn & follow His Path.
"So when we say that the Decalogue, the 10 Commandments, are not for us today", I certainly don't mean the Truth contained therein, including all other Laws, whether Israel or Gentile-specific, but I refer to the purpose of the Decalogue, as a whole package of Laws for Israel that demanded obedience or punishment (including obedience to the 4th Commandment).
This type of Law has no bearing on those now IN CHRIST, who have been delivered from that Law of sin & death ( Romans 7:6; Romans 8:2). If there was no Holy Spirit to indwell the believer, then yes, we must grab onto & perform all the laws we can find in God's Word & hope for the best in the Judgement. But the believer's salvation is secure because it is all of God (His Great Plan), all of Jesus (His Great Sacrifice) and of His Spirit (His Great Ministry), Who will 'present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy'. My obedience & confidence rests only in the Person of the Godhead, enjoying the liberty of serving Him as He directs & not conforming to a set of rules that was prescribed to judgement & death.
Thank you David0921; you have written extensively on this subject & asked many questions. I don't plan to give as much detail as it deserves, but will address some of it.
The Bible from Genesis to Malachi is about God's dealings with His people, Israel - giving them the Law & associated punishments for their disobedience. From Jesus' teachings (Gospels) onwards (the fuller meaning of aspects of that Law to Revelation), the saved Jew & Gentile can learn & apply the full requirements of all of God's Laws by the Work & Power of the Holy Spirit within them. So then, can the Gentile, whether unbelieving or believing, learn anything from the Old Law? Most certainly, but realizing that that Law was served to Israel only to show them God's requirements for them, their sinful state ( Romans 7:7), their inability to fully obey them, & their need for God's Help to deal with sin. To the God-fearing Jew under the Law, their hope & faith remained in the God they served, looking for His Redemption ( Hebrews 11:1,2,39,40); & this applied to those pre-Law & certainly pre-Christ, in Whom their redemption would one day be realized.
Romans 3:31. Romans 3:28, "we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law". This is the essence of this chapter, of justification of both Jew & Gentile through faith & not dependence on the Law. Is the Law then nullified because of faith? Paul writes, "we establish the Law"; i.e. the Law's role was to make men conscious of sin (v20) & this aspect of the Law (revealing sin) is confirmed by all those who turn from sin to Christ in faith. The Law couldn't effect salvation in Jesus - only Faith in Him could. The Law served/serves its purpose, but could never bring release. Why should we then put ourselves under it by reverting to it & placing its Holy Commands with punishment on those who need the liberty found by faith in Jesus? Onto Page 2.
- 1 Corinthians 11:4
Agape; Rich p
And yes, 'we should encourage each other to stop sinning' but the converse is also true, especially for those who find that there is still some persistent sin(s) evident. And that is, that sin will always be at our door & we will always succumb, but we ought to see greater victory in our lives than greater defeat. So, I believe that teaching on this subject should be balanced. As far as John 5:14 & John 8:11 goes, I don't think that when Jesus told these two "to sin no more" that they subsequently reached a state of sinlessness. Rather, that they should no longer entertain that sin that caused their downfall. They probably still had more sins that they had to deal with. Blessings.
I sure appreciate your response to my postings on Numbers ch. 20.
I am glad that YOU are the person caring for your parents in their final times. How good for them to have a believing son to continue to hod out the word of life to them. God will help you in your caregiving and in your words and witness for Him for their sakes. He will have you present to give answers and encouragement when they ask questions about what will happen to them after they die or to pray with them when they are in pain or when death is near. We honor our parents in doing these things if we have the opportunity.
Last May I was blessed to be able to spend time with my Mom while she was hospitalized with sepsis until she died two weeks after first being admitted. That time we shared was very precious and I was glad to be able to assist her in comfort measures and prayer. She was always fairly independent minded and strong. She had 10 children and worked very hard through all those years of raising all of us. I was glad to "give back" to her just a little bit in her time of need. All of my siblings were able to spend time with her as we did so in shifts. That was meaningful to us all to serve her.
I am trusting the Lord would have me here; as I am particularly weak in certain skills and giftings in regard to undertaking such a task alone. I question as I did after a Jewish man passed a couple years back right before I came here that I made some effort to witness to and he never turned what the purpose is if I am home in my current situation and my folks never come to Christ either.
I have certainly been steadfast; with my dad who I have talked with for years (we exchanged 2 extensive letters back in 2013/2014 when his mind was clearer as well). My mother who was nominally Catholic for a time; but comes from a Jewish background I have also tried to reason with. Hearing her commentary on someone's so called memories of past lives was depressing the other day although I don't think she necessarily believes in that. She claims to believe in the prophecies as evidence of Christ; but as to be ing God in the flesh; not so much so. My dad doesn't either; he can't believe as a narcissist in sin at all.
Anyway; I realize this isn't the platform here to belabor the point but I am appreciative what you are saying as I probably needed to hear that.
It seems so hard to believe that the Rapture could take us out anytime. Obviously at death there is peace and joy; frankly I feel even though they say it is a copout just grateful to be saved; I seem to have done much in my life to forfeit my reward with my unbelief and poor decisions.
BTW I realize this isn't a prayer format here but I'm trying to continue an old study which may be over soon; also hopeful for a new one that I inquired about a couple weeks back in a nursing home where they are looking for something. Prayer for attendance if you can.
I'm not saying that at all and the Bible does not teach that. But the 10 Commandments are part of God's Law. And if God has "saved" us, we will have an ernest and ongoing desire to be obedient to the Law of God as set forth in the Bible. And this is because God has given us a new Resurrected Soul in which we will earnestly desire to be obedient to the Law of God. Our new Soul, however, resides in a Body that has undergone no change and still lusts after sin, and will until we die physically or Christ returns to complete our Salvation in the Resurrection and Rapture of all True Believers at the Last Day. Hence, the conflict that God, through the Apostle Paul, declares. And we are to "crucify the flesh and its desires". This is called "growing in Grace".
But let me again emphasize that our desire and any obedience to God's Law should never be looked upon as initiating or contributing anything whatsoever to our Salvation. Our Salvation is 100% the work of Christ, God Himself.
Our obedience is the RESULT and the EVIDENCE of our Salvation. Never the CAUSE nor the REASON for our salvation.
If you are referring Psalm 119, I believe this should be the attitude and prayer of every True Believer. And it is also, I think, a Messianic Psalm, to some degree at least, as Christ has done all of this perfectly on our behalf if He has saved us.
Did I say that I am not a sinner? If so, please show me where I stated that.
I presented scripture showing where Jesus expects Christians (including myself) to make a serious effort to stop sinning while on this earth. Why would Jesus tell us to stop sinning if it was not something we could do? Do you think it is impossible? Jesus tells us it is possible, and that he expects us to work toward that goal.
Again, my point is, we should be encouraging each other to stop sinning, rather than saying we will always be sinners, reinforcing this defeatist mindset, which is totally in disagreement with what Jesus expects from us in John 5:14 and John 8:11
If we believe in our heart and mind that we CAN"T stop sinning then we never will. The Holy Spirit can change our heart and mind!
GBU
Matthew 9:16-17 gives a distinction between the old covenant and the new covenant.
You can't put new wine into old bottles or new garments on to old garments.
We are Identified with Jesus Christ finish work on the cross.
We're given a new heart whereby a new inner man is created. We have been given an earnest of the spirit.
However, we still have this body of sin that wars against our nature. This is what Paul is saying in Romans 7:20-25.
Sin should not have Dominion over you, (Meaning, it should not rule over or dominate you).
This is not just your outward actions that we focus so hard on trying to control.
This also speaks on your thoughts and temperament, your lusts in your members, desiring to want.
The lust of the eyes and so on.
Our blood washed garments are made perfect, "by the cross",
THIS IS WHAT PAUL IS TELLING US IN ROMANS 6.
Paul is saying you have been joined with Christ.
Does that make you perfect? NO.
The payment was perfect, but the purchase has yet to be perfect.
Paul is saying recognize that sin has no rule/dominion over you.
Our position in Christ remains forever. This is what 1 John 3:1-9 is saying.
So, do we sin outwardly? Answer; 1 John 1:7-10 is the sum of it all.
Your best effort to keep them clean is like cleaning with filthy rags. That's all our righteousness is!
Our righteous deeds may build on the already set foundation, but it won't "add to the foundation.
We are imperfect vessels looking for the mercy of Christ.
Jude sums it up in vs 21-24 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
GOD BLESS
The apostle John tells us:
1 John 3:4
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."
The apostle Paul tells us:
Romans 3:31
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
Romans 7:7
"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."
The wages of SIN is DEATH! We should not fool ourselves - Jesus didn't come here to die on the Cross so that we can KEEP SINNING! He wants us to repent and strive to live sin free. He tells us to Stop Sinning! John 5:14
The gift that God gives us in the salvation of Christ is to empower us to break free from the sin cycle, and repent of sin through conscious effort. When our own efforts fall short, His power is strong enough to help us succeed, but we must make the effort!
As Christains we should be encouraging each other to Not Sin, instead, I continually hear the opposite - stating we are sinners, and we can never stop sinning. That is a deafest attitude, and an assurance that we will continue to wallow in sin.
Read and Believe
Forgive me if I'm understanding what you are saying incorrectly. But perhaps you could explain how the Salvation of those whom God saved in Old Testament times, like Abel, like Noah and his family, like Moses, like Abraham, like David, like the Ninevites, like the Queen of Sheba, like the 7000 at the time Elijah confronted the 450 profits of Baal, how their Salvation was different from the Salvation of any New Testament Believer. Does God apply that Salvation to the hearts of True Believers differently during different times in history?
It is true that God uses different means to communicate the Gospel and also provided additional information about the Gospel as He continued to write the Bible. And He also further explains and even modifies His Law to some degree until the Bible was completed. But the Gospel is the Gospel through out the history of the world. This is why we MUST compare scripture with scripture, the Whole Bible, to get the True and Complete Picture. And the Nature of Salvation throughout history has not changed in any sense. Abel and Noah and Abraham and Moses were saved exactly as any New testament True Believer. And the only basis for their Salvation was and is that Christ paid the full penalty, required by the Law of God, for each and every sin that they would ever commit. And He applied that Salvation to their Life by giving them a new Resurrected Soul.
So when we say that the Decalogue, the 10 Commandments, are not for us today, that is a False Teaching. These commandments like most in the old testament have never been set aside. God has explained more fully these basic statements of His Law as He has other aspects of His Law, but they are as applicable today as they were during the time of the Old Testament.
Hi Chris
How do we fulfill the requirements of the Law?
I've answered that fully in my previous opening statement, picking up the Cross & following Christ in the regeneration. The Way of death is the Way to receiving His life, & that more abundantly, by the Grace of God. The Law will ever be against the old Adamic nature, Rom 8:6,7;. The new birth could not be forth by the blood of bulls & goats, but Blood of Christ does, through the Eternal Spirit, the Power; making us partakers of the Divine Nature, its Rom 8:2-4; "might be fulfilled in us".
Other questions? We're a new creation, have the mind of Christ, the blood of the NC has fulfill it purpose, Gen 1:26;
1 Pet 1:2; the Blood & Life are synonymous, Leviticus 17:11; Christ Life was in His Blood which made it so very precious. Not only cleansing the flesh, but the conscience/heart. Hebrews 9:11-15; the eternal inheritance "the eternal Spirit", we too can offer up ourselves to God, He leads us in the very same path that He, Himself walk & empowering of the very same Spirit. Having cleansing us spirit, soul, & body in the regeneration, by entering Rom 6:4,5; We enter eternal life now, on earth as it is in heaven & in the end everlasting Life, the Blood of sprinkling, that speaks of better things than that of Abel..
.. Quoting you; the NC gave mankind liberty, eternal life, & to fully know & obey God by the working of Holy Spirit in them; by such a statement you have had a change of heart, in believing one must be continually sinning against God for life. Praise God, for this is fully knowing & obeying God's will; John 8:11; 1 John 2:3,4;
Gal 3:19; the purpose of the Law
Was a tutor to all, to leads us to Christ, until the Seed came, birthing Faith; Gal 3:22; though the Gentile had not the written Law, yet as you stated to Cheryl1655, each person had the evidence of God's essential requirements in their heart, the law, our tutor, who would lead us to Christ & in obedience to this tutor, we come to the receiving of faith, which by the Spirit brings us to Gal 3:25-27; Rom 6:3,4; Gal 3:29;
You say "maybe our minds are still cage" I once was very much so, but am no more. 2 Cor 12:9;
The Whole Bible from Genesis through Revelation is God's Law Book for Mankind. It is God's Rule Book for the Kingdom of God.
Clearly we are no longer to observe the Ceremonial aspects of the Old Testament.
Clearly any obedience to the Law cannot contribute to our Salvation in any way whatsoever.
But where do you read that all other aspects of the Law have been set aside and no longer apply to us today?
How do you understand Romans 3:31? "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
How do you understand 1 John 2:4,5? "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him."
How do you understand Psalm 119, which is a beautiful passage in scripture speaking to the Nature of God's Law, the Bible?
Psalms 119 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
How do you determine what is sin and what is not? And as a Believer how God expects you to live?
Other questions: what is the meaning & implications of: the "New Covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away"? ( Hebrews 8:13). And "to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel"? ( Hebrews 12:24).
When we compare the great worth of the Covenant that Christ brought us through His shed Blood, how do ever resort to any of the elements of the Old Covenant (whether the Ten Commandments or sacrificial requirements & observances)? The Old Covenant held men (Israel) in bondage leading to death - the New Covenant gave men liberty & eternal life, & to fully know & obey God by the working of the Holy Spirit in them. The contrast is exceedingly clear - maybe our minds are still caged into upholding a Law never designed to give us life.
Galatians 3:19: "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." There was a time limit for the Old Law to Israel: "UNTIL THE SEED should come to whom the promise was made". And "if there had been a Law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law" ( Galatians 3:21).
I see that only Jesus could fulfil the Law & by His Death, bring in the New Covenant which abrogated that Old Law. The New Covenant administered by the Holy Spirit cannot be fused together with the Old Covenant that kept men bound to a yoke of strenuous law-keeping that gave no power to overcome & experience the joy of life in the power of the Holy Spirit. To the Jew, I think this release is truly life-changing - maybe not so to Gentiles, not given that Law.
The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 2:14,15, that the Gentiles who did not have God's Law served to them, do by instinct that which the Law contained - that Law (in some perceptive form) is written on their hearts & their consciences. So man, whether Jew or Gentile already had received knowledge of right & wrong, of the True God & false gods, of that knowledge pricking his heart when he knew he had done wrong, but he chose to suppress that knowledge & create his own beliefs, gods, & values. He may not know all about the True God, as Israel had known God, but each person had the evidence of God's essential requirements in their hearts; and this should cause them to turn to this 'unknown God' to worship & for help in dealing with sin that affected their hearts & consciences (even as some of the Athenians did in Acts 17:22-34).
And so the great need for the Gospel of Salvation is to go out into all the world ( Matthew 28:19,20), so that both the Jew under the Law & the Gentile without the written Law, might hear of the forgiveness, cleansing & redemption found only in Christ Jesus. There were Gentiles in the Old Testament days that were touched by God (e.g. those of Nineveh, Huram (king of Tyre), the Queen of Sheba, King Darius, etc.); they may not have fully turned from their gods to follow the True God, but we do see that Gentiles were also in God's Mind in those days, so none was without excuse.
But now through the Gift of His Son, God has reached out to ALL men everywhere, that they may find spiritual healing & a restored relationship through faith in Jesus' Name ( Acts 17:30).
Hello Cheryl1655. We need to understand, as the Bible shows us, that God had chosen a people for Himself: a people who would learn about this great God of Heaven, their Creator, this God Who is Holy & wants His creation to also be holy (fully separated to God), & a God Who wants to pour out His Love upon His greatest Handiwork of creation that they might also reciprocate that love to Him, albeit imperfectly. So Adam & Eve & their descendants, even till Abraham, Isaac & Jacob were not counted as Jew or Gentile (at least not until the name change of Jacob & his seed following), but were just God's creation like everyone created. But God in His Wisdom & Plan, selected those to whom His Word & Love would be directed & through these folk God's Plan for the Hebrew people (later called Israelites & Israel), would unfold & they would receive His Law, His prophets, His blessings, & His loving care, like no other people on the Earth & ultimately through them their Messiah would come.
Did God then reject all other persons living in other parts of the world? Even though those through Noah's son, Shem, received God's attention & abundant care, those scattered around the world still had knowledge of the True God (through Ham & Japheth, later referred to as Gentiles), but their knowledge & worship would have deteriorated & become fused with animism, worship of heavenly bodies, idol worship, etc. And this of course, led to further gross sin & separation from God & the knowledge of Him ( Romans 1:18-25). Were these people completely without connection to the God of Heaven? Were they, not having God's Laws & Love revealed to them, then able to find excuse to behave in such a manner? Onto page 2.