Grace vs. Obeying Rules

Grace vs. Obeying Rules


Have you read the book of Galatians lately?

Yes, the mitzvot and the torah are good - not one word of it will pass away, not one jot or tittle. They are the Word of God. I am suprised that you are so quickly deserting the promises of God and trying to achieve your goal by human effort. Who has bewitched you and cast a spell on you so that you would not obey the truth that comes by believing and trusting the promise of God, not by obeying the law. Not all truth is created equal. Love is a higher principle than prophecy. Faith is a higher principle than reason (ie. logic). As well, faith is a higher principle than living our lives by the letter of the law. Did you miss Jesus' words, which expanded upon the 10 commandments - if a man looks at a woman with lust in his heart, then he has committed adultery; or if you have anger or hatred in your heart toward anyone, it is the same as murder; as well, in the epistles, it says that covetousness IS idolatry. Using the Lord's name in vain means using the authority of His name, without His authorization. In other words, if I say, "thus says the Lord...." and God didn't say it, I am in trouble. Or "God sent me here" or "God did this" or "in the name of Jesus" and He didn't say it, I am using His name in vain. It is the same as godless speech (speaking, without acknowledging God in the midst of the conversation). Did you miss what is says in James, that if you break ONE of these commands, then you are guilty of all. The original FIRST command was "Of all the trees in the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat thereof. For in the day that you eat of it you will surely die." It's too late - we have eaten of that tree, for in Adam ALL die. We are kicked out of the garden. It's too late for us to obey the law that was given. We could say, "I'm sorry God, let me try again - I'll do better next time, I'll keep the 10 commands this time. Let me back in the garden, I won't eat of that tree again" It's too late. We've fallen from grace. All have fallen short of the glory of God. We are unable to keep them now. All that is left is a sacrifice to bring us back, and the Promise of One (the Seed of the woman) who would crush the serpent's head. We are not freed from the curse when we try to obey the law. When we trust the Promise, we are freed from the curse.

The law was, as the scriptures say, a school-master to bring us to Christ. Are you still living as a little school boy, a mere child in your Father's house, not inheriting all that He has given to you as the full rights of a son of God? Are you acting as a slave when you are His son and His friend? We don't achieve this inheritance through acting out the religious law. If we were, we'd be living in Meah Sherim in Jerusalem, wearing black hats, putting mezzuzahs on our front door, phalacteries on our foreheads, wearing long flowing robes, seeking the highest places in the synagogue, offering up animal sacrifices. Do you really keep the shabbat? Do you drive a car, answer the phone, turn on lights or any electricity on the shabbat? Because this is what Jewish people do (or rather don't do) today to keep the shabbat. All the purpose of the commands were to lead us to Christ, to trust and obey the promise that comes through faith and grace (undeserved favor). Have you obeyed the law of the Spirit of life? Have you eaten of the tree of life or are you still trying to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? If you think you can achieve your walk with God based upon keeping the law, you have fallen from grace and faith, and are now walking in pride. Are you boasting of your ability to keep the law. "For by grace are you saved, through faith, and not of yourselves, it is a gift of God. Not of works, least any man should boast." Even after initial salvation, we are continually being saved by His grace, not by keeping the law, being circumcised, and keeping Christian laws (rules Christians make for each other to 'keep them in line'). Take a look at Abraham. Was he made righteous and called a friend of God because he obeyed the law or was it by faith? It was by faith - "he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." The law of circumcision came afterwards as a sign of the covenant God had with him, not a requirement for his justification and right-standing with God.

Okay, so you may say, as James does, that faith without works is dead, so if we don't keep the law, then we don't really have faith. However, does obedience to the Holy Spirit and the voice of God come through your own human effort, or through the UNDESERVED FAVOR that lives within you, the divine Seed of Christ that is growing up in you to bear fruit as you abide in Christ. If you are trying to maintain obedience in your own understanding, you will not make it. You will continue to feel guilty, shamed, condemned, and never able to meet up to God's standard. You will still continue to struggle with lust (adultery), even though you are married. You will continue to lie (bear false witness), even though you don't want to. You will continue to covet (idolatry), even though you try not to. You will never feel good enough. Why? Because His standard is too high to achieve. His expectations are not merely difficult, they are impossible. "To obey is better than sacrifice (keeping the law), and to harken than the fat of lambs. For rebellion [against the voice of God] is as the sin of witchcraft." We don't neglect the law and throw it aside, but rather, we fulfill all of the law through Christ and trusting in His sacrifice. Period. This is how we can have boldness to enter into His presence. Otherwise, we never become confident, but always wondering if we kept ALL of the rules. If you obey the rule of faith (believing) and grace (undeserved favor) through the cross of Christ (dying with Him) and rising with Him in His new life, then it is no longer about you living to obey the law, but Christ living through you (who always kept all of the law). You will fulfill all the law of God. If you love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength, and love you neighbor as yourself, then you have fulfilled all of the law, for all the law and the prophets hang on these. His expectations are impossible, but with God all things are possible. We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. When you allow Christ to live in you, you will be able to wresting with power against principalities, powers, rulers in this dark realm, and spiritual wickness in high places, and WIN. You will say to the demon of lust, "Be gone in the name of Jesus," and the mountain will be uprooted and cast into the sea. You will say to that wicked Jezebel, like Jehu did, "The dogs will lick up your blood, and eat your bones." She will fall on a bed of sickness before you. You will say to the religious spirits, which keep you from peace with God, "Leave me, I don't believe in you," and you will feel a freedom you have never felt before. You will say to a spirit of death, depression, and suicide, "Leave me in the name of Jesus," and you will once again know His joy and life and UNCONDITIONAL love.