Published by admin on 21 Mar 2019 at 11:50 pm
A CAN OF WORMS
I’ve been known at times to open a can of worms. Today I will attempt to do exactly that. During this past week I’ve had some conversations concerning law and grace, which seem to go as well together as oil and water. Are we under the law, or are we under grace? Are we still to keep any of the Old Testament, or are we only under the New? Let’s do some exploring today, and I think you’ll find it to be interesting. Maybe you’ve thought about these things, maybe not.
First off, let’s start on common ground; if we are a Christian, then Christ Jesus is our Lord and Savior. From there it gets a bit murky. You see, Christ Jesus himself said in John 4:16-21,
“21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.”
This passage clearly identifies that Jesus said, “Salvation is of the Jews”. And that Jesus himself was raised as a Jew, living under the Law of Moses. And Jesus said to the woman that He himself was the Messiah. In another passage, He said in Matthew 15:22-24,
22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
So we have here a Jewish Messiah who was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The plan of salvation was not yet open to the Gentiles, meaning anyone OTHER than Jews, OK? Are you with me so far?
I’m going to jump way ahead here for the sake of the length of this, and time. On the day of Pentecost, in Acts chapter 2:17-21, the Holy Spirit was given unto the Jews who were gathered in one accord seeking Jesus, and Peter stood up and told the people who were witness to this event,
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
OK, now officially “salvation” is available to both the Jew and the Gentile. And this is “New Testament”.
It is written in 2 Cor 3:14-17,
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Now HERE is where I’m going to open a can of worms: WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY. So, under the OLD Covenant, we have tithing and curses, to include “generational curses”. Yet Christians say the OLD Covenant is done away with, but they want to keep tithing, and generational curses. Unless I’m mistaken, Galatians is NEW Covenant, and look what it says in Gal 3:1-14,
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in thebook of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Now, look again at verse 13. Christ HAS redeemed us from the curse of the law. Tithing was part of that Law, and He was made a curse for us, He took every curse for us, in our place. So what curse has Christ left us with? Generational curses? NO. Not ANY curse, period. Yes, I know that flies in the face of “deliverance ministries”, which by the way, is not mentioned in the Bible, but rather had their origin in the 1960s. They seem to think they can deliver you from something Jesus could not or did not. But, the Lord Jesus never instructed His disciples to go back in someone’s past and have them renounce this or that. You see, you can’t have it both ways: either you’re under the law and under the curse, or you’re redeemed from the curse and the Law by Christ Jesus. His part was redeeming you from the curse and your sins. Your part is to REPENT and FORSAKE your sins. Simple, huh?
But here’s another “worm” for you: faith, versus works. James had this to say, in chapter 2:10-22,
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
I for one am a Sabbath keeper, not because I’m under the law, but it reminds me that I’m grafted INTO Israel, not replacing Israel as some would believe. I keep the Holy Days as a reminder each year of the plan of God, lest I forget the Father’s wonderful plan for mankind. I don’t HAVE to do all that, because I’m FREE. But I do it, like I said, lest I forget what I’m redeemed from. I know the New Covenant is BETTER than the old one. And healing is in both the Old Covenant, and the NEW, so you can be healed whichever Covenant you see yourself in. And before I close this, one more “worm” for you: It is written in Revelation 14:12, Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. (that’s Y’shua Messiah for those who study Hebrew roots).
Is it possible to keep both? Apparently Jesus thinks so. Enjoy your “can of worms” today. Your salvation isn’t something you can “earn” by keeping the Law. It’s a GIFT from God, not dependent upon what you “do”. It’s about what JESUS DID! And He did it for YOU! Praise His Holy Name!
John Foster on 23 Mar 2019 at 5:17 am #
This article is quite pensive! Really good points. I’m living by faith and not work of the law. Thank you for teaching me on this!