Romans 14:13 – “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.”

Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”

1 Peter 2:1 – “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.” 

    I put these three scriptures together because they all speak of our relationship with or toward one another. Jesus condensed the Ten Commandments into two – “love the Lord Thy God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) These then are the most important commandments and they cover all of our relationships; with God and one another.

    I want to look a little more into what precedes Ephesians 4:25 starting at; Ephesians 2:11 “Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

    For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 

    For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Ephesians 3:4 – “In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. (This mystery) is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”…His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

Ephesians 4:1 – “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”… (There are no denominations, we are one church!)

Verse 14 "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Now, back to Ephesians verse 25 - “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 

“In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

1 Peter 2:1 “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

    Whew! That’s a lot of scripture, and it seems as though I have let the Word of God do all the talking or writing, however, God says it best and God’s Word is truth! If I may, let me paraphrase all of this in my own words – “The point is that “we are all members of one body”…so, Stop it!”

    If we must, we should go back through all this scripture and make a “pro’s and con’s” list of all the things he says we must stop doing, and all the things he says we should do! Maybe we should paste the list on the refrigerator or the bathroom mirror, lest we forget. Remember that these things were written over 2000 years ago to the early (just starting out) church. Yet, we have learned very little. Our world today in the year 2016 – soon to be 2017 – is a mess! Maybe we as the church should have paid more attention to the “Therefores!”

Next week I will focus in on the words of Paul in Ephesians 3:6 concerning “This mystery…” See you then.

     Well, here it is just a week before Christmas, and I'm writing about the wrath of God and Hell. Sorry if I am ruining your Christmas joy, but I have to continue my thoughts in conclusion of this part of "Therefore"...my latest (BOOK)

    The wrath of God is truly a forgotten doctrine, even in the evangelical church. I’ll dare say that many have never heard a sermon on God’s wrath—that is, not a full sermon devoted to this one topic.

    The reasons for this apparent neglect are not hard to find. Most of us would rather hear about love and grace. I know I would rather preach about God’s grace. After all, to speak of the wrath of God makes us appear narrow-minded, judgmental, and God help us, fundamentalist.  And on another level, God’s wrath is difficult to comprehend, so in some ways, this is a doctrine that is easy to overlook. The thought that nice people we know might someday go to eternal hell is so overwhelming—and so disheartening—that we’d much rather not think about it at all.

    Many Christians feel as if they have to apologize for this doctrine. Some think it a blemish on God’s character. Others think that God’s wrath is inconsistent with his love. Let us then consider the words of J. I. Packer: “The fact is that the subject of divine wrath has become taboo in modern society, and Christians by and large have accepted the taboo and conditioned themselves never to raise the matter” (Knowing God, p. 149).

    True though these words may be, two facts stare us in the face: The Bible says more about wrath than about love. And, Jesus spoke more about hell than about heaven. We may speculate as to the reasons behind those two facts, but no amount of reasoning can change the truth. The Bible is filled with warnings about God’s wrath and about eternal judgment. I would not be a faithful pastor if I did not deal with this topic. God has made no secret of his wrath, and neither should we.

    Dr Steven Lawson puts this in a great way in one of his sermons; “The Genevan Reformer John Calvin said, “Preaching is the public exposition of Scripture by the man sent from God, in which God Himself is present in judgment and in grace.” Faithful pulpit ministry requires the declaration of both judgment and grace. The Word of God is a sharp, two-edged sword that softens and hardens, comforts and afflicts, saves and damns. The preaching of divine wrath serves as a black velvet backdrop that causes the diamond of God’s mercy to shine brighter than ten thousand suns. It is upon the dark canvas of divine wrath that the splendor of His saving grace most fully radiates. Preaching the wrath of God most brilliantly showcases His gracious mercy toward sinners. Like trumpeters on the castle wall warning of coming disaster, preachers must proclaim the full counsel of God. Those who stand in pulpits must preach the whole body of truth in the Scriptures, which includes both sovereign wrath and supreme love. They cannot pick and choose what they want to preach. Addressing the wrath of God is never optional for a faithful preacher—it is a divine mandate.”

    God has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. Acts 17:31) That day is looming on the horizon. It gets closer and closer the more we abandon God. Like the prophets and Apostles, and even Christ Himself, we too must warn unbelievers of this coming dreadful day and compel them to flee to Christ, who alone is mighty to save.

    Hi, and welcome back. I hope you are enjoying my weekly blog. I truly enjoy teaching others about discipleship and what it means to be a Christian. It’s not easy to walk the walk, but the more you know…the more it will show!

    This passage from Romans 1 then, describes the downward progress of the human race as it steadily moves away from God. Each step takes man further away from God and deeper into moral depravity. The key to this passage is that three-fold phrase—"God gave them over.” Each time it is repeated, it describes a further stage in man’s turning away from God. Stage 1 is bad, Stage 2 worse, Stage 3 worse still. In the end society has turned all moral values upside down.

    What is the judgment of God when men turn away from him? God “gives them up” to their own devices. He lets them follow their own desires. He doesn’t try to stop their meteoric descent into the abyss. God “abandons” the human race by letting men reap what they have sown. Nothing more terrible could ever be contemplated. When men “abandon” God in their thinking, God “abandons” them. Why? Because God is a perfect gentleman. He respects the freedom of the human will. If a man or a woman decides to live without him, he says, “Fine. You can live without me. In the end, you’ll be sorry. But if that’s your decision, I’ll respect it.” When we abandon God in our homes, we reap what we sow. When we abandon God in our schools, we reap what we sow. When we abandon God in our govern-ment, we reap what we sow.

    Verse 25 explains what happens: “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the created things instead of the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” When men and women turn away from God, they “exchange” the truth of God for “a lie.” What lie? The lie that you can ignore God and still find fulfillment in this life. The lie that you can break God’s laws and still be happy. The lie that you can live the “good life” without God. The truth is that living without God isn’t the good life. It’s quite literally hell on earth.

    Zac Saenz says in a sermon, “Sinners have stifled the truth God naturally reveals to all people in order to believe anything that supports their own self-centered life-styles. Why is God so angry, because God cannot tolerate sin or sinners. His nature is morally perfect and will not allow Him to. He cannot ignore or condone willful rebellion. What God wants is to remove the sin and restore the sinner through His Son Jesus Christ.

    Does anyone have an excuse for not believing in God? The Bible says plain and simple NO. God has revealed Himself to us since the beginning of time, who He is and what He expects from us. Every person therefore either accepts or rejects God. When the day comes for God to judge us, no excuses will be accepted. Every single person was born with a sense of wrong and right. This sense of wrong and right was instilled in all of us by God. We were made in His image. Just look around, Gods hand is everywhere. The reason for this is so that no one could say that they didn’t know about Him.” Romans 1:20 – “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

    How could a loving God send anyone to hell? The truth is we all deserve the penalty of hell. God expects perfection. People since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden through the first man Adam have since all became flawed. We are born sinners. Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
    I think many people today unfortunately like to think they are in complete control of their lives. Some even have their own distorted view of who God should be and what He should do. They think in some weird way that they have the right to even say what or who God should be.

    Well, I have done gone to preaching now! To be continued next week… By the way, we are working on launching a new and improved site that will become my home page for all that is part of Life Ministries. Watch for it… Wait for it… Coming soon!

Romans 1:18-32

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

 

    If this isn’t a snapshot of our world and our government from 1950 to the present day, I don’t know what is. I could write volumes about all that is happening, but I want to stick to the subject and look at verse 24 – “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts…”

    Therefore, or because they “lived according to the flesh” seeking only (the big four) pleasure, fame, wealth, and power, and worshiped idols, rather than God, and “exchanged the truth about God for a lie”… God gave them over.

    Three times in verses 24–32, Paul uses the formula “God gave them over.” He writes, “God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity” (verse 24). Then, “God gave them over to dishonorable passions” (verse 26) and then again God gave them over to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done” (verse 28).

    We often hear this passage taught as a warning to Rome, and other empires, that God is giving them over to their own sinfulness. Then, the application is brought to bear on the United States of America, that if we follow in the pattern of Rome’s sinful descent, God will likewise give us over in the same manner. This passage, however, is not about empires — Roman or American. This text is about humanity. The verb tense in the phrase “God gave” is past tense — this has already happened.

God has given humanity over. The apostle Paul includes everyone in the indictment as he describes the giving over of all of humanity to the sinfulness of their hearts.

    We have gone down a long ways from the 1950’s! Some would say that because of these flagrant sins, America is on the brink of God’s judgment. But, Paul would argue that America is already under God’s judgment! When a society flaunts and gives approval to such sins, God has already given them over to the consequences of depraved minds and degrading passions. There is a cause and effect relationship, a “reap what you sow” effect. More about this next week…

However, let me tell you what the abundant life is not. First, it is not necessarily a life of comfort and ease. Sometimes we need to "go through the fire" in order for it to melt away the impurities inside us. This is how God refines, and strengthens, and matures us. 

    There is a beautiful picture of abundance in the Old Testament story of Israel coming out of Egypt and into Canaan….

    God delivered them from bondage and tried to give them great abundance, but they were afraid of what it would cost them to get it. When they saw the giants in the land they decided that the whole journey had been some cruel trick, and it cost them abundant life. But, you see, Canaan does not represent heaven. I don’t care how much we sing about crossing the Jordan, it was not heaven on the other side. Canaan is a picture of abundant life, but those who went over the Jordan River with Joshua fought for every inch of that land. Did God want to give it to them? Was it a land of milk and honey? You bet it was – but trusting in God they had to fight for every inch of it.

    Don’t expect the abundant life to come easy. There are going to be giants in the way: obstacles of some sort, but God desires for us to have the abundant life that Jesus came to give, and He will help us all along the way, if we let him.

    Second, I have already mentioned once but it bears repeating; It is not dependent on outside circumstances. It’s not what happens to you in this life that is nearly as important as how you respond to it.

    Third, it is not glamorous, flashy or outwardly impressive. fame or fortune and million dollar homes and $500 suits are not where it is found. The abundant life is much like that small gate and narrow road that Jesus told us about in Matthew 7:13. The reason why so few will find it is because it takes more EFFORT to find it. “I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY”.

    A few years from now, Lord willing, you are going to be a few years older. Either you will be a few years older and enjoying the abundant life, or you will be a few years older and still not get it…

    In John 10:10, Jesus uses the Greek word “perissos” (pronounced per-is-sos’). In this context, it means ‘superior in quantity or quality’ ‘exceedingly more’ or ‘very high’ or a “great advantage’ and ‘beyond measure’. This is the exact same word that Paul uses in Ephesians 3:20 that you hear at the close of services…“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly “perissos” beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.” The abundant life is about a quality of life far exceeding what most people settle for… And it’s available because Jesus came to make it available. But it takes EFFORT on our part to discover what it really is for each one of us.
See you next week.

     We must remember also that the “opposite of truth is also true”…so, everyone who desires to live the abundant life avoids these negative qualities. They are just the opposite and lead to an unhappy and unsatisfied life; selfishness, hatred, lust, unforgiveness, envy, jealousy, fear, drunkenness, sexual immortality, discord and malice, fits of rage, dishonesty, greed, gossiping, slander. pessimism, despair and self-pity. In other words, the more these negative qualities are a part of a person’s behavior, the further they are from obtaining this “abundant life” that Jesus came to give.

    God however, can remove all of these negative characteristics from a person’s life. Every one of them! God is greater than our sins! Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:11- "And this is what some of you WERE… But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

    So it’s no longer an excuse to say, "This is who I am… this is just the way I am… and I can’t change that! Oh, yes you can! Part of the abundant life is being able to make right decisions and follow through on them. Now there is no doubt many non-Christians can experience some happiness and satisfaction in their lives, but that is usually because they practice some of the qualities that make up the abundant life, such as patience, integrity, and kindness, and a certain morality. They also avoid many of the things that destroy the abundant life which I also mentioned.  However, Jesus said that unless we believe in him, we will die in our sins, and the only thing we have to look forward to is judgment. 

    We must, therefore, realize that no matter how much happiness a non-Christian seems to experience, it is unfortunately limited in quality and it’s only temporary. You cannot be happy if you have no hope for the future.         

    The facts are that anyone without the saving grace of Jesus Christ in their life is spiritually dead. A person cannot live the "abundant life" if they are spiritually dead.

    Many assume the abundant life depends on circumstances, or fate or luck, or their bank account, or their status in life, or their health…and, no doubt, these things are highly valued in our lives, but wealth, power, status, worldly pleasure, and even health issues have nothing to do with living the abundant life Jesus came to give.

    As we learn to see what life is all about, we will begin to see all around us many people who are successfully living this "life to the full" in spite of circumstances. These people quietly go about their lives filled with meaning and hope, happiness, satisfaction and vitality, and peace of mind. They enjoy quality friendships, have good, loving, family relationships, and a strong faith in God. Their life becomes an adventure worth living. They do not allow trivial or non-essential matters to control their thoughts and their life! Life is too short to waste time complaining, or

arguing, or worrying about such things.

Therefore – “Used as a conjunction, “for this reason” – referring to something previously stated – used to introduce a logical conclusion.”

Romans 8:1 -  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the like-ness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. ¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

    Our world is full of unhappy and dissatisfied people. For this reason, people everywhere are looking for answers to the emptiness they feel inside. These people will try anything, if it might bring them some sort of satisfaction or happiness. So, what is the solution? Materialism and wealth? I think we have all heard the saying “Money can’t buy happiness” nor pleasure and enjoyment? Well, it may bring a momentary or temporary sense of happiness or satisfaction…but, soon we know that doesn’t work either. What about Power and prestige? Or, Religion? Everybody has an answer. But I happen to believe the Bible when it says, "There is a way that seems right to a person, but in the end, it produces death," (Proverbs 14:12) Maybe we will never really be happy in this life. But, it all depends on your idea of happiness. Someone once said that “happiness depends on what’s happening!”

    However, I think there is an answer to the eternal question, "How do I find happiness and satisfaction in life?" Jesus stated the answer in the scripture – “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)

    The good news is that not only did Jesus come to save us, but he also came to give us an abundant life. This is much like a second blessing: eternal life, plus "life to the full"! The hope of a wonderful, eternal life to come, and also an abundant life right here, right now.

Question – What does the abundant life consist of? What would it look like to you?     

    Let me tell you something I have learned from God’s Word concerning people who really live and enjoy the abundant life… They will possess all of these qualities: and it will show… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, all of which are the fruit of the Spirit. And, let me say one thing about this; these are not individual fruit of which you can have one or two and not the others!... This is the “fruit” (singular) of the Spirit.  You don’t live an abundant life if you have peace and kindness but no joy or love!

    People who live and enjoy the abundant life have compassion, humility, modesty, dignity, faith, character, wisdom, enthusiasm, optimism, confidence, honesty, and a vital, passionate relationship with God…and they have a passion for what they are doing. In other words, the abundant life is full of all the things money can’t buy. No matter how much money you have, you cannot buy more patience, self-control, or salvation! You can’t buy the desire or passion to do something. Hardware stores do not sell wisdom or hope. And, in case you are wondering, yes, you can possess all of these qualities! You can get everyone of these things from God, who is the giver of all good things. 

See you next week!

    The third principle of the new law which we need to understand is: We are wanting to be SUCCESSFUL and God keeps wanting us to be AUTHENTIC.

    This calls for a whole new way of thinking. It goes against the grain of every-thing our culture believes. The kingdom of God really is an upside down kingdom. In this kingdom success may look like failure. The way up is down. Those who lead must become servants. The first are last and the last first. Those who are the greatest in the kingdom are the least. Adults are to become like children. Less is more. Those who mourn are joyful. Those who are poor inherit everything. The meek rule. The hungry are the ones who are full. This way of course, seems like insanity to the world.

    Jesus called a little child and had him stand among the people. He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:2-4) A child is authentic. There is very little pretense. They seem to be totally unaware of how they look or how they smell. What you see is what you get. You are quickly made aware of their needs and wants. They have not yet learned to pretend to be something they are not.

    Henri Nouwen speaks of the need to die to the false self. He says that we have to “give up measuring our meaning and value with the yardstick of others.” We must find our meaning and value in God. We measure ourselves by His yardstick. He says that we are His children and that He is and has all that we need. We live authentically with our genuine self showing through. We reject the standards of the world by which it defines success. We understand that success in the kingdom is measured by faithfulness. That faithfulness may not look like success in the eyes of the world, but it pleases God, and that is our concern.

    Those who are poor in spirit do not look successful. The meek, mourners and merciful are not always those the world looks up to. The pure are often seen as prudes. The persecuted are rejected outright by the world, but they belong to God and will be rewarded by him.

    This kind of authenticity is illustrated by a man like Charles H. Townes, who when he speaks about winning the Nobel Prize for his work in laser technology says, “It’s like the beaver told the rabbit as they stared up at the immense wall of Hoover Dam, ‘No, I didn’t actually build it myself. But it was based on an idea of mine.” It is like Alex Haley, the author of Roots, who has a picture in his office, showing a turtle sitting atop a fencepost. The picture is there to remind him of a lesson he learned long ago which says: ‘If you see a turtle on a fencepost, you know he didn’t get there by himself.’ Halley says, “Any time I start thinking, ‘Wow, isn’t this marvelous what I’ve done!’ I look at that picture and remember how this turtle “me” — got up on that fencepost.”

    The man in the New Testament we call the rich young ruler was a man who wanted to take all the credit for his spiritual life. He thought of it as something he was doing for God, instead of something God was doing for him. He began well by asking, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18) But when Jesus told him to obey the commandments, he proudly announced, “All these I have kept since I was a boy.” He must have said it with a smile, expecting Jesus to congratulate him. The Bible says, “When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22) But when he heard this, he turned away with sadness, because he was a man of great wealth. He was not authentic. His religion was a matter of impressing God and others. He did not want to hear that he still lacked something, he wanted Jesus to compliment him. Instead of listening to Jesus, he was justifying himself. His actions were right, but his heart wasn’t right.

    How do we follow the new law? We ask him to change us and give us a new heart. We internalize the words of Jesus: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30)

    He came to die, so that we might be delivered from the penalty of sin, the power of sin in our lives, and one day, the presence of sin as we live in glory with Jesus Himself.

The second principle of the new law which we need to understand is: We keep wanting to depend on OURSELVES and God keeps wanting us to depend on HIM.

    If you really want to understand the teaching of Jesus just spend some time reading Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Read it over several times as though this was the first time you have read it. I get over-whelmed every time I read it because I realize how far I am from the kind of life he is talking about. What he is talking about is something so radically different that it takes a total dependence on God to enter into it.  It is not something I can do by my own effort. If this is what my life must be like, God has to change me completely, because I can’t do it at all. I have to totally depend on him every moment of my life, and the minute I stop depending on him I begin to fall. The Christian life is not an offer I make to God, it is an offer which I must accept from God. It is not something I do for him; it is something he does for me.

    Listen as Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:38-42)  Can you live like that? Most of us would be ready for a fight if we experienced that kind of injustice. But when we are completely depend-ing on God, we allow him to settle all the scores. We don’t try to get even; we give him control.

    You have to lean on God to do what Jesus taught when he said, “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28) In order to live God’s way we have to have God’s power. We have to depend on him. This means that we live with humility. Jeremiah wrote: “I know, O LORD, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). This is difficult in our culture of radical independence. It means that we surrender to God and agree to live his way instead of our way.

    Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We are not sure we like the idea that we can’t do anything without him. We want to be in charge. We even want to be in charge of our own spiritual lives. We want to accomplish things for God and have him congratulate us. That way we can compliment ourselves and have others admire us. We want to feel good about ourselves. We want to do something to please God, but he wants us to allow him do something in us. We have to give up our straining and striving, and surrender.

    The Christian life is a life of dependence on God. It is the way of surrender and humility. The Bible says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul wrote to the Romans saying, “Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:1-3). This means that I have to be surrendered totally to the lordship of Jesus Christ in my life.

    Well, let me continue with my thoughts on the fact that Jesus said he did not come to “abolish the law.”

    Under that old system, God was distant and separated from the people, and the practice of their faith was actually a burden. Now, some people think it is a burden to get up and drive to church on Sunday! Jesus came to replace rules and regulations with relationships. No more trembling mountains; no more veiled rooms and walls of separation; no more animal sacrifices. Now we can “draw near to God by a new and living way” (Hebrews 10:19-20) which is why Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except by me.”

    The first principle of the new law which we need to understand is this: We keep wanting to DO something and God keeps wanting us to BECOME something.      

    Jesus wants to internalize our relationship with God. It is a transfor-mation of the heart, mind and attitudes. The issue is character. In the Old Testament the law was something written on stone tablets. It was something you did or did not do. Your relationship with God was based on performance. Obeying the law of God was your duty. However, in the New Testament the law is written on your heart. It becomes something you want to do, not what you are obligated to do. It becomes a love relationship with God.

    The Old Testament law changed what you did; New Testament law changes who you are! You become a different person. You become changed from the inside out. The focus becomes the interior life. It has to do with thoughts and motives, desires and intentions, love and surrender. This is a whole new way of understanding what it means to live for God, because this means that you can be a perfectly moral person and miss the whole point of what Jesus was saying.

    The old law was much easier because it was observable. You could see if a person was stealing or being violent. You could eventually catch them cheating or lying. But the new law has to do with the person inside which no one sees. We often think of the Old Testament law as being hard, demanding and difficult, but we need to understand that of the two, the New Testament standard is much more difficult.

    The Old Testament said that 1/10^th of what I have belongs to God; the New Testament says that everything I have belongs to God! The new law of Jesus not only speaks about what I am doing, but about who I am becoming. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:21-22)

    I have been able to control myself enough that I have never become violent with anyone. I have never physically attacked anyone. But I have not been as successful with not being angry at people. I have never murdered anyone, but I have thought very bad things about them in my mind and called them names in my head.

    Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28)  I have never committed adultery, but I have not been as successful at keeping lust out of my heart. I have never stolen anything, but I have not been as successful at not wanting what someone else has.

    This new law is difficult for me. Yet, this new law is how I will be judged. The Bible says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13) This means that even if you haven’t been caught, you still haven’t gotten by with it. It means that even if no one knows what you have done, it is still wrong. This means that even if you have done the right thing, but have done it for the wrong reason, you will be held accountable. That is much more difficult than the old law, because now I am not only judged for what I do, but why I did it. This is where the conviction of the Holy Spirit and God’s forgiveness and grace become the overwhelming hope of my heart.

     God is asking that even my intentions and motives need to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and come under his control. God judges the attitudes of my heart as well as the actions of my hands. The part of me that nobody sees needs to belong to God. I need a new heart. The beauty of this is that when I allow God to change my interior life, I begin to experience spiritual health in a way I have never experienced before. God begins to change me from the inside out, and my actions – the exterior and my interior life come into harmony. I am no longer a spiritual schizophrenic. A new genuineness takes over my life. 

    First, it is The Ten Commandments – which are the Law with a capital “L”. Second, the law was considered the first five books of the Bible, or the Pentateuch  otherwise known as the “law of Moses.” Third, we have the Law and the Prophets which refers to what we now call the Old Testament. In Luke 24:44 Jesus said, "These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."  This is why he said that he came not to destroy that law… but to fulfill it!

    The Psalmist David had a very different concept of Law. He spoke about God’s Law in Psalm 19:7-10 and said, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for life.  They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.”

    This is the view that Jesus brings to the Old Testament Law. This is what Christ said would not pass away, the fact that the law is “trustworthy; perfect; making wise and bringing joy; they are to be desired”. But, there was also a fourth meaning of the law which Christ was talking about – that is the Ceremonial law.

    This was all the laws, rules, regulations, and traditions that had to do with the offerings and sacrifices that were required in order to have sins forgiven and have a right relationship with God. It was the Ceremonial law that the Apostle Paul is speaking of in Colossians 2:14 where he says “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the “written code” – (the Ceremonial law - with its regulations)… “he took it away, nailing it to the Cross!”  Jesus, God’s Son, was the final sacrifice.

    There is a perfect example of this in the Book of Numbers 21:8-9 “The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”  So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.” (This is still the emblem of healing in the medical world.) A wonderful picture of Christ on the Cross. All who look to Him receive forgiveness, healing, and life!

    This should help us to understand the Law a little better, and what Jesus meant when he said “I have come not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.” So, the question then is, how should we live? Should we live as though we have no use for the Ten Commandments or the law of Moses, or the Prophets? Should we live as though we have a license to sin, because Christ died once and for all? Of course not. In fact, biblically, this is the only way we can lose our salvation. Hebrews 10:26 says “If we “deliberately” keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment.” Deliberate rebellion and a willful continuation of sin, is like throwing God’s free gift of salvation back in his face. And, then we will be judged by the Law.

    We catch a glimpse of what Paul was proclaiming in a couple of other places. In the Book of Acts, for example, 13:38 says; “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him, everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.” And, in Hebrews 9:26 it reads: “But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man was destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. The Law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming - it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.”

    So, does this mean that the Old Testament is “null and void” for those of us who are called New Testament Christians? No, in fact, I am convinced that Christ stated this specifically for all those well intentioned people who are forever saying, "We not under law, but under grace". Somehow we seem to have drawn the faulty conclusion that the Old Testament no longer matters, that it no longer applies, that it’s just a collection of historical books, filled with rules and regulations and sacrifices that we no longer have to follow, we just have to believe!  And yet, Christ plainly said “I have not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it”.  It becomes even more confusing for some if we read what Paul wrote in Romans 10:4 where he says “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness (here’s the important part) for everyone who believes.”

    Well in order to properly understand what Christ said, we have to understand what was, or what is the law? ( Join me next Sunday.)