Monthly Archives: January 2021

Faith, Is This True?, The Law of God

IS OBEDIENCE ONLY FOR THE LEGALISTIC? PART 1

Leave a comment

Recently, I heard a radio preacher say, “The Old Testament was about obedience, but the New Testament is about grace.” I don’t want to read too much into this or interpret his statement incorrectly, but I hear this same idea said in different ways.  In almost all cases the implication is there are two methods of salvation:

1.) Obedience for those before the cross and

2.)  Grace and faith after the cross.

Obedience (Old Covenant)    Grace/Faith (New Covenant)

Only a few days later, I heard another speaker talk about Galatians in such a way that it lead me to believe that talking about obedience was “another gospel.” The preacher stated: “nothing can be added to the work of Jesus. To add anything else is “another gospel.”  Without a doubt, no one can add to what Jesus has done for sinful man. and we cannot do enough good works to merit salvation. including obedience.  Here is the proof:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:9, 10

“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Galatians 5:18

“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

Romans 3:21-23

All three of the verses above were from Paul.  Paul was a highly educated and dedicated Hebrew.  Before his conversion, he considered himself “blameless” concerning the righteousness that comes by the law.  but then he discovered Jesus and his eyes were opened.

Paul, seemed to be concerned where people would take verses like those above.  He abruptly asks a question at the end of Romans 3 and again at the beginning of Romans 6 to clarify:

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 3:31 

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 

Romans 6:1

The established law has a place in the Jesus Journey of the believer, but what is it?

Despite Romans 3:31 and other “obedience” verses we shall see, people continue to quote verses that would seem to say, we can pretty much ignore the 10 commandment law.  Here are a few:

We are not “….under the law, but under grace.”

Romans 6:14

“The law was done away with.”

Colossians 2:14?

“The law has been nailed to the cross.”

Colossians 2:14?

Obedience is “another gospel.”

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel”

Galatians 1:6

Incorrect application of these passage may make it sound like God does not want us to obey and if I want to obey God, I have reverted back to the Old Testament way of salvation and have become legalistic, perhaps even lost.  By choosing to seek to live in obedience, I have left the gospel of grace and faith. So is obedience only for the legalistic?

I have tried to boil this down to 5 important thought questions:

1.)  Has obedience ever been a method of salvation?  Was Moses, the prophets, the people of Israel saved by the works of the law? Has anyone ever been able to save themselves through obedience?

2.)  What is the relationship between obedience and grace?  Are they mutually exclusive of each other?

3.)  What does Salvation mean and what is the purpose of the law?

4.) Does God expect me to live a life in  disobedience to his commandments?  What happens if I start to try to obey?

5.)  Does Obedience have anything to do with the new covenant?

_______________________________________________________

Now I am certain, I don’t need to get up get dressed and head to the local temple and sacrifice a lamb for the sins I have committed.  This was definitely part of the instructions God gave Moses to give to  God’s people.  I also know that being circumcised is not a prerequisite to being a part of God’s people. But, how do I relate to God’s law?  What is the danger if I ignore it or if I obey it?

_________________________________________________

What is God’s law?

Is it just the 10 commandments?

Is it the old sacrificial system given by God to Moses?

Is it some spiritual thing that I keep in my spirit but am careful to not obey the letter?

Here is what I know from God’s word;

The word “law” appears 529 times in the entire Bible.  If you throw in “statute” and “ordinance” we can add another 219 times.  So that brings us to 748 verses.  

Do they all mean the same thing?  This is where many people get confused. 

The three main categories  for these 748 verses are used primarily in 1 of 3 main ways:

A.)  God’s Ten Commandments written with His own finger.

“And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.”

Exodus 31:18

B.) The laws given by God to Moses concerning the sanctuary services, sacrifices, feast days. The ceremonial laws contained in ordnances.  Written by Moses and placed in a pouch in the side of the Ark of the Covenant.

“Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.”

Deuteronomy 31:26

These ordinances and laws were ceremonial and gave identity and teaching to the chosen people before the cross.  After the cross, God made the Jew and Gentile one.

“And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.”

Exodus 18:20

“….having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.”

Ephesians 2:15

C.) The word of God contained in the “books of the law” a.k.a Torah (First Five books of the Bible)

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Joshua 1:8

 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalm 1: 2, 3

So it is always important to understand which law God is referring to before making any decisions as to what God would have you do.

One last question before we start,  Does the freedom given me by the grace of God give me license to disobey?

_________________________________________________________

In this post, we will start with questions #1 and #2

1.)  Has obedience ever been a method of salvation?  Was Moses, the prophets, the people of Israel saved by the works of the law? Has anyone ever been able to save themselves through obedience?

The answer is NO!  The Jews of old were saved just like those of the New Testament:  By the grace of God through faith and not of any works.  Listen to Paul:

“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Galatians 2:21

There would have been no need for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins or the sins of those in the Old Testament time if “righteousness” could come through the law.

Through the ceremonial feast of Passover (Exodus 12), the Jews under those laws were taught that the unblemished innocent male sheep had to die for their sins.  They had to believe this in faith.  Merely following the directions of God through Moses was not the point of their forgiveness but led them to understand about the coming Messiah who was the “true lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.” John 1:29

So by faith, the Jews looked forward to the Cross for their salvation not in obeying the law.  But the law was good in that it came from God himself through Moses and it taught (through an object lesson) the cost of sin, the price that had to be paid, and the transference of their sin onto the unblemished Son of God.

When Jesus came, type met anti-type.  There was no longer a need to have ceremonies and laws that pointed forward to Jesus.  Now they had the life and teachings of Jesus and that teacher (using types) ended.

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Galatians 3:24, 25

All those ceremonial laws pointed forward to Jesus and His death on the cross that they might have faith in Him.  Today, we look back at Jesus and the cross that we might have faith.  Both of us are saved by faith, not by the works of the law of ceremonies.

Those laws had fulfilled their purpose of pointing the OT people to Jesus.  When He died on the cross they ended and we were no longer “under” those sets of laws.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Galatians 3: 23

This faith spoken of by Paul is another word for Jesus.  The faith that is revealed is Jesus.  It is clear from Hebrews 11 (Faith Chapter) that those of the OT lived their lives by faith as we do:

The term “By faith” or “through faith” appears at least 19 times in Hebrews 11!  They are all references to the OT people of faith!

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off…And these all, having obtained a good report through faith.”

Hebrews 11: 13, 39

Please keep in mind, faith is not a thing….a religious thing….It is “trust” in God.  It is made evident by a response.  A person can say they have faith in God, but their works will show it.  Faith is not based on nothing.  It has substance and evidence.  This substance and evidence comes through trusting in God’s word.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 

James 2:18

Paul shows the method of salvation i.e., grace through faith not of works.  James tells us that the works (obedience) produced from a believer is the evidence of their faith.  The two go together.

James goes on to say,

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.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. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

James 2: 8-12

James uses the term “law of liberty” twice.  Here is the hint that obeying the law gives liberty.  Just ask the murder in prison or the person who is trapped in a web of lies.  There is a blessing in obedience to God’s 10 commandments.  Wouldn’t you agree?  We are not talking about the method of salvation, but rather the results of salvation.

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it,and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:25

_____________________________________________________

2.)  What is the relationship between obedience and grace?  Are they mutually exclusive of each other?

How can anyone claim to be a follower of the only true God and not obey?

“He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

1 John 2:4

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

Luke 6:46

“Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.”

Luke 6: 47-48

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 

Romans 6:1

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5: 17-19

Heaven and earth remains and so do the 10 commandments.  Anyone who teaches to break the least of the commandments is not doing the will of God.  I don’t want to be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.  Do you?  The best way here is to teach to obey the law of God.

_________________________________________________________

Conclusion:

The 10 commandments remain as does heaven and earth.  The ceremonial laws taught about Jesus and salvation, but they ended at the cross where type met anti-type.

Obedience does not save you, but a saved person will be obedient.  The thief will stop stealing.  The liar will stop lying.  All of this happens because of the new birth….the new heart God gives the person saved.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people”

Hebrews 8:10

If you are thinking the new covenant spoken of here is for Jews only.  Remember there is neither Jew nor Greek and that if we belong to Christ we are “Abraham’s seed” (Father of Jews) and “heirs according to the promise.”

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Galatians 3:28

 “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Galatians 3:29

____________________________________________________

“A woman is driving way over the speed limit. Suddenly, she sees in her rear view mirror the flashing red and blue lights of a police car and hears the familiar wail of the siren. She pulls over, grabs her purse, and takes out her driver’s license. The policeman approaches, takes her license, and returns to his car.

She wonders how much the ticket is going to be (she was wayover the limit); she also worries about how she will be able to pay it. A few minutes later the policeman comes back and says, OK, Miss, what we are going to do, so that you don’t have to face the penalty of the law again, is abolish the law. You no longer have to worry about the speed limit.

As ludicrous as that story is, it’s no more so than the theology that teaches that after Jesus died, the law, the Ten Commandments, was abolished.”  Dr. Keith A. Burton,

“Wages of sin is death.”

Romans 6:23

“Sin is the transgression of the law.”

1 John 3:

The definition of sin has never changed.

___________________________________________________________________

“There are two errors against which the children of God–particularly those who have just come to trust in His grace–especially need to guard. The first, already dwelt upon, is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy.

The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption.

But notice here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love.”

Steps To Christ, page 59, 60

Death and Resurrection

ABSENT FROM THE BODY, PRESENT WITH THE LORD

Leave a comment

Can you explain what God meant when He said “To be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD and who was He talking too?”

A Conflicting Teaching of Paul?

This text is found in 2 Corinthians 5:8. These words come from Paul.  The same letters to the Corinthians (1st and 2 Corinthians) contain the very clear verses about the importance of the resurrection to the believer (1 Corinthians 15 for example).  So, is Paul teaching two different doctrines?  Does “absent from the body and present from the Lord” mean when a person dies, he/she goes immediately to her reward of eternal life in heaven?  For this passage to align with all the other passages from Paul, Jesus and the other writers about the second coming and resurrection, we must look at it in its context and the light of the many other passages. 

The typical understanding of the state of the dead is that they don’t die.  That their soul lives on forever, but there is at least a judgment before entrance into “the heavenly gates”, according to Paul.  Some say, the resurrection is merely the redeemed coming back to get their bodies.

The problem with the teaching of immediate reward is that it destroys the need for a resurrection and the second-coming.  To base our entire understanding on what happens at death on one verse and ignore all the multitude of very clear passages about the second coming and the resurrection of the body is poor exegesis and takes away the encouragement of Paul to “comfort one another with these words” which is found after the description of the coming of Christ and the dead rising first and then is being caught up to meet Him in the air…(1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18).   It would also negate “the mystery” Paul discloses regarding the clear scene of resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, THEN shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Notice that immortality is not given until those who sleep are changed (in a twinkling of an eye) when they are raised form the dead in an instant and they then move from mortal to immortality, corruptible (subject to decay) to incorruptible (not subject to decay).  The proclamation of “Death is swallowed up in victory” is not pronounced until Jesus returns and those who sleep in the grave are risen and changed. (Note: it is not His coming that is in a moment and a twinkling of an eye, but the change of the redeemed!)

The Passage:

Let’s read carefully the entire passage in the question above to get the immediate context.  Then let’s look at the context of the entire letter and Paul’s other similar statements about this topic:

Paul describes three states of a person existence:

“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5; 1-8

Paul tells us there are three states of existence a person can be in:

  1. We are in an “earthly house” also called “this tent.” This is without doubt reference to our body.
  2. Unclothed (Naked).  Neither in this “earthly house” “tent” nor in the building God has made for us. 
  3. “Building of God” eternal in the heavens. This is the immortal body.

So there is a point where we are neither at home in this body or present with the Lord.  It is the being without clothing of life or naked We “groan” or desire to be clothed with the “building of God” that is “swallowed up” by life. This is our desire to move out of this life to the life God has made for us and for our bodies to be changed.

When do we receive the building of God that is immortal and swallowed up by life?  It is at the Second Coming as also described by Paul to the same Corinthians in his first letter.

52“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep (naked), but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15: 52-53

Here Paul describes the condition of the saved follower of Christ when He returns:

  1. They “all sleep” waiting to be changed (verse 52). Paul describes this as being naked in 2 Corinthians 5: 2-3
  2. At the “last trumpet” (second coming-See 1 Thess. 4:16-18) they are changed into the house mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5 above.
  3. They “put on” (are clothed) with immortality (no longer subject to death) and incorruption (no longer subject to decay or growing old) at the second coming and the resurrection.

What is often overlooked is the term “sleep” to describe death even though it used by many Bible writers including Jesus to describe death.  This sleep is both unconscious and very quick (See Job 14:12, Job 19: 25-26, Psalm 13:33, Daniel 12:22, Matthew 9:24, John 11: 11-13, 1 Corinthians 15:51, 1 Thessalonians 4: 14, Eccl 9:5).  This is what it means to be naked according to Paul.  It is that place where we are neither clothed in this mortal body or in the immortal body given at the second coming.

The sleep of death is very quick as an experience for both the believer and the unbeliever. 

Jesus taught two resurrections.  When a saved person dies, the next thing they see is Jesus in the air with all the other people being resurrected or “caught up” to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18).  The next thing the unsaved see is something different (A different topic for another time).  Whether dead for one moment, one year, or a thousand years before the Lord returns, the sleep is instantaneous in their minds.  If you have ever been put under general anesthesia, you hear the anesthetist say, “we are putting you to sleep…” and the very next words are “you are in the recovery room” even though you may have been in surgery for hours.

To be absent from the body and present with the Lord does not mean immediate presence with the Lord in the scheme of time without the judgment and the second coming of Jesus.  But to the believer, the sleep of death is quick and unconscious.

Real Comfort From God’s Word:

Over the years, I have heard many words spoken to comfort the bereaved.  Often those words have no basis in God’s word.  Some even border on the ridiculous.  I actually heard this at a funeral a few years ago.  The “pastor” in his zeal to bring comfort to a grieving family of a man who loved to hunt and drink came up with this wild and untrue scenario of the condition of the deceased:   “Our brother, is now hunting with St. Peter and drinking his favorite whisky.”  Sounds great, but there is so much wrong with that illusion.

I don’t know about you, but I prefer the words of God when it comes to comforting those who have lost a loved one.

Such was the case when Paul sought to remind the people of Thessalonica what they  had forgotten.  The people had expected Jesus to have already returned.  That was their hope of eternal life and it is ours too.  Paul ended the true description of the return of Christ and the condition of the deceased with this statement for which we all desire, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”  What was it that Paul said that lead to this conclusion?  It is the hope in the second coming and the resurrection of the dead…those who are in Christ.  Here are the exact words.  They are, perhaps, the clearest picture of the return of Christ. 

“For the Lord Himself will descend (come down) from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. THEREFORE COMFORT ONE ANOTHE WITH THESE WORDS.” 1 Thess. 4: 16-18

If you read carefully, you will notice several great Biblical truths: 1.) The Lord Himself (not an angel or someone else) comes. It is not quiet nor secretive.    2.)  He comes down to us, and brings us up to Him when He returns.  3.) Those who were “in Christ” when they died are resurrected. 4.)  Those who are “left” (alive and remain) meet the Lord in the air. What a great reunion day that will be!  Those who have been separated for so many years meet the Lord in the air…not heaven…in the air.  5.)  Eternity starts there in the air after the resurrection and the changing of our bodies into glorious immortal bodies (See 1 Cor. 15: 51-54)  According to Jesus, he then takes us to where He is now (John 14:1-4). 6.).  It is in this description (words) of the return of Christ that we are to find our comfort.

Paul could not have described a better picture of hope and comfort!  The resurrection of the saved and the great reunion day that starts on that day is our hope…the source of comfort.  we trust Jesus by faith now, but the reality is on that great day of His return.

Jesus gave the same hope in the following words of comfort.  It, too, is centered on the Second coming and taking us to where He is now. 

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14: 1-3

Like Paul, Jesus’ concern is that our hearts are not troubled. That we are comforted in His words  The disciples were troubled because Jesus was telling them of His pending death and His going away (See previous chapter, John 13.)  Jesus comfort to them was to give them hope in His return after preparing a place for them (and us).  When would they see Him again?  The answer is clear from Jesus…when He comes again and He receives us.  It is then that He takes us to where He is now (heaven). 

Is it not clear that our joy and comfort is in the promise of Jesus’ return and the fact that He holds the keys of the grave and death (See Revelation 1:18)? 

Paul was adamant about the second coming and the resurrection of the saved as our only hope…our only comfort…Paul gives even more detail about the resurrection and its absolute necessity for our salvation from death in 1 Corinthians 15.

“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty…And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep (died) in Christ have perished.” 1 Corinthians 15: 14, 17-18.

Never comfort me with false words that my loved one is in heaven looking down on me.  How could that be heaven for them?  It is unbiblical.  My comfort is in that blessed hope of His return.  I am

“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. ” Titus 2:13

The crown of life will be given at the return of Christ and not before. Look carefully at the statements of Jesus, Peter, and Paul:  2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Corinthians 15: 51-54, 1 Peter 5:4, Luke 14:14

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to ALL WHO HAVE LOVED HIS APPEARING.” 2 Timothy 4:8

The last chapter of Revelation, Jesus tells us when we receive our reward and this crown.  Jesus brings it with Him!  “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” Revelation 22:12