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Monday, January 7,
2008
Not
Going Anywhere For a While?
Hebrews 7:19 For the law made
nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we
draw nigh unto God. (KJV)
Do you want to draw close to
God and grow in Him? Then you need to withdraw yourself from the law and
the works of it to succeed. Many begin in the Spirit and still try to
perfect or become mature in the Lord by the flesh and its carnal
ordinances. Ever wonder why so many Christians are weak and sickly? Those
that should be a beacon of spiritual light are a flickering candle getting
dimmer and dimmer.
Galatians 3:10-14 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
the book 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. (KJV)
The promise that mankind has
been waiting for, the promise of the Messiah that the Old Testament
prophets wrote of has arrived and brought us a perfect plan of salvation
that would release us from the curse of the old law. If you read back to
the beginning of this Chapter 3, you will find that many begin in the
Spirit with a simple belief in Christ and then go and spoil the plan by
reverting back to laws and rituals that are done away in Christ. Rather
than having faith in the work Jesus Christ did on our behalf, and the
sacrifice that was paid and accepted of the Father as complete, we in
essence by these dead works are telling the Lord that He didn’t do a
complete work. God the Father accepted the blood sacrifice of His Son, then
released the debt of sin and separation from Him, and has given us a
ministry of reconciliation through Jesus Christ. If you plan on continuing
your walk in the Spirit and would like to grow closer to the Lord, then
from this point on it can only be accomplished by faith.
Acts 13:38-39 Be it known
unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached
unto you the forgiveness of sins: (39) And by him all that believe are
justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law
of Moses. (KJV)
No matter how you slice it,
no matter how much you twist and turn things and try to make them fit, the
only justification with our Lord is apart from works. The man being
referred to in the above verses is none other than Jesus Christ; and in
order to be justified, which means to render free, innocent and righteous, it
can only be accomplished by faith in Him. Anytime one steps outside the
realm of faith they are walking away from the Lord and trying to find
another way into the kingdom, which the Bible refers to them as a thief and
a robber; letting the devil steal the life and cut off the line of
communication of the believer. It’s the simplicity of the gospel that many
miss. Rather than keeping it simple, they complicate a simple plan of
salvation by faith with a bunch of man-made additional works that cause
more confusion than peace.
Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore
leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto
perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,
and of faith toward God, (2) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on
of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (3) And
this will we do, if God permit. (KJV)
Our indoctrination into God’s
plan of salvation came in the form of Jesus Christ, who came and fulfilled
the law, which culminated in the perfect sacrifice through His laying down
His life for all mankind. Having resurrected and now seated at the right
hand of the Father, this simple plan of salvation is manifest through a law
of faith. Many today still seek forgiveness and repentance through dead
works thinking something else needs to be done in order to be justified.
Many believe in God and have a faith toward Him but are unable to tap into
the measure of faith they were given; so rather than look inward they are
still seeking the answer in the outward. It goes without saying that many
still keep the doctrine of the external baptism in play, which is nothing
more than a watered down dead doctrine. Verse 3 uses the word permit, which
means to give liberty or be set free. The only way a believer can be set
free and draw nigh or close to God and go on to perfection (maturity) in
Christ, is by leaving the works of the law dead and buried.
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5) And have
tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (6) If
they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they
crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (KJV)
Without faith it is
impossible to please God and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
The reason many believers fall away and get duped by the devil is because
they miss the simple fact that it was faith that got them into the kingdom,
and only faith in the completed sacrifice of Jesus Christ can keep them in
it. Many crucify the simple doctrine of Christ by basically telling Him He didn’t
do a complete job and that there is still work that needs to be done.
John 6:28-29 Then said they
unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? (29) Jesus
answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him
whom he hath sent. (KJV)
Christ in you is the only
hope of glory. This is the hope that was brought to all mankind, the gift
of life given to bring healing and restoration to a fallen world. Anytime
you look outside the realm of faith to find your answer you are stepping
away from the Lord instead of being drawn closer to Him. Anytime you put
yourself back under the old law and its dead works which were nailed to the
cross you are telling the Lord He is a liar and did not do a complete job.
Matthew 12:36-37 But I say
unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give
account thereof in the day of judgment. (37) For by thy words thou shalt be
justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (KJV)
The word idle means, inactive
or useless; which sounds like dead works, those things that keep a person
from moving forward. Words of faith will build up the believer and bring
them closer to the Lord. Your words which come from the heart will either
bring you justification or condemnation. And those that speak in line with
the Lord and operate according to the law of faith will find themselves
innocent and just before the Lord. Anything less will just keep one
stagnant and idle, and they will not be going anywhere for a while.
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