Thursday, April 19, 2007

The Role of the 'LAW" for the New Covenant Christian 4


The Role of the 'LAW" for the New Covenant Christian 4
Brad Reiches
Apr 19 2007 04:43AM



Thursday, April 19, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

"The Role of the LAW!"
For the New Covenant Christian

4

So, we have seen that the Bible clearly teaches us that for the New Covenant Christian, the Law is not nullified...IT IS CLARIFIED! (see Romans 3:31, Matthew 5:17).  Yesterday I said,

"It is both ignorant and unbiblical to think/believe/teach
that a lifestyle of righteousness is any less important
to the New Covenant Christian."

A TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY TRAVESTY.

The travesty of twenty-first century Christianity is the belief that "righteousness" in the age of "grace" is less important to God than it was in the era of "the Law." 

-Any teaching that "de-emphasises" righteousness because "we are no longer under law but under grace" is a "demonic doctrine!" 

-Any time the statement "we are no longer under law but under grace" is used to justify less righteous behavior than that found under the Law, you are seeing the very thing that scripture (see Matthew 5:20; Romans 3:31; Jude 4; and Romans 6:12-15) warned against!

The biblical phrase, "not under law but under grace" is found in the following portion of scripture alone:

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body
so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members
of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness;
but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead,
and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
What then?  Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!"
(italics mine)

Do you see it?  The apostle Paul used the phrase "not under law but under grace" to promote a HIGHER STANDARD of righteousness than that found under the Law.  NOT LESS!  Yet, tragically,

"Certain persons have crept in unnoticed...
ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness
and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."  
Jude 4

Remember the words of Jesus?  "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees, you shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Matthew 5:20).  The righteousness of the New Covenant is a GREATER righteousness than that under the Law because it is the very righteousness of Jesus Christ.  Through faith, the New Covenant Christian is "credited" with the very righteousness of God Himself! (see Romans 4:1-13).

The preacher that uses "grace" to de-emphasize the role of righteousness in the Christian walk is of his father, the devil.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

The Role of the 'LAW" for the New Covenant Christian 3


The Role of the 'LAW" for the New Covenant Christian 3
Brad Reiches
Apr 18 2007 10:28AM


Wednesday, April 18, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

"The Role of the LAW!"
For the New Covenant Christian

3

"Whatever was written in earlier times (Old Testament),
was written for our (New Testament believers) instruction."
Romans 15:4

B.  There is definitely a right way, and a wrong way to understand the role of the Law in New Covenant Christianity.

While it is absolutely true that "we are no longer under the Law...," it is both ignorant and unbiblical to think/believe/teach that a lifestyle of righteousness is any less important to the New Covenant Christian.  Jesus said,

"Do not think that I came to abolish
the Law or the prophets; I did not come
to abolish, but to fulfill."
Matthew 5:17

Practically speaking, the Law still serves a very important role in that "Through the Law comes the knowledge of sin" (see  Romans 3:20) and the subsequent understanding of our need of a Savior from that sin.  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

THE PRACTICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OLD & NEW COVENANTS IS THIS:

OLD COVENANT:  A right relationship with God was maintained by keeping the Law and making sacrifices to God when the Law was broken.  Results:

"By the works of the Law no flesh will
be justified (made right) in His sight."
Romans 3:20

NEW COVENANT:  A right relationship with God is maintained by faith (belief/putting your trust in) in Jesus Christ.  Since intimacy with a holy God is always hindered when we sin, acknowledgement (confession) of our sin and repentance is required to remain in right relationship with Him.

"A man is justified by faith..."
Romans 3:28

AMEN!  But we must NEVER FORGET that the very same God, through the very same author, in the very same chapter, also said the following:

"Do we then nullify the Law through faith?
May it never be!  On the contrary we establish the Law."
Romans 3:31

Monday, April 16, 2007

The Role of the 'LAW" for the New Covenant Christian 2


The Role of the 'LAW" for the New Covenant Christian 2
Brad Reiches
Apr 16 2007 11:02PM

Please visit our website at www.godthoughts.org, or www.willowspringchurch.org  to download today's audio version of GodThoughts Wired!, music, sermons, sermonettes, the Bible Says Series, and The Lifestyle of the Disciple Series...ALL FOR FREE.  You may also go to the Apple iTunes  Music Store on the web and search the podcast directory for Willow Spring Church and/or GodThoughts. Subscribe there for automatic updates and download the daily GodThoughts podcast directly to your i-pod...ALL FOR FREE! 


Tuesday, April 17, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

"The Role of the LAW!"
For the New Covenant Christian


"But we know that the Law is good,
if one uses it lawfully."
1 Timothy

Paul is clarifying to pastor Timothy, and God is clarifying for us that although "we are no longer under the Old Covenant Law,"

A.  The Law still has meaning and purpose for us.  And,

B.  There is definitely a right way, and a wrong way to understand the role of the Law in New Covenant Christianity.

So, let's dig in to these two issues:

A.  The Law still has meaning and purpose for us. 

"Through the Law come the knowledge of sin...
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:20, 23

First of all, the Law defines sin and as such, our need for a Savior.  And secondly, the Law describes the standard that grace now replaces...and surpasses.

"Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees,
you shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Matthew 4:20

I often marvel at the ignorance of those who use "grace" as an excuse for "less righteous" behavior.  The Bible teaches that those who "turn the grace of God into licentiousness" are denying Jesus and rejecting His teaching.




 

Sunday, April 15, 2007

The Role of the 'LAW" for the New Covenant Christian


The Role of the 'LAW" for the New Covenant Christian
Brad Reiches
Apr 15 2007 11:18PM

Please visit our website at www.godthoughts.org, or www.willowspringchurch.org  to download today's audio version of GodThoughts Wired!, music, sermons, sermonettes, the Bible Says Series, and The Lifestyle of the Disciple Series...ALL FOR FREE.  You may also go to the Apple iTunes  Music Store on the web and search the podcast directory for Willow Spring Church and/or GodThoughts. Subscribe there for automatic updates and download the daily GodThoughts podcast directly to your i-pod...ALL FOR FREE! 


Monday, April 16, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

"The Role of the LAW!"
For the New Covenant Christian

1

Ask the average church-goer today about the role of "the law" in modern Christianity and 9 times out of 10 you'll hear,

"We (you) are not under law but under grace."
Romans 6:14

Fair enough...and true enough.  However, as with ALL SCRIPTURE, the key to our success as Christians is UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS!

For example, you could quote the scripture to me, "There is no God" (Isaiah 44:6).  While it is certainly "true" that Isaiah 44:6 says "there is no God,"  IT IS NOT THE TRUTH!  The "truth" can only be rightly understood by examining the context in which it is spoken:

"There is no God BESIDES ME!"
Isaiah 44:6, emphasis mine

Similarly, the context of Romans 6:14 is as follows:

"We (you) are not under law but under grace.
What then, shall we sin because we are not under
law but under grace?  May it never be!"
Romans 6:14-15





Thursday, April 12, 2007

Always and Everything!


Always and Everything!
Brad Reiches
Apr 12 2007 07:00PM



Friday, April 13, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

"Always and Everything"

"Let all things be done for edification."
1 Corinthians 14:26

It's all about building up one another, edification.  We are called to proactively be a source of encouragement to others.  "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due" (Proverbs 3:27).  We are even challenged to meditate on such things.  "Let us consider how to stimulate one another toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24).

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth..." (Ephesians 4:29).  No unwholesome word.  None.  Nothing.  Not anything.  Always looking to build.  Always looking to encourage.  Always.

"In order that He Himself (Jesus)
might come to have first place in everything."
Colossians 1:18

Everything.  We are to give the best of all we have, the best of all we are to God.  Everything.  Time, talent, resources, relationships...everything.  What does God mean by everything?

EVERYTHING MEANS EVERYTHING...
AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT EVERYTHING
DOES NOT INCLUDE.

Always and everything.