Michael D: I have watched with considerable dismay the arguments for hanging on to the law, as has been advanced on TT. I have given over and over clear scripture that shows that the believer in christ is not under the law. Also, that Paul says that the Law was given to a certain people for a certain purpose. He said that now that faith has come, we are no longer under the schoolmaster (law). And on and on... Faith and law do not mix. That's the message of God. The just live by faith. Paul stressed that those who maifest the fruit of the spirit, cannot be held guilty by any law Gal 5.
Well, I will labour again to correct the misplaced teachings with the clear Word of the Lord...
In Acts 15, the council at Jerusalem was held to deal with the troubling question of forcing the Gentiles to be circumcised. The revelations about the law that come to light from it are truly instructive and quite conclusive indeed. After Paul declared the Great grace of God extended to the Gentiles, believing Pharisees unleashed their poison...
5. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, that it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7. And when there had been no small disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ...
10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11. But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they.
13. And after they had held their peace, James answered saying...
19. Wherefore My sentence is that we trouble not them which from the Gentiles are turned to God:
20. But that we write unto them that they abstain from meats offered unto idols...
24. Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
28. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29. That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well...
The council here clearly shows, that God Himself, has no part in commanding believers to keep the law of Moses, like some on TT are arrogantly doing. Again, it seems some folks know better than God, the Holy Ghost , Peter, James and Paul what things should be commanded and what should not.
Peter said, to command believers to keep the law, is to tempt God!!! James emphasized that they gave no such commandment to any one to make those requirements of the Gentiles.
We therefore have a new standard set on TT that is higher than that set by God Himself.
As with the eating meat discussion, folks are defying the greatest cloud of witnesses one can assemble anywhere in heaven or earth.
Please read the following very carefully.
Paul says in Galatians 4:
21. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bandmaid, the other by a free woman. 23. But He who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from mount Sanai which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 28. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30. Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
If the bond woman and her son are cast out, then how come people are bringing her back to put others in bondage? The whole of Galatians stresses this.
Paul says: The law was a schoolmaster... and ...we are no longer under a schoolmaster..., he also said, Gal 3:19. wherefore then serveth the law? (In other words, why did God give it seing justification is by faith...) It was added because of transgressions till the seed should come... (that's Jesus) Since Jesus is resurrected, God now says to those who receive Him, cast out the bondwoman...
I rest my case. The scripture speaks.
