Dead to the law - Alive in Christ!

Most pastors will openly teach that we are no longer under the Mosaic system. They will quote scriptures like John 1:17, stating the law came through Moses, but grace and truth through Jesus Christ. Then they will turn right around and say things like, "Now that we have come to know Jesus, and have escaped the tyranny of the law, it should be our natural ambition to work at pleasing God by obeying the law.' Now while this type of teaching may sound right, it is in fact oxy-moronic in nature. For it is impossible to escape the tyranny of the law while still honestly trying to observe it. God only knows the inherent confusion this erroneous teaching has brought about. The fact that we would teach the saints that they are no longer under the curse of the law, then turn right around and place them under the bondage of the Mosaic covenant is unconscionable; and the lack of discernment on the part of leadership surrounding this problem is unfathomable.

What part of dying to the law don't we understand? The mystery has been revealed in Christ, and walking in the spirit is not rocket science. 

Authors note:

Here are some key words the Apostle Paul used to describe the law, i.e. the Mosaic Covenant: Useless, beggarly, weak, unprofitable, obsolete, the ministry of death and condemnation. Yes, the law is perfect and Holy, it just doesn't wear well with man. It never has, and it never will! Christ in us is our only hope of glory!

Subsequent reading:

Romans 4:13-16; Romans 7:4-12, 21-23; Romans 8:1-4; II Cor. 3:4-18

I Cor. 15:56; Heb. 7:1-9; Heb. chapter 8; Heb. 10:1-4

Commentary by:

G. L. Miller

The New Agreement - A Superior Covenant - Better Promises!

The old covenant was an agreement God made with the nation of Israel. This agreement was based on the nations ability to obey God's voice and keep His covenant. In other words, this covenant, this agreement was conditional. That if they obeyed His voice and kept the covenant, then they would be His special treasure. Of course, without realizing the impossible nature of this responsibility, they agreed stating in Exodus 19:8: 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do!' What happens next is of course a matter of record. Enter Exodus chapter 32 and the golden calf. The bottom line is that Israel failed just as God Himself knew they would because it is impossible for man to keep the law or to meet the righteous requirements of a holy God.

What we should learn from this is that the old covenant was an agreement God specifically made with the nation of Israel. God did not make this covenant with or for us Gentiles. Which means that we were never under it in the first place. God never intended the New Testament believer to be under Mosaic law. For further insight, please read Acts 15:1-10! The point Peter was trying to make is this: It is by grace through faith that we are both saved and kept. We are saved by the will of God, and kept by the authority of Christ. 

This new agreement, or covenant is based solely on the grace of God, and is available to all men by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This agreement is unconditional and imperishable once received. It is an agreement God swore by Himself because there is no one greater. It is established by the immutability of His counsel, (His word); and it is confirmed by an oath, (His oath). This agreement rests entirely on the righteousness of Christ not man. It is not based on law, but rather grace; in that Christ Himself fulfilled the law on man's behalf through His perfect sacrifice. That we may stand justified before a holy God, freed forever from the accusation of sin, so that we may actually walk with the Creator of the Universe. It is final, complete, and it cannot be added to or taken from. It is the precious gift of salvation. It is the gift of God! It is the new agreement, a superior covenant, based on better promises!

Subsequent reading:
Heb. 8; Romans chapters 5-8

Authors note:
Let us not look to our failures, but rather to the love which washed them away!

Commentary by:
G. L. Miller 

Follow Me...And I will make you fishers of men!

My husband and I love to shore fish in Carlsbad, Ca. right off of Pacific Coast Highway. We have been going there for almost ten years. We go with hope that we will catch something, but whether we do or don't, we simply enjoy sitting in the sun with our poles in the water.

It can be very exciting when we do hook a fish because ocean fish are fighters in some unique ways. The calico bass try to wedge themselves in rocks, so you have to reel them in fast. Once they get to the shore, they just give up and rest until we take the hook out of there mouths, then they bolt! The sand bass are a whole different story. They are pretty tough to reel in; but then when you just about get them to the shore, they bolt with such force as to nearly rip the pole out of your hands! The croakers, (they get that name because when you pull them out of the water they make a croaking sound just like a frog), they just fight the whole time.

Another beautiful thing about our little fishing spot that we love is that we never really know what is going to come out of that water. We have caught baby halibut, crabs, and garfish. Some people have caught huge bat rays and octopus. One just never knows.

I tell this story because once again Poppa used this precious place to teach me about Him and His kingdom. He is the fishing pole and I am the bait. He is my hope and simply enjoys sitting with me in the Son. Sometimes He catches people through me and sometimes He doesn't, but it makes no difference to Him, He is perfectly content just having me available to Him and for Him. He shows me that people deal with receiving Him in many different ways! Some are fighters until they realize they are caught; then they just give up and rest until He takes the hook out of their mouth and sets them free. Others may fight, then give in, then try and bolt at the last second, then end up surrendering until He takes the hook out their mouth and sets them free as well. Others fight the whole time, but He eventually gets them, then takes the hook out of their mouth and sets them free. Our Father is busy catching all kinds of people, we never know who He will use us to catch.

One thing that He does with everyone He catches is...He takes the hook of sin and death out of their hearts through the blood of His Son and sets them free!

Blessings...Lisa

Sin consciousness, Works righteousness- The devil's playground!

Though most of us do not equate our state of mind in terms of work or rest, it is most certainly the case. If the mind is in a state of unrest, it is actually working overtime; which in turn affects our entire being. Ultimately determining such factors as to whether or not we live in gratitude, possess clarity of mind, or experience true peace. The minute we start to work at our freedom by observing the law, we become conscious of sin; and the minute we become conscious of sin, we become slaves to sin. The mind subconsciously working over time to eradicate that which is impossible; which of course is the indwelling sin of the flesh.

My friends, it is our Father's most sincere desire that we be free of the sin conscience; knowing that we have been cleansed and purified by the blood of the lamb should clear our conscience that we may boldly approach God unhindered by the accusation of sin; which in turn frees us to worship Him with a spirit of gratitude born of love. Phil. 4:6-7 states: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.

Heb. 10:1-4: For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Heb. 10:11-14: And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which could never take away sins. But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting til His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified.

Heb. 10:17-18: Then He adds, there sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more. Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Heb 10: 22-23: Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

May God richly bless you in the abundance of His gracious rest!!

Commentary by:

G. L. Miller

The veil!

Yesterday while listening to my wife talk to my daughter about the finished work of Christ, I couldn't help but realize that my daughter had no conception of the new covenant. Sure she danced around it, but the nature of her rhetorical questions were in direct conflict with the covenant itself; ultimately turning the conversation into a debate which from my daughters point actually refuted the finished work of Christ. Talk about frustrating.

Rather than sharing the sweet aroma of unity in the spirit regarding the precious gift of salvation; my wife and daughter spent most of there time arguing about whether or not it is finished. My wife adamantly trying to remove the veil over my daughters heart; my daughter, on the other hand, hopelessly entrenched by legalistic indoctrination.

My daughter has spent eight years in a well known and largely excepted international church; a church which advertises itself by citing the infallibility of it's teaching credentials by claiming to teach the bible line upon line, precept upon precept. Yet after 8 years, my daughter cannot explain even the simplest essential truths surrounding the New Covenant; let alone  having internalized what it actually means. To make matters worse, her husband is a corporate man seeking position in a corporate religion, so as a result we do not speak. Therefore, my daughter and I rarely speak.

I realize this whole affair is in the hands of the Master, so I am not writing this to complain, or even to seek answers. I am simply writing to share and to educate. To remind everyone that we are ministers of the New Covenant, that we must stay the course. II Cor. 3:4-6 states: And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the New Covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Subsequent reading: II Cor. 3:7-18 Pay close attention to verse 7; and note the ministry of death. Also note verse 15, but even to this day when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

Commentary by:

G.L.Miller

What is the definition of a Judaizer?

There seems to be an underlying belief system in the modern church that says, ‘In order to be considered a Judaizer, one must literally be teaching the circumcision of the flesh as a requirement for salvation.’ However, nothing could be further from the truth.

The fact of the matter is this, the moment we give our lives to Christ, we have instantly and inwardly been converted by the sacrifice of Christ; and have entered a new relationship with God based on a new and better covenant. This covenant is founded solely on the grace and mercies of God, and is unconditional. It is established and kept literally by the will of God apart from the requirements of the law; which He Himself fulfilled in Christ on man’s behalf. It is God who established this covenant, and it is God who will keep it.

In short, to be considered a Judaizer, would be to teach anything outside of this reality. To co-mingle the issue of law and grace, or to mix the old and new covenants would be considered a form of Judaism, or to Judaize. A primary example of this can be found in the misuse of 1 John 1:9, which has been widely misinterpreted in many christian circles for years; and misquoted, and misdirected towards the Christians need to confess for the ongoing forgiveness of sin; which of course the bible does not support, and in fact outright refutes. The book of Hebrews is very explicit regarding this matter. For further study on this subject, see Hebrews chapters 8-10. Note especially Hebrews 8:6-13, 9:11-28, and 10:1-23.

The problem with teaching 1 John 1:9 in it’s traditional fashion is that it brings the believer directly under the old covenant by inciting the same mentality experienced by the nation of Israel in the days of atonement. Which in turn drags the believer, be it ever so subtly, right back under the curse of the law. This is Judaism at its best, and these are the teachings of the modern day Judaizer.

Authors note: It is not my ambition to attack any one person or persons, or for that matter any particular denomination. I am simply exposing an erroneous assumption surrounding the definition of the word Judaizer. Hebrews 10:29 states: ‘Of how much worse punishment do you suppose will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant, by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the spirit of grace?’ Folks, there is no forgiveness left to be had! Why must we continue to count the blood of the covenant, (Christ’s blood), as a common thing, like the blood of a bull or a goat. Why can’t the Christian world just agree with God and admit that it is finished?

Commentary by:

G. L. Miller

The beautiful revelation of grace - Through what lens are we interpreting scripture?

Ok let’s get right to the point; if we are established in God’s grace, we will see Him clearly. If we are established in the law, we will not. The same holds true in regards to the way we interpret God’s word; or the way we respond to the living word, which of course is Jesus Christ Himself. If we are not established in the grace of God, we will have poor revelation on all fronts and will ultimately misinterpret both the author and His word.

Revelation given through the empowering and ever moving grace of God, verses revelation received under law is as contrary as night and day. Because while the law remains stringent, unmovable, and condemning; the grace of God moves to wrestle the leaves of humanity, and irresistibly bring life to the soul.

To illustrate this point, I am going to use a passage we should all know well. I am going to quote this verse from the old King James because I feel it is a better translation than the new regarding this particular verse.

II Timothy 2:15 – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Unfortunately for years, I had misinterpreted this scripture to mean that I was to study the word of God in order to gain His approval; in that I would not be ashamed in His presence for my lack of knowledge regarding His word; in other words, that my theology would be straight, and as a result, I would be well pleasing in His sight.

Of course I know now that this is not what this scripture means. That it’s correct interpretation is exactly the opposite; that what it in fact means is this: That we study the word of God in order that it may accomplish what it was designed to do; which of course is to lead us into a personal relationship through divine encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. That we may come to know and understand what great love He bestowed upon us through the sufficient finality of what God provided man via the precious gift of salvation. That we would understand with clarity the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and in that, come to know God Himself. To know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. That we are established in His loving grace and realize beyond a shadow of doubt that we are the righteousness of God in Him. That we have been perfected forever; that we are without spot or blemish and beyond accusation in His sight; that it is finished. That we have been saved completely to the utmost; and as a result, there is nothing to be ashamed of, either in our lives or in the proclamation of His word.

In short, this verse is not a call to be bible answer man; it’s a call to know the living God, and what He accomplished on our behalf. To understand that we have already been approved; that we may walk in that approval, and live victoriously in Him.

Authors note: II Timothy 2:15 – The New King James instructs the believer to be diligent at presenting him or herself approved to God, while the old King James simply states – study to show thyself approved unto God. Obviously upon close examination, there is a big difference between these two interpretations. The translation in the New King James points towards our diligent work as the mechanism by which we are approved of God; while the translation in the old points to the fact that we have already been approved. One of these translations is obviously works based theology, and the other is correct. While one points to the author and finisher of our faith, and what He accomplished on our behalf; the other points directly to our works in gaining God’s approval. Now which one of these interpretations do you suppose is correct? The one that points to Jesus or the one that points to us? Pretty simple I should think..Amen!

P.S. There is no end to the study of God’s word! With this in mind, wouldn’t this be an unfinished and never ending way to gain approval?

Commentary by:

G. L. Miller