Israel and the Church (Pt. 3)
A Rock of Offence Special Commentary
*****************************************************
This is Part 3 of a three-part Bible study.
Click on the appropriatle link to access
the other parts.
Part 1
-------
Part 2
*****************************************************
The Danger of Trying to Find God
The Old Testament Way
In this study we discuss the various practices and beliefs that appear to be Biblical and right, but are actually rejected by God - often without our knowledge. Many of these “wrong ways of believing” are the result of what the Bible calls, “walking according to the flesh”.
For example, in Romans 8:1 Saint
Paul explained; “There is
therefore now no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus,
who do not walk according to the
flesh, but according to the
Spirit.”
We often fail to realize that this incredible spiritual benefit – where the believer is not condemned by God (or exempt from all future judgment for sin) is only for those “who do not walk according to the flesh”. Unfortunately, many are taught that the meaning behind Paul’s usage of the word “flesh” involves either the commission of sin or living a sinful lifestyle. If that were true, no Christian could enjoy this benefit, since the Bible states that we all continue to sin in various different ways. There are sins of commission (knowingly committed) and sins of omission (committed without knowledge) that continue to occur in the life of all believers during their time on earth.
However ...
Contrary to popular church teaching,
the term “walking according to the
flesh”, as Paul uses it in this
verse, is not necessarily addressing
the various sins we commit. Rather,
he is warning about the Old Testatment
religious tenants that require its
adherents to find God and His
salvation through righteous behavior
and the pursuit of godly character.
All these things are obtained through
some form of human effort, which is
why they are referred to as “the
flesh”. Paul warns that this state
of “no condemnation”, as taught in
Romans 8:1, is a a benefit of Christ’s
grace-based salvation, meaning that
it can not be achieved through the
efforts of the flesh.
These merit-based attributes were required to obtain salvation under the previous Old Testament program of the Law. But, after the cross, anyone attempting to use these previous methods to “find God” and obtain the salvation of Christ is approaching God in way He no longer honors. This is why Paul gave the command to; “examine yourself as to whether you are in the faith”. The Bible contains both an Old Testament merit-based faith – and a New Testament Grace-based faith. Technically speaking, both are “Biblical”. But after the cross, God no longer honors merit-based faith (or "walking according to the flesh), which is why Paul warned all believers to “examine themselves, to avoid being disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5) ... and also warned the Church that it’s ... “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us”(Titus 3:5-7).
Christians often quote the following Scripture
to emphasize the importance of “finding God”
and obtaining salvation.
(God is speaking through Jeremiah)
"And you will seek Me and find Me,
when you search for Me with
all your heart."
(Jeremiah 29:13)
Quoting this Scripture in a sermon always sound good. However, when you examine the context of the surrounding text, God was speaking only to the Israelites who were in captivity because of their sin. Removing these words from their intended context - and inserting them into a modern-day evangelistic message involves something called “spiritualizing or allegorizing Scripture” - and occurs whenever anyone uses Scripture in a way God never intended. Unfortunately, this has become the accepted way of handling and teaching the Bible in many churches.
Jeremiah 29:13 is often used to stress the importance for a sinner or unbeliever to “seek the Lord with all their heart” and not in a careless half-hearted way. The intention is always noble, but the message in this case is misleading, since God deals with sin and the sinner after the cross in an entirely different way than He did in Jeremiah’s time.
This is why ... when preachers evangelize using this Scripture - they are actually saying that the unbeliever will “find God” (or obtain salvation) only when they reach (or achieve) some unspecified and unknowable condition of a “whole-hearted commitment.” This causes us to ask the question; how can anyone know that they’ve satisfied this condition-of-the-heart that only God can see? The answer is ... they can’t know, which also means they can never have any assurance that they’re saved. Yet, Christ’s authentic New Covenant salvation carries the unshakable assurance and confidence of “knowing that you’re saved” because it no longer depends on your own personal works, merit or some unspecified personal commitment – as it did under Old Testament Law.
After the cross a person's salvation depends only on Jesus Christ, who God now uses as their perfectly righteous and holy substitute. Additional information concerning this "Divine Exchange" is available HERE.
This is why Paul taught; "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 John 5:13-15, Hebrews 10:19-23, Titus 3:5-7). When Paul uses the phrase, “not of yourselves” and “not of works” – he is warning that Christ’s salvation cannot be received through “the efforts of the flesh”.
A Common Objection
Some readers may be offended and say; “God is speaking these words through Jeremiah ... and you are trying to change what He said.”
Our response: God was also speaking through the prophet Isaiah and said;
Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19)
And later in chapter 31 of Jeremiah God said;
"Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah -- not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord." (Jeremiah 31:31-32)
The New Covenant didn’t officially begin until after the cross and represents “the new thing” that God promised He would do through both Isaiah and Jeremiah. The cross changed all the rules concerning how salvation is obtained and kept. This means that the rules God previously used to govern salvation under Old Testament Law changed when the New Covenant went into operation. We are not attempting to “rewrite what God said in His Word”. What we do in our various studies and commentaries is repeat what God is now saying in the Bible according the new rules of the New Covenant ... which is also known as; “The new and living way of Christ”. (Matt. 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, 1 Cor. 11:25, 2 Cor. 3:6, Heb. 8:6-13, Heb. 9:15, Heb. 10:19-23, Heb. 12:24).
The admonition found in Jeremiah 29:13 was correct for Israel living under Old Testament Law before the cross. Yet, the sacrificial death of Christ freely redeems the sinner so that “whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord will ‘find God’ and be saved” - regardless of their moral or behavioral state. As we often heard in the Billy Graham Crusades - God will save you "just as you are". However, after you are saved God expects you to change. Yet, 'the change' (or what many call "a transformed life") is not what saves you ... only faith in Jesus apart from works saves you.
“For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man's (Jesus') righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:17-19 - Also See Romans 4:4-8)
Unlike the religious tenants that existed in Old Testament times ... this means anyone living today can receive God's free gift of eternal life (salvation) ... not just those who possess some undefined (and unknowable) high level of commitment or faithfulness. Seeking the Lord with “all our heart” after we are saved is something all believers should desire for the right reasons. But, striving to reach some unspecified level of whole-hearted commitment - in order to be saved - falls under the category of “walking according to the flesh” and makes God's gift nonsensical. (See Romans 3:24-26 and Romans 4:4-8).
There are some popular evangelists who seemingly preach a “Biblical” salvation message, yet persuade their audience to follow “the way of the flesh” without their knowledge. This is a spiritual disaster waiting to happen.
When asked whether young children can be saved, one well-known minister responded: It's unlikely that children are intellectually mature enough to make the necessary commitment to live an obedient life to Christ's Lordship in a way that secures salvation. In a similar manner, others evangelize by saying that we must “make Jesus the Lord of our life”. What they are actually saying is that we must make a “whole-hearted” commitment to obey Jesus Christ as Lord before He will save us, which is a perversion of the New Testament gospel of Christ according to Saint Paul.
On the surface, this brand of evangelism sounds similar to Romans 10:9-10 where salvation is received by; “confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead” ...
But it’s not the same.
Some Bible scholars refer to this 'commitment brand of evangelism' as; “the error of Lordship salvation” - which is a clever and deceptive spiritual counterfeit that's been around for hundreds of years.
It's a wonderful and often rare occurrence when people openly acknowledge their need and seek to obtain the salvation of Jesus Christ. But, it’s a disastrous spiritual crime when these same precious individuals are given wrong instructions and led astray in their faith from the very beginning.
The problem of “believing the Bible wrong” almost always involves “walking according to the flesh” - or trying to 'find God' and be acceptable to Him through religious performance and human achievement. It can make a person appear to be spiritually mature and a model Christian. But, the New Testament warns that God rejects this popular type of “Christian religion” after the sacrificial death of His Son on the cross.
"You have become estranged (separated and cut-off) from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." (Galatians 5:4 – Clarifications added)
The New Covenant of Jesus
Christ Changes Everything
A failure to properly discern (and keep separate) the two Biblical programs of Israel and the Church causes many problems. For example, let’s consider the various teachings the Lord Jesus Christ gave before His crucifixion. The Bible reveals a fact that many professing Christians ignore or avoid; that Jesus was born and conducted his ministry under Old Covenant Law (See Galatians 4:4-5). As a result, many (but not all) of His teachings were given according to the Law’s tenants and principles.
Yet, following Christ’s crucifixion
(where our salvation was purchased),
God's primary covenant changes from
the Law of Moses (the Old Covenant)
to Grace (the New Covenant).
This also means that the principles and rules that defined some of the things Jesus previously taught – also changed. In an effort to honor and respect the words of our Lord, many Christians take these Law-based teachings, given before the cross - and attempt to apply them under the Grace-based New Covenant program that now governs the Church after the cross. While some of Christ’s teachings are universal (applies to everyone) - other teachings are not. This popular practice is responsible for misconceptions that can lead us astray in our faith. Once again, the following Scriptures give us the reason why:
"But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He (Jesus) is also mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that FIRST COVENANT had been faultless, then no place would have been sought FOR A SECOND."
(Hebrews 8:6-7)
"In that He (Jesus Christ) says, "a New Covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." (Hebrews 8:13)
Honoring the Words of Jesus
Whenever the words of Christ are studied and discussed various controversies often arise. As a result, many correctly say; “These are the words of our Lord which should be honored above everything else in Scripture.” For this reason, certain Bible translations highlight the words of Christ in red. We certainly support this practice. However, well-meaning Bible believers often make the assumption ... that the words Jesus uttered before leaving the earth - are the only words of importance He spoke. Yet, those who are alive continue to speak ... which is why the Bible warns that Jesus continued to speak from heaven after His resurrection and ascension.
The New Testament addresses
this often ignored truth in
the following way:
“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him (Jesus Christ) who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him (the resurrected Jesus Christ) who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’” (Hebrews 12:22-26 - Emphasis and Clarifications Added)
The Mystery of Christ
"However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,
Which none of the rulers of
this age knew; for had they
known, they would not have
crucified the Lord of Glory."
(1 Corinthians 2:6-8)
The "rulers of this age" that Paul mentions here are "high order" demonic spirits, which were responsible for planning and orchestrating Christ's crucifixion "behind the scene". If Jesus and His disciples (during His earthly ministry) went around preaching the details of the yet future New Covenant, Paul said that these demonic spirits would have never crucified Christ. Why? The New Covenant in Christ's blood (Luke 22:20 and 1 Corinthians 11:25) was God's secret plan (Paul calls it "hidden wisdom") to utterly destroy Satan's dominion over the human race. Christ's crucifixion was the centerpiece of God's plan. The New Covenant couldn't become reality without the crucifixion of our Lord. As a result of Christ's "information blackout" Satan and his demonic world didn't learn about the consequences of their actions until it was too late.
Looking backwards, Paul's words give us the reason Jesus couldn't provide all the details about the radical New Covenant changes that would later take place after His sacrificial death and the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Jesus told His disciples;
"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify Me:
For He (the Holy Spirit) shall
receive of mine, and shall shew
it unto you."
(John 16:12-14)
Some 7 to 10 years after the cross Paul received the revelation that contained the New Covenant (Bible scholars call it “the Pauline Revelation”). Concerning this event Paul comments;
"I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows -- such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." (2 Corinthians 12:2-4 - Emphasis Added)
The inexpressible words Paul heard were spoken by the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. Contrary to some popular church teachings, the New Covenant had not yet been revealed - which is why the book of Hebrews warns that Jesus continues to speak from heaven after the cross. Once again, we repeat the previous Scriptural command because of its importance.
"See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him (Jesus Christ) who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him (the resurrected Jesus Christ) Who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.'" (Hebrews 12:22-26)
We have no problem with anyone who wants to honor and defend Christ's words. However, we want all of Christ's words honored, especially those that give us the details about the New Covenant - and not just the ones He spoke while on earth before the cross.
Why is this important?
Because the New Covenant, initiated at the cross, changed the way salvation was obtained under the Old Testament program of the Law. This means that some of the things Christ previously taught ... such as how He instructed the "rich young ruler" to be saved - radically changed after the cross. Many are taught to ignore these changes, which tricks them into embracing a counterfeit gospel message.
Exposing Another Popular
Way Law And Grace are
Illegally Mixed
The New Covenant is not an extension or a continuation of Old Covenant Law – as many wrongly teach. The New Covenant is "new" and based on better promises that make the Old Covenant program obsolete. This is how the cross of Christ changed everything that existed previously. There are now new rules that govern sin, salvation and the way God relates to the sinner. God becomes the believer's Heavenly Father and we become His sons (1 John 3:1-2, John 1:11-13, Romans 8:15-19 and Hebrews 2:9-10 ). He relates with people living after the cross in an entirely different way that wasn’t available under Old Testament Law.
Why wasn't it available?
Jesus had not yet purchased
this Grace-based relationship
(called "God’s unmerited favor")
with His sacrificial blood.
"For the Law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus has made
me free from the Law of sin
and death." (Romans 8:2)
The following is a brief list of some
important changes which takes
place under the New Covenant
BEFORE THE CROSS :God’s acceptance and favor depended on a person's behavior and obedience to the tenants of Old Testament Law, which included the Ten Commandments. This establishes a "conditional salvation" - or a salvation based on good works and merit.
AFTER THE CROSS :God's acceptance and favor is freely given - and is now based only on the perfect righteousness and sinlessness of Jesus Christ, Who has become the believer's substitute. The New Testament refers to this condition as being "In Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17-19). As a result, God now offers salvation as "His gift" because the conditions are perfectly and fully satisfied "In Christ".
BEFORE THE CROSS : God expected His people to produce "good fruit" (possessing a high standard of godly obedience and behavior associated with the Law). If they failed, He rejected them (Matthew 3:10, Matthew 7:19, Luke 3:9). This type of rejection is often understood as being removed from God's program of salvation, which was conditional upon a person's works and merit before the cross.
AFTER THE CROSS : God now imputes righteousness and bestows His acceptance apart from merit (works and behavior) - to all who place their faith in Jesus Christ. Another name for this condition is being "freely justified by His Grace" (Romans 3:24-26), where God treats believers in the same way He treats His Son – as if they had never sinned. Anyone who is "freely justified" is fully accepted and loved by God – through a faith apart from works (Romans 4:4-8). All believers should seek to have fruitful lives, full of good works and obedience toward God. Yet, after the cross God now forbids the use of these pursuits as pre-conditions for obtaining and keeping salvation.
BEFORE THE CROSS : Righteousness (worthiness) depended on an individual's behavior and obedience to the tenants of Old Testament Law (the Commandments). This is a "conditional righteousness" based on merit and obedience and is outlined in Deuteronomy chapter 28;
(Deut. 28:1) "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God." (Deut. 28:15) "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you."
AFTER THE CROSS : God now assigns (or imputes) the very righteousness (worthiness) of Jesus Christ to the believer's life on the basis of faith only (Romans 4:4-8, Philippians 3:9). Due to this change, the Bible now calls it "the gift of righteousness" (Romans 5:17-19) - and it is the very same righteousness that God Himself possesses (2 Corinthians 5:21).
BEFORE THE CROSS : Jesus taught that eternal life was obtained by "keeping the commandments of the Law" (Matthew 19:16-22), which requires obedience and works.
AFTER THE CROSS : Eternal life is now given as the unmerited gift of God (also known as Grace) – and no longer obtained by works or by keeping the commandments of the Law (Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:4-9, Galatians 3:1-4, Galatians 3:10-12, Romans 3:20).
BEFORE THE CROSS : The Holy Spirit dwells "with" an individual and would leave if they continued to sin. After King David’s grievous sin with Bathsheba in the Old Testament, he tearfully begged God, "not to take His Holy Spirit from him" (2 Samuel chapters 11-12 & Psalm 51:11). A person possesses salvation when the Holy Spirit is present - but, loses salvation if the Spirit departs. This is how God operated under the "conditional salvation" provided by Old Testament Law.
AFTER THE CROSS : The Holy Spirit now "dwells inside” a believer's body. Jesus, while describing some of the changes that would take place after the cross - said that when the Spirit comes to indwell, He remains forever (John 14:16-17, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5-6). This means a true believer living after the cross never has worry about God taking His Holy Spirit away from them. This is connected to "God’s gift of eternal life", where the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit required for salvation no longer depends upon the believer's merit and achieving some state of sinlessness. Why? Jesus is now their substitute, allowing God to fully credit His Son's perfection and sinlessness to their account - while considering the individual's lack of perfection and sinlessness as being a "dead" issue. (Colossians 3:3).
BEFORE THE CROSS : The Law was given to Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai and is often referred to as "the Mosaic Covenant" (also referred to in the New Testament as - the first covenant). It existed in written form and is found in the first five books of Moses in the Bible. It documents the official principles, rules and conditions for having a relationship with God and possessing salvation.
AFTER THE CROSS : The written Law (Paul called it "the letter") is now fulfilled by Christ - then abolished and nailed to the cross (Matthew 5:17, Colossians 2:13-14, Ephesians 2:11-22). As a result, the Bible now declares that believers are "delivered from the Law" (Romans 7:1-6) and "set free from the Law" (Romans 8:2-4). Yet, the Law wasn't completely thrown away. God changed its role. He took the Law and wrote it on the believer's heart, where it now guides and influences their life from within. But, unlike its original written Old Testament version (called "the letter"), it no longer has the power to block or take away a believer's salvation - or condemn them to eternal punishment for failing to be perfectly obedient. Christ saved us from the Law's previously held power to destroy and condemn. But, God expects the believer to continue to use the Law's moral code (the Ten Commandments) to practically identify and avoid sin.
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:13-14)
"There is therefore now no condemnation (judgment or rejection for sin) to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)
These powerful New Covenant truths
provide a fresh perspective to
the following Scriptures:
"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14)
"....And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness (right-standing or worthiness), which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness (right-standing or worthiness) which is of God by faith" (Philippians 3:9)
"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21 - Emphasis Added)
Clearing Up Some Confusion
Obtaining salvation through the unmerited and undeserved favor of God (also called "Grace") does not release us from the task of avoiding sin, doing good works, adopting Christ-like behavior and holy living. God instructs all Christian believers to seek after these things for reasons other than obtaining His gift of eternal life. He tells us that seeking these character attributes is the right thing to do. However, as God sternly warns (Read Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 2:19-21, Galatians 3:10-12 and Galatians 5:4), our attempt to achieve these attributes (which involves work and effort) is never to be used as requirements or pre-conditions to obtain (and keep) what Scripture calls, God’s unmerited and undeserved gift of eternal life.
*****************************************************
This is Part 3 of a three-part Bible study.
Click on the appropriatle link to access
the other parts.
Part 1
-------
Part 2
*****************************************************
Return To Home Page
Return To The Basics
of Salvation Page
|