Because of Rebellion
Because of Rebellion
"Grace" has come and we do not have to obey God any longer!
"Hallelujah!"
Aren't you happy we do not have to live a righteous, holy life?
"Grace" has set us free from God's laws. Rejoice!
That stern old God of the Old Testament is dead. Thank God forever. We now have a younger god who is "relevant," who wants church to be fun. Except for the Christians in Iraq, whom the Muslims are torturing and killing.
This is the thinking today in the good ol' USA.
However, the moral Law of God never changes, from Adam and Eve until now and then throughout eternity. The difference between the two covenants is that under the Law of Moses we learn what God has commanded and make every effort to do it.
Under the new covenant we look to the Lord Jesus concerning each commandment. Then Jesus gives us "grace," meaning He shows us how and when the commandment applies to us, and then gives us the wisdom and strength to obey it.
Obedience to the moral Law of God leads inevitably to the resurrection of the body. This is the overcoming of the last enemy.
Is"grace" actually an acceptable substitute for obedience to God?
If I am correct, the term "grace," as used in the New Testament, means God's blessings through Christ apart from the Law of Moses.
However, God's blessings always depend upon our obeying the commands of the Lord Jesus and His Apostles written in the New Testament; and also Jesus' commands and directives given to us personally. Am I correct in this?
It seems to me, however, that we are using "grace" to mean God's blessing through the Lord Jesus Christ apart from doing God's will.
We say we can believe in Christ without obeying Christ. How can this be?
Exactly what is the difference between belief and obedience?
In Hebrews 3:18,19, belief and obedience are shown to be one whole.
Are belief and obedience part of the same behavior?
Is it possible to have belief without obedience?
I think there is a spirit who is not too troubled about our saying we believe in Jesus Christ as long as we do not obey Christ but obey the spirit.
You know, "God speaks and we obey" is a simple model. But if we insert "grace" between God speaks and we obey, our simple model becomes infinitely complicated, doesn't it?
In the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation we find the following statement:
Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. (Revelation 12:4)
At first glance one might conclude that these "stars" are wicked angels. But the wicked angels are dealt with in another verse---after the battle against Michael.
The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him . (Revelation 12:9)
The truth is, the "stars" are Christian people who have been in Christ at the right hand of God.
Notice the following verse from the Book of Daniel:
Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. (Daniel 8:9,10)
And then the reason why Antichrist was able to throw down to the earth "some of the starry host":
Because of rebellion , the Lord's people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. (Daniel 8:12)
It can be observed today that lying is becoming fashionable. A prominent American senator has just revealed that he lied about a presidential candidate, and believes his lie helped defeat the candidate. He announces that he has done this as though it were something wonderful.
I suppose the concept is that the ends justify the means. American people used to view that concept as being unacceptable. It appears that this is the kind of lying the Antichrist will do as he "throws truth to the ground.
It seems a great deal of lying goes on in the American culture, and perhaps people, even some Christians, are becoming resigned to it.
But God isn't. God does not lie and His true people do not lie!
The Lord's people were given over to the power of Antichrist because of rebellion!
I am saying that the removal from some of the Christians from their position in God is happening now, or soon shall take place.
The deadly teaching of "once saved, always saved" may prevent the saints from looking into what I have to say. But it has been on my heart for many years that God's people are not taking His Word seriously.
The "rebellion" has to do with the manner in which we are using Paul's teaching of "grace."
Next Part Notice the following:.