If You Love Me . . .6

But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (I John 3:5,6)

One of the errors of contemporary theology concerns the concept of dispensations. The idea is that under the Law of Moses people were required to practice righteousness, but now under the "dispensation of grace" people no longer are required to practice righteousness. This would mean a change in God's goal for man signifying a change in God's moral Character. A change in God's moral Character would be the worst of all possible calamities such that the most fortunate of all people would be those who never came into existence.

In the beginning Satan transgressed the laws of God by seeking to set his throne above the stars of God, striving to be equal to or superior to the Logos (Christ) and ultimately to the Father Himself.

The moment mankind was created Satan came and introduced the idea of disobeying God. From that day to the present mankind has been bound with a spirit of disobedience.

The patriarch Abraham was tested severely in the realm of obedience to the command of God. Abraham passed the test.

Some four hundred years later God issued the Ten Commandments and the supplementary ceremonial laws. There were numerous Jews who sought to obey God's laws and in some instances were successful, as in the case of Ezra, the priest, and the father and mother of John the Baptist. But for the most part the inheritance of the adamic nature in the Jews, as in all other people, caused them to find it exceedingly difficult to observe the holy commandments given by the Lord.

The righteous commandments have been given but the Jews, the members of the royal priesthood, find it difficult to obey them.

What do we do next? The answer being given today is that we recognize that we cannot keep the Law of Moses, or any other righteous commandment, and must come to God through grace. We will inherit all that has been designated for the sons of God on the basis of an eternal forgiveness.

Part of this answer is correct. Part of it is so incorrect that the Christian churches contain a multitude of "believers" who trust in the blood atonement, have received the Spirit of God, and have no idea what to do after this.

God replaced the Law of Moses with the new covenant. Instead of trusting in our traditions, why don't we go to the Scriptures and see what the new covenant is. Is it an excuse for our lawlessness or is it something else?

But God found fault with the people and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (Hebrews 8:8-10)

To be continued. If You Love Me . . .7