DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE STILL UNDER GODS LAW, EVEN THOUGH, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO GODS GRACE? by Deirdre November 15, 2014 There are two false teachings that exist in the Christian community today: The first is this: God’s Grace is exclusive to ‘New Testament Christians - in other words this group believes that they do not have to follow God’s law because they are under God’s grace. The second false teaching is that because they were under Gods law, those who followed the Old Testament were not under God’s grace. These two false teachings stem from a misunderstanding of John 1:17 and Romans 6:14 John 1:17 states: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Romans 6:14 states: For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14 In an article entitled “Is Sin Still Your Master, “ I explained why the first part of Roman’s 6:14 the part that says sin is no longer your master – I explained why this assertion of Paul’s does not apply to every Christian, and that according to Jesus Christ, Christians who continue in sin are still under God’s law. Today, I want to explain why grace is not exclusive to ‘New Testament Christians. ’ But in order to understand my explanation, you must first understand the concept of MUTUAL EXCLUSIVITY. Two events are said to be mutually exclusive if they cannot occur at the same time. The way that law and grace are presented by Paul in Romans 6:14 is deceptive. The assertion by Paul leads one to believe that a person is either under Gods law OR they are under Gods grace, but that they cannot be under BOTH – LAW AND GRACE. So the assertion by Paul in Romans 6:14 is that law and grace are mutually exclusive - that you can be under one or the other but not both. Today I will demonstrate to you that law and grace are NOT mutually exclusive. That your perception that you are governed by one OR the other – law OR grace is an error. The truth is that you are governed by Gods law and, through Jesus Christ, God gives you access to His grace. The Lord’s children are under both law AND grace; and that is exactly where you should want to be, because those who are NOT under law are the ones without law - these are the lawless ones that shall be rejected by God during the end times. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ - Matthew 7:22-23 How many of you prophesy in the Lords name, and cast out demons in the Lords name and do mighty works in the Lords name, but yet claim that you are NOT under Gods law. You are the lawless - the ones without Gods law! Jesus does not know you! So, I will proceed with this demonstration by proving that Moses and the Israelites were under law AND grace. False teachers pervert the truth when they teach that grace is a new thing and that it came into existence only when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us – in other words that grace came into the world when Jesus came into the world as a man. It is true that grace came into existence when Jesus came into the world. But where the new testament Christians deny Jesus, is where they imply that Jesus did not exist during Old Testament times. I wrote an article that explained how Jesus was in the world before the first man - Adam; and therefore the grace of Jesus Christ was available even to Adam. But for the purpose of this article, all you need to know is what Jesus Christ Himself said – and that is that He existed before Abraham: “ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’” –John 8:58 It is not until we understand that Jesus was in the world before Abraham that the true meaning of John 1:17 becomes clear: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 With planks in our eyes John 1:17 seems to say that the law came first and then came Jesus Christ. But with planks removed from our eyes we can see clearly. Grace was in the world before the Law; not vice versa. The bible gives us proof that grace was in the world before the law because Moses and the children of Israel was under both grace and law. Excerpts in Exodus, Numbers and Nehemiah all teach that Moses and the children of Israel – though they were under the law - they received grace and the Holy Spirit. Exodus 33:12-23 is instructive it describes how Moses and the children of Israel received the Lord’ grace and the Lord’s Presence as a result of the Lord’s grace . Numbers 11:11-17 is also instructive – it describes how Moses asked God for help managing the children of Israel, and God took some of His Holy Spirit that He gave to Moses and put it on 70 Elders so that they were equipped to help Moses. Finally, Nehemiah 9:20 confirms that God gave His Holy Spirit to Moses and the 70 elders for the purpose of instructing them. SO WHY IS THIS INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO YOU AND YOUR SALVATION? BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN WALKING AROUND CLAIMING THAT YOU ARE NOT UNDER GOD’S LAW, THAT YOU ARE UNDER GRACE, BUT AS DEMONSTRATED IN MY ARTICLE “IS SIN STILL YOUR MASTER” AND THIS ARTICLE TODAY – YOU HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN – BECAUSE WE ARE STILL UNDER THE LAW – AND AS ALWAYS THE LORD STILL GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GRACE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE MECHANICS OF HOW JESUS EXISTED BEFORE ABRAHAM THEN READ MY ARTICLE ENTITLED: THE SCIENCE BEHIND JESUS CHRIST: THE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION OF GOD. [1]https://theministryof2timothy.org/Science_Behind_Jesus.php] The relevant excerpts of scripture in Exodus, Numbers and Nehemiah are provided below for your own edification. EXODUS 33:12-23 The Promise of God’s Presence 12 Then Moses said to the LORD, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” 14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” 17 So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” 18 And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” 19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” 21 And the LORD said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22 So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. 23 Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.” – Exodus 33:12-23 NUMBERS 11:11-17 Moses said to the LORD, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.” Elders Given The Holy Spirit and Appointed to Aid Moses 16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. – Numbers 11:11-17 NEHEMIAH 9:20 “You gave your good Spirit to instruct them [Moses & the children of Israel] and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst.” – Nehemiah 9:20
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 16:46:41 +0000
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