| Author | Message | ||
| Christo Registered user Username: Christo Post Number: 183 Registered: 2-2008 |
In the past their has always been some static in my thoughts that the veil and the school master were somehow the same. If the law of Moses is done away with, as that covenant has been paid with the blood of Jesus. Then the veil is not the school master, but merely delusion. Also if the covenant given at Sinai was given to a certain people, for a certain period of time, was it ever the school master that brought any of us who are not Hebrew during that time period, to Christ. It seems the school of hard knocks showed me my separation from God, and my accompanying wretchedness more so than my attempts at self justification through the law. Sure it was self justification that left me wretched, but not in context of the law of Moses. I guess what I am saying is that knowledge of the ten commandments, and the old covenant is not required for acknowledging ones broken state, and coming to Christ. I know in my Lutheran upbringing the law was central in my studies in conformation classes, but it produced no conversion in my heart. It was presented as the moral standard of believers, but I could never see the moral standard of the $th ,( oops sorry, Freudian key typing, 4 and $ are on the same key), the 4th commandment. It was never presented as a covenant that had been dissanulled, and so I was actually taught to pour new wine into old wineskins by a major denomination, that WAS NOT adventist. Thank God for the school of hard knocks, as Paul said , "glory in you afflictions" for I didn't come to know Christ through the law. Chris | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 10652 Registered: 12-2003  |
Very interesting post, Christo. I remember a few years ago Gary Inrig saying in a sermon that "the veil" is a spiritual power. Our spiritual discernment is kept dead by a spiritual power that brings us a strong delusion. The reason that whenever Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts (2 Cor 3), but whenever one turns to Christ the veil is taken away—is because Jesus has fulfilled the law. When we look at the shadow instead of the reality, we miss the truth. If, like orthodox Jews today, for example, we reject Jesus as the fulfillment of the law but try to honor the law, we actually break the law. The law was a shadow of Christ; it pointed to Him and was about His work and person. If we reject what the law was about, we trample the law. You make a really good observation, Christo, when you say that the law as you studied it did not change your heart. John 16:8-11 records Jesus telling His disciples before His death that when the Holy Spirit would come, HE would convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. The Holy Spirit is the One who moves in the world and convicts people of sin and of Jesus' righteousness. This promise of Jesus' confirms that He truly did fulfill all the purposes of the law. Before Jesus came, the law was what convicted Israel of sin. Now Jesus, the fulfillment of that law, convicts us of sin by His Spirit. Of course this doesn't mean that the law can never be used to convict people of sin. The entire word of God convicts people of truth. But we have a new relationship to God now—and His Spirit is at work in the world in a more powerful and intimate way than before because Jesus opened a new, living way to the Father. Colleen | ||
| Bobalou Registered user Username: Bobalou Post Number: 64 Registered: 2-2005 |
Great post Colleen. You said so much in just a few short paragraphs. What a contrast to the volumes of mostly worthless writings the SDAs think are so illuminating. | ||
| Christo Registered user Username: Christo Post Number: 184 Registered: 2-2008 |
Hi, I just wanted to clarify that my Lutheran conformation classes were taught by a member of the congregation, and not by the ordained ministry. Not to say that the clergy never makes mistakes, but that the distorted gospel I was taught by the representatives of a major denomination didn't keep me from years of backsliding. I enjoy my parents minister, and the encouragement he gives to my parents, and enjoy bible study with him. How I would have approached life with a better foundation, only God Knows, but here I am today loving the Lord. Chris | ||
| Michaelsavedbygrace Registered user Username: Michaelsavedbygrace Post Number: 9 Registered: 7-2010 |
Before I begin, GREAT ANSWER COLLEEN! Paul is using a very smart approach in Romans. Before we can tell people about the SOLUTION you need to convince them there is a PROBLEM. The first 2 chapters of Romans reveals the condition of man both Greek and Jew without Christ. Both stand condemned before the righteous standards of the law. The purpose of the law was to convince all the world of its guilt and hopeless condition. Colleen said it perfectly in a more recent post, " Romans 2, which explores in detail how the Jews with the law are just as sinful and hopeless to be good as are the Gentiles without the law, and that Gentiles sometimes live by the law's principles even though they don't have the law because it is written on their hearts." colleentinker - post: The Fall of Man and the Plan of Salvation The law was our school master in the sense that it made us all guilty before God. The law left us no hope. No matter how hard we tried there was no overcoming the rigid standards of the law. All the world stood condemned before God. Hence we could realize our need of a Savior. "Christian," the main character in Pilgrim's Progress was weighed down with this burden, and cried, "woe is me, or wretched man that I am." There was no way to be rid of this burden. Not until Evangelist, pointed him toward the wicket gate, and beyond towards the Cross. On his journey to the Cross one "Worldly Wise Man" deceived him into climbing Mt Sinai. He convinced Christian that legalism was the best way to rid himself of the guilt on his back. This nearly was the death of him. Only at the Cross did Christian find freedom from his burden. Without a knowledge of his sin and his guilt, (his burden), Christian would not have made the trip to the Cross. That is how the law was our school master. It convinced us of our need of a savior so that we would do anything necessary to find Jesus and be rid of our burden. The law is a veil, because when we try to find the SOLUTION to how to rid our selves of our burden by looking to the law, we find no answer to our problem. We find no way to rid ourselves of this burden while we gaze at the law. We can look at the law for a lifetime and never understand the simple truth as it is in Jesus. Once we accept Jesus and the realities of the gospel not only do we find freedom from the burden, we find ourselves protected from the law and the guilt it would place upon us. The law would burden us again if it could, but our Savior has been made sin for us and atoned for our sins. The school master did its job. Make us guilty so that we would understand we have a problem that only Christ can remedy. Romans 3:19-26 (KJV) 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. |
