| Author | Message | ||
| Pnoga Registered user Username: Pnoga Post Number: 205 Registered: 1-2007  |
This study is to show how we are to establish the Law through faith. Adventists and law keepers will have you believe that you need to keep the 10 commandments to be sanctified and perfected even though you are saved by Faith in Christ. They do so by taking Romans 3:31 out of context to prove their point. In my studies I have discovered that the way we establish the law is through Faith in Christ alone not by our keeping the law. We establish the law by believing in our heart that Jesus lived a righteous sinless life took our punishment on the cross and was resurrected the 3rd day. We are credited that righteousness by our faith in that alone and nothing else. Romans 3:30-31 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish (Histemi G2476 which is used as establish 3 times in the NT Rom 3:31;10:3; and Hebrews 10:9) the law. Romans 10:1-4 1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness (through Christ), and seeking to establish their own righteousness (through the Law), have not submitted to the righteousness of God (Through Christ). 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Pisteuo G4100 from G4102 Pistis which is used as Faith 239 times in the NT). Hebrews 10:1-10 1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “ Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’” 8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them ” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (How beautiful that we are sanctified by Jesus’ Sacrifice and not through keeping of laws such as Sabbath and clean and unclean meats) 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. (Jesus has perfected us forever, we are perfected and sanctified when we come to Christ in Faith). (Now for the topper, how is the law established? What law is put in our hearts?) 15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”[ 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”] 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Romans 10:5-13 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”] 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 9327 Registered: 12-2003  |
You are SO right, Paul! Recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of the law actually establishes the law. When we do not acknowledge Jesus as the Perfect Israel, the Perfect Son of God who fulfilled all of the law, we actually break the law we are professing to "honor". When we pursue law-keeping while claiming to be Christian, we are not actually living in Christ's finished atonement. At the same time, we are breaking the law because we deny its complete fulfillment. We are neither honoring the Lord Jesus nor honoring the law. When we do not acknowledge Jesus as the fulfillment of the law we put ourselves back under the curse of the law and, as Paul said in Galatians, we have fallen from grace. People break the law they claim to honor when they do not submit to the finished work and perfect fulfillment of the law in the Person of Jesus. Colleen | ||
| Christo Registered user Username: Christo Post Number: 88 Registered: 2-2008 |
Paul, thankyou for the study Chris | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 1679 Registered: 10-2002  |
Hey, I'd like to see this made into an article! Call it, "We establish the Law!" or "Establishing the Law" Amen, by the way! | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 9341 Registered: 12-2003 |
Hmmm--good idea, Ramone! Paul, could you please email me at proclamation@gmail.com? Thanks! Colleen | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 1680 Registered: 10-2002 |
Yaay! P.S. Amen to your comments, too, Colleen! Those've gotta somehow go in there, I think! | ||
| Joyfulheart Registered user Username: Joyfulheart Post Number: 479 Registered: 10-2006 |
I agree, Paul. It took me several readings to really get my brain around this, but you are exactly right! This is really profound. If Adventists "get" this - it will change their lives! Thanks, Paul! | ||
| Jonvil Registered user Username: Jonvil Post Number: 278 Registered: 4-2007 |
AMEN! Unfortunately these scriptures will not convict a typical Adventist, they cling to the law because THEY DON’T ACCEPT THEY ARE SINFUL BY NATURE and believe instead that their works can meet God’s righteous standards, couple that with ‘Jesus is our example’ and you get ‘we can do what Jesus did – keep the law’ (and God HAS to save them). This belief also prevents them from comprehending ‘saved by grace’, why would unmerited favor be bestowed on those whose works are meritorious? They annul Grace, and faith in Jesus is rendered insufficient, voiding the only hope of salvation: Saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. John Douglas | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 9345 Registered: 12-2003 |
You're right, John. The SDA lack of belief in depravity and true spiritual death renders all of salvation meaningless to them. They can't see that it is entirely outside themselves. The understanding that the law is established because Jesus came and fulfilled it—thus confirming and completing its purpose and place—is lost on them. The need to "own" salvation is the natural outgrowth of not owning one's own hopeless sin. Colleen |
