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| Michaelsavedbygrace Registered user Username: Michaelsavedbygrace Post Number: 12 Registered: 7-2010 |
James 2:8-12 By Michael Harper Seventh day Adventists read James 2:11 which references two of the 10 Commandments and conclude that both the “royal law” in verse 8 and the “law of liberty” in verse 12, are the 10 Commandments. While it is true that verse 11 mentions two of the 10 Commandments this does not necessarily define them as the “royal law” mentioned verse 8. As it will be seen neither could they be defined as the law of liberty when compared to the rest of the New Testament. The royal law is Christ’s new commandment to love one another as He love us. This is the entire message of the book of James! James's message is that love does not just talk a good talk; love takes action! Love will feed the hungry, love will not show partiality between the rich and the poor. Love will not hold grudges against one another. James’s message is love will do something to love his neighbor, not just say that he loves him. If we maintain that the references to the fifth and seventh commandments in 2:11 is proof that the 10 Commandments are the law of liberty in verse 12, then whether knowingly or not, whether we like it or not, by taking this position we believe that James contradicted the apostle Paul. In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul makes a side-by-side comparison of the Old Covenant given on tables of stone with the New Covenant law of Christ’s love and His grace engraved in the heart by the Holy Spirit. In this chapter written to the Corinthian church Paul takes a firm position that the old covenant written in stone, was a ministry of death and condemnation, it contained letters that kill, it had a glory that faded and passed away. Hardly considered descriptions worthy of the word “Liberty!” Whereas the New Covenant is written in the heart through the Holy Spirit is a ministry of righteousness, and has a glory that never fades. The New Covenant is the Spirit of God writing the law of love to the heart. It is this law that gives us liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:1-17 Old Covenant “On Tables Of Stone” V. 3 “The Letter Kills” V. 6 “Was Glorious” V. 7 “Was Passing Away” V. 14 “Ministry Of Death And Condemnation” V. 7,9 New Covenant “On The Heart” V. 3 “The Spirit Gives Life” V. 6 “Much More Glorious” V. 11 “Remains” V. 11 “Ministry Of Righteousness” V. 9 2 Corinthians 3:14, 17 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. No one would attempt to prove from 2 Corinthians 3 that the tables of stone brought liberty! Obviously this liberty in Christ is under the New Covenant! Let’s review: The Old Covenant was written on stone. The mere reading of the Old Covenant according to the apostle Paul placed a veil over men’s spiritual eyesight thereby blinding them. to the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. Ever since the day of Pentecost the gift of God’s Spirit has been given to bring liberty to those held captive by the old covenant laws. The eye salve of the gospel of Jesus Christ restores sight to those who were once blinded by the old covenant tables of stone which indeed was once glorious but since Christ’s death it has diminished and passed away i.e. it “is done away in Christ,” having been replaced with a much more glorious law - the law of love for God and love for one another. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Luke 4:18 Seventh-day Adventist ministers would like us to believe that Galatians is only concerned with circumcision and the other ceremonial laws given through Moses. GALATIANS IS WARNING AGAINST THE OLD COVENANT GIVEN AT MOUNT SINAI Galatians 4:24-31 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS ARE THE COVENANT GIVEN AT SINAI Ex 31:18 18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God. Ex 34:28 Moses, after forty days in the mount, comes down with the tables 28 And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. Deut 4:13 13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. GALATIANS WARNS THAT THE OLD COVENANT (THE TEN COMMANDMENTS) DELIVERED AT SINAI “GENDERETH TO BONDAGE” NOT LIBERTY! And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: Galatians 2:4 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: Galatians 4:3 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Galatians 4:9 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. Galatians 4:24 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. Galatians 4:25 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Heb 2:15 WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE BONDAGE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, RATHER WE ARE UNDER THE LIBERTY OF GRACE. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Galatians 3:10 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Galatians 3:23 Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? Galatians 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Paul proclaims our Christ death has set us free giving us liberty from the Ten Commandments in Romans seven. Pay special attention to Romans 7:7 which clearly identifies the “law” in this chapters context as the Ten Commandments. IN ROMANS CHAPTER 7 WE HEAR THE LIBERTY BELL OF THE GOSPEL RING! 2 “she is loosed from the law “ 3 “she is free from that law; 4 “ ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ;” Romans 7:6-7 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. “THE ROYAL LAW,” & “THE LAW OF LIBERTY” IS “LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF.” James 2:8 (Basic Bible in English) But if you keep the greatest law of all, as it is given in the holy Writings, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself, you do well: James 2:8 (Contemporary English Version) You will do all right, if you obey the most important law in the Scriptures. It is the law that commands us to love others as much as we love ourselves. James 2:8 (Geneva Bible 1587) But if yee fulfill the royall Lawe according to the Scripture, which saith, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, yee doe well. James 2:8 (Good News Bible) You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” James 2:8 (God’s Word) You are doing right if you obey this law from the highest authority: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” James 2:8 (International Standard Version) Nevertheless, you are doing the right thing if you obey the royal law in keeping with the Scripture, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” James 2:8 (The Message) You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: “Love others as you love yourself.” James 2:8 (New Century Version) This royal law is found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.“ If you obey this law, you are doing right. James 2:8 (New International Readers Version) The royal law is found in Scripture. It says, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18) If you really keep that law, you are doing what is right. James 2:8 (Weymouth New Testament) If, however, you are keeping the Law as supreme, in obedience to the Commandment which says “YOU ARE TO LOVE YOUR FELLOW MAN JUST AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF,” you are acting rightly. James 2:8 (Young’s Literal Translation) If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, `Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,’ --ye do well; The kingdom of God is not a list of rules, “Do this! Don’t do that!” God’s kingdom has two simple yet profound laws, Love God supremely and love one another. Sometimes I wonder if when the Seventh-day Adventist gets to heaven if he will look a bit confused. He will see people everywhere bowing before the Lord or “lifting up holy hands” (1 Timothy 2:8) praising God, and this will make this poor Adventist uncomfortable since most Adventist do not know how to praise and worship God. He thought that everyone was going to be somber singing 16th century hymns with no emotional response on their faces with their hands locked at their sides. Adventist do not practice bowing before God, neither do they worship Him with their hands lifted up. Their hymn singing reflect the Victorian age of Ellen White since she condemned all enthusiasm during worship in her writings. I imagine that feeling uncomfortable he will leave that group of people and will begin looking around hoping to find a bill-board with all sorts of rules and regulations posted on it. After all he will want to know what he has to do to maintain his citizenship in heaven since Adventist are conditioned to lack assurance. He will further want to know what he needs to avoid doing so that he does not lose his adoption. When he sees the Tree of Life he might be surprised that there are no dietary laws “Touch not; taste not; handle not” (Colossians 2:21). The rest of us will have to tell him that “No one who loves others will harm them. So love is all that God demands.” (Romans 13:10 - Contemporary English Version). This article is available in with full color in a PDF format. Please write me for a copy of the PDF with its full color pictures. It is offered absolutely free of charge, ye have not only because you ask not! michael.saved.by.grace@gmail.com (Message edited by michaelsavedbygrace on July 19, 2010) |
