=lightbearer;3584866]
Paul is talking about the Law, given through Moses
for the justification of sins. What "LAW" was required through Moses for the atonement of sins? Was it not the Levitical Priesthood with it's sacrificial "Deeds" and "Works of the Law" for the atonement of sins?
But now Jesus was their High Priest, He shed His own Blood for their sins. Therefore it is
no more of "works" of the Law, but of faith in the Blood of Christ.
Rom. 3:
27 Where
is boasting then? It is excluded.
By what law?
of works?
Nay:
but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by (the law of) faith without the
deeds of the law. (of works)
Did I bring my prize goat to the Levite Priest
to pay for my sins? No, there is no more boasting. But there is still a Law.
A Law of faith. "Thou shall Love the Lord your God with all your might and All your Soul, and Thou shall love thy Neighbor as thyself. And the Law and the Prophets teach us how to properly follow this "Law of Faith".
This is what is required for the remission of sins, not the "deeds" of the Old Priesthood.
As Paul explains;
Acts 26:
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa,
I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus,
and at Jerusalem,
and throughout all the coasts of Judaea,
and then to the Gentiles, that
they should repent and
turn to God, and
do works meet for repentance.
We still have to do something as Paul says, it's just not the "Deeds" of Priesthood Laws given by Moses
for the remission of sins.
Eph. 2:
8 For by grace are ye saved
through faith;
and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9 Not of (Mans) works, lest any
man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Without Faith, there is no Grace. Without works, there is no Faith. Since "mans" Work means nothing, that leaves God's Work. Since we know He no longer requires the Levitical Priesthood "works of the Law" to cover our transgressions, rather, Faith in His Blood, what "Good Works" are left that He "before ordained" for us to walk in?
The Law of Faith. But how do we Love God? and How do we Love our Neighbor? That is where the Law and Prophets come in that Jesus said would be as long as heaven and earth are here.
It's really simple, it's just that the serpent has disguised itself as ministers of righteousness and muddied the water, as we were warned it would do.
I'm sorry my friend, but how can this be true if the Bible is our source?
I understand that this is a popular teaching, but the Pharisees Didn't Love God with all their Heart, they didn't Love their Neighbor as themselves. They didn't use just measures, I mean the list goes on and on. they didn't follow the Letter of the Law or they would have done these things like Jesus said.
Matt. 23:
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,
and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, (Law of) judgment, (Law of) mercy, and (Law of ) faith: these ought ye to have done,
and not to leave the other undone.
Had they followed "the letter of the Law" they would have known this, but they didn't.
Matt. 15:
3 But he answered and said unto them,
Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth,
and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Not the letter of God's Laws)
Rom. 1:
21 Because that, when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
25 Who
changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
No my friend, I could post scripture after scripture from the Old Testament Prophesies regard the Priests, to Jesus who actually said their father was the devil, to Paul who never said he was following God's Laws as a Pharisee, rather their laws.
The Pharisees were not trying to follow the "Letter of God's Law". Zechariahs followed God's Laws as it is written, and I might note that he knew Jesus when He came, but the Pharisees didn't.
I truly hope you haven't been infected by this "Leaven of the Mainstream religion". A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
I don't think this is what Paul implied here. What were the "works of the Law" necessary for a man to be made righteous?
This is missing in your post LB. The Pharisees had created a religion centered around the "Priesthood" and the "works of the Law" necessary for the atonement of sins. Not all, but most refused to accept what the "works" foreshadowed. Which was the sacrifice of the Christ. Had they followed the "Letter of the Law" they would have known about God's Love, and how to Love your brother, and how to love your neighbor.
But they rejected the Word. Changed His Glory into an image made like unto man. They changed the Truth of God into a lie, according to Paul.
They worshipped their "Priesthood" more than the Creator of the Priesthood. Read Romans chapter 1 and tell me how this translates into the Pharisees following the "Letter of the Law". Post EVERY WORD Jesus ever said about the Pharisees and tell me how this translates into they were following the "The Letter of the Law".
The Jews had corrupted God's Word, including the Priesthood Laws, they sought righteousness by these "works of the Law" as Paul says.
Zechariahs didn't do this. And He knew Jesus when He came because Jesus is the same always. He was faithful in His Promise to open the eyes of those who Follow God's Commandments, as the story of Zechariahs proves.
John 14:
21 He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him,
and will manifest myself to him.
and again;
John 8:
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father,
even God.
42 Jesus said unto them,
If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
No LB my friend. The Pharisees that murdered and prosecuted the Prophets, that killed the Messiah and Stephen, that placed Heavy burdens on the backs of the people, were
not following the Letter of God's Laws, they
weren't trying to "follow the Letter" of God's Laws. They didn't Love God with all their heart.
Caleb, Abel, Rehab, all the examples of Faith in Hebrews 11, Zechariahs, the Wise Men, these all strived to obey their God. But the Pharisees did not.
I know that this untruth, started by the master deceiver, has influenced "many" people who come in His name.
I truly respect your opinion, and I mean no disrespect. But I don't see how the Bible confirms the preaching that the Pharisees were trying to follow "the Letter of God's Laws". I don't believe it is there.