Grace through faith AND the law dont mix?
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When we look at the verse before that says that Jesus fulfilled the law - we can see more clearly what He meant IMO about those that relax the law as you put it. No one is saying that "now murder is good"..etc.
Matthew 5:17 (NASB)
[SUP]17 [/SUP] "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
Because we are in Christ now - He has fulfilled the law for us and now His life in us will not lead us to murder..etc. We have His love in us which is why love is the fulfillment of the Law.
We don't need to keep the law in order to be saved. Jesus did that for us by His grace through faith alone. We live now from His life inside of us - not by keeping rules.
F
Tell me, who is it that relaxes the commandments and teaches others to do the same? Who do we see doing that? I'll answer for you. It's those who slice and dice the Law, reducing it to something they feel is “doable” by themselves. They cheapen Gods Law, robbing it of its power.
It’s certainly not those who are under grace and understand what that means who are doing that. Quite the contrary. We do not teach cheap Law that reduces Gods demands to make it doable. We are doing exactly what Jesus said those who will be called great in the Kingdom would do.
It’s certainly not those who are under grace and understand what that means who are doing that. Quite the contrary. We do not teach cheap Law that reduces Gods demands to make it doable. We are doing exactly what Jesus said those who will be called great in the Kingdom would do.
S
Amen!
I believe a Christian can live just like a lost person to the point that you can't tell them apart. God does not make a believer "abide" in Him. This is about our service (discipleship). IF we choose to abide in Him after we are saved, we will bear the fruits of the Spirit. If not we won't. There are all different levels of this. But the abiding is not what saves us or keeps us saved. The fruits of the Spirit are.....
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: (Galatians 5)
The only way a Christian can bear the fruits of the Spirit is by abiding in Christ (John 15:1-8).
I believe abiding means to meditate on Him and His Words to us. To continue or remain in the knowledge of His grace, and embrace His truth daily. Without this we cannot be "sanctified by the Word", and will not be renewed in our thinking. These things are not automatic when we are saved, it takes cooperation on our part. No cooperation, no fruit.
I believe a Christian can live just like a lost person to the point that you can't tell them apart. God does not make a believer "abide" in Him. This is about our service (discipleship). IF we choose to abide in Him after we are saved, we will bear the fruits of the Spirit. If not we won't. There are all different levels of this. But the abiding is not what saves us or keeps us saved. The fruits of the Spirit are.....
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: (Galatians 5)
The only way a Christian can bear the fruits of the Spirit is by abiding in Christ (John 15:1-8).
I believe abiding means to meditate on Him and His Words to us. To continue or remain in the knowledge of His grace, and embrace His truth daily. Without this we cannot be "sanctified by the Word", and will not be renewed in our thinking. These things are not automatic when we are saved, it takes cooperation on our part. No cooperation, no fruit.
The apostle John tells us exactly what God's commandments are for us in relation to salvation.
1 John 3:23-24 (NASB)
[SUP]23 [/SUP] This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
[SUP]24[/SUP] The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
We can only love because He first loved us. Love is not a product of the flesh. We can not generate love from ourselves. Love is a fruit of the Spirit.
1 John 3:23-24 (NASB)
[SUP]23 [/SUP] This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
[SUP]24[/SUP] The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
We can only love because He first loved us. Love is not a product of the flesh. We can not generate love from ourselves. Love is a fruit of the Spirit.
Romans 7:4-6
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
[SUP]5 [/SUP]For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]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.
Galatians 3:24-25
[SUP]24 [/SUP]Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
[SUP]25 [/SUP]But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
What happens when people try to mix Grace through faith and law?
Galatians 3:2-3
[SUP]2 [/SUP]This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
[SUP]3 [/SUP]Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Romans 9:31-32
[SUP]31 [/SUP]But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
[SUP]32 [/SUP]Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
I suppose if clear scripture has not convinced you then no one will.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
[SUP]5 [/SUP]For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]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.
Galatians 3:24-25
[SUP]24 [/SUP]Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
[SUP]25 [/SUP]But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
What happens when people try to mix Grace through faith and law?
Galatians 3:2-3
[SUP]2 [/SUP]This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
[SUP]3 [/SUP]Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Romans 9:31-32
[SUP]31 [/SUP]But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
[SUP]32 [/SUP]Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
I suppose if clear scripture has not convinced you then no one will.
Yes..I can see what you are saying and I agree it is definitely good to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. We do need that in order to be "set apart" from the craziness in this world and we do need our outward behavior to reflect what has already happened to us in our new creation - the inner man created in Christ in righteousness and holiness.
To me "abiding " is descriptive of one that is in Christ. We are in Christ but as you say we do need to be renewed in our mind to who we are in Christ now and to what He did for us. It's the old "behold Christ as in a mirror - we see ourselves and the Holy Spirit changes us " 2 Cor. 3:17-18
I wrote about this abiding in another place...let me see if I can find it.
To me "abiding " is descriptive of one that is in Christ. We are in Christ but as you say we do need to be renewed in our mind to who we are in Christ now and to what He did for us. It's the old "behold Christ as in a mirror - we see ourselves and the Holy Spirit changes us " 2 Cor. 3:17-18
I wrote about this abiding in another place...let me see if I can find it.
Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
The Lord Jesus is very "convincing" on the law. But you aren't understanding what He is saying.
Romans 9:31-21
[SUP]31 [/SUP]But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
[SUP]32 [/SUP]Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
So if we can't attain righteousness, or perfection, by our works at the law, how then???
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Ephesians 2:8-9
[SUP]8 [/SUP]For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The Lord Jesus is very "convincing" on the law. But you aren't understanding what He is saying.
Romans 9:31-21
[SUP]31 [/SUP]But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
[SUP]32 [/SUP]Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
So if we can't attain righteousness, or perfection, by our works at the law, how then???
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Ephesians 2:8-9
[SUP]8 [/SUP]For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Amen..
And even we cannot keep those 2 commandments to love God and to love others. Only God can do these 2 things. They are the greatest commandments "in the law". Jesus fulfilled these 2 commandments for us too. We are in Him and as we grow in His grace and knowledge - His life in us will reflect out to love God and others.
The Christian life is all about Christ living in and through us in an exchanged life.
And even we cannot keep those 2 commandments to love God and to love others. Only God can do these 2 things. They are the greatest commandments "in the law". Jesus fulfilled these 2 commandments for us too. We are in Him and as we grow in His grace and knowledge - His life in us will reflect out to love God and others.
The Christian life is all about Christ living in and through us in an exchanged life.
