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Monday, November
9, 2009
Dealing With The Law
Acts 15:1-4 And certain men which came
down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised
after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. (2) When therefore Paul and
Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined
that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to
Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. (3) And being
brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and
Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great
joy unto all the brethren. (4) And when they were come to Jerusalem, they
were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they
declared all things that God had done with them. (KJV)
Paul after his conversion, a conversion
from the old law into the new law of faith, was confronted often with those
that desired to hang onto the old and not walk in the newness of life in
Christ. As we go along this week, you will see that some of the opposition
came from those who were perceived as pillars in the Church; something you
too will experience in your walk in the Spirit as well.
Acts 15:5-8 But there rose up certain of
the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to
circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. (6) And the
apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. (7) And
when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men
and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us,
that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and
believe. (KJV)
Up to the day of Pentecost when the
Spirit of God was poured out (now the believers in Christ have access to
the throne of God anytime) the Holy Spirit would come upon people and they
would speak or prophesy, then the Spirit would depart. Many, even those
that were in position of authority, were not totally aware of what had
taken place, and the newness and liberty we have in Christ apart from the
law. Today, you will see and encounter many of the same situations that Paul
did; only now you can exchange circumcision with say water baptism. Even
though there are still some die hard staunch believers of the Old Testament
law still around many draw the line when it comes time for circumcision,
but they will consider baptism still in play. Either way, no matter how the
works of the old law manifest, it is still a dead end for those that truly
desire to move forward in their walk.
Acts 15:8-11 And God, which knoweth the
hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto
us; (9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts
by faith. (10) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck
of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? (11) But
we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be
saved, even as they. (KJV)
Paul would go on to write in the book of
Ephesians that we are saved by grace through faith and not of ourselves.
The grace of God, sending His Son on our behalf, having done a complete
work in redeeming us from the curse of the old law, eliminates any boasting
on man’s part. No matter how the old law and its dead rituals manifest,
water baptisms or communion services, it’s all outward outdated things that
were nailed to our Lord’s cross and eliminated. How are you dealing with
the law today; have you eliminated it so that you can walk by the new law
of faith?
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