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Tuesday, November
17, 2009
Moving On
Acts 21:24-27 Them take, and purify
thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their
heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed
concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly,
and keepest the law. (25) As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have
written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they
keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from
strangled, and from fornication. (26) Then Paul took the men, and the next
day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the
accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should
be offered for every one of them. (27) And when the seven days were almost
ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple,
stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, (KJV)
What happens when you hang around people
that still hold to outward rituals? Well, if you desire to keep in good
standing with them then you will have to come into agreement with their way
of thinking. Here we see Paul trying to get back into the temple, observing
the old law again, something that just was no longer in play. You know
folks, an offering has already been made for all mankind; so whatever was
being offered in verse 26, well, let’s just say it would have been to no
avail.
Acts 21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel,
help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the
people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into
the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. (KJV)
Obviously this group of people were not
quite ready to accept the fact that, in the Lord’s realm there is no longer
Jew nor Greek, or anything else in the outward that has any bearing on
salvation. I believe this was the last straw as far as Paul was concerned,
and how he was able to move on from this experience and write the things he
did concerning the law and its ineffective ways that are no longer in play.
Galatians 2:14-16 But when I saw that
they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto
Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of
Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live
as do the Jews? (15) We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the
Gentiles, (16) Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,
but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ,
that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of
the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (KJV)
Paul found out that this mixing and
matching stuff just wasn’t working any more, things that some considered
still in play for the Jews but not others. Today not much has changed
either, and for you to move on in your walk with the Lord you will find the
liberty is in Christ apart from the deeds of the law.
Hebrews 6:1-2 Therefore leaving the
principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not
laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God, (2) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and
of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (KJV)
In order for you to move on to
perfection, maturity in Christ, you will have to leave these dead doctrines
behind, as well as dead people that still hold more to outward rituals rather
than to an inward daily renewing of the Holy Ghost. God bless and keep
moving forward.
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