Saturday, February 09, 2013

Galatians 3:15-18


15 To speak in terms of human relations, brethren, [if] even a man makes a last will and testament (a merely human covenant), no one sets it aside or makes it void or adds to it when once it has been drawn up and signed (ratified, confirmed).

16 Now the promises (covenants, agreements) were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, his Heir). He [God] does not say, And to seeds (descendants, heirs), as if referring to many persons, but, And to your Seed (your Descendant, your Heir), obviously referring to one individual, Who is [none other than] Christ (the Messiah).

Because we are members (parts) of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:30-32

So even though the promise was made for Jesus, we are now one with Him. The two of us are now one flesh. So everything that Jesus has, so do we. There is no separation between us. 

17 This is my argument: The Law, which began 430 years after the covenant [concerning the coming Messiah], does not and cannot annul the covenant previously established (ratified) by God, so as to abolish the promise and make it void.

What we are shown here is that Faith came before the Law. Abraham was empowered by the Lord to believe before there ever were any do these things and don’t do those things. Jesus authoring and finishing our faith came centuries before the Ten Commandments. Moses was given the Law, the Ten Commandments, 430 years after Jesus ate with Abraham and told him of the Covenant that God was making with him through faith. Faith has existed far longer than the Law and works. Faith also brings us peace and joy, while laws bring only condemnation, fear, and failure.   
    
18 For if the inheritance [of the promise depends on observing] the Law [as these false teachers would like you to believe], it no longer [depends] on the promise; however, God gave it to Abraham [as a free gift solely] by virtue of His promise.
    
Our oneness with Jesus does not depend on any laws. There is absolutely no work of our own that gives us life and there is no work or religious law that we must keep that keeps us alive in Christ. So many believe that laws help us live better lives, but the Truth is they do not. I have been in many churches and have heard many laws preached. I have also seen the misery of the congregations as they attempt to keep these rules. They feel condemned as they are told what they must do. These laws cause people to hide who they really are. They become phony with each other as they fellowship. They condemn others because they feel condemned themselves; they do this because misery loves company. 

The Truth will set us free though and the Truth is that there is now only One Law and that is Love. It is an easy yoke to be born and it is pleasant and not harsh, Matthew 11:30. It is easy because it is Jesus within us causing us to Love as He Loves, John 17:26. Christ causes us to be more then conquerors through Love, Romans 8:37. Our Father is Love and through Christ we are now one with Him, 1 John 4:8.  We cannot help but triumph in Love. The glorious Truth for us is that it is Jesus within us causing us to do exactly what our Father wants from us. We are never left alone or forsaken by our Lord, Hebrews 13:5, so there is now absolutely no condemnation for us, Romans 8:1. If there are any works for us to do, it is our Father within us doing them, John 14:10. 

Here is the message of Christ: Jesus Alone Is Responsible To Make Sure That We Succeed. 


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