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coram_deo 23-Jul-21, 08:54	The Law vs. Grace Before Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, people lived under the Law. But after Jesus came to earth in the form of a man, people have the opportunity to live under Grace. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17) “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12) This thread will look at contrasts between living under the Law, which some Christians sadly (and mistakenly) do today, and living under Grace. Here are examples from the Holy Bible of how people respond to the Law vs. how they respond to Grace. “And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.“ (Luke 18:18-23) But the response to Grace can be seen in the next chapter of Luke: “And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:1-10) Here are excerpts from a great commentary by David Guzik on the conversation between Jesus and the rich ruler and how the ruler responds to the Law: “a. Now a certain ruler: This man is commonly known as the rich young ruler, because he is described as a ruler (Luke 18:18), as rich (Luke 18:23), and as young (Matthew 19:22). We don’t know if his authority was in the world of politics or in the world of religion. b. Good Teacher: This was an impressive and perhaps surprising way to address Jesus. “Good Teacher” was a title never applied to other rabbis in Jesus’ day, because it implied being without sin and complete goodness. Jesus, and everyone else, recognized that Good Teacher was a unique title. i. “There is no instance in the whole Talmud of a rabbi being addressed as ‘Good Master’” (Plummer, cited in Geldenhuys). They insisted on calling God alone “good.” c. What good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life? This question demonstrates that this man, like all people by nature, had an orientation towards earning eternal life. He wanted to know what good work or noble deed he should do to inherit eternal life. d. Why do you call Me good? In this, Jesus did not deny His own goodness. Instead, He asked the man, “Do you understand what you are saying when you call Me good? Because no one is good but One, that is, God.” i. It was as if Jesus said, “You come to Me asking about what good thing you can do to inherit eternal life; but what do you really know about goodness?” “The argument is clear: either Jesus was good, or he ought not to have called him good; but as there is none good but God, Jesus who is good must be God.” (Spurgeon) ii. We might say that the ruler did not really know who Jesus was. If he did, he would humble himself as the tax collector did in the story Jesus told earlier in the chapter (Luke 18:10-14). The following verses show that the ruler also did not really know who he was.” “3. (22-23) Jesus instructs the ruler. So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. a. So when Jesus heard these things: Jesus spoke the following to this one man, in light of who the man was and what he said. This was a specific word for a specific man, yet in principle it has application for all. i. Mark’s account adds something here. Mark wrote: Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him (Mark 10:21). The response of Jesus to this man was said in love – no doubt, because Jesus perceived that he was misguided and empty. One might say that this man had climbed to the top of the ladder of success, only to find his ladder leaned against the wrong building. b. You still lack one thing: Though the man had everything – riches, an outwardly righteous life, respect, and prestige, Jesus could still say to him, “You still lack one thing.” The man had everything but knew that he did not have eternal life – so he really had nothing. c. You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me: Instead of challenging the man’s fulfillment of the law (which Jesus had every right to do), Jesus pointed him to what is commonly called the first table of the law – the laws having to do with our relationship with God. Jesus challenged him to put God first; to fulfill the law to love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). i. In saying, “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me,” Jesus challenged the man to love God more than money and material things. The man failed this challenge. Essentially, this man was an idolater: he loved money and material things more than God. This shows than both tables of the law will test men. ii. Jesus asked the ruler to give up his money because He could see money was an idol. He asked him to give it to the poor because He could see that he didn’t love others the way he should.” enduringword.com And here is an excerpt from David Guzik’s commentary on Zacchaeus’ reaction to Grace: “b. Look, Lord… I restore fourfold: In receiving Jesus and spending just a little time with Him, Zacchaeus knew he had to repent and make restitution. First he just sought after Jesus; but in seeking Jesus he also came to seek repentance. i. Zacchaeus cheerfully offered to do as much or even more than the law demanded. The promise to make restitution to anyone he had wronged was remarkable; “Considering the way he had made his money it was unlikely that this would be a short list.” (Morris) ii. Can a life change this quickly? Yes. Not every habit in the life of Zacchaeus changed immediately, but the heart changed and there was some evidence of life-change immediately. c. Today salvation has come to this house: Jesus knew that the repentant Zacchaeus was saved, rescued from the bondage, power, guilt, and penalty of his sin. The word was no longer sinner but salvation, and Jesus told everyone.” enduringword.com No one can fulfill the Law, and, according to Paul, that was never its purpose, nor did God expect a human being to be able to keep the Law. “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:24-26) But they who want to be justified and inherit eternal life by keeping the Law have to keep it all, they are a “debtor to do the whole law,” according to Paul (Galatians 5:3.) “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” (Galatians 3:10-13) As Jesus Christ Himself said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36) Commentary on John 8:36: “John 8:36 is one of the most inspirational phrases in all of Scripture. While sin enslaves us (John 8:31–32), true freedom is found only in Christ (John 8:31–32). Sin deceives by promising freedom, when all it does is control and corrupt us. Those who don't have faith in Christ are bound by sin (Romans 6:18), and subject not only to slavery, but to spiritual death (John 3:36). Those who find Christ, the one and only source of spiritual truth (John 8:12), will be "truly" free.” www.bibleref.com
coram_deo 23-Jul-21, 13:02	“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4)
coram_deo 23-Jul-21, 14:40	More verses and thoughts on Grace and the Law: “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” (Galatians 5:18) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) Man, imo, cannot keep the Law on his own (through his own self effort) nor was he ever intended to: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:24-26) It’s only by being “born again” (that is being born of the Spirit by accepting Jesus Christ and His gift of no condemnation - see Romans 8:1) that one becomes a child of God and able to live out that new identity with the aid of God’s Holy Spirit, which indwells a new believer at the moment he or she accepts Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Paul warns strongly against trying to mix the Law with Grace: “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:1-14) I think what Paul is saying when he writes, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” is that if someone wants to be justified by the Law (rather than be justified by faith in Christ,) it’s not enough to just obey some of the Law. If you want to be justified by the Law, you’ve got to obey it all - every single part - perfectly. In Paul’s words, if you want to be justified by the Law, you’re “a debtor to do the whole law.” (Galatians 5:3) But does this mean Grace is a license to sin? Of course not! “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:14-16) “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” (Romans 6:18) Paul reminds believers that the strength of sin is in the Law. “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” (1 Corinthians 15:56) Why is the strength of sin found in the Law? Because trying to keep the law through self effort stirs up the flesh. Think of it this way: Suppose you’re in an empty room with five doors and a sign on one of the doors says, “Do not open! Very private!” Which door are you thinking about opening? The sign itself (the Law) isn’t sinful; there’s nothing wrong with the sign. But it’s our reaction to the sign (the Law) that is bad. As Paul says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:” (Romans 7:18a) “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. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” (Romans 7:6-14) “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:22-25)
coram_deo 23-Jul-21, 15:45	Was thinking more about what Paul meant when he said, “the strength of sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56b) and I think it has to do with man’s rebellious nature - tell a man to do something or not do something and his inclination is to resist and do the opposite. This rebellious nature appears in infants and toddlers, which led to the saying, “The terrible 2’s,” so I don’t think it’s a learned behavior. I think it’s in the nature of human beings to be contrary and rebellious. But receiving no condemnation and being set free from the Law dissipates the power of sin because man is no longer trying (and failing) to keep the Law and then feeling guilty at his failures. I think that’s what Jesus meant when He said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36) A man who has become a new creature (creation) in Christ is freed from the Law and the power of sin to serve God. That’s not to say he or she will never sin again - as long as someone is in the flesh, they will occasionally sin. But that won’t be their identity or their true nature. Paul and John, two of Jesus’ apostles, describe a believer’s new identity in these (and other) verses. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) The above verse from 2 Corinthians is sometimes referred to as “the divine exchange” - Jesus Christ took on our sins and the condemnation for them on the Cross and gave to those who believe in Him the righteousness of God. “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17) “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
coram_deo 28-Jul-21, 11:53	Sadly, many Christians are still trying to justify themselves and establish their own righteousness based on self-effort, which is contradictory to the Gospel of Grace established by Jesus Christ’s finished work. “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4) “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:1-3) “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
coram_deo 31-Jul-21, 18:46	Few passages in the Holy Bible (imo) better illustrate the difference between the Law and Grace than this short passage from the Gospel of Luke: “And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.” (Luke 13:10-17) Amazing to me that the ruler of the synagogue thought God would be more pleased by obedience to the “no work on the Sabbath day” rule than in healing a woman who was obviously in distress and a crippling condition for 18 years. But that’s what the Law does to people - it hardens their hearts and puts blinders on their eyes. Here is a commentary on this healing miracle by Jesus: “B. The healing of a woman in a synagogue. 1. (10-13) The healing of a woman in a synagogue. Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. a. He was teaching in one of the synagogues: Though the opposition against Jesus continued to rise, apparently He was still welcomed into some synagogues – even at this late time in His ministry. b. A spirit of infirmity: Apparently, this woman’s physical condition (bent over and could in no way raise herself up) was due to some spiritual cause. We are foolish to think that spiritual issues cause all physical problems, but we are also foolish to think spiritual issues can never cause physical problems. i. Bent over and could in no way raise herself up: “A situation equally painful and humiliating; the violence of which she could not support, and the shame of which she could not conceal.” (Clarke) ii. “The physical cause of her inability to straighten up has been examined by J. Wilkinson, who identified the paralysis as the result of spondylitis ankylopoetica, which produces the fusion of the spinal bones.” (Pate) iii. She was in this condition for eighteen years. “For eighteen years she had not gazed upon the sun; for eighteen years no star of night had gladdened her eye; her face was drawn downward towards the dust, and all the light of her life was dim: she walked about as if she were searching for a grave, and I do not doubt she often felt that it would have been gladness to have found one.” (Spurgeon) iv. This woman is sometimes used as an example of a believer who can be demon possessed. Yet as godly as she may have been, she was not born again by the Spirit of God, because the work of Jesus had not yet been accomplished on the cross. We believe that Christians cannot be demon possessed; not because they are good, church-going people, but because they are new creatures in Jesus Christ, and off limits to demonic possession and control. v. “He must have bound her very cunningly to make the knot hold all that time, for he does not appear to have possessed her. You notice in reading the evangelists that our Lord never laid his hand on a person possessed with a devil. Satan had not possessed her, but he had fallen upon her once upon a time eighteen years before, and bound her up as men tie a beast in its stable, and she had not been able to get free all that while.” (Spurgeon) c. Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity: Jesus spoke a word of both compassion and authority to the woman. He also laid His hands on her, giving a compassionate touch. i. The woman went to synagogue for 18 years and remained in bondage, until she finally met Jesus at the synagogue. d. He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God: Jesus showed His complete mastery of illness and disease and deformity, no matter if the cause were spiritual or physical. The woman was happy she decided to go to the synagogue on that Sabbath day. i. “He might have called to her from a distance, and said, ‘Be healed,’ but he did not, for he wished to show his special sympathy with such a sad case of suffering.” (Spurgeon) 2. (14) The indignation of the synagogue ruler. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” a. The ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation: It may surprise that the ruler of the synagogue was so upset at such a wonderful miracle, but it is important to remember how strongly many of the Jewish people held to their Sabbath laws and customs. He was angry because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. i. “It would seem as if the demon who had left the woman’s body had got into his heart.” (Clarke) b. There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day: The ruler of the synagogue did not have the ability or the authority to heal on any day of the week; yet he objected that Jesus did this on the Sabbath day. i. He said to the crowd: “He had not even the courage to speak directly to Jesus. He addressed his protest to the waiting people, although it was meant for Jesus.” (Barclay) 3. (15-17) Jesus responds to the angry ruler of the synagogue. The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound; think of it; for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. a. Hypocrite! Jesus did not respond with gentleness. With authority he confronted the ruler of the synagogue who valued extreme extensions of Biblical commands more than the compassionate and life-changing power of Jesus to heal a long-afflicted woman. i. “Thou hypocrite to pretend zeal for God’s glory, when it is only the workings of thy malicious, unfeeling, and uncharitable heart.” (Clarke) b. Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? Jesus’ reply was simple. If you can help an animal on the Sabbath, why can’t you also help a suffering person on the Sabbath? i. “The word ‘loose,’ as referring to the untying of the livestock, anticipates a play on words in v. 16; the woman ‘was loosed’ (lythenai) from her sickness.” (Pate) c. So ought not this woman: Jesus gave several compelling reasons why it was appropriate to show her mercy, and more appropriate than helping a distressed animal. · She was a woman – made in the image of God, and because a woman and not a man, worthy of more care and concern. · She was a daughter of Abraham, a Jewish woman, with a covenant connection to Abraham. This may also indicate that she was a woman of faith, as well as her attendance at synagogue. · She was one whom Satan had bound, and every day is a good day to oppose the work of Satan and to set free his captives. · She was afflicted for eighteen years, long enough to suffer greatly and to draw forth the compassion of Jesus and others. d. So ought not this woman… be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath? Jesus used a strong word in the ancient Greek language; the idea was more that she must be loosed than she ought to be loosed. i. “Nobody had told him that she had been eighteen years bound, but he knew all about it, – how she came to be bound, what she had suffered during the time, how she had prayed for healing, and how the infirmity still pressed upon her. In one minute he had read her history and understood her case.” (Spurgeon) e. All His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced: The woman was so obviously healed, and the ruler of the synagogue was so obviously wrong that all rejoiced in Jesus’ victory.” enduringword.com
coram_deo 01-Aug-21, 07:01	Great devotional from Joseph Prince Ministries on why Grace is so important in the here and now: “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:20 - AUGUST 1 - THE POWER OF HIS LOVE AND GRACE Grace is the only thing against which the devil has no defense. If you are living by your self-effort to earn God’s approval, the devil has power over you because he can always point to something that you have not done. This gives him dominion over you. If you claim God’s protection and healing based on what you have done, the devil, who is a master accuser, just has to point to one of your failures, and all your faith implodes. You will disqualify yourself mentally and inwardly from receiving whatever you might be trusting the Lord for. But grace qualifies us for protection. Because Jesus paid the price, we who are in Him have a right to walk in divine health and protection. When the devil accuses you, saying, “How dare you believe God for protection, when you are (he goes on to list your failures),” you just have to point to Jesus’ blood, which has paid for all your failures. With grace as your basis, the God of peace can reign over your fears and impart to you unshakable faith for His protection! Something else happens when you understand His grace—you will also grow in your understanding of how perfectly loved you are by your Father in heaven. God so loved you and me, He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross on our behalf, carrying all our sins upon His own body so that today, we can come boldly to His throne of grace. He did it so that today, we are not as sheep without a shepherd, but we are so deeply loved and cared for by our Abba Father. We are His children and when we call on Him, He WILL answer. We have a God who demonstrated His love for us while we were still sinners—when we had nothing to offer Him but our brokenness, our shame, our sins, and our disqualifications! Oh what perfect love! The Word of God says, ‘There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us’ (1 John 4:18–19). Are you fearful today? Ask yourself this question: Do you know how much God loves you? You see, you can’t reason away fear. But when you have a revelation of His perfect love for you, every fear in your life will be cast out. To the extent that you understand His love for you, you will live fearlessly in dangerous times!”
coram_deo 01-Aug-21, 10:57	Parable on the Law given to Moses vs. Grace that comes from accepting and believing in Jesus Christ - and why the two cannot be mixed. “No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:16-17) Here is David Guzik’s commentary on these verses: “c. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break: With this illustration of the wineskins, Jesus explained that He did not come to repair or reform the old institutions of Judaism, but to institute a new covenant altogether. The new covenant doesn’t just improve the old; it replaces it and goes beyond it. d. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved: Jesus’ reference to the wineskins was His announcement that the present institutions of Judaism could not and would not contain His new wine. He would form a new institution – the church – that would bring Jew and Gentile together into a completely new body (Ephesians 2:16). i. Jesus reminds us that what is old and stagnant often cannot be renewed or reformed. God will often look for new vessels to contain His new work, until those vessels eventually make themselves unusable. This reminds us that the religious establishment of any age is not necessarily pleasing to Jesus. Sometimes it is in direct opposition to, or at least resisting His work. ii. Jesus came to introduce something new, not to patch up something old. This is what salvation is all about. In doing this, Jesus doesn’t destroy the old (the law), but He fulfills it, just as an acorn is fulfilled when it grows into an oak tree. There is a sense in which the acorn is gone, but its purpose is fulfilled in greatness.” enduringword.com
coram_deo 02-Aug-21, 10:07	“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21) The book of Galatians, one of my favorite books of the Bible, talks a lot about the difference between the Law and Grace and how you can’t (I suppose, more accurately, shouldn’t) try to live under both. You’re either free in Jesus Christ or you’re a slave to the Law. And if you’re a slave to the Law, you’ve got to obey it all and obey it all perfectly to be righteous with God.
coram_deo 04-Aug-21, 23:34	From Joseph Prince Ministries: “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:14-15) For all the talk of ‘nuclear disarmament,’ are you aware that there is someone more sinister who has already been disarmed of his power over your life? The Bible says that God has ‘disarmed principalities and powers,’ referring to Satan and his cohorts (Eph. 6:12). So the devil has already been disarmed. But do you know what weapon he was wielding before his forced disarmament? Today's Scripture gives us the answer clearly: the devil was armed with the ‘handwriting of requirements that was against us.’ On Mount Sinai, God wrote the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone. The ‘handwriting of requirements’ was thus a reference to the law that was written by the finger of God. Let me stress that the law is holy, just, and good. It was designed by God to expose man's weaknesses, sins, and inability to be holy, just, and good so that man would see his need for a Savior. You need to understand that no amount of keeping the law can make you holy. Only the blood of Jesus can do that. The devil then armed himself with the law to accuse and condemn man. Now, listen carefully to this: God didn't give the law to arm the devil, but the devil, knowing that the law was against us, took advantage of it and has been using it as his weapon to further alienate us from God. That's why when God nailed the law to the cross, He made a public spectacle of the devil and all the powers of darkness! Once the law was nailed to the cross of Jesus, God knew that the law no longer had the power to condemn us as long as we believed on Jesus. Therefore, when you know and believe that Jesus has fulfilled completely the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf, the devil cannot use the law to condemn you every time you fail. Today, if the enemy uses the law to point out your sins, look to the cross of Jesus and reject the condemnation. You may say, ‘No one can blot out God's handwriting.’ Yes, you are right. No man can, but God can! And God did it righteously. My friend, you have been redeemed from the curse of the law. The devil and his crew have been disarmed. Hallelujah! Refuse to subject yourself any longer to the old covenant system of the law. Don't put the weapon of the law back into the devil's hands. Every teaching that says, ‘You have to keep the law to be blessed by God,’ is doing just that. Reject such legalistic teachings and rest in the truth of God's disarmament and grace. The more you believe and embrace the truth of His grace, the more you are empowered to experience victory over your failings and challenges. This is how you reign, and when you reign, the devil doesn't!”
coram_deo 07-Aug-21, 10:37	This devotional from Joseph Prince Ministries includes testimony from a brother who saw his life transformed when he stopped living under the Law and began living under Grace. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 NASB - AUGUST 7 - THE SECRET TO OVERCOMING CONDEMNATION I don’t know about you, but when I read the Bible, I feel encouraged that the apostle Paul—the trailblazing apostle of grace that he was—faced the same struggles with the flesh and with condemnation that you and I face today. Who among us cannot totally identify with his frustrated cry of ‘ . . . the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice . . . O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?’ (Rom. 7:19, 24). When Paul was struggling under the law, he was condemned again and again (you can read Paul’s account of his struggle in Romans 7). But thank God, Paul does not stop there. He goes on to show us in today’s scripture that we can counter the accuser’s attacks because there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! That is it, my friend—even when there is sin, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, period. There are no conditions and no prerequisites. Jesus has already been condemned for all our sins. It’s all about His finished work and none of man’s efforts. He Himself is the answer to Paul’s cry for help. Hallelujah! When the accuser comes to condemn you for all your faults, declare yourself righteous because of what Jesus has done and because His blood cleanses you continually. Remind yourself that the Holy Spirit was sent to convict you of your righteousness apart from works. The declaration is true every moment, every day. It is true in the morning. It is true in the night. And when tomorrow comes, it is still true. There is presently, continuously, no condemnation for you because you are in Christ! Here’s how liberating God’s grace is. A brother named Jeff wrote and told me of how he had been severely depressed for almost 10 months, and became so introspective and self-conscious that he had anxiety attacks. He focused on his actions and failures and allowed his condemning thoughts to define his identity and sense of worth. Hungry and desperate for answers from the Lord, he read the Bible and many books on theology, listened to sermons by various preachers, and researched Bible topics online. Yet, when he tried to apply all this knowledge to his life, none of it worked. He still felt depressed, defeated, and worthless. Then, he discovered the gospel of grace through one of my books, and this is what he experienced: Pastor Prince, the huge burden of trying to live up to the law for almost a decade, and which led to my depression, was finally lifted! I was already a Christian, but I was only set free after I discovered the true meaning of grace and being saved. It was such a simple shift in perspective that I can’t believe I didn’t know this before! It’s not our ability to obey in our thoughts, but it’s Christ’s obedience. Because I now know that I’m righteous in Christ and that God no longer condemns me because of Jesus, I have no more fears as my focus is now on Him and not me! I am now even more confident and joyful than I was before the depression had even started! Beloved, what will give you the boldness to go to God is the knowledge that today, He is ever gracious and He sees you completely righteous. What will cause you to go boldly before His throne of grace is the knowledge that He will never condemn you because you are in Jesus Christ! Praise be to God, there is therefore now—presently and continuously—no condemnation for those who are in Christ. This is the Word of God for you today!”
coram_deo 10-Aug-21, 08:56	In this passage from Galatians (one of my favorite books of the Holy Bible,) Paul relates how he had to confront Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles, because Peter was allowing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be tainted by self righteousness via Law keeping: “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 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? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 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. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:11-21)
coram_deo 10-Aug-21, 09:06	This verse from Galatians is comparable to the passage in which Jesus Christ says new wine cannot be put into old bottles, and a new piece of cloth cannot be sewn onto an old garment: "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (Galatians 5:9) Here’s a good commentary on this verse: “Would Paul's readers think he was making too big of a deal out of the issue of circumcision? Earlier, the Galatians had accepted Paul's teachings (Galatians 5:7). They'd accepted that salvation was by faith alone, before being distracted by a claim that rituals and circumcision were also required (Galatians 2:4). Paul has asked the Galatians who was leading them astray. Paul was making it personal now, suggesting, in essence, that they name names. This man was a false teacher, and his teaching should not be allowed to stand among them. Paul now shares a familiar proverb meant to illustrate his point, and to show that his concern is not overblown. Leaven—or yeast—does not remain isolated in a single spot within a lump of dough. It spreads and becomes part of the entire loaf. In a similar way, false teaching and its consequences are never limited to just a few people in a group. It is either rejected—and removed—or it works its way into the thoughts and practices of the whole group. False ideas are contagious; they spread and take hold. Paul desperately wants the Galatian believers to identify the false teaching about adding works to faith in Christ, so that they can remove it from among them.” www.bibleref.com
coram_deo 11-Aug-21, 11:19	This passage from the Gospel of Luke dispels (imo) the notion that someone earns salvation by keeping the Law or doing good works. Good works are a result of being saved and receiving God’s Holy Spirit, but they’re not the basis upon which someone is saved. When Jesus Christ was crucified, His cross was in between the crosses of two thieves, and while Jesus and the thieves hung on their crosses, this conversation took place, according to the Gospel of Luke: “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43) The thief who was saved was saved after professing faith in Jesus Christ. There’s no mention of him being baptized or doing good works (though I think everyone does at least a few good works if they live long enough.) I think the thief getting saved hours before his death as he hung on a cross shows the truthfulness of these verses from Ephesians: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
coram_deo 16-Aug-21, 08:51	“Grace Leads to True Repentance” Excerpt from a sermon by Pastor Joseph Prince. youtu.be This video is about seven minutes long.
coram_deo 20-Aug-21, 10:25	Great sermon excerpt on the unexpected way that believers fall from Grace: youtu.be This video is about 13 minutes long.
coram_deo 24-Aug-21, 09:00	I think this article accurately reflects the Holy Bible’s position. From compellingtruth.org “Why is there so much conflict among Christians about law vs. grace? Some Christians read the Bible and conclude that only by grace can anyone be saved. Others determine that the law must be kept, and still others say that keeping the law leads to the grace which saves. Because this issue has to do with the way of salvation, the conflict over different views can be intense. It is important to understand ‘the law’ refers to God's rules, His standards. Generally ‘the law’ is a reference to the Mosaic law, starting with the Ten Commandments and including civil, ceremonial, and moral laws. In discussions of law vs. grace today, most use ‘the law’ to refer only to the Mosaic moral law. Others consider ‘the law’ to mean obedience to God or good works in a more general sense, but still with the idea that some type of rule-following is necessary to merit salvation. God gave the Mosaic law to the people of Israel to set them apart from the nations around them, to define righteousness, and to define sin (Ezra 10:11; Romans 5:13; 7:7). There is no way, just no way, that any person could keep the law perfectly (Romans 3:10–20). That is one reason for God to reveal the law—to show that the righteousness He requires is unobtainable by our efforts, and to show that a Savior is needed. The law was proven unable to change the heart of people (Romans 8:3). In fact, religious leaders wielded it to expand their power and oppress and overwhelm those who desired to follow it (Luke 11:46; Mark 7:7–9). The book of Hebrews goes into great detail explaining how the sacrificial system of the Mosaic law was intended to expire. It was a shadow of the sacrifice of Jesus. Paul explains the inability of the law to save in Galatians. Galatians 2:16 says, ‘yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.’ Galatians 3:2–3 says, ‘Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?’ Salvation is not by works or law, but by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–10). Remember, God does not change (Numbers 23:19). He's always embodied grace (Psalm 116:5; Joel 2:13). God provided grace by establishing the sacrificial system to cover sin committed by not following the law. He provided Jesus during the time of the law to be the ultimate sacrifice for salvation of all people who call on him (Luke 22:19–20; Romans 10:9). Jesus declared that He came to fulfill the law, not abolish it (Matthew 5:17). God has always saved people through their faith in Him (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1–25). Through Jesus, everyone who calls on Him, who believes, is declared righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 9:15). Sometimes people dislike the teaching that salvation is by grace because it chips at human pride. We like to think we could be good enough to earn God's favor. It takes humility to understand that we are so dead in sin that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves (Ephesians 2:1–5). Admitting our need for God's grace means we are not in control and we are not as righteous as we'd often like to believe we are. Sometimes people are concerned that preaching salvation by grace through faith will result in lawlessness. Paul addresses this concern: ‘What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?’ (Romans 6:1–2). Paul writes that it is God's grace that frees us from the law's bondage (Romans 7:6) and empowers us with not only the ability to live righteous, but the desire to as well. God's grace transforms us (2 Corinthians 5:17), not to lawless living, but to true life experienced by living in obedience to Him (John 15:1–11). Obeying the law cannot save us (Romans 3:20; Titus 3:5). We can only be saved through grace (Ephesians 2:8–9). Our righteousness is not due to our own efforts to keep the law (Matthew 5:20–48; Luke 18:18–23)—it's just not possible. Grace comes first, then obedience to God results. God's offer of grace through Jesus, coupled with the power of the Holy Spirit, motivates those who are saved to live in obedience (Matthew 3:8; John 15:14–16; James 2:26; 1 John 3:18, 23–24). ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them’ (Ephesians 2:8–10).
coram_deo 24-Aug-21, 09:02	Oops! Forgot the link. Here’s the link to the above article, “Why is there so much conflict among Christians about law vs. grace?” www.compellingtruth.org
coram_deo 30-Aug-21, 20:04	Great sermon excerpt from Joseph Prince on the Glory of God and the power of God’s Grace over the bondage of the Law. His message on the supremacy of God’s Grace over the Law comes toward the end of this sermon excerpt, which is 13:23 long. www.josephprince.com
coram_deo 31-Aug-21, 05:09	“Blessings Flow Through Grace” Great sermon excerpt from Pastor Joseph Prince. I’ve only seen part 3 of this 3-part series (accidentally watched part 3 first) but plan to watch parts 1 and 2 tonight. Hopefully this link provides access to all 3 parts. www.josephprince.org
coram_deo 04-Nov-21, 10:03	Excellent sermon excerpt on where holiness comes from. It’s NOT from human effort at law keeping. It IS from a Christian recognizing and believing his or her identity in Christ. As Pastor Joseph Prince says, “Right believing will always lead to right living.” youtu.be This sermon excerpt is 14:27 long - and worth every second! ✝️ 👍👍
coram_deo 07-Nov-21, 06:25	This is really a Super Devotional but it belongs in this thread as well. From the Joseph Prince Ministries’ app: Are You Mixed Up? 07 November 2021 By Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts 13:39 To understand the grace of God, it is essential you understand the differences between the old covenant of law and the new covenant of grace. To help you accelerate your understanding of law and grace, I want to share with you one of my favorite scriptures. I have preached this verse around the world, from Hillsong Conference in Sydney, Australia, to Lakewood Church, in Houston, Texas. "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.—John 1:17" The law was given through a servant. Grace and truth came through the Son. The law talks about what man ought to be. Grace reveals Who God is. In the first miracle of Moses, he turned water into blood, resulting in death. In the first miracle of grace, Jesus turned water into wine, resulting in life and celebration. The letter (the law) kills, but the Spirit gives life (see 2 Cor. 3:6). Under the law, God demands righteousness from sinfully bankrupt man. But under grace, God provides righteousness as a gift. Now, which covenant would you like to be under? The answer is obvious! The truth is, through the cross at Calvary, all who believe in Jesus and acknowledge Him as their Lord and Savior are under the new covenant of grace. Yet today many believers are still living in confusion, and get law and grace all mixed up by holding on to some aspects of the law and some aspects of grace in their Christian beliefs and walk. Jesus said you cannot put new wine into old wineskins. The new wine will ferment and break the wineskins, and you will lose both (see Matt. 9:17). In the same way, you cannot put the new wine of grace into the old wineskin of the law. One will cancel out the other (see Rom. 11:6). Under the law, God said, "I will by no means clear the guilty, but I will visit their sins to the third and fourth generations" (see Exod. 34:7). But under grace, God says, "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more" (see Heb. 8:12). There has been a change! Can you see with absolute high-definition clarity that there has been a radical change and it is all because of Jesus? Choose to live wholly under the new covenant of grace today, where through Christ's perfect finished work at the cross, you have God's righteousness as a gift, and God's own Spirit of life leading you to victory over areas of defeat.

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