The God of the Old Testament (the Word who came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth) created two laws. The first Law was the “one (moral) Law” given from Mt. Sinai (Horeb) which His people, both Israelite and Gentile, must obey in order to receive the promised inheritance of the saints. The second law was added some nine months later “because of transgressions” (Gal. 3:10) of His moral Law. The people refused to obey His Ten Commandment Law which, as we are told in 1 John 3:4, constitutes sin: “To transgress the Law is sin; for sin is the transgression of the Law.” As we are told in Deuteronomy 5:22, God had no intention of adding the blood-required sacrificial law to His moral Law. He was forced to add the sacrificial law because the Israelites refused to obey His moral Law. Rather than kill them He forced them to obey a law that required animal sacrifice whose blood would suffice until He came to earth and died on a cross. That law, referred to in Colossians 2:14 as the “handwriting of ordinances,” was “nailed to the cross” upon His death in 31 A.D. Since then Christ’s shed blood has been the Father’s cleansing agent used to justify truly repentant holiness seekers.

In Isaiah 59:2 we are told that sin separates us from God. For man to be saved and to receive a joint inheritance with Christ (Rom. 8:17), He suffered and died so that the Father would give to the saints His Holy Spirit (power) that would enable them to “… overcome (Satan) as I (Jesus) overcame (him)” and to join Him in God’s kingdom (Rev. 3:21). Jesus was 100% man. Without the power of the Holy Spirit not even He could resist the devil’s temptations to break the Law (sin–1 Jn. 3:4). The Holy Spirit is not available to those who have nailed God’s moral Law to the cross. God will not force man to obey His Law that He conveniently condensed into Ten Commandments and wrote in stone with His finger. He decreed that we must obey each commandment, including #4, in order to be saved upon Christ’s return to earth following the Great Tribulation (Rev. 2:22; 7:14) and the great and terrible Day of the Lord (Joel 2:11,31/ Rev. 6:17). The Law (Genesis to Revelation) is unchangeable, eternal and must be obeyed in letter and spirit (Mat. 4:4) in order to inherit eternal life. Few, Jesus said, would choose to live the righteous, Christ-like life required for salvation (Mat. 7:13,14/ 1 Jn. 2:6). Eternal salvation requires one to die to self and live to God. This law was stated by the Apostle Peter in his first letter to the saints (4:18) where he warned them  (and us) that God commands righteousness in His people, and that “the righteous will scarcely (barely) be saved.” The Apostle John confirmed this rule when he stated that only those who “walk as Jesus walked” (1 Jn. 2:16) and “purify themselves as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3) will qualify to sit with Him on His throne in the Kingdom of God (Rev. 3:21).

The Institutional Church rejects these Scriptures. Having itching ears, they have hired to themselves leaders who tell them what they want to hear (2 Tim. 4:3)–that they are already saved, rapture-ready and have a mansion reserved for them in heaven where their ancestors eagerly await their arrival. Not one word of which is Biblical, as I have proved time and again using the very Word Satan’s false prophets claim to preach. Because their trusting congregations refuse to study that Bible for Truth, both leaders and followers have entered Satan’s wide gate (the Institutional Church) and walk his broad (liberal) way oblivious to the fact that they are headed toward a fiery future. Only honest Bible study with a heart to believe and obey what is written therein will prevent them from being burned to ash (Mal. 4:1-3) following the Lord’s judgment in which He will use the Holy Bible as His standard of judgment (Jn. 12:44-50). As I have frequently stated: EVERYTHING GOES BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD L.J.