Though extensive, God’s forgiving grace does have its limits as Hebrews 10:26-31 attests. Here God tells us that to continue to sin (break His Law-1 Jn. 3:4) following true conversion nullifies the effect of Jesus’ death on the cross, leaving the “sinning saint” condemned on the day of judgment. Hebrews 6:4-6 tells us that sinners in the church “fall away” from God by sinning, and in so doing crucify Christ “afresh” (again) with each sin. The Counterfeit Church does not believe these Scriptures, but rather insists that Jesus’ death and the New Covenant give her the right to sin with impunity. By granting herself such rights, she has made Him her sin enabler, her “minister of sin” (Gal. 2:17).

Let us return to the Sinai Desert and to the mountain named for it. After the Lord gave His people the Ten Command- ments as His guide for their lives He “added no more” to them (Deut. 5:1-22) in that they were complete as written in stone. Several months later He gave them a law that entailed blood sacrifice and various rituals. Did the Word Who became Jesus Christ intend to institute the blood and ritual law all along? Let Him answer: “I desire mercy and NOT SACRIFICE; and the knowledge of God more than BURNT OFFERINGS” (Hos. 6:6). In Hebrews 10:5 Paul quoted Psalms 40:6-8 in which the Lord made it clear that He never intended to impose animal sacrifices, etc. on His people. He had required only that they obey His Ten Commandment Law. In Isaiah 1:11 the Lord sums up His attitude toward blood sacrifices: “I DELIGHT NOT in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.” Why then, did He require sacrifices and rituals in the form of the “… law that was added?” (Gal. 3:19). Paul tells us: “What purpose then does the (sacrificial) law serve? It was ADDED because of TRANSGRESSIONS (breaking of the Ten Commandment Law-1 Jn. 3:4) until the Seed (Jesus) should come” to end the need for the “added” sacrificial/ceremonial law. The blood sacrifices instituted in the desert of Sin were given to COVER the Israelites sins (Law-breaking). Hundreds of years later God would end the sacrificial system by using the blood of His son to totally ERASE, not merely cover the sins of God-seekers. The Law identifies sin. Jesus died to set us free FROM SIN, not free TO SIN. The Holy Spirit within us enables us to STAY FREE OF SIN, thereby avoiding the penalty of sin–death. If we fail to remain cleansed of sin after justification (removal of all PAST sins-Rom.3:25), death is the result. Unfortunately, the Counterfeit Church rejects God’s plan, insisting that she can sin and get away with it due to Adam’s sin gene that inhabits her spiritual DNA. Having been convinced by Satan that she is saved and can’t be unsaved due to sins that she must commit, the church sees only heaven in her future. Great will be her fall, the Lord says.

Rather than accumulating blessings for the sin-saturated church system, God is storing up His wrath toward her (Rom. 2:5) as she continues to sin by rejecting His Word and therefore Himself and His Father (Jn. 12:48). How could He be pleased with those who call Him “Lord, Lord” then deliberately transgress His “holy, just and good” Law? Remember Hebrews 10:26-31 which ends with a warning about falling into the hands of the living God Who will repay those who reject Him. On Judgment Day Jesus will say to the masses of happy, expectant believers gathered before Him who will call Him “Lord, Lord” and remind Him of all the “wonderful works” they had done in “Your name:” “I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work iniquity (Lawlessness)” (Mat. 7:23). The five foolish virgins arrived at the door of the wedding hall assured that they would be welcomed inside. “Lord, Lord,” they said, “open the door for us.” “I do not know you,” came the voice from within (Mat. 24:1-11).

One has to wonder why, of all the Scriptures found in the Bible, only the Ten Commandments were written by the Lord personally, with His finger, in stone. And why Moses had to fast 40 days and nights to receive them, the same length of time Jesus fasted before beginning His ministry. Could there be a connection among Jesus, His Law, His ministry, His apostles’ ministries and the Church of God? And why was the Law the only written material to be placed inside the Ark? And why is it called the Ark of the Covenant? What is the Covenant? It is the Ten Commandments by which God guides His people to this day. The Ten Commandment Law (including #4) reveals God’s will for those who would be His for eternity. As such it is unchangeable, indestructible, eternal, and as rock solid as the Rock (1 Cor. 10:4) Who wrote it with His finger on stone so many years ago.

God calls His Ten Commandments His part of “the covenant”–the agreement He has made with those who would be His (Exo.19:3-6). The Ark was designed to hold His part of the covenant inviolate forever. The New Covenant God made with His church contains the same Ten Commandments, only now they are written in the believer’s heart (Jer. 31:31-33). The Holy Spirit also resides there in order to empower the saint to obey the Law “from the heart” (mind), thereby keeping the believer at one with the Lord of the universe. As long as he/she does so, God, through His Holy Spirit, remains in him/her (Gal. 3:23-25/Rev. 19:31).

Only the Godhead knows where the Law is physically located. I believe They hid it to prevent man, using hammer and chisel, from changing the Fourth Commandment. Satan, knowing that #4 is God’s test commandment, has convinced the church to reject it and to substitute another day–Sunday–the day the heathen worship the sun god–Tammuz (Eze. 8).

God gave the Israelites the Law as His covenant with them. They only had to obey it to remain in His favor. The Scriptures reveal that it is also available to Gentiles who wish to become part of the Commonwealth of Israel–His church–“… the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16). To be continued. Contact me at LPJ4142@gmail.com or P.O. Box 2353 Athens, TX 75751 U.S.A or (903) 677-5642.