In the eighth chapter of his letter to the church at Rome, the Apostle Paul proclaimed that after making Jesus His LORD and MASTER, learning how to use the power of the Holy Spirit to obey Him, thereby placing himself spiritually IN CHRIST, there was THEN no condemnation (vs 1) from the Lord for his PAST sins (Rom. 3:25). “Now” that he was able to “walk after” (obey) the voice of the Holy Spirit which abode within him, Satan could no longer ENTICE him to break God’s Law–to sin (1 Jn. 3:4). He could NOW use the Spirit’s power to deflect the devil’s “fiery darts” of temptation. Read Romans 8:2-8 before continuing. This very important passage proves that the Law that produces life is the same Law that produces death, and that man chooses whether to “walk after the Spirit,” exhibit holiness and live spiritually, or “walk after the flesh,” exhibit unholiness and die spiritually. There is no gray area.
In verse two Paul states that THE LAW THAT WAS DESIGNED TO BRING LIFE (if obeyed) was the same Law that brings death (if not obeyed). The Holy Spirit had made him free from the Law of sin and death by enabling him to resist Satan’s pull on his flesh which had brought spiritual death. because he continued to yield to its pull.
In verse three Paul speaks about the effect the Law had on his life AFTER He met Jesus on the Damascus road, but BEFORE he was truly converted–mature in the Lord. Romans 7:14-24 tells us what he went through to get to where, in 8:1, he could say that he had been freed from Satan’s power over him and could “NOW” walk in (under the power of) the Holy Spirit. In verse three he states that, in his previous spiritual condition (7:14-24) the Law could not help him because it was “weak through the flesh.” Here is another passage Law-deniers use to “prove” that the Law, being “weak,” had been abolished by God Who “nailed it to the cross” of Christ. The “weak Law” theme also comes to light in Hebrews 8:7,8 where it is written: “For if the first covenant had been FAULTLESS there would have been no need of a second covenant.” Keep in mind that both covenants involved the same Law.
A COVENANT is an agreement between two parties. Each of the parties promises to act in such a way that both parties can benefit. However, if one party does not fulfill its part of the covenant, the other party is not obligated to do its part. God said about Himself, “I am the Lord; I change not” (Mal. 3:6). This means that His will does not change. He sometimes changes His way, but never His will. The Law (the Ten Commandments) is a covenant God made between Himself and the children of Israel. It would later include Gentiles. In His covenant with Israel God promises blessings and curses for obeying His Law or disobeying His Law. By accepting God’s covenant, man promises to fulfil his part by obeying its commands. MAN EITHER OBEYS GOD AND IS BLESSED, OR DISOBEYS HIM AND IS CURSED. Read Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 where God’s covenant based on His Law is spelled out in detail.
But remember that the Law had a “weakness” (Rom. 8:3). In Hebrews 6:7-10 the “weakness” is called a “fault.” Law-rejecters claim that this weakness/fault disqualifies it as the instrument used by God to determine blessing and cursing for the New Covenant Church. Let us turn to the Book of Hebrews in order to identify the Law’s “fault”/ “weakness.”
In Hebrews 8:6 we are told that, because the Old Covenant was defective, Jesus (the God of the Old Testament) had “obtained a more excellent ministry” by coming to earth and sacrificing Himself. This self-less act brought about a “better covenant based on better promises.” For proof that the God of the Old Testament and Jesus of Nazareth were one and the same Read The God of the Old Testament. Key word–Old. Verse seven notes that the first covenant had a “fault” and had to be replaced by another covenant. This is where the church stops reading and declares the Law null and void. However, a careful reading of the statement tells us that THE FAULT WAS NOT IN THE LAW, but rather in “THEM”–the Israelites–who would not obey His stone-etched Law. To solve the problem, God promised in Jeremiah 31:31 that the day would come when He would “… make a NEW COVENANT (AGREEMENT) WITH ISRAEL. In verse nine He declares that the New Covenant would not be like the Old Covenant. Why? Because the people (the fault/weakness) had failed to obey the covenant He had made with them at Mt. Sinai. which, being written on stone, could not be internalized by them.
In verse ten God (the Word Who became Jesus of Nazareth) declares that He would make a New Covenant with Israel. Instead of having his Law written on stone and placed in an ark, He would put His Law in their (Israel’s) mind and write it on their hearts. Then they could obey it. Then He would be a God to them and they would be His people. Nothing has changed relative to that Truth. Only Law-keepers are God’s true saints. Read Who and Where is Israel Today? Key word–Who? In that series you will learn that the United States of America and Great Britain today make up what is referred to Biblically as modern day “Israel.” Other “Christian nations” are part of modern day Israel, but America and Britain are the entities referred to when God speaks of end-time Israel. Spiritual Israel (“the Kingdom of Heaven”) is God’s church comprised of spiritual Israelites who obey His Law. In Hebrews 8:13 we are told that the Old Covenant, which did not include the Holy Spirit, has passed away and has been replaced by the New Covenant which can be obeyed only through the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ’s death made the Holy Spirit available to mankind. By receiving the Spirit, the “flaw”/”weakness” in man is repaired, enabling him to obey God’s Law, attain righteousness/holiness, retain it until death and, at the return of Christ, receive his “crown” of eternal life.
Let us not forget that the Law has remained the same, unchangeable, “holy, just and good” from the time it was proclaimed at Mt. Sinai and written in stone until today when it is proclaimed in the Holy Bible and written in the hearts of those who vow to obey it. The Law has not changed. It is the hearts of the true saints that have changed. The Lord’s Law has been recorded in the hearts of those who believe and obey Him. Read Hebrews 10:16. These are His Very Elect saints who have His Ten Commandments Law spiritually written in their hearts (minds) by the Holy Spirit which empowers them to obey it, thereby attaining righteousness which QUALIFIES them to spend eternity with the Godhead in the Kingdom of God. They are not saved, but are qualifying to receive salvation IF they “endure (in holiness) until the end,” at which time they “shall be saved” (Mat. 10:22) and allowed to enter God’s earthly kingdom. Read The Kingdom of God. Key word–Kingdom.
At this point we will end our line-by-line study of the Book of Romans will look at various study topics found in the remainder of that most fascinating book. We must always look beyond the “headlines” that tell us “what” God has promised and into the “fine print” that tells us “how to” appropriate them. And remember, GOD WANTS US TO RECEIVE HIS PROMISED BLESSINGS NOW AND THROUGHOUT ETERNITY. However, we must QUALIFY to receive them BY OBEYING HIS LAW. I liken God’s covenant to the following scenario. Pretend that I own a business. Someone comes in seeking a job. I promise to pay him $500.00 per week for doing what I tell him to do. He agrees to obey my instructions. We sign a contract (covenant) to that effect. The “what” of the contract is the reward. The “how to” is the job description. The employee will receive the specified pay IF HE DOES WHAT HOW, WHERE AND WHEN I TELL HIM TO DO IT. ANY DEVIATION FROM MY COMMANDS WILL END HIS EMPLOYMENT. The whole of professing Christendom rejects this scenario, claiming that the employee can obey or not obey my commands and still receive his agreed-upon pay. This is the lie Adam and Eve embraced (Gen. 3:4) which their spiritual descendants have also embraced. To the church world, the wages of sin is eternal life in paradise.
The Holy Bible contains both the “what” and the “how to.” The only way to receive the “what” (God’s promised blessings) is to obey the “how to” (His job description). Doing the job any other way nullifies the agreement. Faith that one will receive the “payment” does not guarantee the payment. Doing the job according to the Lord’s instructions (the Law) is the ONLY way the promised reward–salvation–can be attained. As the Apostle James tells us, faith cannot save the soul. Faith without WORKS (obedience) is dead faith. Read James 2:10,14,17,18,20,24,26. Faith without WORKS (obedience) is dead faith.
In Romans 8:35-39 we find yet another passage that is used to excuse sin in the lives of those who profess faith in the saving power of the Lord. The consensus is that people are saved IN sin, not FROM sin. And Satan smiles. The subject of verses 35-39 is Christ’s love for those who are called by His name–“Christians.” The problem arises when believers equate God’s love with salvation. The belief is that His love for those in the church guarantees that the believer has already received eternal life/rebirth. In this passage Paul asks: “Who can separate us (believers) from the love of Christ?” He goes on to list 17 things that cannot separate us from the LOVE of Christ. The belief is that the love that Christ has for us guarantees our salvation.
In the Scriptures salvation is referred to as a “CROWN.” In Second Timothy 4:8 Paul states that: “Henceforth (in the future) there is laid up (reserved) for me a crown of righteousness (the result of obedience) which the Lord (Jesus) will give to me on that (judgment) day, and not to me only, but to all those who look forward to His arrival (return).” Note that Paul had not received his crown (salvation) for having run the “race” of life according to God’s rules (Law–commandments). He was still running it and would continue to do so until his death. Others will also receive their crowns for running the same race by the same rules.
In First Corinthians 9:24 Paul makes clear the Truth that all salvation seekers run the “race,” but only those who run it according to the rules will win the prize–eternal life. In Hebrews 12:1,4 he tells us that, if necessary, we must resist sin to the shedding of our own blood. This is not a figure of speech. I have shed my own blood in resisting Satan’s temptations. Like Paul, I had much in my background that had to be forced out before I could serve God in the spiritual condition He requires of His messengers. God requires anyone who would spend eternity with Him to “purify himself even as He (Jesus) is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3). Read First John 3:3-10 to see what God requires of those with whom He will spend eternity. Jesus died to give all people that opportunity. He has the right to command holiness of those who would live with Him forever. There will be no participation trophies given out on Judgement Day (Mat. 7:23).
In reference to the 17 things that cannot separate us from Christ’s love (Rom. 8:35-39), let us remember Christ’s warning found in Revelation 3:11: “… hold fast to what you have (salvation–a “crown”); let no MAN take your crown.” How can A MAN take the crown God has “laid up” for the true convert in heaven? The answer is provided by Jesus in Matthew 24:4,5,11,24 where He warns His 12 disciples and all who would be saved: “Let no MAN deceive you,” for many men would come in His name, claiming to be sent by Him. They would proclaim that He, Jesus of Nazareth, is indeed the Christ, then would lead the people astray using false (man-concocted) doctrines. See the Introduction to this website for a list of such church “truths.” Satan’s prophets have arisen within the church and have deceive many parishioners. Today there are some three billion such deceived souls alive on earth whom Satan has convinced that they are children of the Biblical God, saved, sanctified, born again and rapture-ready. None of which is true, if, that is, we can take God at His Word. In verse 24 Jesus warns that, in the last days there will arise false Christs and false prophets who will perform great miracles, signs and wonders. So impressive will they be that even the Very Elect will tempted to believe them. The wording tells us that some of the Very Elect will be deceived by the devil’s miracle workers. Always be on guard for Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Let us not be deceived. L.J.
Leave a Reply