Bible Studies

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Just the title of this article tends to stir up more controversy than you can imagine. Yet this is what the Bible teaches, and because we have not tried to understand the implications of it, we try to keep mankind forever under condemnation. I believe that we have truly missed out on a lot of blessings, simply because we have been content to walk in a very shallow understanding of God’s Law, and Christ’s fulfillment of it.

Going all the way back to the beginning, we have for the most part been so hard on Adam and Eve. For as long as I can remember we have been blaming them for all of our woes. Yet would it have been different if one of us would have been Adam or Eve? Could we have done a better job? It is far easier to point the finger at someone else, then it is to accept the blame for anything. True, the first Adam became the door through which sin entered. Yet even though sin had entered, it was not imputed to him, for sin is not imputed when there is no law, and the law did not come till much later, through Moses. In fact we read in Romans 4:7—Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; (8) “BLESSED is the man to whom the Lord SHALL NOT IMPUTE SIN.” So even though his sin was not imputed he still had to pay some very serious consequences.

Now when God came to Adam,
He was very, very mad.
The very ground God does curse
From which He made this lad.
In fact God treated Adam,
Like he was nothing but just dirt.
Just goes to show how deeply,
God had really gotten hurt.

In fact God told Adam,
Now no longer will I give,
Work you’re going to have to do
The rest of the days you live.
Because you did not listen,
And heeded your wife instead,
Only by the sweat of your brow,
Will you earn your bread.

You was dirt when I first made you,
And dirt you’re going to be.
He kicked them out of the garden,
For eating from that tree.
God had found that raising kids,
Is not so easy to do.
And He was only getting started
As a single parent too.

We are still dealing this day, with the consequences which resulted from that very first family feud. Romans 5:18—Therefore, as through one man’s offense JUDGMENT came to all men, RESULTING in CONDEMNATION, even so through one Man’s RIGHTEOUS act THE FREE GIFT came to ALL MEN, resulting in JUSTIFICATION of LIFE. (19) For as by one man’s DISOBEDIENCE many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s OBEDIENCE many will be made RIGHTEOUS. Romans 6:10—For the death that He died, He died TO SIN once FOR ALL; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Hebrews 2:9—But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that He BY THE GRACE of God, might TASTE DEATH for EVERYONE.

Romans 5:8—But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved FROM WRATH through Him. (10) For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by HIS LIFE. (11) And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 1 Corin. 15:21—For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam ALL DIE, EVEN SO IN Christ ALL SHALL be MADE ALIVE.

2 Corin. 5:14—For the love of Christ constrains us because we judge thus: that if One died FOR ALL, then ALL died; (15) and He died for all that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. (16) Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. (17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away BEHOLD, ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW. (18) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of Reconciliation. (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling THE WORLD to HIMSELF, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (20) Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. (21) For He made Him who knew no sin TO BE SIN for us, that we might become THE RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD in Him.

2 Corin. 6:1—We then as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive THE GRACE of GOD IN VAIN. (2) For He says: “IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Psalm 69:13—But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, is IN THE ACCEPTABLE TIME; O God, in the multitude of YOUR MERCY, hear me in THE TRUTH of Your salvation.
There is one very important key factor regarding the law that we may tend to forget, it is found in, James 2:8—If you really fulfill THE ROYAL LAW according to the Scripture. “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR as YOURSELF, you do well; (9) but if you show partiality, (between neighbor and self) you commit sin and ARE CONVICTED by THE LAW as TRANSGRESSORS. (10) For whoever shall KEEP the WHOLE LAW yet STUMBLE in ONE POINT, he is GUILTY of ALL. (12) So speak and so do as those who will be judged by THE LAW of LIBERTY. (13) For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy, “MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT.”

Now here is where it is really going to take some discernment of the Spirit, concerning the law. James is telling us, “James 1:22—But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a NOT A DOER, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; (24) for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man, he was. (25) But he who looks into THE PERFECT LAW of LIBERTY and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of THE WORK, this one will be blessed in what he does. (27) If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and DOES NOT BRIDLE HIS TONGUE but deceives his own heart THIS ONE’S RELIGION is USELESS”….Well that is something that we had better NOT stumble over!

Here is where the dilemma occurs, and we need discernment of the Holy Spirit. In the book of Romans, Paul is saying this, “Romans 4:1—What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? (2) For if Abraham was justified BY WORKS, he has something of which to boast, but not before God. (9) For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and it was ACCOUNTED to him FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (4) Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as GRACE but AS DEBT. (5) But to him who does NOT WORK but BELIEVES on HIM WHO JUSTIFIES the UNGODLY, his FAITH is ACCOUNTED for RIGHTEOUSNESS, (6) just as David also describes THE BLESSEDNESS of THE MAN to whom GOD IMPUTES RIGHTEOUSNESS apart FROM WORKS; (7) “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose SINS ARE COVERED; (8) BLESSED is the man to whom THE LORD shall NOT IMPUTE SIN.

So is this then giving us a license to sin? Of course not, let’s read something else Paul has to say about the law. (13) (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; (14) for when Gentiles, who do have the law, BY NATURE do the things contained in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves (15) show THE WORK of THE LAW WRITTEN in THEIR HEARTS, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.)

So it seems like the word bounces back and forth and not making things too clear. It is the Holy Spirit who can make them clear as He takes of what is His and shows it unto us. Want to know how to get OUT of DEBT from UNDER THE LAW? Then START TO LOVE! Romans 13:10—Love DOES NO HARM to A NEIGHBOR; therefore LOVE is THE FULFILLMENT of THE LAW. Galatians 5:13—For you, brethren, have been called TO LIBERTY; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but THROUGH LOVE serve ONE ANOTHER. (14) For ALL THE LAW is FULFILLED in ONE WORD, even in this: “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” (15) But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed BY ONE ANOTHER. Romans 13:8—Owe no one anything except to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, for he WHO LOVES another HAS fulfilled THE LAW. (9) For the commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet, and if there is any other commandment, are all SUMMED UP IN THIS SAYING, namely, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Matthew 7:12—“Therefore, whatever YOU WANT MEN TO DO TO YOU, do also TO THEM, for THIS IS the law AND THE PROPHETS.

Matthew 5:17--“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy BUT TO FULFILL. (18) For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled (19) “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever does and teaches them he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The law is good it is just that it can make no one perfect. Love makes one perfect through Christ! But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. (1 Corin. 13:10) (Hebrews 7:18—For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its WEAKNESS and UNPROFITABLNESS. (19) for THE LAW made NOTHING PERFECT; on the other hand, there is the BRINGING IN of A BETTER HOPE, through which WE DRAW NEAR TO GOD. And inasmuch as He was not made priest without AN OATH. (28) For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but THE WORD of THE OATH, which came AFTER the law, appoints the Son who has been PERFECTED forever. Chapter 8:1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated AT THE RIGHT HAND of the throne of the Majesty IN the HEAVENS. (2) a Minister of the sanctuary and of THE TRUE TABERNACLE which THE LORD ERECTED and NOT MAN.
(3) For IF HE WERE ON EARTH, HE WOULD NOT BE A PRIEST,
since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law; Hebrews 5:5—So also Christ did not GLORIFY Himself to become HIGH PRIEST, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, today I have BEGOTTEN You. Now if we continue on with that Second Psalm, we will see that God is declaring to His Son, that He is His Son, whom HE has BEGOTTEN. Saying, “Ask of Me, and I WILL GIVE YOU the nations as Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.” We just read that Christ did not GLORIFY Himself for position of High Priest. We read the words that Jesus spoke regarding this in the Gospel of John. John 17:1—“Father, the hour has come. GLORIFY Your Son, that Your Son also may GLORIFY YOU. (2) ‘as You HAVE GIVEN HIM AUTHORITY over ALL FLESH, (we just read that in the second Psalm, that it is His for the asking.) that He should give eternal life to as many (ALL FLESH) as you have GIVEN HIM. (3) And this is eternal life, THAT THEY MAY KNOW YOU, the ONLY TRUE GOD, and JESUS CHRIST whom you HAVE SENT. Now this bears out with what we read in, “John 3:16—For God so loved the world that He gave His only BEGOTTEN SON, that whoever believes IN HIM should not perish but have everlasting life. (17) For God DID NOT SEND His Son into the world TO CONDEMN the WORLD but that THE WORLD through Him MIGHT be SAVED.

1 John 4:7—Beloved, let us love one another, for LOVE is OF GOD; and everyone who loves IS BORN of GOD and KNOWS GOD. (8) He who does not love does not know God, for GOD IS LOVE. (9) IN THIS the LOVE OF GOD was MANIFESTED toward us, that God has sent HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON into THE WORLD, that we might LIVE through HIM. (10) In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be THE PROPITIATION for our sins. (11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (12) No one has seen God at any time, If we LOVE ONE ANOTHER, God ABIDES IN US, and HIS LOVE has been PERFECTED IN US. (12) By this we know that WE ABIDE IN HIM and HE IN US, because HE HAS GIVEN US HIS SPIRIT. (14) And we have seen and testify that THE FATHER HAS SENT THE SON AS SAVIOR of THE WORLD.

Romans 4:13—For the promise that he would be THE HEIR OF THE WORLD was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of FAITH. Galatians 3:16—Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to your Seed, who is Christ. (18) For if THE INHERITANCE is of the law, it is no longer OF PROMISE. (19) WHAT PURPOSE THEN DOES THE LAW SERVE? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come TO WHOM THE PROMISE WAS MADE; (21) Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could HAVE GIVEN LIFE, truly righteousness would have been by the law. (22) But the Scripture has confined ALL under sin THAT THE PROMISE by FAITH in Jesus Christ might be given to those WHO BELIEVE. (23) But before faith came, we were KEPT UNDER GUARD BY THE LAW, kept FOR THE FAITH which would afterward BE REVEALED. (24) Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (6) just as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. (7) Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. (8) And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations by faith, PREACHED THE GOSPEL to Abraham BEFOREHAND, saying, “IN YOU ALL THE NATIONS SHALL BE BLESSED. (9) So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. Psalm 37:22—For those who are blessed by Him SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH, But those who are cursed by Him SHALL BE CUT OFF.

Matthew 5:43—(Jesus) “You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ (44) “But I say to you, love your enemies. BLESS those who CURSE YOU, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (45) “THAT YOU MAY BE SONS OF YOUR FATHER in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on THE EVIL and on THE GOOD, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (46) “For if you love those WHO LOVE YOU, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (47) “And if you greet your brethren only, WHAT DO YOU DO MORE THAN OTHERS? Do not even the tax collectors do so? (48) “Therefore you SHALL BE PERFECT, JUST AS YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT.

Remember Jesus said that He did not come to do away with the law, but to fulfill the law? Matthew 5:17—“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but TO FULFILL. He fulfilled the law, when He died on the cross. For love is the fulfillment of the law! He showed the greatest love of all by laying down His life for us. Now He has given us a commandment! John 15:12—“This is My commandment, that you love one another AS I HAVE LOVED YOU. (13) “Greater love has no one than this, THAN TO LAY DOWN ONE’S LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. (14) “You are MY FRIENDS if YOU DO whatever I COMMAND YOU”. (15) “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called YOU FRIENDS, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. (16) “You did not choose Me, but I CHOSE YOU, Matt. 22:14-Many are called but few are CHOSEN.) (Isaiah 41:8—But you Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have CHOSEN, the DESCENDANTS of ABRAHAM My FRIEND. (9) You whom I have taken FROM the ENDS OF THE EARTH, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you. You are My servant, I have CHOSEN YOU and have not cast you away: Psalm 24:6—This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face.) Returning to John 15:16-- and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (2Psalm: Ask of Me and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance and the ends of the earth for Your possession.) (17) These things I command you, that you love one another.

Psalm 105:4—Seek the Lord and HIS STRENGTH; Seek HIS FACE evermore. (5) Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, (6) O seed of Abraham His servant, You children of Jacob, HIS CHOSEN ONES! (7) He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. (8) He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, (9) The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, (10) And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

Galatians 3:13—Christ has redeemed us from THE CURSE of THE LAW, having become a curse for us. (14) that THE BLESSING of ABRAHAM might COME UPON the GENTILES through FAITH.

1 Timothy 2:1—Therefore I exhort first of all that supplication, prayers, intercession, and giving of thanks be made FOR ALL MEN, (2) for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quite and peaceable life in ALL GODLINESS and REVERENCE. (3) For this IS GOOD and ACCEPTABLE in the sight of God our Savior, (4) WHO DESIRES ALL MEN TO BE SAVED, and COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE of THE TRUTH. (5) For there is one God and one MEDIATOR between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, (6) who gave Himself A RANSOM FOR ALL, to be testified in due time.

There are some very interesting Scriptures to ponder when held in the light of the ones that we just read. Job 33:23—If there is a messenger for him a MEDIATOR, one among a thousand, to show man His UPRIGHTNESS, (24) Then He is gracious to him, and says, deliver him from going down to the Pit, I HAVE FOUND A RANSOM; (25) His flesh shall BE YOUNG LIKE A CHILDS, (Maybe we are getting close to the Fountain of Youth here! (Smile) He shall return to the days of his youth. (26) He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, for He RESTORES to man HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Psalm 25:8—Good and UPRIGHT is the Lord: Therefore He teaches sinners in the way. (12) Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way HE CHOOSES, (13) He himself shall dwell in prosperity, AND HIS DESCENDANTS SHALL INHERIT the EARTH. Which takes us back to the second Psalm, “Ask of Me and I will give You the nations as YOUR INHERITANCE and the ends of the earth for Your possession.

The only way however, we are going to inherit these blessings is by blessing and not judging and condemning. For when we do we bring ourselves right back under judgment and condemnation! God is wanting to end the family feud, by us becoming reconciled to Him, and helping others to do the same!

World Book Encyclopedia Dictionary: RECONCILE; 1. to make friends again: 2. to win over: to reconcile a hostile person. 3. to make agree, bring into harmony. 4. to make satisfied.

2 Corin. 5:19—that is, that God was in Christ RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES TO THEM, and has COMMITTED TO US THE WORD of RECONCILIATION. Romans 10:4—For Christ is THE END of THE LAW for RIGHTEOUSNESS to everyone who believes. Romans 8:2—For the law of the Spirit of LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS has made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 5:13—SIN IS NOT IMPUTED WHEN THERE IS NO LAW.

Conclusion: Hebrews 9:28—so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him HE WILL APPEAR A SECOND TIME, APART FROM SIN, FOR SALVATION.

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