McAndle wrote:Scripture there is referring to what the human eye can see John.
John UK wrote:John UK ConfessionHe is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:6 KJVOooo, he is not here???? Well what a surprise, eh?
Sadly, what worries me is what your heart seems unable to perceive in Scripture.
May the omnipresent God of love and grace open your heart to the whole counsel of God! Amen.
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:6 KJV
Oooo, he is not here????
Well what a surprise, eh?
Christ is omnipresent.
Question 48. But if his human nature is not present, wherever his Godhead is, are not then these two natures in Christ separated from one another?
Answer: Not as all, for since the Godhead is illimitable and omnipresent, (a) it must necessarily follow that the same is beyond the limits of the human nature he assumed, (b) and yet is nevertheless in this human nature, and remains personally united to it.
(a) Acts 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Jer.23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. (b) Col.2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. John 11:15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Matt.28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
I wonder sometimes if we evangelicals don't behave as if the words of Jesus were somehow obsolete and that the words of Paul supercede those of Jesus Himself.
However, Paul himself taught that Jesus gave himself for the church that he might redeem and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:14)
Those who have faith and love by the action of supernatural grace will delight to do God's will.
Calvin taught;
“the law exhibits a perfect model of righteousness” (II. vii. 13).
But the Bible says;
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,F30 God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4
If we've shamed and dishonored God with our disobedience and unbelief, we may find comfort in the Scriptural promises of forgiveness offered. But, if our hearts are unrepentant and unsanctified, we will shame and dishonor God again.
I think I agree with you. There is a purpose of the law even today in this age of grace.
Our pastor preached a message on the subject a couple weeks ago that I think is good and helpful. You might take a listen.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=76082217126
I think many churches today are afraid to teach Biblical law. They don't want to offend or make people examine how they are living their life. But this is exactly what a church is supposed to do. And who else would teach us how to do this than the church? Certainly not popular culture!
James 4:17, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” A child will be disciplined by its parents for disobedience. As children of God, we will likewise be disciplined for intentional disobedience. “He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his work, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” 1 John, 2:3-5
dcp wrote:I would question whether God's Law is Biblically taught at all anymore.
These days we barely hear the Word of God expounded, let alone the law. Church has become a religious social club, sermons are now "Bible talks" and worship is whatever attracts the people and makes them feel good.
The first main ordinary means of grace - the preaching of the Word - has been more and more neglected. There is a famine of the Word of God in the church of the Western world, but the majority of church goers wouldn't know what a sermon was, because they have never heard one.
And we wonder why Christianity is on the wane. Is it not time to repent and return to the Old Paths?
Preacher wrote:Our Lord has promised us the victory,no matter how dim things look from our perspective. He holds the whole of history in the palm of His hand.
Even in the New Testament, every time the word "Scripture" is mentioned, it mostly always refers to the OT. Paul talks to Timothy about the Scriptures which make you wise unto salvation; Jesus told the disciples on the Emmaus road everything about Himself, from the OT Scriptures. If they do not believe Moses and the prophets, neither will they be converted even if one is raised from the dead.
I find nothing more frustrating than being told during a theological debate, "Oh, but that is Old Testament!" As if that has no authority and is not the Living Word of God for all time.
Don't give up the good fight my friend. Our Lord has promised us the victory,no matter how dim things look from our perspective. He holds the whole of history in the palm of His hand.
You also speak well saying the church has jettisoned the OT.The amount of preachers I have heard who say "I'm a New Testament Christian" or "We're a New Testament Church"
I have no time for nonsense like that.If there is no OT then there is no NT since the NT is built on the framework of the OT. The NT is almost entirely quotes left right and center from the OT.If they want a NT church then they better get their scissors out and cut at least 50 - 75% of the NT out.
The Old Testament prophets defined a Christian as one who had the law of God written on their heart. To those who are not true Christians, the Son says, "I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practise lawlesness." Those who are Christ's are several times referred to in Revelation as "Those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Paul does not contrast law and grace, but WORKS and grace. He contrasts being saved by grace and being saved by perfect obedience to God. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." Who would say that Jesus has a different set of "thou shalt nots" than the Father? The Antinomians, I guess.
The modern church is so caught up in its Freewill dispensensationalism it has jettisoned almost all the Old Testament. They are so engaged in flapping around waiting for their secret rapture, they have no time to study anything outside their ridiculous eschatology.
The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. You cannot glorify God without striving to obey His law. The law is the revelation of God's character.
And we wonder why the Church makes no impact anymore in the Western world.
Grace and Law are complementary not exclusive. They serve different purposes.
My rant was concerning those who teach the law as irrelevant, not for today.Those who do so are lawless ones.
If someone says they have been saved by grace through faith and yet they happily break the law of God repetitively then it is clear they are not saved by grace through faith. The have no faith because as James says there is no evidence.The fruit says liar.
Jesus told the woman caught in adultery "You sins are forgiven, go and sin no more."
Dr Phil, I hope your not suggesting that being under grace means you can do whatever and just keep asking for forgiveness, since the whole purpose of the law provides impetuous for the depths of repentance in the first place.Without the law there is no transgression. No transgression then what is grace and forgiveness for?
Nathan wrote:I find the Law of God commonly taught today as "We're not under law but under grace". What the?Another mind numbing technique used is the "Law of Love" which means to turn your brain off and just love.Little do these adulterators of the word of God understand how must effort they put into mangle, wrest, twist and invert the very word of God. A "special" reward awaits them.It scares me knowing that the very thing Jesus says to those who do magnificent works in His Name is "Go away from me you workers of INIQUITY". Check out what that means!And what about the man of lawlessness?The sheeple are turned away to the statues of men. Like in our Lords time and Noahs time where lawlessness abounded! We are warned that it will be like the days of Noah before the coming of the Son of Man.Jesus in fact fulfilled the law to the very letter.Jesus also gave two commandments. Love the Lord your God which covers the first 5 commandments.Love your neighbor which covers the last 5 commandments.Jesus also said "If you love me keep my commandments." Nothing is more clear.
It scares me knowing that the very thing Jesus says to those who do magnificent works in His Name is "Go away from me you workers of INIQUITY". Check out what that means!And what about the man of lawlessness?
The sheeple are turned away to the statues of men. Like in our Lords time and Noahs time where lawlessness abounded! We are warned that it will be like the days of Noah before the coming of the Son of Man.
Jesus in fact fulfilled the law to the very letter.
Jesus also gave two commandments. Love the Lord your God which covers the first 5 commandments.Love your neighbor which covers the last 5 commandments.
Jesus also said "If you love me keep my commandments." Nothing is more clear.
All the men can come out from on top of the rooftops now if you'd like. The dripping faucet will be turned off for the next five minutes or until I find my female-friendly, male-usurping pulpit back.
Thank you for your understanding.
Amen to your cookies that don't crumble!!!
"Draw night to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up" (James 4:6-10)
In the love of Jesus ChristAbigail
