Logos Word of God – BT8:  Scripture’s “Law” was NOT “profitable for teaching, etc.” in the Church

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

We’ve already seen in Logos Word of God – BT7 so many reasons from NOT including the Old Testament (OT) “Law or old covenant” in what is “profitable for teaching, etc.” but let’s dig into it some more here!

 

We’ve already seen from the previous BLOGS that 97.4% of the OT scripture simply wasn’t used to convert Christians, especially because it only consists of skia ‘shadows, outlines, sketches,’ hupodeigma copies/representations, sustoicheo corresponding tupos types or prefiguring antitupos antitypes, and parabole symbols “of the coming agathos ‘God-like-good-things,” which IS the genuine soma ‘Body or real-substance’ that casts the ‘shadow’ backwards in time through the OT scripture, WHO is Christ but also His gospel logos message of a completely-different-in-kind New Covenant NOW by-the-means-of the promised Holy Spirit instead of by man’s “might and power” (a).  <Notes> a) Romans 5:14; Galatians 4:25; Colossians 2:17, Hebrews 8:5, 9:23-24, 9:9, 10:1; 1 Peter 3:21.

 

IF we NOW have the “Living Logos Word/Message of God” (a) that is clearly Christ, and we also NOW have His Holy Spirit, dwelling within us to “teach you’all ALL things and bring to your’alls remembrance ALL that I (Jesus) have said” (b), who is “The Spirit of The Truth to guide you’all into ALL The Truth” (c), so that “these things [are those] that God has revealed/uncovered to us’all dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ The Spirit” (d), because the “The Logos Word/Message of God presently/ongoingly meno ‘abides, dwells, remains’ IN you’all kai and/subsequently you’all have-already [with ongoing effects] nikao ‘conquered as victors’ the Evil One . . .

 

. . . The Anointing [that is the Holy Spirit] you’all presently/ongoingly hold-to-have from the The Holy One (Christ) and/thus you’all-already [with ongoing effects] eido mentally ‘seen’ to perceive/know ALL-things . . . The Anointing, which you’all-have-already lambano ‘grabbed hold of to receive/possess’ from Him (Christ), presently/ongoing meno ‘abides, dwells, remains’ IN you’all, kai and/subsequently you’all-have absolutely-in-fact-NO need that ANYONE should-teach you, but-instead just-as this same Anointing presently/ongoing teaches you’all peri ‘all around/about, concerning’ ALL-things, kai and/also presently/ongoing is absolutely-in-fact alethes ‘The Truth, absolute-reality, kind of Truth‘ kai and/subsequently presently/ongoing is absolutely-in-fact-NOT a lie/falsehood, kai and/thus just-as it-all-already taught you’all, [I strongly urge you to] presently/ongoing meno ‘abide, dwell, remain, continue’ in Him (Christ)” (e) –

 

– IF ALL this is true, THEN why do we still need “shadows, outlines, sketches, copies, representations, corresponding types or prefiguring antitypes, and symbols of the THEN coming ‘God-like-good-things,” found in Old Testament graphe scripture?  And the context of the passage above is that we don’t need teachers of it either!

 

<Notes> a) Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23, b) John 14:26, c) John 16:13, d) 1 Corinthians 2:10, e) 1 John 2:14, 20, 27, cf. John 15:4-9.

 

But NOW we’ll see even stronger arguments for not including “The Law” ‘kind/class/category/portion/book of’ scripture, not just the 5 books of Moses or Pentateuch but at least 97.4% of the OT that is based on it, and Jesus and all Jews then and NOW regard the entire OT as “The Law” – see Logos Word of God – BT5a.  We have to remember Paul said in Galatians 3:22-23: “The graphe scripture imprisoned ALL under sin, in-order-that ‘The Promise‘ ek out-from trusting-relying-faith of/belonging-to Jesus Christ might-be-given to those-who are routinely/habitually having trusting-relying-faith.  However, pro ‘BEFORE in time’ The-Trusting-Relying-Faith (The Christian Faith) had-come/arrived, we-were-being CONTINUALLY (a) phroureo ‘held-under or watched-over like a military guard/sentinel’ hupo ‘subjugated under’ [singular: the] Law, routinely/habitually sugkleio ‘completely shut up together, without means of escape, thus delivered up to or made-subject to the power/dominion of the imprisoner.’  <Notes> a) rare imperfect passive.

 

Earlier in Galatians 3:14-18 Paul said:  ‘The Promise” is the “lambano ‘grabbed hold of to receive/possess’ Holy Spirit dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ trusting-relying-faith,” which thus is part of the zoe genuine-life that fulfills promises made to Abraham and His offspring Christ to receive an inheritance (a), which again has nothing to do with The Law because these promises to Abraham were made 430 years before The Law.  WHY in the world would ANY Christian want any part of the Law?  <Notes> a) inheriting salvation, eternal zoe genuine-life, the kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit as a first-fruit being a guarantee of our inheritance, a glorious inheritance that comes at Christ’s return that is our blessed hope to be glorified as He is.

 

 

 

The New Testament (NT) says so many extremely negative things about the “Law of commandments” that it’s simply impossible in 2 Timothy 3:16 from the previous BLOG, Paul’s “man of God” (a) evangelist-in-training preacher of Christ’s gospel logos message, for Paul to be telling Timothy to include “The Law” in the “pas graphe scripture” as to what is NOW “profitable for teaching, etc.”  As we’ve seen this is just one of many reasons to prefer in place of the less common ‘whole/every sense’ of pas interpretation, what Greek scholars term ‘the distributed or portion of sense’ or ‘every/each of a kind/class/category/portion of’ translation of pas, because 4 uses of the specifying/narrowing Greek definite articles and the immediate context make it clear that this ‘portion of’ is NOT The Law and NOT just the OT Prophets as “the God-breathed or Spirit-blown” portion, but more specifically the Messianic prophecies about “salvation by trusting-relying-faith in Christ” that are actually found in every ‘portion of’ OT graphe scripture, just as Jesus & others later pointed out (b). <Notes> a) 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 3:17, b) Luke 24:27, 44; cf. John 1:45; Matthew 11:13; Luke 16:16; Acts 13:27, 24:14, 28:23; Romans 3:21.

 

It is ONLY this specific ‘kind/class/category/portion of’ that Paul reminded Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:15 that he was converted BY as a little child that NOW for him as a “man of God” preacher are “profitable for teaching, rebuking, etc.” and THAT IS:  “ta the-specific-ones that routinely/habitually are powerfully-enabling to make you wise eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ salvation dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of trusting-relying-faith, tes ‘the specific one’ IN Christ (The Anointed One, Messiah) Jesus.”  The translation-interpretation of “pas graphe” as the “whole/entirety of scripture” violate normal Greek vocabulary, syntax, and the context!

 

The Greek word nomos for “Law” literally means “division into piles, as with grain or food.”  This is also the basis of the various words for “judgment” – see Unconditional-Love – BT17, meaning to “point the finger or shoot an arrow at” one of those ‘piles’ of people and declare judicially “guilty” or “not guilty.”  And yet Christians are not to judge, especially by outward appearance (a).  Jesus criticized the Law-teachers for being very judgmental (b).  “They tied up heavy burdens [of the Law,] hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger” (c).  The last thing Jesus wanted for anybody was to be a Law-teacher!  Yet, I’ve heard them in just about all the 15 churches I’ve served in – and more that I’ve attended!  <Notes> a) Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37; 1 Corinthians 4:3, b) John 7:24; 8:15, c) Matthew 23:4; Luke 11:46.

 

However, in application, nomos generally means “principles or ways” just as the Hebrew word torah generally means “instruction of principles or ways,” and this is the way it is sometimes used in the NT, as with these examples in bold text below, Paul says:  “So I find it to be ‘a law’ that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.  For I [as a Jewish-Christian] delight in the [Mosaic] ‘Law of God,’ in my mind/heart/inner-being, [however] I see in my members ‘another law’ waging war against the [Mosaic] ‘Law of/belonging-to my mind’ and making me captive to the ‘law of/belonging-to sin’ that dwells in my members” (a).  The context defines the ‘Law of my mind/heart/inner-being” as the Mosaic Law as I’ve indicated in [brackets].  Now the tricky part is that Paul directly links the ‘law of sin in my members’ to the [Mosaic] “Law of God,” so that Paul ultimately concludes that the Mosaic Law is ‘the Law of sin and death’ (b).  The [Mosaic] Law is a “ministry of death, carved in letters on stone . . . the ministry of condemnation” (c), for “the sting of death [is] sin, de and-moreover the dunamis ‘dynamite-like enabling-power‘ of sin [is] The Law.”  Again, why would Christians want anything to do with any part of the Law? <Notes> a) Romans 7:21-3, b) Romans 8:2, c) 2 Corinthians 3:3, 7, 9.

 

 

 

Paul concludes his long rant about the effects of the Mosaic “Law of God” by saying “For the Law of/belonging-to the Spirit of zoe genuine-life has set you free [from slavery] in Christ Jesus from [Mosaic] The Law of sin and death” (a).  Yes, Paul is saying that “the agathos (b) or kalos (c) ‘good’ holy, righteous, and Spirit-kind-of” (d) Mosaic Law of commandments that actually ‘promised’ righteousness and zoe genuine-life (c) ended up “proving to be death” because it is “The Law of sin and death.”

 

<Notes> a) Romans 8:2, b) Romans 7:12, agathos is “‘God-like good, upright/honorable, excellent, beneficial/useful, or praiseworthy,’ c) Romans 7:16, kalos is “beautifully-attractive good that inspires/motivates others to also embrace what is beautiful & praiseworthy,” d) Romans 7:12, 16, e) Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 30:16; Romans 9:31, 10:4-5; Philippians 3:6, 9; Galatians 2:21, 3:21.

 

The Law could NOT keep its promises!  Why NOT?  It’s not that The Law is defined as sin or is sinful itself.  The problem is that The Law not only exposes or defines what sin is (a) and brings light in to show us that sin is actually quite sinful (b), but Sin Personified (likely Satan, the deceiver of the world) seizes the opportunity of the Law’s commandments to deceive us and produce all kinds of sin in us, for apart from The Law, sin is lifeless. As we grow up, as soon as we become aware of The Law, even in the hearts/consciences of the Gentiles (c), sin becomes alive in us and we are immediately sentenced to death, even though it ‘promised’ righteousness and zoe genuine-life.  Therefore, indirectly The Law still “proves to be death to us.” <Notes> a) Romans 7:7, b) Roman 7:13, c) thus the “age of accountability” – even for Gentiles per Romans 2:15.

 

The Law itself does NOT produce death in us, but the sin it made alive does (a)!  Still, the fact is that the “good, holy, righteous, and Spirit-kind-of Law” has effectively become “death to me” because of “sin dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of The Law is ongoingly working death inside me, which shows not only that sin is defined as sin by the “good, holy, righteous, and Spirit-kind-of Law” but that sin might kata come-down-upon-us-as (or used as an intensifier) exceedingly sinful or ‘beyond measure’ (b), because it certainly has produces all kinds of sin in us as soon as The Law defined in (c).  Again, why would Christians want to embrace reading, studying, and trying to apply The Law to their lives? <Notes> a) Romans 7:8-11, b) Romans 7:13, c) Romans 7:8.

 

That’s why Paul can still conclude in Romans 8:2 that it is “The Law of sin and death” that we need to be set free [of slavery from] by the “the nomos Law [instructional principles or WAY) of the Spirit of zoe genuine-life,” especially because “the sting of death [is] sin, de and-moreover the dunamis ‘dynamite-like enabling-power‘ of sin [is] The Law” (a).  Our deliverance comes from Jesus Christ our Lord (b), but how and when?  <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 15:56, b) Romans 7:24.

 

Paul answers this in Romans 8:1, 3, 9-11:  “There is therefore NOW absolutely-in-fact-NO condemnation for those who are IN Christ Jesus . . . For The Law [is] adunatos ‘NOT dynamite-like powerfully-enabling‘ in that it was CONTINUALLY asteneo ‘‘weak, infirm, without vigor or strength, depleted, lacking in necessary resources, insufficient, frail, and sick’ dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ the flesh.  The God, having already-sent the Son of Himself in likeness of flesh [mankind] of/belonging-to [mankind’s] sin, kai and/specifically peri ‘all-around, concerning’ sin, already condemned/passed-sentence-on the sin [of mankind] in the flesh” [of mankind] (a) . . .

 

. . . You, however, are not ‘IN the flesh’ but “IN the Spirit,’ if in fact the Spirit of God dwells IN you.  If however, anyone does absolutely-in-fact-NOT hold-to-have the Spirit of Christ [then] this-one absolutely-in-fact-NOT presently/ongoingly is-defined-as of/belonging-to Him.  However if Christ is IN you, although [singular: the] body/flesh [is] indeed/truly dead dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ sin, however the Spirit [is] zoe genuine-life dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ righteousness (a).  And/moreover, if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells IN you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead also shall-give-you kai also/subsequently zoe genuine-life to your mortal bodies (b) dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ His Spirit who dwells IN you.”  So our Romans 7:24 “deliverance by Christ” comes in 2 stages just as with Christ’s coming to earth!  “Condemnation” comes from The Law (c) but Christians are freed from this by the Spirit, unless they abandon their trusting-relying-faith – see Obedience of Faith – BT16 (d).

 

<Notes> a) propitiation or atonement means sin in our flesh transferred into His flesh on the cross so that at His resurrection His righteousness is transferred to us, b) This happens after the resurrection of the dead when we are glorified and our bodies are also redeemed, our blessed hope we patiently wait for – Romans 8:23-25; Titus 2:13; 1 Peter 1:3, c) Romans 5:16, 18; 2 Corinthians 3:9; James 5:12, d) 1 Timothy 5:12.

 

The commandments of the “Law” are NOT just in the 5 books of Moses or Pentateuch but permeate every other part of the OT, because ALL the writers were in the paradigm/mindset that is “under the Law” (a) that deserves, earns, or merits righteousness and favor with God through works and sacrifices to cleanse them from sin (a). <Notes> a) Romans 2:12, 3:19, 6:14-15; 1 Corinthians 9:20-21; Galatians 3:23, 4:4-5, 21, Galatians 5:18; Philippians 3:6; Hebrews 7:11, 9:22, b) Luke 10:7 & 1 Timothy 5:18 & James 5:4 contrasted to Romans 4:4, cf. Romans 6:23; 2 Peter 2:13.

 

This conditional-loving-favor of the OT is the exact opposite of the NT’s gospel logos message of the unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace that is a free grace-gift of God by simply routinely/habitually having trusting-relying-faith in Jesus Christ because of His one act of obedience on the cross.  Law and Grace are opposite concepts:  Law is merited, deserved, earned, and conditional so what you receive is a wage (a), and Grace is unmerited, undeserved, unearned, and unconditional so what you receive is a free grace-gift.  You can’t even mix these two things – like water and oil can’t be!  <Notes> b) Luke 10:7 & 1 Timothy 5:18 & James 5:4 contrasted to Romans 4:4, cf. Romans 6:23; 2 Peter 2:13.

 

If we are to STILL ‘trust, rely, depend, and thus have pistis faith‘ in The Law to STILL be “profitable/useful for teaching, etc.” in 2 Timothy 3:16, than how does that have anything to do with v. 3:14’s “but as for you [Timothy, I strongly urge you to] presently/ongoingly meno ‘abide, remain, continue’ in the-things you-have-already manthano ‘learned the essentials from’ and/coupled [that] you-have-already-become pistoo ‘persuaded/assured-of as faithful/trustworthy, because of where you have placed your trusting-relying-faith‘,  . . . that from childhood ta ‘the-specific-ones’ sacred gramma writings you-have-already [with ongoing effects] eido ‘mentally seen to perceived/known, ta ‘specifically-the-ones’ routinely/habitually [NOW also] are-being-powerfully-able to-make-you-wise eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ salvation dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ [singular] trusting-relying-faith, tes ‘specifically the one that is’ IN Christ (The Anointed One) Jesus?”  <Notes> a) Romans 10:5; Psalms 119:142; Isaiah 42:21, 51:7.

 

 

 

The Law and graphe scripture in general also promised that by THIS the Jews would become “wise and understanding” and that this would grant them zoe genuine-life everlasting as they “feared the Lord” (a), but the Old Testament couldn’t keep those promises either!  Jesus said in John 5:38-40 to the bible-student Pharisees and scribes:  “You’all presently/ongoingly diligently-search/study the graphe scriptures because you’all presently/ongoingly dokeo suppose/opinionate-that en in/by/with them zoe genuine-life everlasting [you will] presently/ongoingly to hold-to-have [this], kai and/yet these-ones presently/ongoingly are-they specifically-the-ones presently/ongoingly testifying/bearing-witness peri ‘all around about, concerning’ Me kai and/yet absolutely-in-fact-NOT presently/ongoingly you-are-optimally-desiring to definitively/wholly erchomai ‘come from one place to another’ pros ‘toward and reaching’ Me in order than you’all-may hold-to-have zoe genuine-life.”  <Notes> a) Psalms 110:10, 119:98; Deuteronomy 4:6; Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:7, 9:10.

 

They missed the whole, real point of their bible!  Evidently all their bible-study didn’t really make they “wise and understanding” as their bible promised!  Ironically, “the secrets of the kingdom have been un-hidden for little children but kept hidden from these so-called ‘wise and understanding ones” (a).  The WAY of the bible-scholar fails miserably – see Bible Info – BT2. <Notes> a) Matthew 11:25, 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10; 10:2.

 

For example, in 2 Corinthians 3:14-18 Paul criticizes people for listening to these Jewish Law-teachers who continue to press Christians to “read Moses” or “the old covenant.”  Paul says “to this very day,” it causes the hearer’s hearts/minds/inner-being to be hardened and blocked from seeing God’s glory, still being “hidden by Moses’ veil’ because “the glory” is NOW alone in the face of Jesus Christ.  Do you want this to happen to you?  The only way towards metamorphoo ‘being metamorphically transformed’ is to turn your face or heart/mind/inner-being away from Moses’ gramma writings collected into graphe scripture and instead turn your eyes to Christ.

 

As we katoptrizomenoi ‘fix/gaze-with our wide-open eyes on Jesus as a reflected image of His Holy Spirit within us as when looking into a mirror’ then this ‘cocoon-to-butterfly’ change can happen – but ONLY by-the-means-of the Spirit, who is the Lord!  Paul’s argument is that this will never come from reading The Law of conditional-loving-favor.  In fact, the exact opposite will happen, for “the enabling-power of sin is the Law” (a) because the “Law came in [time] to increase the trespass” (b).  It’s called “The Law of sin and/coupled death” (c) for that very reason!  So why would Paul include The Law in 2 Timothy 3:16 for what was “profitable for teaching, for rebuking/rebuttal, etc.?”  He wouldn’t – see  Logos Word of God – BT7. <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 15:56, b) Romans 5:20, c) Romans 8:2.

 

Paul said in his earliest letter to mostly Jewish-Christians in Galatians 3:21-22:  “If [singular] Law had been given that could give zoe genuine-life, then righteousness would indeed be [singular] Law.  However, instead the graphe scripture imprisoned ALL under sin, in-order-that ‘The Promise’ – ek out-from trusting-relying-faith of/belonging-to Jesus Christ – might be given to those who routinely/habitually are-having trusting-relying-faith.”

 

Earlier in verse Galatians 3:14,  ‘The Promise” is the “lambano ‘grabbed hold of to receive/possess’ Holy Spirit dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ trusting-relying-faith,” which thus is part of the zoe genuine-life that fulfills promises made to Abraham and His offspring Christ to receive an inheritance (a), which again has nothing to do with The Law because these promises to Abraham were made 430 years before The Law (b).  The Law couldn’t bring zoe genuine-life (c).  Christians don’t receive the wages of the Law but their inheritance because of the promise (d), so we are the children of The Promise (e).  Why would The Law be “profitable for teaching . . . for paideia ‘child-like gentle, educational-training/rearing’” to a the children of The Promise made 430 years before The Law came, whose inheritance has absolutely nothing to do with The Law? <Notes> a) Galatians 3:15, 19, b) v. 3:17-18, c) v. 3:21, d) v. 3:29; Romans 6:23, e) v. 4:28.

 

However, once Christ came, Jewish-Christians SHOULD have been freed from this slavery, made huios mature adopted sons to receive their rightful inheritance. That’s when they could receive the [singular] first-fruit of their inheritance – the Holy Spirit (a) into their hearts so they could have a heavenly “Daddy” who could NOW unconditionally-love them because there is NO MORE SIN LEFT to judge within them, and thus can NOW experientially, relationally ginosko know God.  How could they go back to commandments about things like days, months, seasons, and years, although these are all specified in the Law as well as by the “Traditions of the Elders”?  How could they go back to being enslaved by the “asthenes ‘without vigor/strength, thus weak, depleted, insufficient, frail, feeble, sickly’ and/coupled ptochos ‘crouching/cowering like a beggar, deeply destitute/helpless, insufficient in resources, poor like pauper’ stoicheion elementary ‘abc’ principles of this world?” per Galatians 4:9, that we will talk about more below?  I wonder how many Christians Paul would have to say this of? <Notes> a) Romans 8:23.

 

ALL Jews for whom the graphe scriptures were specifically written (a) are “in/by/with/under the Law” (b) and therefore “under the dominion of sin” (c) until they are set free [from slavery] in Christ through His (and our own death by water-baptism) to The Law (d), “having died to The Law dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ the Body of Christ, in order that you may belong to another, to Him” (e).  Now there is only Christ’s “perfect Law of liberty/freedom [from this slavery]” (f) that is now ONLY “the Law of trusting-relying-faith” (g) and “the Law of Christ” (h) that is to “unconditionally-love for one another” by “bearing one another’s burdens” (i) – the only 2 commandments in the New Covenant.

 

<Notes> a) Romans 3:1-2 explains the advantages of being a Jew:  key was being entrusted with the logion oracles/utterances of God.  Although by context this often refers only to the prophetic ‘portion of’ scripture spoken in Church as in Hebrews 5:12 that is a model for Christian prophecy in 1 Peter 4:11, it can also mean the Law spoken to Moses by a Messenger, likely Christ, as in Acts 7:38, or ALL of scripture or Law & Prophets as here in Romans 3:2, b) Romans 2:12, 3:19; 1 Corinthians 9:20-21; Galatians 3:23, 4:4-5, 21, 5:18; Philippians 3:6; Hebrews 9:22; James 2:12, c) Romans 3:9, 6:14, 7:14; Galatians 3:22, d) Acts 13:39; Romans 7:4-6, 8:2, 10:4, e) Romans 7:4, f) James 1:25, 2:12, g) Romans 3:27, h) 1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2, i) John 13:34, 15:12; Galatians 6:2; 1 John 2:27; 2 John 1:5; James 2:13.

 

Clearly the New Covenant’s Law of 2 commandments combined into 1 in 1 John 3:23 katargeo “abolished/nullified” The Law or old covenant by Christ Jesus who was the telos “consummated-end, end-purpose, end of the aim” by airo ek tou mesou ‘lifting it up out of the way,’ having nailed the handwritings in The Dogma (a) ‘universally-binding authoritative decrees, ordinances, regulations, doctrines, precepts, and commandments‘ [of the OT] against us to the cross, having blotted them out.”  Why?  Because the old covenant was amemptos ‘NOT faultless, without blame, above reproach’ kai and/thus palaioo ‘made NOT just old, dated, ancient or antiquated in time, but also worn out by use, or worse for wear and thus obsolete’ and/coupled gerasko ‘growing old and frail, failing from age or obsolescence’ kai and/subsequently aphanismos ‘near vanishing, disappearance or destruction’  (b). <Notes> a) dogma: used negatively in Luke 2:1; Acts 17:7; Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:15, and positively only in Acts 16:4, b) Hebrews 8:7, 13; 10:9; Romans 10:4; Ephesians 2:15; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17/

 

Again, we’ve seen that The Law and graphe scripture are often viewed synonymously so that Paul could say: “the graphe scripture imprisoned pas ALL under sin, so that The Promise out-from trusting-relying-faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who are routinely/habitually having trusting-relying-faith” (a). Praise God!  <Notes> a) Galatians 3:22.

 

Another reason for NOT including the Law is found in Galatians 4:1-10.  Paul says that before Christ came, the Jews “under the Law” were like little children under epitropos ‘guardians of minors under 14’ and/coupled oikonomos ‘household managers,” which were hired servants to strictly insure little children got to school & back safely.  However, this was only intended until they were huios of-age, mature sons, ready to receive their inheritance.  As little children, they were treated no differently than other household-servants/slaves, still held-in-bondage to the stoicheion ‘elementary ‘abc’ principles’ of the world, including Gentile religions and even Judaism!

 

In Colossians 2:8 Paul warns that false-teachers are “taking you captive by philosophy (love of human wisdom) and/coupled empty/vain-deception, [that comes] kata down-from/according-to the traditions of men, kata down-from/according-to the stoicheion elementary ‘abc’ principles of the world, enslaving you once again.”  The context makes it clear that the “stoicheion elementary ‘abc’ principles of the world” have to do with gramma writings, even collected into OT graphe scripture, that require you to “submit to regulations of ‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” that they should have “with Christ died to” (a).  If Christians coming out of slavery to Jewish and other world religions or Greek philosophy THEN return back to them, they become “enslaved once again.”  Why would any Christian today want to go back to 97.4% of the OT that is regulations-based – see Logos Word of God – BT5a?  <Notes> a) Colossians 2:20-21.

 

Paul is certainly including the Jewish Law in these “traditions of men . . .stoicheion elementary ‘abc’ principles of the world, enslaving you ONCE AGAIN,” because he refers to circumcision in Colossians 2:11, and “the handwritings by-the-means-of THE Dogma ‘public decrees of God, the rules, regulations, and commandments contained in ordinances’ that stood against us with its legal demands being airo ‘lifted up’ out-of the way, having nailed it to the cross” in Colossians 2:14.  However, Jewish-Christians were not to be ruffled by Jewish judgments against them regarding the Law’s dietary regulations, festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths, all of which are scriptural skia ‘shadows, outlines, sketches’ of the things to come, but the soma Body/reality belongs/is-of Christ” in Colossians 2:16-17.  Paul would ask so many Christians today:  “If with Christ you died [in water-baptism per Colossians 2:12 and Romans 6:4] to the stoicheion elementary ‘abc’ principles of the world, why…do you submit to regulations of ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch?” in Colossians 2:20.

 

 

 

There are just so many NT bible verses that ‘poop-poo’ The Law but here is a summary:  The Law was only “UNTIL John [the Baptist], but SINCE THEN the gospel is preached”; it has been stamped “null and void” or nullified, like a paid-off loan, so that the contract is NOW worthless and can thus be thrown away; its ‘way of serving God’ is old or antiquated and worn out from use; is fulfilled and filled-to-completion, accomplished, ended, or finished by Christ and thus has faded, vanished, and passed away; it has been abolished since Christ fulfilled it; has been set aside because of its weakness and uselessness; Christ has does away with it violently or has put it to death the first covenant in order to establish the Second radically-different-in-kind New Covenant; it is no longer binding since we have died to it and thus no longer under it; there is NOW no such Law for those who live by the Holy Spirit; it was added originally by God only as a schoolmaster/escort service, prison-guard, or household-manager to protect the Jews when they were being treated as ‘little children‘ slaves of the household, but only until the coming of Christ when they would be freed from slavery and treated as mature sons that could then receive their inheritance.

 

Here’s some more:  the Law’s regulations to control indulgence are ‘elementary or rudimentary ‘abc’ fundamental principles’ given to the Jews, as in all religions, but are still infantile ‘milk’ originally intended only to lead Jews to the person of Christ, rules that are actually powerless and absolutely of of no value in curbing the indulgence flesh, even though it has an appearance of wisdom, as compared to the ‘solid food’ of gymnastic-like practicing of the Holy Spirit’s discernment of good and evil – see New Covenant Ways – BT16; the old covenant was changed to a ‘so-much-better covenant’ because of a so-much-better logos message, so-much-better priesthood, so-much-better sacrifice, so-much-better hope, so-much-better promises, and so-much-better inheritance; the reading of Moses continues to this day to cover the hearts of the hearers with a veil that blinds, separates, and hardens them from the glory of God in Christ Jesus;  the ‘teachers of the Law’ were not permitted to teach in the Church and so were referred to as ‘false teachers or Judaizers or the Circumcision Party’.

 

The negativity even gets worse:  The ‘Law of sin and death’ is what we’ve been set free by the Law of the Spirit of zoe genuine-life; The Law is weakened by the flesh; makes sin known to us and shows sin to be sin so that through the commandment sin might become sinful beyond measure; the Law holds us as captive slaves and controls us.  The scripture imprisons ALL under sin; the Law arouses our sinful passions; it is the enabling-power of sin; it is the reason sin comes alive in us; Personified Sin uses the Law to produce all kinds of sin in us; the Law multiplies sin; it condemns us; it kills us; it brings wrath and death; by it no one is justified; the doing of one rule of the Law commits us to doing it all, bringing a curse upon ourselves; the Law only promises merited, earned, deserved, conditional-favor from God, which is the exact opposite of unmerited, unearned, undeserved, unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace so that any attempts at the doing of the Law causes us to fall from unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace, causing us to be severed from Christ; the Law is absolutely-in-fact-NOT of trusting-relying-faith in Christ that alone saves us; and the Law made nothing perfect, so absolutely won’t perfect us.

 

Paul has already told Timothy in his first letter (a) to “paraggello ‘speak a message close-beside, charge, solemnly entreat’  certain persons in-possibility-NOT to teach any different doctrine/teaching” than the gospel logos message of “The Trusting-Relying-Faith” (The Christian Faith) (b).  In context, these “certain persons” were “teachers of the Law” who are “devoted to . . . [many Jewish traditions, vain discussions, speculations, etc.], desiring to be teachers of the Law . . .  rather than the oikonomia ‘household management, stewardship, administration’ of/belonging-to God, ten ‘specifically the one that is’ by-the-means-of trusting-relying-faith . . . by rejecting this some have made shipwreck of their trusting-relying-faith.” <Notes> a)1 Timothy 1:3-7, 19, b) v. 1:2.

 

The Old Testament was under a different management-plan of God than the New Covenant!  In fact, the NT writers often use ‘the faith in the Messiah’ prophetic ‘portions of’ graphe scripture “for elegchos rebuke/reproof/rebuttal of false teachers exactly because they taught the Law or simply read it in the churches (a).  And elegchos is the next word in 2 Timothy 3:16 after “profitable for teaching” that Timothy needed to also do as an evangelist-preacher against the Jewish Law-teachers!  So why would Paul include The Law in 2 Timothy 3:16 for what was “profitable for teaching  . . . for elegchos rebuking/rebuttal, etc.” when the very thing Timothy will do is “rebuke or give rebuttal” against the Law-teachers! He wouldn’t – see  Logos Word of God – BT7. <Notes> a) 1 Timothy 1:3-7, 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:16-18, 23-26; Titus 1:11, 13-14; 2 Corinthians 3:14-15; Acts 15:1.

 

Paul continues in 1 Timothy 1:6-7:  “Certain persons, by swerving from this (the doctrine of The Faith, v. 1:2-3) have wandered away into vain discussion (a), desiring to be teachers of the Law.”  Paul goes on in vv. 1:8-11 to say the Jewish Law-teachers are misapplying the Law to Christians “unlawfully” as if the Christians were the ones who were “ungodly sinners, unholy and profane” for which The Law was originally intended for, when Christians are actually by Christ’s godly, holy, and sacred obedience been made by the Holy Spirit the same as Christ in the sight of God!  The Jewish Law-teacher believe that Christian behavior NOW was somehow contrary to the Law but more specifically to “the sound doctrine that is kata down-from/according the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which I have been entrusted.”  <Notes> a) craving for controversy and quarrels about words – 1 Timothy 6:4, debate of the scribes – 1 Corinthians 1:20, plausible arguments – Colossians 2:4, arguments and lofty opinions against obeying Christ – 2 Corinthians 10:5.

 

We know from Paul’s writing that the “impostors . . . deceiving and being deceived” of 2 Timothy 3:13 are actually “teachers of the Law” that have disguised themselves – the key to “deceiving” others – as Christians, “false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom [from slavery] (a) that we have in Christ, so that they might bring us into slavery (b)” (c), those who insisted on circumcision (d), who oppose the “the truth of the gospel” (e).  <Notes> a) context: from slavery to the Law’s commandments and works, b) context: to works of the Law, c) Galatians 2:4, d) Galatians 2:3, see also Circumcision Party: Acts 11:2, Galatians 2:12, Titus 1:10, e) Galatians 2:5.

 

These “teachers” are thus “contrary” to “The-Trusting-Relying-Faith, hope, mercy, unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace, and peace” that alone is in the gospel!  Paul is telling Timothy to “shut them up!”  Paul told Timothy earlier in 2 Timothy 2:14-18 to “remind [the Jewish teachers] of these things (a), and charge them before God not to quarrel about words (b), which does no good, but only ruins the hearers (c). . . . avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene . . . [like those] who have swerved from The Truth (g) . . . upsetting The Trusting-Relying-Faith (The Christian Faith) of some.”  But to Timothy, Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:15, “spoudazo ‘give zealous concentration and diligent effort’ (d) to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly-handling (e) The Logos Message of/belonging-to The Truth, which is we know is NOW the gospel message (f) of Jesus Christ, who is The Truth (g).  This verse does NOT tell you to study your bible – see Logos Word of God – BT19.

 

<Notes> a) salvation in Christ – v. 10, b) I witnessed this in 5 bible schools: debating the meanings of bible words, which manuscript readings are more accurate, etc., c) that’s why I didn’t finish my Masters in Divinity in Exegetical Theology, d) spoudazo  doesn’t mean ‘study’ as the KJV, KJ21, AKJV, AMP, AMPC, BRG, DRA, GNV, JUB, MEV erroneously propagated, e) cutting a straight road, without deviation, f) Colossians 1:5; Acts 15:7; Ephesians 1:13, g) John 14:6.

 

The Jewish teachers of the Law were “unlawfully” applying the graphe scriptures to Christians, when it was so clear that through the Messiah’s final sacrifice for all time, Christians were now set free from the Law (a), because they have died through water-baptism to the Law that held them captive (b).  Paul makes it crystal clear in Romans 7:6 that since “we are now released from The Law, having died to that which held us captive, we now serve [God] by-the-means-of the completely-different-in-kind kainotes New (c) WAY of/belonging-to the Spirit kai and/instead absolutely-in-fact-NOT by-the-means-of the palaios old “antiquated, worn-out, weak, worthless” WAY of [singular: the] gramma letter/writing (d).”  That’ why Romans 8:2 says “the Law of the Spirit of zoe genuine-life has set you free [from slavery] in Christ Jesus from the [Mosaic] Law of sin and death.”  The “tablets of stone” or even grapho “written with ink” IS the “ministry of death, carved in gramma letters on stone . . . the ministry of condemnation” (e).

 

<Notes> a) Romans 8:2, b) Galatians 2:19; Romans 7:4, c) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely-different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, d) gramma without article: sacred writings of scripture as a composite whole, not distinguishing a portion of it such as the Law – see Logos Word of God – BT4, e) 2 Corinthians 3:3, 7, 9.

 

That didn’t stop the Jewish teachers from continuing to “unlawfully” apply the graphe scriptures to Christians:  Judging them for not obeying dietary laws, festivals, new moons, and Sabbaths (a); forbidding Christian leaders from marriage (b) and requiring obedience to abstinence from foods (c); requiring obedience to food and drink Laws, ceremonial washings, and regulations for the body (d); obedience to many strange teachings about food rather than about unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace (e); that God’s kingdom was about righteousness through obedience to ‘eating and drinking’ rules instead of the ‘righteousness, peace, and joy by-the-means-of-the Holy Spirit‘ (f).  They think their bible was meant to debate (g) or quarrel about words (h), creating foolish controversies, dissensions, and quarrels about the Law, to stir up division in the Church (i).  They are worldly people, devoid of the Holy Spirit, who cause divisions (j).  Paul also tells Titus the same thing, “They must be silenced . . . teaching . . . what they ought in-possibility-NOT to teach” (k).

 

<Notes> a) Colossians 2:16, b) like the Catholic Church and other religions do, c) 1 Timothy 4:3, d) Hebrews 9:10, e) Hebrews 13:9, f) Romans 14:17, 21, g) the Jews still believe this is a form of worship or meditation, like the movie “Yentl”, h) 2 Timothy 2:14, i) Titus 3:9-10, j) Jude 1:19, k) Titus 1:11.

 

Paul was essentially telling Timothy to NOT get confused (a) between what WAS the logos word/message of God in the old covenant and what IS NOW the logos Word/Message of God in the completely-different-in-kind New (b) Covenant.  That is what Paul meant by “rightly-handling The Logos Word/Message of God” in 2 Timothy 2:15!  Even the commandments of each covenant naturally have radically changed by definition of chadash/kainos (b).  If you don’t understand this, you will certainly not “cut a straight line” and thus “mishandle” much of the bible, therefore violating 2 Timothy 2:15!  Obviously Paul is not including the “Law of commandments” into the “pas ‘portions of’ graphe scripture” that are “profitable for teaching, rebuking, etc.” in 2 Timothy 3:16 – see the many other reasons in Logos Word of God – BT7. <Notes> a) as the Jewish teachers were, b) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely-different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior.

 

The only “agathos God-like good works” of 2 Timothy 3:17 that Timothy was “to be equipped for” that count NOW under the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant are the only 2 commandments rolled up into ONE (a):  Paul declares in Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision [to obey the Law] nor uncircumcision [to NOT obey the Law] counts for anything, but ONLY trusting-relying-faith routinely/habitually energeo energetically-working/doing dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ unconditional-love.”  It is NOW simply “the ergon work/doing of trusting-relying-faith and/coupled kopos work/labor of unconditional-love” (b)!  So at the end, Jesus says “I know your ergon works/doings:  your unconditional-love and/coupled trusting-relying-faith, kai and/specifically your service [of love to others] and/coupled your patient-endurance [of faith]” (c) – note the parallel structure called ‘metonymy!’  It’s no wonder “faith and love” are coupled 6 times (d).  <Notes> a) 1 John 3:23, b) 1 Thessalonians 1:3, c) Revelation 2:19, d) 1 Thessalonians 3:6, 5:8; 1 Timothy 1:14, 2:15; 2 Timothy 1:13; Revelation 2:19.

 

That’s because there was only 1 “work/doing for the food that endures for zoe genuine-life everlasting, only 1 “to-do on THE LIST to be doing the works of God” and Jesus said:  “This is the work/doing of God, that you should ongoingly have trusting-relying-faith in Himself whom God has sent,” which Paul calls “The Law of trusting-relying-faith” (a).  And there is only 1 other entole officially-decreed universal-binding commandment given to Christians found in the NT, that Jesus said was “My commandment” (b) and rightfully said it was a completely-different-in-kind kainos “New Commandment” by definition, that Christians were taught from the very beginning of their trusting-relying-faith (c) and that is “to unconditionally-love one another JUST as I have unconditionally-loved you.” <Notes> a) John 6:28-29; Romans 3:27, b) John 15:12, c) John 13:34; 1 John 2:7; 2 John 1:5.

 

That’s why this commandment is called by Paul “the Law of Christ” (a), thus “bearing one another’s burdens” (b) or “bearing one another in unconditional-love” (c).  Can you see how the definition of “Law” and what “commandments” are part of it have radically changed going from the old covenant to the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant?  Why are many Christians “borrowing” from the old and carry them forward into the New?  Paul would argue vehemently against this!  This is actually the foundational problem creating The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit in the Church!  <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2, b) Galatians 6:2, c) Ephesians 4:2.

 

 

Reflections:

 

 

As Christian musicians, why do so many Christians spend more time reading the OT, which is all “shadows, outlines, sketches, copies, representations, corresponding types or prefiguring antitypes, and symbols of things that were to come” that simply “testify about Me,” as Jesus said, when they can NOW “come to Me for zoe genuine-live everlasting,” and thus have His New Covenant and the Holy Spirit that the OT scripture promised?  Why settle for the shadow when you can have the person casting it, especially when “the scripture imprisoned everything under sin?”  With the multitude of terribly negative things that the NT says about the Law, much that Paul wrote, how could Paul be telling Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16 to include the Law in the “portion of’ scripture that is “profitable for teaching, etc.”?  He would be more than contradicting himself!

 

The Law is very negative by definition, being very judgmental and condemning, a violation of the Unconditional-Love that God is and that they were All to show to others.  No wonder those who read and study it become like-minded, being the opposite of The Grace and The Truth that came into being only through Jesus per John 1:17!  Grace being unconditional, unmerited, undeserved, and unearned loving-favor is the polar opposite of Law being conditional, merited, deserved, and earned loving-favor.  You can’t mix them, just like you can’t put the New wine of Christ’s blood & Holy Spirit into the old wine-skins of the OT’s 613 commandments and many rituals for holiness, just like you can’t mix the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit with the palaios ‘old, stagnant, weak, worn-out, used-up’ OT Laws & practices.  You can’t mix the 97.4% of the OT that is Law-based and 100% of the NT that is Grace-based.  One is 97.4% bad news and the other is the “Great News” of the gospel.

 

Sure the Law was intended to be agathos or kalos ‘good’, righteous, holy, and Spirit-kind in that it came from God who alone is ALL of that!  It was intended for our “instruction” but because of sin taking advantage of the commandments of the Law it aroused and multiplied sin exponentially within us, instantly condemning us to death, and the demon-lawyers in heaven’s courts use it day and night to accuse us before God.  That’s why it’s called “The Law of sin and death” because “The power of sin is the Law.”

 

The books of ALL our lives are filled with lines and lines of sin, and the ONLY way they can be blotted out before The Great White Throne Judgment Day that is after The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, is for Christ’s blood to stamp them “Paid in Full, Not Guilty.”  Our public repentance/turning-from-sin-to-Jesus and confession of “Jesus is my Messiah-Savior and Lord-Owner-Master” during our water-baptism is where we die with Him as we go under the waters and resurrect with Him after coming out of this immersion into Christ that profoundly changes us by definition of baptizo.  This is the ONLY way we can get our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Eternal Life.  Religion will have you try anything and everything else!

 

The LAW will have you try any number of 613 commandments or do a myriad of rituals to become holy or godly!  The ONLY way to cut the power-cord to the OLD MAN living inside of us that just wants to endlessly sin, being so self-centered, and the ONLY way to make “sin to lie dead, lifeless” is to be “apart from the Law” by “dying to the Law with Christ in water-baptism.”  The batteries have to be taken out of “the energizer bunny.”  The only way to escape the sure consequences of sin that is eternal death or separation from God, is to die with Christ and be resurrected with Christ in water-baptism.  Just like 1 Peter 3:21 says, “Baptism now saves you – not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal/confession to God for a good/clean conscience – thru-the-realizing-channel-of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

 

“Wisdom and understanding” won’t come from the scripture, which is 97.4% Law-based, even if it promises it over & over, because now it’s “kept hidden from the so-called ‘wise and understanding’ bible-students but “unhidden to little children that we must become like.”  They don’t read and study to learn!  NOW we get THIS by the means of the Holy Spirit as we humbly come to Jesus!  We get THIS through genuine, experiential, intimate, relational epignosis knowledge, not through gnosis informational-knowledge!  Bible study can actually be a “trap, snare, and retribution/curse with bent backs forever” – see New Covenant Ways – BT17.  Like Jesus, Paul heavily criticized the methods of learning from God that the Law-teachers used, so why would Paul being telling Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16 to repeat their mistakes by even using the Law in his own teaching?  He wouldn’t – see  Logos Word of God – BT7.  Paul tells people that just “reading Moses” will harden your heart, but true transformation comes by gazing at Jesus’ glory, not Moses or his words’!

 

The ‘portions of’ the scripture being repetitively used in the NT are those to “rebuke/reprove and correct” opponents, mostly Law-teachers, and “gently-as-with-a-child teach and train” Jews to become Christians.  These are clearly the prophetic “oracles/utterances of God” about Jesus, salvation through trusting-relying-faith, His completely different-in-kind New Covenant, and the promise of the Holy Spirit for ministry/service and thus absolutely-in-fact-NO longer by the gramma writings.  Even those used to convert and encourage Jewish-Christians were still elementary-school ‘abc’ fundamentals ‘milk’ compared to the ‘solid food’ of learning through gymnastic-like practice discernment of good and evil by the means of the Holy Spirit which is the actual “promise” under the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant.

 

The Jews needed to grow up out of the OT!  Writings-based learning, especially from dogma ‘universally-binding authoritative decrees, ordinances, regulations, doctrines, precepts, and commandments‘ is “a ministry of condemnation and death, for the gramma writing kills, but the Spirit gives zoe genuine-life.”  However, ALL of this is still the “elementary-school ‘abc’ fundamentals” common to all religions, even the Jewish one.  But Jesus came to END it ALL and instead bring us into a direct, genuine relationship with God by-the-means-of His Spirit of Holiness.  He restored His Perfect Will ‘Plan a’ of Exodus 20:18-21 recounted in Hebrews 12:18-21, 25 of direct teaching and direct holiness!

 

The teachers of the Law were considered false teachers compared to the preaching of the gospel logos message of The Truth.  The Church had many impostors within it, seeking to drag free Christians back into rules-based obedience instead of “the obedience of faith” that Paul uses as his thesis for the book of Romans, starting with it in Romans 1:5 and ending with it in Romans 16:26.  Paul told his pastors in training to shut these teachers up, but many of today’s churches invite them in!  However, going back to OT writings & practices meant you fell from grace, and have abandoned The Faith instead of “enduring to the end in order to be saved” and thus “no sacrifice for sins remains.”  Even just getting circumcised to feel safer by obeying the smallest “sign of the old covenant” was fatal!

 

Why are some Christians pushing the 10 commandments, even the 2 greatest in the OT?  Jesus only answered trick questions about these by the Law-teachers?  He never taught them to His disciples, but instead He told the masses how much stricter God’s Law actually was in order that they would see the Law’s “faults that called for a second commandment to replace the first” as Hebrews 8:7 says.  They first needed to see their need for a Messiah!  NOW there is only 2 commandments in the NOW completely-different-in-kind New Covenant – faith in Jesus and unconditionally-loving everyone, not just our “like-kind-fellow” neighbor “fellow Jews,” nor just as ourselves, but just like Jesus would!

 

A radically different-in-kind NEW Covenant has 2 radically different-in-kind Laws or commandments, by definition!  These are the “God-like good works” of a Christian that Christ has foreordained. This is what makes us sanctified, holy, righteous, and godly in our living, even though the Lord has given ALL this to US already by His propitiation or transfer of His nature for our nature on the cross, that we experience in water-baptism.  That’s why Paul only preaches and teaches about the cross.  Why are we doing otherwise?

 

The whole point of the OT was to act as a guardian, manager, even a prison-guard to keep the Jews safe from the evil influences of surrounding nations UNTIL Christ came.  But once He came and fulfilled the whole point of the Law and the Prophets to testify about Him, albeit sparsely, then it has vanished away, ended, been finished, was nullified, was abolished, and replaced with the second New Covenant.  Christians should have died to the first covenant or Law, which is at least 97.4% of the Old Testament.  If you go back to be enslaved by the Law, you forfeit your inheritance as redeemed sons of God.

 

The “commandments, rules, ordinances, precepts, and regulations of the Law may appear to be wise but are of absolutely no value in curbing the desires of the flesh.”  Only Christ’s blood can wash sin away through His death and our continued confession of sin as often as we fail – see Surrender Control page.  Only by being filled by the Spirit can you possibly overflow with God’s enabling-power to overcome sin!  The kingdom of God isn’t about rules anymore but “righteousness, peace, and joy by the means of the Spirit of holiness.”  Let’s grow up by getting out of the OT and getting into the NT, but especially getting into the Holy Spirit that goes way beyond ancient gramma writings!

 

Prayer:

 

 

Lord, move my gazing eyes away from ancient writings as “the Word of God” to You as God’s Voice to Your sheep.  Open my eyes that I might really see You and Your plans.  Open my ears to really hear to understand your prophetic-rhema words that are Spirit and zoe genuine-life that I might do Your will and for Your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.  I put down my religious obsession with ancient gramma letters and come to You, the very purpose of the writings, and take Your yoke-harness of learning to learn directly from You by Your “One is Your Teacher” Holy Spirit.  I no longer settle for the “shadow” of the man Jesus that OT scripture is.  Lord, I know I have to choose Law or Grace, works or Faith, old wine-skins or the New Wine that won’t even be contained by these skins without breaking, letters of writings about holiness or the the Spirit of holiness, a relationship with ancient rules of living from gramma writings about “the Word of God” or a relationship with the Living “Word of God” as Jesus Christ.  Lord, I choose Grace by Faith, the New Wine of the Spirit of holiness, and a relationship with the Living “Word of God.”

 

Lord, free me from the negative voice of the Law of commandments with its judgmental, accusing, pointing finger at my life or others.  I died with Christ to at least 97.4% of the OT.  I am free from it’s conditional-love slavery, it’s so-called “wisdom and understanding” that simply can’t curb the indulgence of the flesh.  I am free now to serve You by the Holy Spirit.  The secrets of the kingdom are revealed to little children but kept hidden from the bible scholars!  It’s now so simple that little children can obey:  Only 2 commandments combined into 1 – keep my trusting-relying-faith in You and keep unconditionally-loving others like You do.  And You made it even easier when we surrender to Your Holy Spirit to fill us up to overflowing to give us Your enabling-power and self-control.

 

Lord, thank You that I died with You in water-baptism and I felt You come into Me when I resurrected to New Life coming out of those waters.  I felt the burden of sin lifted and uncontrollably cried, even though I rarely do.  Lord, I now live my life in continual repentance, surrender, and confession just as with that day when I declared “Jesus is my Messiah-Savior and Lord-Master.  Now I live for You, no longer just for myself!”

 

Lord, still use the prophetic ‘portions of’ the OT scriptures to lead Your Jewish people to their Messiah Jesus.  And for us Gentiles and Jewish-Christians, let us move on from this “milk” to the “solid-food” of discerning good and evil simply by the means of the Holy Spirit.  Let us never by accused of being false teachers by teaching the OT Law of commandments, not even the 10 or the 2 greatest, but instead “preach nothing but Christ crucified” just like Paul vowed.  Now we only have 2 commandments coupled into 1:  Faith and Love.  Thank you for making it so simple for your little children.  Praise your name!

 

 

 

 

 

Spiritual Education, Old Testament Law was NOT used in the Early Church, 2 Timothy 3:16 says the Messianic prophecies about salvation by faith in Christ is what is profitable for teaching NOT The Law, The Law and its teachers were rejected by the Early Church, The Law is opposite of Grace, The Law condemns us and Grace saves us, Christ is NOW the logos Message/Word of God NOT Moses, The gospel preached is the New Covenant Way NOT gramma writings of old scripture, 97.4% of Old Testament is Law-based, Scripture imprisoned ALL under sin, Old Testament scripture is mostly shadow & figures of things to come, The Word of God is NOW Christ and His gospel message, NOW the promised Holy Spirit’s Anointing is our teacher NOT gramma writings, NOW the Spirit is our means of holiness NOT the Law, The LAW is NOT part of 2 Timothy 3:16’s ‘portions of’ scripture profitable for teaching, The Law is about judgment not the gospel of unconditional-love, The Mosaic Law is of sin & death and a ministry of condemnation, Gospel’s Spirit set us from Moses’ Law of slavery to sin & death, Mosaic Law broke promises of righteousness godly-holiness real-life wisdom or understanding, Mosaic Law was flawed & made nothing perfect because Satan uses the Law to tempt our powerless flesh to sin, Mosaic Law multiplies sin to condemn us to death, Power of sin is the Law, Gospel message frees us from condemnation by the Spirit, Blessed hope is total freedom from sin by our glorification at Christ’s return, Law is more than Moses writings, Christ’s Grace is opposite of Moses’ Law, Only 2.6% of scripture used to convert Jews to Christ, Bible-study can be a trap to miss the point – to come to Jesus for genuine-life, Kingdom secrets NOT revealed to the Wise & Understanding Ones but Little-Children, Paul prohibited reading Moses, Transformation comes instead by prophetically seeing Jesus, The Promise is NOT more writings but the Spirit to teach us, Writings are the fundamentals of all religions but NOT for the New Covenant, Christians should have died to the Law in water-baptism so why read it, The Law treated the Jews as children or slaves being strictly guarded until Christ, We are to be freed from most scripture, The Law doesn’t curb indulgence of the flesh it amplifies it, New Testament says so much negative about the Law, 2 Timothy 3:16 can NOT be telling Timothy to use the Law, Paul told Timothy to rebuke/correct the Law-teachers, New Covenant has a different administration by God that doesn’t use the LAW but Prophecy, The Early Jewish Church only used 2.6% to convert other Jews and to argue against Law-teachers, Requiring Christians to use the Law is unlawful, the Law-teachers were the false-teachers, Early Church was to reject Law-teachers, The “equipping for good-works’ of Timothy is the preaching of the gospel, Christian “good works” are faith and love