Hi there,
So I just want to introduce a concept, that relates to the Law. The concept is this: if we cannot be condemned without the Law, because we are ignorant of its direction, can we be condemned on the basis of a fragment of that law? The answer is "only by a fragment". Now this is interesting, because there is a tremendous difference between being condemned for the whole of the law, and only a fragment of it. We cannot hope to redeem ourselves, in our own strength, from the whole of the Law, it is too overwhelming. But a fragment of the Law, at least for a time, is something we can hold back. Do we want to hold it back? Perhaps more enthusiastically than for the whole of the Law! (For who indeed gets enthusiastic about the whole of the Law?)
The reason there is optimism, is in part because a fragment of the Law gives hope that we can be moral in the law. To be partially right, most of the time, is moral - therefore to be partially strong in the Law, for the sake of greater conviction, is greatly moral. This is what it is to take up the cause of the Law, for the sake of justifying ourselves more consistently. If we fail in the whole of the Law, that is no indication we will fail in a fragment of it, because the context for both is radically different in the Law. So then, if we have the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit gives us a fragment of the Law, we know that for a time we will be able to sustain it. And he who sustains the law, grows in spirit - indeed we grow to be like the Holy Spirit!
The encouragment of this, is that it is up to us, what fragment of the Law we keep. If we desire to be greatly justified, the more the fragment we need - more of the fragment, being less of the whole of the law. This then, begins to strengthen us between one law and another. We gain experience of the fulfilment of the law, and by extension of that, the whole of the Law. Not in complete justification, but in principle. In other words we find our way back to the Law, by attempting to be greatly moral about part of it. This accords with the words of the Lord "he who is faithful in the least, is faithful also in much". Indeed we are behoven to live by faith, no matter how small the fragment of the Law. But who fragmented the Law, that we might entertain a fragment of it?
The question of who fragmented the law, is like the question of "who made the crystal sea, in Revelation?", it is a state of destruction that the raw power of Jesus on the Cross has brought about in the spiritual realm. The reflection of Christ's Heavenliness in Heaven, was shattered by the intensity of His Purity; the ground of the Law on Earth shattered the Law with a great Earthquake at the Cross. Now the Law is only in fragments, as fools we try to gather it all up - until we gain the experience of fulfilling the law (a fragment of it) that puts distance between the need to fulfil something of the Law and foolishly trying to fulfil all of it. This experience can in turn become powerful. That is, as Christ was able, to see that false prophets will come, in the veil of that power - until such time as all men, at some level, justify morality. That is a good thing to hope in!
The power of this, at its utmost, is that all men justifying morality and having a fragment of the Law, will be able to cleanse themselves, of their wrongdoing, in their own time. As the Bible says "The time is coming when no one will say 'know the Lord', for everyone will know Him and will learn from Him of their own accord" (Old Testament, from memory). This fundamental conviction, requires that the provocation of the Spirit be laid down, and the beacon of the way to the light be upheld the more brightly. I think this is in our future! It makes sense to pray to the Lord, to make us clean, for the joy of the Spirit that is to come. Certainly that is a fragment of the Law, that you can obey!
I hope this has been of some encouragement to you.
God bless.
So I just want to introduce a concept, that relates to the Law. The concept is this: if we cannot be condemned without the Law, because we are ignorant of its direction, can we be condemned on the basis of a fragment of that law? The answer is "only by a fragment". Now this is interesting, because there is a tremendous difference between being condemned for the whole of the law, and only a fragment of it. We cannot hope to redeem ourselves, in our own strength, from the whole of the Law, it is too overwhelming. But a fragment of the Law, at least for a time, is something we can hold back. Do we want to hold it back? Perhaps more enthusiastically than for the whole of the Law! (For who indeed gets enthusiastic about the whole of the Law?)
The reason there is optimism, is in part because a fragment of the Law gives hope that we can be moral in the law. To be partially right, most of the time, is moral - therefore to be partially strong in the Law, for the sake of greater conviction, is greatly moral. This is what it is to take up the cause of the Law, for the sake of justifying ourselves more consistently. If we fail in the whole of the Law, that is no indication we will fail in a fragment of it, because the context for both is radically different in the Law. So then, if we have the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit gives us a fragment of the Law, we know that for a time we will be able to sustain it. And he who sustains the law, grows in spirit - indeed we grow to be like the Holy Spirit!
The encouragment of this, is that it is up to us, what fragment of the Law we keep. If we desire to be greatly justified, the more the fragment we need - more of the fragment, being less of the whole of the law. This then, begins to strengthen us between one law and another. We gain experience of the fulfilment of the law, and by extension of that, the whole of the Law. Not in complete justification, but in principle. In other words we find our way back to the Law, by attempting to be greatly moral about part of it. This accords with the words of the Lord "he who is faithful in the least, is faithful also in much". Indeed we are behoven to live by faith, no matter how small the fragment of the Law. But who fragmented the Law, that we might entertain a fragment of it?
The question of who fragmented the law, is like the question of "who made the crystal sea, in Revelation?", it is a state of destruction that the raw power of Jesus on the Cross has brought about in the spiritual realm. The reflection of Christ's Heavenliness in Heaven, was shattered by the intensity of His Purity; the ground of the Law on Earth shattered the Law with a great Earthquake at the Cross. Now the Law is only in fragments, as fools we try to gather it all up - until we gain the experience of fulfilling the law (a fragment of it) that puts distance between the need to fulfil something of the Law and foolishly trying to fulfil all of it. This experience can in turn become powerful. That is, as Christ was able, to see that false prophets will come, in the veil of that power - until such time as all men, at some level, justify morality. That is a good thing to hope in!
The power of this, at its utmost, is that all men justifying morality and having a fragment of the Law, will be able to cleanse themselves, of their wrongdoing, in their own time. As the Bible says "The time is coming when no one will say 'know the Lord', for everyone will know Him and will learn from Him of their own accord" (Old Testament, from memory). This fundamental conviction, requires that the provocation of the Spirit be laid down, and the beacon of the way to the light be upheld the more brightly. I think this is in our future! It makes sense to pray to the Lord, to make us clean, for the joy of the Spirit that is to come. Certainly that is a fragment of the Law, that you can obey!
I hope this has been of some encouragement to you.
God bless.