James 1:19-25?

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rmoore1021

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James 1:19-25 contains key thoughts on how to build your life on the Bible.
Read this passage silently to yourself and choose a word or phrase that stands out to you. Explain your choice.

19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
 

prism

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I notice your posts center on the 'law' passages...what we are to do.
Without first focusing on the Gospel...what Christ has done, is doing, and will do through faith in Him, you will end up living in the latter half of Romans 7...defeated by the law.
So we build our life on Christ crucified and risen and live in His power by His grace. Gal 2:20
 

Peltast

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I find James helpful, although I know that on its own it is not the most helpful of the epistles.
 

7angels

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i like verse 19 and 21 but 19 i like best. 19 because it can not only help here in this forum if we took the time to listen to why a person believes the way he believes and ask questions instead of just refuting what is said we can learn more on where a person has gone astry from the teaching or if it could be us that were mistaken. but because of our pride we think we know it and even if we are right we still just trample that person and his views without explaining why. the bible is not an easy book to understand and each verse and passage have more then one reason for being there. this is one of the reasons a person can read a verse a hundred times and then one day we read it again any say i never saw that before. anyone who cannot agree with new revelation just showing up out of nowhere is not lead by the Spirit of God. people get angry when people don't listen to them. i have seen many times where a person in this forum have just disregarded what another person said instead of trying to find out where they are coming from. if we think that a person's false teachings(as we here like to refer to those that don't agree with our beliefs) will contaminate us so we refuse to see where they are coming from but just argue then you don't know Christ very well. Christ did not argue but revealed truth that had been hidden. Christ should be our example and not our exception to the rule.
 
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rmoore1021

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How can these actions be used to study the bible in more depth?


Look at James 1:19-25 again. Write down the action words in the passage.

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger[a] does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
 

lawrance

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I find James helpful, although I know that on its own it is not the most helpful of the epistles.
:huh: so you dismiss it because ?
Faith without the works cannot be called faith ? :D read KJV
Many times in the Bible it says faith without the works is dead but some do not want to see it because they have been brain washed by cunning devilish people and it is this people who like to push that "works" is your works story <_< it has nothing to do with that at all but it is a work in Christ that is the truth and boy it's hard to try to get someone that has been deceived in this way to understand the facts.
Like they say the cattleticks are on about their own works ? this is not true at all, if they are following the doctrines according to there Pope. some idiot RC may believe such rubbish but he is out of line with the authority of the Pope and therefor just a fool.

I was a protestant and found out the truth by looking into what the Catholic doctrines are. and boy that was a shock to find out the truth and that i was brought up to hate the Catholics :( by Protestants.
 

prism

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Look at James 1:1 again....
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (Jas 1:1)
Are you of the twelve tribes of Israel?
 

Jake

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James 1:19-25 contains key thoughts on how to build your life on the Bible.
Read this passage silently to yourself and choose a word or phrase that stands out to you. Explain your choice.

19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
Verse 22 sums up discipleship of our Lord Jesus Christ, He is our instructor, we DO what He is doing, if you don't do what the Word tells you to do, then the ultimate goal for us in Christ, will not be met, which is to conform to our instructor - which is what a disciple does, one that follows, gets instruction and then conforms to the image of the instructor.

If we are not living out our faith with words and actions - then our faith is worthless and dead.

Are you of the twelve tribes of Israel?
Yes!
 

prism

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prism, on 31 March 2012 - 09:20 PM, said:

Are you of the twelve tribes of Israel?
Yes!
**************************************

Then it looks as if you do not take Scripture literally do you? If you do, which of the twelve tribes of Israel do you belong?
 

Jake

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snapback.png
prism, on 31 March 2012 - 09:20 PM, said:

Are you of the twelve tribes of Israel?
Yes!
**************************************

Then it looks as if you do not take Scripture literally do you? If you do, which of the twelve tribes of Israel do you belong?
We are all ONE in Christ!!

......for if he has stood the faith, he will receive the crown of Life that God has promised to those who love Him.
......God has planted the word of truth in you, so that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he has created.
......Has God not chosen the poor in the eyes of the world to become rich in faith, to inherit the Kingdom he promised those who love Him?

Under the New Covenant, believers are Israel, there is no difference, God shows no favortism, He simply wants us to love Him and we know we love Him when we obey.

It's simple.
 

Miss Hepburn

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James 1:19-25 contains key thoughts on how to build your life on the Bible.
Read this passage silently to yourself and choose a word or phrase that stands out to you. Explain your choice.

19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

Expanation: This is the rule, the rock of my life. Either I do what Jesus said to do or I don't.
Either it is something I talk about or become inspired by and aspire to do...or I do it.

When I experimented years ago with a theme of Jesus' instructions - I found it worked!!!!!!!!!!!!

That theme being - Give him my burdens, do not worry, be anxious for nothing, cast my cares, be not afraid, focus on the things above,
(I know I have allot of Paul in there, ha!), delight in the Lord, Be still, focus my mind on Him, seek the Kingdom of Heaven (God) first...you get the jist...

The student only advances if he follows the teacher's instructions to a tee..same as a soldier following his orders
either he does or he doesn't and success depends on following the orders to t-h-e t-e-e...exactly and precisely, 100%, no
exceptions what-so-ever.
 

Episkopos

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We are all ONE in Christ!!

......for if he has stood the faith, he will receive the crown of Life that God has promised to those who love Him.
......God has planted the word of truth in you, so that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he has created.
......Has God not chosen the poor in the eyes of the world to become rich in faith, to inherit the Kingdom he promised those who love Him?

Under the New Covenant, believers are Israel, there is no difference, God shows no favortism, He simply wants us to love Him and we know we love Him when we obey.

It's simple.

We are of Joseph...which means increase...and of Ephraim which means double fruit (fruit of obedience AND the fruit of the Spirit.)
 

Jake

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We are of Joseph...which means increase...and of Ephraim which means double fruit (fruit of obedience AND the fruit of the Spirit.)
Ok, but I don't see the significance, why would we need to come from any one of the 12 tribes? What would the purpose be?

It was individual physical tribes, but now it is one spiritual "tribe".

Ok, but I don't see the significance, why would we need to come from any one of the 12 tribes? What would the purpose be?

It was individual physical tribes, but now it is one spiritual "tribe".
Is the significance because of Rev 7, where it talks about the 144,000 being 12,000 from each tribe? Are there more reasons?
Thanks.
 

prism

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Jake wrote "Under the New Covenant, believers are Israel, there is no difference, God shows no favortism, He simply wants us to love Him and we know we love Him when we obey."

That was one of the cups of Reformed Kool-Aid I did not drink. Again I ask, which one of the tweleve tribes are you found in Revelation?
 

logabe

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After instructing us to put off "all filthiness and all that remains
of wickedness" in James 1:21, the Bishop of Jerusalem then gives
us the basis of the rest of his teaching on biblical law.

22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and
not merely hearers who delude themselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not
a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural
face in a mirror;
24 for once he has looked at himself and gone
away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of
person he was.
25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law,
the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having
become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer,
this man shall be blessed in what he does.

The purpose of law is to set the standard of righteous behavior
and to establish a guideline on how to love one's neighbor.
Divine law is the righteous standard of God as expressed through
the life and example of Jesus Christ.

James says it is "the perfect law," reflecting King David's Ode to
the Law in Psalm 19,

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the
soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making
wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing
the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
the judgments of the Lord are true; they are
righteous altogether.

It is also the law of liberty, because its goal is to set men free from
the power of sin and iniquity (anomia, "lawlessness"). Christ's death
on the cross did not set men free to sin, but set them free FROM the
power of sin, so that we may attain to the image of God and the
fulness of the stature of Christ.

Paul's letter to the Galatians was not written to give us the privilege
of violating the law of God, but to set us free from the Old Covenant,
which made perfect obedience the prerequisite for justification.

The goal is to set us free from the power of sin, and ultimately to bring
all of creation into the glorious liberty of the children of God. This goal
is prophesied in the law of Jubilee, for Lev. 25:10,

10 You shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim
liberty throughout all the land unto all the
inhabitants thereof. It shall be a jubilee unto you. . . .

The divine law points the way to true liberty. Its purpose was not to
enslave men, but to set them free. It pointed to the goal, and it
prophesied of Christ on every page. The problem was that fallen men
were unable to attain the righteousness of God by the force of their
own will and the power of positive thinking.

The Israelites vowed perfect obedience in Ex. 19:8, saying, "All that
the Lord has spoken we will do!" They had admirable intentions,
their flesh was weak. They had more confidence in the will of the flesh
than was possible to fulfill. Hence, a New Covenant was needed, one
based upon the will of God, rather than upon the will of man. By the
New Covenant, men will attain to the full righteous standard of the law
and come to the fullness of the stature of Christ. It comes in two stages,
as prophesied in the law: first, righteousness is imputed to us by faith;
and secondly, righteousness is infused into our hearts by the power of
the Holy Spirit.

Some men have argued that the "law of liberty" is a new law that Jesus
set forth as He abrogated the law given by Moses. The argument has no
merit, because the entire book of James was written to show that faith
was not a substitute for the law. In fact, as we will see, faith without
works [law] is "dead" (James 2:17).

In other words, if a person claims to have faith, but continues in his
lawless behavior, James questions his faith. Faith requires hearing and
obeying to have any meaning. Christians who continue living according
to the life style of the world and its flawed standard of righteousness do
not have genuine faith, regardless of their claims.

James says that such people are "hearers" but not "doers." They are like
people who look in the mirror and receive a temporary revelation of their
sinful, carnal condition, but then they go about their business without
any change in their lives. But he who looks at the law of liberty and
abides by it "shall be blessed in what he does" (1:25). In other words,
this is the way to obtain divine approval.

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and
yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his
own heart, this man's religion is worthless.

The Hebrew word for bridle is rehsen, which means "a restraint." James
was telling us that one must restrain his tongue, and if a believer thinks
he does not need to do so, he "deceives his own heart." An unrestrained
tongue, in fact, does not deceive anyone else, for his unrighteousness is
obvious to all who hear.

The other issue is not to leave the world, nor even to become a
"separatist," but to be a positive influence on the world without being
influenced by its carnal life styles.

To do this, however, requires first that we know and understand the mind
of God as expressed by the law, the prophets, the psalms, and the gospels.
Over and beyond this, it requires an ability to be led by the Spirit, because
we often encounter situations where we must discern which direction to
turn and must know how to apply the law's instructions in daily life.



Logabe






 

mark s

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Acts 15:5-30 LITV
(5) But some of those rose up from the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, saying, It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.
(6) And the apostles and the elders were assembled to see about this matter.
(7) And much disputation having occurred, rising up Peter said to them: Men, brothers, you recognize that from ancient days, God chose among us that through my mouth the nations should hear the Word of the gospel, and to believe.
(8) And the heart-knowing God testified to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us.
(9) And He made distinction in nothing between both us and them, having purified their hearts by faith.
(10) Now, then, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we had strength to bear?
(11) But through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, according to which manner they also believed.
(12) And all the multitude kept silent and were hearing Barnabas and Paul recounting what things God did through them among the nations, even the miraculous signs and wonders.
(13) And after they were silent, James responded, saying, Men, brothers, hear me:
(14) Simon recounted how even as at first God oversaw to take a people out from among the nations for His name.
(15) And with this agree the Words of the prophets, as it has been written,
(16) After these things "I" will return and "will build again the tabernacle of David which has fallen," "and I will build again the things which have been demolished," and I will set it up, Amos 9:11, 12
(17) so as the rest of men may seek the Lord, "even all the nations on whom My name has been called, says the Lord, who is doing all these things." Amos 9:11, 12
(18) All His works are known to God from eternity.
(19) For this reason I judge not to trouble those from the nations turning to God,
(20) but to write to them to hold back from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and that strangled, and blood.
(21) For in every city from ancient generations Moses has those proclaiming him, having been read in the synagogues on every sabbath.
(22) Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with all the assembly, to send chosen men from them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, Judas having been surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,
(23) writing by their hand these things: The apostles and the elders and the brothers, to those throughout Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia, brothers from the nations: Greeting.
(24) Since we heard that some of us having gone out have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, Be circumcised and keep the Law, to whom we gave no command;
(25) it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to send chosen men to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
(26) men who have given up their souls on behalf of the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
(27) Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, they by word also announcing the same things.
(28) For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put not one greater burden on you than these necessary things:
(29) To hold back from idol sacrifices, and blood, and that strangled, and from fornication; from which continually keeping yourselves, you will do well. Be prospered.

(30) Then they indeed being let go, they went to Antioch. And gathering the multitude, they delivered the letter.


And why these four things?

For in every city from ancient generations Moses has those proclaiming him, having been read in the synagogues on every sabbath.

Because for generations they've grown up hearing these things. Don't be a stumbling block to them. CP Romans 14, Colossians 2.

The Law had not been given to the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were not being brought into it now.

Love in Christ,
Mark
 

logabe

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Acts 15:5-30 LITV
(5) But some of those rose up from the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, saying, It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.
(6) And the apostles and the elders were assembled to see about this matter.
(7) And much disputation having occurred, rising up Peter said to them: Men, brothers, you recognize that from ancient days, God chose among us that through my mouth the nations should hear the Word of the gospel, and to believe.
(8) And the heart-knowing God testified to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us.
(9) And He made distinction in nothing between both us and them, having purified their hearts by faith.
(10) Now, then, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we had strength to bear?
(11) But through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, according to which manner they also believed.
(12) And all the multitude kept silent and were hearing Barnabas and Paul recounting what things God did through them among the nations, even the miraculous signs and wonders.
(13) And after they were silent, James responded, saying, Men, brothers, hear me:
(14) Simon recounted how even as at first God oversaw to take a people out from among the nations for His name.
(15) And with this agree the Words of the prophets, as it has been written,
(16) After these things "I" will return and "will build again the tabernacle of David which has fallen," "and I will build again the things which have been demolished," and I will set it up, Amos 9:11, 12
(17) so as the rest of men may seek the Lord, "even all the nations on whom My name has been called, says the Lord, who is doing all these things." Amos 9:11, 12
(18) All His works are known to God from eternity.
(19) For this reason I judge not to trouble those from the nations turning to God,
(20) but to write to them to hold back from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and that strangled, and blood.
(21) For in every city from ancient generations Moses has those proclaiming him, having been read in the synagogues on every sabbath.
(22) Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with all the assembly, to send chosen men from them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, Judas having been surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,
(23) writing by their hand these things: The apostles and the elders and the brothers, to those throughout Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia, brothers from the nations: Greeting.
(24) Since we heard that some of us having gone out have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, Be circumcised and keep the Law, to whom we gave no command;
(25) it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to send chosen men to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
(26) men who have given up their souls on behalf of the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
(27) Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, they by word also announcing the same things.
(28) For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put not one greater burden on you than these necessary things:
(29) To hold back from idol sacrifices, and blood, and that strangled, and from fornication; from which continually keeping yourselves, you will do well. Be prospered.

(30) Then they indeed being let go, they went to Antioch. And gathering the multitude, they delivered the letter.


And why these four things?

For in every city from ancient generations Moses has those proclaiming him, having been read in the synagogues on every sabbath.

Because for generations they've grown up hearing these things. Don't be a stumbling block to them. CP Romans 14, Colossians 2.

The Law had not been given to the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were not being brought into it now.

Love in Christ,
Mark


As Dr. Steven Jones says about people not understanding the Law,
they tend to judge others wrongly and out of their own desires. He
continues on that same thought.

"Humility is the root of all grace," said A.W. Tozer some decades ago.
James tells us that if someone has humility, he will not judge his
neighbor or backbite against him. Instead, he will extend grace
whenever possible. In the flow of topics raised by James, he speaks
first of God's grace, then humility, and then its fruit--being non-
judgmental toward others.

Those who do not truly understand the law are likely to use the law
legalistically to judge others. Legalism is a man-made application of
the law. Yet when we understand the mind of the Lawgiver (Jesus
Christ), we are able to use the law in a lawful manner, as Paul wrote
in 1 Tim. 1:8,

8 But we know that the Law is good, if one
uses it lawfully.

In other words, one must use the law in the manner in which God
intended. We call that "the spirit of the law." James, then, was not a
legalist, but he was very concerned about being lawful. Lawfulness
has to do with living one's life in accordance to the mind of Christ as
set forth in the law (that is, the entire Word).

In this, James sounds very much like the Apostle Paul, especially in
Romans 14:4,

4 Who are you to judge the servant of another?
To his own master he stands or falls; and stand
he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Paul had already laid the foundations of this instruction earlier in
Romans 12:19,

19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but
leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written,
"Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

The law of God forbids men judging one another without going
through the proper channels of divine government. God did
establish judges in the earth, who were instructed to judge men's
disputes as spokesman for the Lawgiver Himself. They were not to
render judgments according to their own opinions, desires, or
understanding. Thus, the judgment that they were supposed to
render was not theirs, but God's, for they represented God Himself.

When men took revenge on their own, they were out of order. All
injustice was to be recompensed at the hands of the divine court
and the judges who represented God Himself. It is unfortunate that
our English word "vengeance" now has connotations of a personal
vendetta, when in fact it was meant to convey the recompense of
true justice. Through His judges on earth, God upheld the rights of
those who had been victimized.

It seems to be a basic tenet of human nature to strike back on a
personal level. It is commonplace among children everywhere, and
unless we learn the spirit of the law, we may never grow out of it. It
is common to think that we have an inherent right to retaliate or take
vengeance when others do us injustice. But James says that if we do
this, we have judged both the law and the Lawgiver. Leviticus 19:18
says,

18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any
grudge against the sons of your people, but you
shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the
Lord.

Again, the law says a second time in Deut. 32:35 and 36,

35 Vengeance is Mine, and retribution; in due
time their foot will slip, for the day of their
calamity is near. . .
36 For the Lord will vindicate His people. . .

Hence, if we take the law into our own hands (other than in direct
self-defense), and refuse to abide by the lawful procedure established
by God, we judge not only the law but the Lawgiver as well. It is as if
to say, "God, you did not do right in this matter, so I myself will make
the correction and do what is right to make up for Your failure."

James tells us that if you do this, "you are not a doer of the law,
but a judge of it" (4:11).

We see, then, that the law itself commands us to love God and our
neighbors as ourselves. This law of love did not begin with the New
Covenant, but was commanded from the beginning. This is only logical,
because Jesus Christ was the Lawgiver in Moses' day and issued His
legislation under the name of Yahweh. His character is unchanging and
cannot be improved upon. Love was therefore the basis of the entire law,
and thus, Paul writes in Rom. 13:10,

10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore
is the fulfillment of the law.

Unfortunately, the scribes and Pharisees did not know the mind of the
Lawgiver, so they misapplied it in accordance with their selfish motives.
They interpreted the law to mean that they should love their fellow Jews
or Israelites, but thought they could withhold love from foreigners.
Likewise, many believed that the law demanded justice without mercy, so
justice became a duty with no provision for grace.

They did not understand the underlying principle that the victim always
has the right to extend grace to the sinner. While the law has no power to
reduce a sentence of the law, the victim is fully empowered to do so. A
thief convicted by the law must pay full restitution to his victim--unless the
victim extends grace either by reducing the debt or eliminating it altogether.

Such grace was the foundation of biblical law even under the Old Covenant,
but it was not well understood until the New Covenant was instituted. Jesus
demonstrated this principle on the cross, where, as the greatest Victim of all,
He said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing"
(Luke 23:34). As the Victim for the sin of the world, He obtained the lawful
right to extend grace to the whole world (1 John 2:2).

This was a principle of law not well understood under the Old Covenant.
Hence, many Christians think it is unique to the New Covenant. They do not
realize that the law applies to us under both covenants. The only difference is
that the Old Covenant made man's obedience a prerequisite to obtaining
immortal life, while the New Covenant put conditions only upon God Himself
(Heb. 8:8-12). Hence, our salvation is no longer dependent upon our own
ability to keep the law, but upon God's ability to fulfill His promise to overcome
all the sin in the world. (End Quote)

Wow, talk about an understanding of the Law and the New Covenant. He has
an incredible insight when it comes to simplifying a very difficult subject.


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