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The Book Warning This Book Will Shock You |
Warning This Book Will Shock You By Roxy J Nolin Chapter Two |
If we were raised in an atheistic environment then we would lean to atheism. If we were raised as a Muslim, we would lean towards Islam. If raised in a home that loved sports, then we would be impelled towards the enjoyment of sports. If Music, then we would apt to be a musician. If there were certain abuses, mental or substance, then we would probably struggle from not falling into its clutches. Look around our communities, speak to people and see if this is not true. Legalism based in Fear When our attitude concerns legalism, the foundation is based usually on fear. Fear because we are instilled through upbringing, law keeping, works performance mentalities, which is brought into our Christian life. We simply do not know God as; "He loved us before we loved Him or the perfect love that cast out fear, fear of punishment and wrath. Instead through tradition and a distorted insecure view of God we strive to gain favor, blessing and acceptance on the favor, blessing and acceptance on the bases of fear, fear of an angry God! Legalism is mixing Law and grace. From a Christian perspective this deception comes from trying to mix the Old Testament law with New Testament grace, mixing the new wine in the old wineskin. Jesus said it would not mix. It would be like trying to mix oil with water, you may shake it but after it settles, it will automatically separate. Oil and water are direct opposites. Law and grace are also direct opposites or set against each other. Under the system of Law we are taught we must perform to earn God's approval or blessings. Simply the Law says, give or satisfy me first then I might give to you, depending on if it is acceptable. If it is not then you will be cursed with a curse. The problem is when is it enough, enough to satisfy? How can we as mere humans ever give enough to a God who has everything? How can we attain the high standard, then be secure in the I Am, who is perfect in every way? No wonder we are afraid, insecure and unsure of God. Let's get serious, I know my limitations, wanting to do what is right, yet seemingly does the wrong things. Stumbling and sometimes crawling through life. Legalism is simply the wrong use of Law, which turns into rules and regulations, do's and don'ts. A system of works and performance to satisfy and appease God. It is an old system that no longer applies today. Grace on the other hand says, because of my Son I give favor, blessings and acceptance to all whom will trust and rely on Him. It is saying, I have already blessed and excepted you, so now you can perform. Now you can do good works. Grace changes the motivation! For example some believe that keeping the Law can attain salvation. Others understand salvation as a free gift without the Law. Most Christians would agree with the latter. Yet ask many of these same Christians if they believe that justification, sanctification and righteousness comes by observing external rules, regulations and some will answer, yes! This is where we get our modern day legalism within the church, the mixing of the old and the new. The Law is not for us. The questions may be asked, do we or do we not live under the Law? If not then has God abolish or not abolished the Law and what was it's purpose? First we must understand the purpose of the Law was simply given by God as a moral reflection of Himself. A mirror image of who He is in His perfectness. Remember God is absolute holiness, righteousness and justice. He never intended that man live under the jurisdiction of the Law, but it was the nation of Israel, not the gentiles, that ask and promised to live by its demands. No one ever did! The law cannot satisfy, justify or make anyone righteous or perfect. Its purpose was to show all of humanity that they needed a mediator. A savior! Yes, the Law in and of itself was good, perfect and holy but not for saving. When the Israelites looked upon the mirror of the Law it revealed that they were depraved lost sinners without hope. It was to show them their imperfectness, then in turn make them look to God for their salvation. The Law was never meant to be for them but was against them, to show them their depravity. Again it showed God's perfectness which of course was contrary to them. They simply could not, and never did completely obey it. All their good works could pile high to the moon but it would not be enough to appease God and His goodness, perfectness or holiness. Man needs a change of nature. The thing that we must understand is that we have a fallen nature. Because of the sin of Adam, we were born into sin. We are filled with sin, indebted and totally bankrupt. We needed a change in our nature, a new creation altogether! In Israel's condition, God by His grace and mercy gave them temporary relief through types and shadows of Christ to come. The sacrifice of bulls and calves as a covering or yearly atonement for their sins. It also helped to protect them from the curse of the law, but again it was only temporary. Now God had a different plan. He knew that man in and of himself was lost. So this perfect, holy, just God took a perfect, holy, righteous sacrifice in His only begotten Son, and nailed Him to a tree. The Book of Colossians says that Jesus canceled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the not (bond) with its legal decrees and demands, which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross. Jesus death was a perfect sacrifice that He offered as a one time eternal atonement for the sins of mankind. It was not a covering but a new life of liberty and freedom from the law and it's curse. All that was needed was for the sinner to look to this sacrifice, except it and they would be qualified for eternal life and delivered from the curse. |
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Copyright Roxy J Nolin 2002 |
