Before returning to our main thought, though what I'm about to reveal will follow along the vain of our main thought. I must reveal what took place yesterday with a visit by me with a dear friend of ours, who has been on the same quest for Truth with my wife and I for about twenty-seven years or so. At one time we were likened to a three stranded cord in our quest for God's Truth. But over the last fifteen years or so he has become separated from my wife and I and has fallen prey to deception through a spirit of Religion though to hear him speak you'd think it otherwise of him.
The first thing that makes this standout is his belief that all prophesy remains to come about. And especially those that apply in his thinking and eyes with the nation of Israel as he put it they are the apple of God's eye! He also thinks of himself as a priest after the order of Zadok (Ezekiel 48:11 "for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray." and Nehemiah records Zadok's work in repairing the walls of the city, which all the priests did after their return from captivity) and some kind of high priest in that order, even his prayers reflect this thinking. If ever there was a name it and claim it thing possible for believers he exhibits this kind of prayer life. He also believes that all those who come to faith in Yeshua/Jesus will be or should be doing the very things that Jesus as the Son of man did. For years he has requested the "power" to do these and greater things, thinking that mans was to be indued with this power. Then he has spent years researching the times or new moons, feast-days and such and these things are indeed interesting but we're not to be about pursuing them if I understand scripture rightly. The other thing that I find so interesting about his way of seeing things is that he asks for the spirit of Truth to reveal all truth to him. But he will not subject himself to that same Spirit as LORD.
I say all this not to put him or any one else down. If they are of this opinion or religious belief. Because they're not, Yes NOT, in subjection to the LORD of spirit's, that is to say, the Lord Christ Jesus, who is not only the Spirit of Truth but also the LORD of both covenants. For all things revealed of the "I AM" was spoken by Yehovah of Himself as Revelation reveals Him to be the Spirit of Revelation or Prophecy. John in his first letter reveals this about Jesus, as do the other writers of the four gospels, in the first chapter of his letter/book. We've said that Christ is "Christianity and Christianity is Christ" this is nothing of our own revelation or enlightenment but is rather that which many of the Lord's teachers have said in different manors or ways within the text of their literature. This literature includes but is not limited to the Bible, as Christ's activities are not all contained or recorded in its scriptures. If we don't see Christ throughout the text of scripture but only focus on the nation of Israel and what we suppose to be the rule of scripture by this kind of activity, we'll miss the Truth as revealed in Christ Jesus.
Now we'll pick back up with our discourse and thought.
For the word religion can be inserted into the text where ever the words law, Law, idolatry, fornication, harlot, letter....etc. are. And still keep the intent of the word or text of the Bible. We wont diminish or take anything away from its purpose or meaning.
The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives . . . But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter......But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter [religion or Law]; whose praise is not of men, but of God.....For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh [mans fallen nature as a Satan child held by religion] by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. [Romans 7:1, 6 and Romans 2:29 which is Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6; Colossians 2:11-12]
In the word of God, the Lord has promised truth which brings spiritual life and liberation. "The truth shall make you free" [John 8:32]. We have considered such truths that set people free from bondage to sin, from bondage to the fear of death, and from bondage of religious slavery to the influence of the evil one through the letter. Now, we will look at another category of liberating truth: truth to deliver us from the law (again religion). Within each of the first four books of the new testament we must realize that Jesus was straightforward in exhibiting and explaining the life of God that He came to bring/reveal in Himself. This can be heard within the text when He confronted the religionist of His day namely the Pharisee’s, Sadducee's, scribes and the lawyers. But it did not stop here with them alone but was carried over to the zealots or nationalists (government, ie....politics) of his day as well. The primary contextual setting in which the gospel-narratives must be read is that of constant awareness of the confrontation which Jesus’ life had with all religion, government ie...Judaism, and the political activist. For as Paul points out in Galatians chapter 4 verse 4 that Jesus was: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” But this was not as far as it went because when still a boy He confronted the religionist leaders of His day and caused them much trouble as recorded in Luke chapter 2. He knew that He was to be about His Fathers business from His youth.
This is the law that holds all humanity in a state of sin and death or the knowledge of good and evil. It is not the Mosaic Law or the ten Commandments as some assume and think. Jesus in His flesh nailed two laws to the tree they are the law as found in Genesis 2:16-17, the law of spiritual death for disobedience, ie...sin and religion. The other law, which only applied to Israel and all Hebrews, was what is commonly called the Mosaic Laws found in Exodus and Leviticus and the additional ones added by the priest's. These are the Jewish laws for holiness onto God (Yehovah), they gave NO room for salvation or forgiveness, their penalty for disobedience was death. NO trial or plea bargaining under these laws.
This issue pertains to everyone initially, because we all begin under bondage to the law. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" [Romans 3:19]. Everyone who has ever lived, is living now, or will live in the days to come (as "all the world") are initially held in a state of condemnation (as "guilty before God"), because of their sin (being a human born separated from God's commonwealth). This guilty condition would persist for a lifetime, if God did not supply a remedy. "The law (religion) has dominion over a man as long as he lives." However, this condition need not persist, because the Lord's word proclaims liberating truth for this drastic need. "But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by." The person we were at physical birth died (the spiritual separation from) on the cross with Christ, when we believe Him.(Spiritually, see ourselves in Him nailed to that tree, dead, buried, and resurrected in Him, then ascended and seated with Him now in the spirit.) [John 6:50-51; Galatians 2:20, Colossians 3:1-3, 4] The new creature in Christ now stands justified by faith in Christ (not by law performance or religious practice). "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified (declared not guilty, pronounced righteous in Christ) by faith apart from the deeds of the law" [Romans 3:28] this is to say deeds of religious performance. Now Romans was written sometime after Paul wrote Hebrews and this is in reference to the Jewish laws, as this part of Romans is addressed to all religious thinking people.
All of God's true children (the mystical or true Israel of God, as the apple of His eye) have experienced these liberating Truths, as they apply to justification (our eternal righteous standing before God in heaven as we've become the house of God's rule). However, many of God's people are unaware of the need to be delivered out from under the bondage of the law, or religion concerning sanctification (our daily growth in personal, practical godliness on earth, God”s character restored). The daily need to crucify the thoughts, imaginations, opinions, emotions and desires of the unredeemed flesh, the strong holds of sin and death in man. Yet, the word of God addresses this matter repeatedly. Here, in one of our primary verses for meditation, we see these truths given a sanctification implication. "Now we have been delivered from the law [religion], having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the spirit (mans regenerated and receptive spirit) and not in the oldness of the letter." Yes, understanding the truth of being delivered from the law, or religion determines whether we will struggle daily in bondage to law, or religious standards of performance, or live freely by the ongoing, ontological fresh work of the Spirit of God as He reveals all truth in us and to our minds.
Dear Lord of deliverance, I worship You for delivering me from the condemnation of the law and religion, by grace through faith. Teach me how to live daily by grace through Your faith, that I might be practically delivered from law and religions performance as I serve You, Thank You.
The above was taken in part from a daily devotional done by Pastor Bob Hoekstra with some editing on our part.
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