The word “Grace” is one of the most popular words in Christendom today. The issue is that as we use it daily, do we know actually what it is? Let us bear the fact that the grace in reference is the grace of God and we will go biblically. Many define grace in different ways – unmerited favor; that which helps one achieve what they cannot achieve; that by which we are saved and so on. The issue of “that by which we are saved” is culled from Ephesians 2:5, but is that just the grace? No, a further view about grace is given in Titus 2:11-12
. It said, in concurring with Ephesians 2:5, that the grace of God brings salvation, but went further to say that it appeared and is teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly, etc. This, actually, tells us that the grace of God is a teacher because it is teaching. Another view of the grace was given in Galatians 1:6-9 where Apostle Paul called the grace, a gospel/teaching/doctrine. Also, throughout the book of Galatians, and others, the grace was used synonymously with the word “faith” e.g. Galatians 2:16. We see now that the grace of God through Christ [Yehocanan (John) 1:17] was called: a teacher; a doctrine/teaching/gospel; and faith.
To forge ahead, there is something I want us to really look at. It has been a misused issue today; which comes from the subtitle. What is the relationship between the Law and the Grace? Why are they always compared? I believe that due to their comparison, knowing what the Law is and its duty will help us a long way in understanding the Grace. One fact I want us to bear in mind that the Law (which is from Genesis to Deuteronomy) is of God Almighty (that is the Law of God) and also the Grace is of God also. The two were given through two different personality BY GOD – Moses and Christ [Yehocanan (John) 1:17]; and as God is perfect and His words perfect; so also, the Law is perfect, pure, holy and true(Psalm 19:7-12). The Law of God through Moses was called a teacher/schoolmaster just like the grace was, in Galatians 3:24-25. What is then, the duty of the Law? The most simplified and satisfactory answer that gave the reason why God brought the Law through Moses was given in Galatians 3:19. God gave the Law because of sin/transgression. So, the duty of the Law that came through Moses (Genesis-Deuteronomy), as a teacher, was to teach about sin. In its teaching about sin, it taught everything (-defined what sin is; how sin came into existence; and taught about the solution to sin). Let us not forget about the duty of the grace according to Titus 2:11 – that it is the solution to sin-saved from sin and taught how to avoid it. In effect, it is that the Law wrote about the grace. Taking a look at Matt. 5:17; our savior said he did not come to destroy the Law or the prophets but came to fulfill them. He clarified it in Matt. 11:13 that all the prophets and the Law PROPHESIED. So, it is the prophecies of the Law that he came to fulfill. Furthermore, in Yehocanan (John) 5:39; he declared to the Israelites saying that they search the scriptures thinking that in them they have eternal life but the scriptures are testifying of him. Verses 45 – 47 made it known that Moses wrote of him (the Christ) and for us to believe in him, we must believe in Moses (vs. 46). Also, in vs.47, he said that his words are the writings of Moses. Moreover, in Luke 24:25-27, where he met the two disciples going to Emmaus, the bible said that he began at Moses and all the prophets and explained unto them in all the SCRIPTURES the things concerning himself. Also in same Luke 24:44-48; where he met the remaining disciples, he told them that; that what he taught them when he was with them is that all the things concerning himself in the Law, the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled. Then vs. 45 said that he opened their understanding towards the SCRIPTURES; and “that it is written; (in the scriptures) that Christ must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his NAME among all nations beginning from Jerusalem”. So what he referred to as the scriptures in Yehocanan (John) 5:39 was made known here is: the Law, the prophets and then the psalms (Genesis to Malachi) quite unlike what people refer to it as the Old Testament. It is this same that apostle Paul referred to in 2 Timothy 3:15-17.
So, the duty of the law given through Moses was all about sin-how sin came in, what is sin and what the solution to sin is but it was the grace that is the solution to sin (of which we have seen that the law wrote all about the grace). We can now say that the grace of God is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the law. So, just like the early Christians and Christ himself used the scriptures (the law and the prophets) in their teachings and their daily lives [Acts 17&18; 2Timothy 3:15-17], it is paramount for us to use the scriptures in order to know the truth and avoid erring (Matt.22:29). For us to know everything concerning our savior (his name, birth and when, his death, all his life and everything about the grace give through him), let us go back to the law given through Moses.
The problem that exists nowadays is still the same issue of Matt 22:29 and Yehocanan (John) 5:39- a group of people will hold on to the law for salvation from sin (of which God did not design it to do so), while others do not understand it, and then abandon it (although they go to the pick what favors their self-interest from it).But apostle Paul declared in 1Timothy 1:8 that the Law is good if used lawfully. If we really understand this fact that the law given through Moses was given of God because of sin and it prophesied all about Christ and in reading it, we have the full knowledge of our savior and it cannot save us. It is just like the plan of the house which gives everything about the house (why the house, when and how it will be built), so is the Law and not the house itself (which the grace acts as).
In the final analysis, the grace of God came to save us from sin as prophesied by the law given through Moses. One of the prophecies of the law is that the personality, through whom the salvation came, shall be called Yehoshua and not Jesus/Yahshua/Yeshua/Yahoshua. Yehoshua is the only name that can save from sin and death according to the law of God through Moses.
. It said, in concurring with Ephesians 2:5, that the grace of God brings salvation, but went further to say that it appeared and is teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly, etc. This, actually, tells us that the grace of God is a teacher because it is teaching. Another view of the grace was given in Galatians 1:6-9 where Apostle Paul called the grace, a gospel/teaching/doctrine. Also, throughout the book of Galatians, and others, the grace was used synonymously with the word “faith” e.g. Galatians 2:16. We see now that the grace of God through Christ [Yehocanan (John) 1:17] was called: a teacher; a doctrine/teaching/gospel; and faith.
To forge ahead, there is something I want us to really look at. It has been a misused issue today; which comes from the subtitle. What is the relationship between the Law and the Grace? Why are they always compared? I believe that due to their comparison, knowing what the Law is and its duty will help us a long way in understanding the Grace. One fact I want us to bear in mind that the Law (which is from Genesis to Deuteronomy) is of God Almighty (that is the Law of God) and also the Grace is of God also. The two were given through two different personality BY GOD – Moses and Christ [Yehocanan (John) 1:17]; and as God is perfect and His words perfect; so also, the Law is perfect, pure, holy and true(Psalm 19:7-12). The Law of God through Moses was called a teacher/schoolmaster just like the grace was, in Galatians 3:24-25. What is then, the duty of the Law? The most simplified and satisfactory answer that gave the reason why God brought the Law through Moses was given in Galatians 3:19. God gave the Law because of sin/transgression. So, the duty of the Law that came through Moses (Genesis-Deuteronomy), as a teacher, was to teach about sin. In its teaching about sin, it taught everything (-defined what sin is; how sin came into existence; and taught about the solution to sin). Let us not forget about the duty of the grace according to Titus 2:11 – that it is the solution to sin-saved from sin and taught how to avoid it. In effect, it is that the Law wrote about the grace. Taking a look at Matt. 5:17; our savior said he did not come to destroy the Law or the prophets but came to fulfill them. He clarified it in Matt. 11:13 that all the prophets and the Law PROPHESIED. So, it is the prophecies of the Law that he came to fulfill. Furthermore, in Yehocanan (John) 5:39; he declared to the Israelites saying that they search the scriptures thinking that in them they have eternal life but the scriptures are testifying of him. Verses 45 – 47 made it known that Moses wrote of him (the Christ) and for us to believe in him, we must believe in Moses (vs. 46). Also, in vs.47, he said that his words are the writings of Moses. Moreover, in Luke 24:25-27, where he met the two disciples going to Emmaus, the bible said that he began at Moses and all the prophets and explained unto them in all the SCRIPTURES the things concerning himself. Also in same Luke 24:44-48; where he met the remaining disciples, he told them that; that what he taught them when he was with them is that all the things concerning himself in the Law, the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled. Then vs. 45 said that he opened their understanding towards the SCRIPTURES; and “that it is written; (in the scriptures) that Christ must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his NAME among all nations beginning from Jerusalem”. So what he referred to as the scriptures in Yehocanan (John) 5:39 was made known here is: the Law, the prophets and then the psalms (Genesis to Malachi) quite unlike what people refer to it as the Old Testament. It is this same that apostle Paul referred to in 2 Timothy 3:15-17.
So, the duty of the law given through Moses was all about sin-how sin came in, what is sin and what the solution to sin is but it was the grace that is the solution to sin (of which we have seen that the law wrote all about the grace). We can now say that the grace of God is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the law. So, just like the early Christians and Christ himself used the scriptures (the law and the prophets) in their teachings and their daily lives [Acts 17&18; 2Timothy 3:15-17], it is paramount for us to use the scriptures in order to know the truth and avoid erring (Matt.22:29). For us to know everything concerning our savior (his name, birth and when, his death, all his life and everything about the grace give through him), let us go back to the law given through Moses.
The problem that exists nowadays is still the same issue of Matt 22:29 and Yehocanan (John) 5:39- a group of people will hold on to the law for salvation from sin (of which God did not design it to do so), while others do not understand it, and then abandon it (although they go to the pick what favors their self-interest from it).But apostle Paul declared in 1Timothy 1:8 that the Law is good if used lawfully. If we really understand this fact that the law given through Moses was given of God because of sin and it prophesied all about Christ and in reading it, we have the full knowledge of our savior and it cannot save us. It is just like the plan of the house which gives everything about the house (why the house, when and how it will be built), so is the Law and not the house itself (which the grace acts as).
In the final analysis, the grace of God came to save us from sin as prophesied by the law given through Moses. One of the prophecies of the law is that the personality, through whom the salvation came, shall be called Yehoshua and not Jesus/Yahshua/Yeshua/Yahoshua. Yehoshua is the only name that can save from sin and death according to the law of God through Moses.
This is where many Christians and Messianics get it all wrong: the relationship between the Law (Moses) and the Grace (Christ).
ReplyDeleteWhy then the LAW?
Diese ist das großere problem in der Welt. die Verschieden zwischen Die Grace und Law. Danke dür ein Augeoffener
ReplyDelete