THE OLD TESTAMENT IS SUMMED UP IN LEV. 17:11 WHILE THE NEW TESTAMENT IN ROM. 3:25.
"WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS OF SIN." "PROPITIATION THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD."
The issue is whether you are living in the OT or the NT. The OT is the Law and the NT is the Spirit (OF GRACE). We are not bound to the letter of the Law, which kills, but to the Spirit, which is life. Christ fulfilled the Law to the letter and set us free to live according to the Spirit of life in Christ (cf. Rom. 10:2). In fact, the day we were set free from the Law was a day of rejoicing, and the day we realized it was heaven on earth as well as music to God's ears. Nowhere in the NT are we admonished to live according to the Law! Actually, "love is the fulfillment of the Law" (cf. Rom. 13:10). We serve in the new way of the Spirit, not in the old way of the letter of the Law (cf. Romans 7:6).
The yoke of following Jesus is the light and easy burden (cf. Matt. 11:30). As many as are relying on the Law are under a curse (cf. Gal. 3:10). God didn't give us the Law to keep, but to break, in order to show us we cannot keep it and look for salvation. The Law merely measures us and shows our guilt, but doesn't save, but shows our need and doesn't exculpate. NB: NOWHERE IN THE NT ARE WE COMMANDED TO OBSERVE THE LAW NOR TO BECOME SOMEWHAT JEWISH TO BE SAVED OR SANCTIFIED.
We have the yoke of God's will and following on to know the Lord. That is why we live on purpose, and not just according to some externalism standard like the Pharisees did (EXTERNALISM): circumcision, hand washing, sacrifice, tithing, fasting, Sabbath and holy day observance, and following the kosher restrictions on diet (anything avoiding the condition of the heart or thought life). Instead, we are exhorted to be filled with the Spirit, which wasn't given yet in the OT. Christians all have a ministry and mission, and are priests for the Lord, not needing the priesthood any longer. In fact, we are a "kingdom of priests." (cf. 2 Pet. 2:9). We all have a spiritual gift to use for God's glory and to help function in the church's commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission.
There are still so-called Judaizers who add law to grace, and works to faith, and put a yoke on us, spying out our freedom in Christ and hinder us from being free and doing the will of God. They put us back into bondage, not realizing that "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (cf. 2 Cor. 3:17). Our faith is not performance-based, but relationship-based. But we are still prone to spiritual tyranny. This is nothing but slavery to the Law. We need to be set free and if the Son shall set us free, we shall be free indeed (cf. John 8:36). God doesn't need people keeping someone's rules, but people who know Him.
To know Him is to love Him; however, it would all be in vain if we not only knew Him but didn't make Him known. The mature believer is Spirit-filled and knows that as many as are led by the Spirit are the sons of God (cf. Rom. 8:14). And now, "love is the fulfillment of the Law" (cf. Rom. 13:10; Gal. 5:14); Matt. 22:40). And so, let us not just progress from faith to faith, but follow on to know the Lord, confessing Him, serving Him, and worshipping Him. This entails spreading the Word and doing our part as we fit into the body with our unique gift or gifts.
Our marching orders are to fulfill the Great Commission and to occupy and stand our ground till He comes again--bloom where we are planted. Our goal: to follow Christ more nearly, to know Him more clearly, and to love Him more dearly (according to Richard of Chichester). The keyword in our faith to us is to KNOW! We know Jesus as God, Savior, and Lord; we know ourselves as totally depraved and in need of salvation; we know our enemies as the flesh, the devil, and ourselves as our worst enemy; we know our purpose, gifts, and calling to serve the Lord, we know God's will in order to fulfill our mission to the unsaved and ministry to our brethren; we also know the Word as we study, read, obey, and share it; and use all this knowledge to apply it first to ourselves, and to not only know the Lord but make Him known. Soli Deo Gloria!
"WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS OF SIN." "PROPITIATION THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD."
The issue is whether you are living in the OT or the NT. The OT is the Law and the NT is the Spirit (OF GRACE). We are not bound to the letter of the Law, which kills, but to the Spirit, which is life. Christ fulfilled the Law to the letter and set us free to live according to the Spirit of life in Christ (cf. Rom. 10:2). In fact, the day we were set free from the Law was a day of rejoicing, and the day we realized it was heaven on earth as well as music to God's ears. Nowhere in the NT are we admonished to live according to the Law! Actually, "love is the fulfillment of the Law" (cf. Rom. 13:10). We serve in the new way of the Spirit, not in the old way of the letter of the Law (cf. Romans 7:6).
The yoke of following Jesus is the light and easy burden (cf. Matt. 11:30). As many as are relying on the Law are under a curse (cf. Gal. 3:10). God didn't give us the Law to keep, but to break, in order to show us we cannot keep it and look for salvation. The Law merely measures us and shows our guilt, but doesn't save, but shows our need and doesn't exculpate. NB: NOWHERE IN THE NT ARE WE COMMANDED TO OBSERVE THE LAW NOR TO BECOME SOMEWHAT JEWISH TO BE SAVED OR SANCTIFIED.
We have the yoke of God's will and following on to know the Lord. That is why we live on purpose, and not just according to some externalism standard like the Pharisees did (EXTERNALISM): circumcision, hand washing, sacrifice, tithing, fasting, Sabbath and holy day observance, and following the kosher restrictions on diet (anything avoiding the condition of the heart or thought life). Instead, we are exhorted to be filled with the Spirit, which wasn't given yet in the OT. Christians all have a ministry and mission, and are priests for the Lord, not needing the priesthood any longer. In fact, we are a "kingdom of priests." (cf. 2 Pet. 2:9). We all have a spiritual gift to use for God's glory and to help function in the church's commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission.
There are still so-called Judaizers who add law to grace, and works to faith, and put a yoke on us, spying out our freedom in Christ and hinder us from being free and doing the will of God. They put us back into bondage, not realizing that "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (cf. 2 Cor. 3:17). Our faith is not performance-based, but relationship-based. But we are still prone to spiritual tyranny. This is nothing but slavery to the Law. We need to be set free and if the Son shall set us free, we shall be free indeed (cf. John 8:36). God doesn't need people keeping someone's rules, but people who know Him.
To know Him is to love Him; however, it would all be in vain if we not only knew Him but didn't make Him known. The mature believer is Spirit-filled and knows that as many as are led by the Spirit are the sons of God (cf. Rom. 8:14). And now, "love is the fulfillment of the Law" (cf. Rom. 13:10; Gal. 5:14); Matt. 22:40). And so, let us not just progress from faith to faith, but follow on to know the Lord, confessing Him, serving Him, and worshipping Him. This entails spreading the Word and doing our part as we fit into the body with our unique gift or gifts.
Our marching orders are to fulfill the Great Commission and to occupy and stand our ground till He comes again--bloom where we are planted. Our goal: to follow Christ more nearly, to know Him more clearly, and to love Him more dearly (according to Richard of Chichester). The keyword in our faith to us is to KNOW! We know Jesus as God, Savior, and Lord; we know ourselves as totally depraved and in need of salvation; we know our enemies as the flesh, the devil, and ourselves as our worst enemy; we know our purpose, gifts, and calling to serve the Lord, we know God's will in order to fulfill our mission to the unsaved and ministry to our brethren; we also know the Word as we study, read, obey, and share it; and use all this knowledge to apply it first to ourselves, and to not only know the Lord but make Him known. Soli Deo Gloria!
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