Law vs. Grace, 10of12

~ Circumcision vs. The Cross ~

introduction:  The Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Galatians to the believers of this local church at a time when they were beginning to reject the gospel of grace and were instead moving backward toward obedience of the Mosaic Law as the means of winning favor with God. Paul’s purpose in writing was to point out the dramatic differences between Law and Grace. 

LAW  ~  “And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased” (Galatians 5:11). “As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation” (Galatians 6:12-15).

GRACE  ~  “As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:12-14).

summary:  The bottom line of understanding Law vs. Grace is a theology of “DO or DONE!” Are you still trying to DO things to earn your salvation, or do you understand that it was DONE for you on the Cross of Calvary by Jesus Christ—you only need to accept/trust His provision on your behalf?

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). “Not by works of righteousness which we do, but according to His mercy He saves us” (Titus 3:5a).

notes:  (1) The fourth Tuesday of each month during 2013 ALN will look at one aspect of “Law vs. Grace” as seen in the Book of Galatians.

(2) In addition to this series of 12 posts on Law vs. Grace, you might take a look at two previous ALN posts.  Law vs. Grace (July 6, 2010) and Law vs. Grace, 2 (July 5, 2011), as well as The Core Message of the Bible #2 (February 1, 2011).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Christ—Lamb of God

~ Jesus Christ—The Messiah—The Lamb of God ~

The Lamb Prophesied  ~  “And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.’  So the two of them went together” (Genesis 22:8).  While Abraham was provided a substitute lamb as a replacement for his son, this is a clear prophecy of God providing a substitute lamb—His Son—for the sins of the world.

The Lamb Described  ~  “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.  Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month.  Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight” (Exodus 12:5-6).  “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.  He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:18-20). 

The Lamb Revealed  ~  “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, “After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.”  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.’   And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.  I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.”  And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.’  Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’” (John 1:29-36). 

The Lamb Slain  ~  Isaiah prophesied, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). 

The Lamb Glorified  ~  “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.  Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song, saying:  ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.’  Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’” (Revelation 5:6-12).   “They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16-17). 

The Lamb Reigning  ~  “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.  In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.  They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.  There shall be no night there:  they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light.  And they shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:1-5). 

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 122

~ Messiah Would Be Born of a Virgin ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 – written about 700 years prior the Messiah’s coming).

The Messiah  

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:18-23).

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’ But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end’ Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God’”(Luke 1:26-35).

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Quote: Born Again

~ 3 Men – 1 Concept ~

What Does “Born Again” Mean?

The following is an excerpt from a book.

It is interesting to note that there are just three men in the Scriptures who give to us this idea of being “born again.” Paul never touches on the idea in the way that John, James, and Peter do.

John, of course, in the third chapter of that gospel of his tells to us that men are born again, or rather “born from above,” which I think is a better rendition. Born again, true enough, but this time the source of their life is different. It’s not that their bodies are born, but their spirits get born. And the Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” speaking of the source of his life.

James uses a different word in the first chapter of his epistle. He says, “Of His own will, brought He us forth, by His Word,” and so forth. By His Word! Of His own will, He brought us forth. And Peter using still a different word speaks of being begotten again by great mercy.

John stresses the source of eternal life and the new birth. James stresses the result of it, that you are begotten again through the Word of God and by the will of God. It is the will of God which is James’ message. John says it is the life coming down into the soul from the heavens. James says here’s the life, in the soul, and worked out on the earth.

Peter says here’s the whole thing: coming down to me, from heaven, working out on earth, by great mercy and through the instrumentality of the Word. For as we read over in the twenty-second verse of this first chapter of First Peter, “Seeing ye have purified your souls,” and then the twenty-third verse, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.”  

Now all three say that the Word of God is important in getting born again. But Peter sees this more clearly than any other. Why? Because the thing wherein the mercy of God was shown to him was in the words of Jesus Christ. The words of Jesus Christ in patience to Peter begot him again, in the resurrection, by the resurrection of the dead. So he says the mercy of God has begotten us again unto a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Peter also sees something else that the others don’t mention. It is this, that we’re begotten for a living hope.

John sees the life coming from heaven. James sees it wrought out on earth. Peter sees it as it has its end in the heavens. John its source in the heavens, James its working out on the earth, and Peter its end in the Heavens. So what we have in the three men is a past, a present, and a future perspective to this being born again.

John—born from above. James—born for the earth, to do the will of God. And here it is, laying it out, pleasing God, acting as though you knew the will of God. Living according to the law of God on the earth. Peter—unto a living hope, unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in the heavens for you.

Now, all three talk about being born again. They all use different words, but they mean the same thing. Paul, however, never used this concept except in another relation, for he said in the fourth chapter of First Corinthians, “I have begotten you through the Word,” through the gospel. It’s as though Paul himself were the father when he uses the idea of being born again.

Again in Galatians, the fourth chapter, Paul speaks of those little children for whom he is in travail until Christ be formed in them.

Interesting that the whole idea of the birth process is taken up by Christianity and made the greatest scheme of a man’s life. That a man can be born from above. That he could be born through the instrument of the Word of God, and through the will of God, and then through the witness of God, for that’s what Paul is—he is the witness of God, speaking it, and becomes by that, the father of those that believe, and then wrought out in the world of God.

~ from “JIM ELLIOT: A Christian Martyr Speaks to You, pgs. 62-64  (ISBN: 9781615797646)

Learn more about this important book at Amazon, the Publisher, or the Author’s website.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW