Galatians 3:21-26
(21) Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
(22) But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
(23) But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
(24) Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
(25) But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
(26) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 2:13-14
(13) And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
(14) having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
It would be a fool in my opinion, who would suggest the post modern church does a good job in preaching the Gospel of Christ effectively. Mainly this seems to be because of the fact that the Law of God is virtually overlooked entirely, in favour of His Grace and Mercy. But as many who run online discernment ministries realise only too well, to look the Law of God square in the face, is the only way in which His Grace and Mercy can be cherished to the full. For it is the harshness of His Righteousness displayed in the Law, unattainable by any one of us, yet demanded by Him from us all, that brings us to our knees to humbly receive the Gospel of Christ as our Saviour and High Priest.
This process of the Law leading us to the Gospel in the right manner to receive it is true not only at the beginning of our walk in Christ, but all the way along the narrow path too. We find ourselves in a place where the end is known from the beginning, and a place where we are being conformed into the likeness of Christ as an ongoing process, yet already stand before the Lord, justified, glorified and perfected forever! Hebrews 10:14 Romans 8:29-30 The light of the Law exposes our sinful ways at the timing of the Holy Spirit, which in turn brings us to a place of repentance and grief over our sinfulness, which in turn brings about a right attitude within us to receive the power of Christ to save us and transform us. This is a common process to all who believe in Christ, and is intimate and personal between the Lord and the individual believer.
The attitude of those being made holy in such a way must be one of compassion towards brothers and sisters going through the same process, for it is one every believer will know, every believer must willingly surrender themselves too, and is a manifest display of the believers faith in Christ at work in their life. As Christians, we have no right to judge anyone as they go through this process, for at whatever point we do, we will be judged ourselves. But if we are willing to submit to this process in our own lives, and when we stand firmly upon the truth revealed to us as time goes by, refusing to compromise or give ground to the flesh, we become a living testimony to the wonderful work of Christ, and the power of His Gospel. We begin to lead others by our example set by Christ within us, as a shepherd of the flock, rather than harshly driving others by the very standards that Christ is building within us personally.
I have realised in recent times that in some areas of the online discernment ministries on the internet, the pendulum seems to have swung from one extreme to the other. Many of us have recognised the call of the Lord to come out of the apostasy that surrounded us, yet rather than moving on in faith, becoming examples of truth and light as the Holy Spirit moves us from glory to glory. Instead, we sometimes seem to attempt to drive others out of the mire by our own strength, failing to see the intimate work of the Spirit of God in the lives of others, designed specifically for the task in regard to that individual believer.
It would be my call in this message to remind us that the Grace that lifted us up out of our own miry clay, is fully capable of doing so for every other true believer too. By all means, let us continue to stand on the truth as He reveals it through His Word. Let us contend and defend true faith in Christ as the only hope for anyone. Let us refuse to compromise, and allow the truth to be called a lie, or the lie be called truth. But let us stop trying to do the Lord’s work for Him, and recognise that we have enough on our plate simply working our own faith out with fear and trembling, let alone attempting to work out the faith within others too.
Originally posted 2009-08-29 10:37:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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