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Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10) |
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God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ. Let us make no mistake about this. |
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But notice from the verse above what actually was taking place in the ministry of Christ. Christ was not speaking His own words. Christ was not working His own works. All of His ministry was coming from the Father. |
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The Sermon on the Mount did not come from Christ but from the Father. Yet the sermon did come from Christ. |
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Paul said he wasn't living but Christ was living in him. Yet we know that Paul was living. Paul was not Christ. Yet it was Christ who was living in Paul. It was a kind of double identity, just as was true of Christ and the Father. |
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This double state, two and yet one, is the way man is meant to be. Man who dwells alone, apart from Christ, is a problem, a source of confusion in the universe. Eventually all those who are saved are to be an integral part of God through Christ—the chariot of God. |
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Are you a part of God through Christ or do you prefer being alone? There is wonderful comfort and security in being part of Something bigger than yourself. |
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We can't start off in the place where nothing we are doing is coming from us but from Christ. Yet this is the goal. This is the rest of God. We will get there by degrees if we keep on praying, seeking the Lord, and obeying the written Word as God gives us grace. |
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It is very important that we do some serious listening in our day. God is making special moves. |
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God uses people and so we look at people and ask, "How did he or she do that?" |
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We heard of a musician who went to a rapidly growing church to find out what brand of guitars they were using. He thought the growth was something his church could imitate. |
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This is not a day to imitate what God is doing in someone or someplace else. This is not a day to develop formulas or schemes for revival. We need to hear from God. Can you say amen? |
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Sometimes the Lord healed people by spitting on them. But He didn't spit on everybody. It is a wonder they didn't develop a church of the spitters or the builders of tabernacles for Moses and Elijah. |
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One brother I knew yelled "Glory" during a church meeting, and the power of God fell on the congregation. Guess what he did next Sunday? Guess what happened? You got it. Nothing! Kind of embarrassing. |
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This is funny and yet not so funny. For two thousand years the Christian churches have developed schemes for every aspect of the Lord's work. This is why progress has been embarrassingly slow. |
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The natural man wants to put God in a box. Our adamic nature wants to develop a plan that will work every time, that will bring the glory, that will get souls saved, that will heal the sick. |
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How long will it be before we get the message? God has a unique design for every need and situation. Those who are waiting on God will hear from Him and obey Him. The job will get done. |
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The priests and Levites were busy in the Temple. Mary and Joseph came in with the Baby Jesus, the Giver of the Law on Sinai. The high-ranking Israelites didn't even see Him. They were diligently performing what they believed to be God's work. How preposterous! |
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Who among us today will take time to hear from God, not to try to get God to bless what we are doing necessarily although that is important in its place. But we need something fresh from God. |
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God has something wonderful for every generation and every person. On occasion it is different from what God has done before. |
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To be continued. |
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Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (Psalms 27:14) |
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There is a price to pay for the warriors who are marching in front of the army. If God tells you something different from that to which people are accustomed you may have to march alone for a while. But hey! That's how advances are made in the Kingdom. |
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The Lord asked, "Who will go for us?" |
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Isaiah answered, "Here am I. Send me." |
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Isn't that lovely? So inspiring and challenging. |
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Did you ever notice the following verses? They aren't often emphasized. |
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And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. (Isaiah 6:9,10) |
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How would you like to be right out of Bible school and presented with this uplifting commission? It was negative to say the least! |
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Tradition says that Isaiah was sawn in half for his negative preaching. Yet we know him today as the Prince of the Prophets. |
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If you hear the Lord you may be given an unpopular message—unpopular in your day, that is. |
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People, we need to get back to God. We are marching in the steps of the patriarchs and prophets. Our brothers and sisters were eaten by lions in the Roman amphitheaters. We need to hear what God is saying today. It may be the opposite of the popular viewpoint and result in grief for us. But there always is Jesus to comfort us. |
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These are remarkable times and they call for remarkable moves of the Spirit. The Spirit is ready to use us, particularly the younger people. But we must turn away from the preconceived ideas of the "old prophets" and seek the Lord until we strike fire. |
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The Gospel of the Kingdom is to be preached for a witness. This is somewhat different from the idea of preaching the Gospel to gain members. The witness of the future will bless the righteous but be a torment to the worldly and the wicked. Are we prepared to be unpopular? To stand against all? |
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Last night we heard from a young preacher whom God is using in an outstanding way, and is responsible for a very large congregation. Sitting next to me was a pastor who has labored for years with a handful of people. He looked kind of down. I said to him, "God is not measuring you by the seeming lack of success you are experiencing. God measures His servants by their faithfulness." |
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There is only one Judge of success. |
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When we accomplish something by our vigor and talent the glory is ours. When we finally are brought down to the place where we can do nothing of ourselves, then whatever is accomplished is clearly performed by the Lord and the glory is His alone. |
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The worth of a church or a movement cannot possibly be measured by the number of its adherents. If quantity is the sign of quality the Catholic Church is ahead of us all. |
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The worth of a church or a movement can be measured only by the growth of Christ in the membership. It is only the growth of Christ in us that is of eternal value, that is, in fact, the Kingdom. Hell is threatened and the Kingdom of God draws near when Christ is being formed in the believers. |
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When Christ is formed in us the glory will always be that of God. He will not give His glory to another. |
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Ask the Lord if all this is true and what you are supposed to do about it. That's what I'm doing. |
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And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46) |
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Someone asked me recently, "If I try to keep the commandments of the New Testament will it take away from the majesty of Christ?" |
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This may sound like a foolish question but I have found that sometimes Christians actually believe that if they make an attempt to do what the New Testament commands they will be taking away somehow from the perfect work of Christ. |
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In previous essays I have listed some of the reasons people use to prove we are not supposed to keep the commandments of Christ and His Apostles. One of the reasons given is that if we try to keep the commandments we are taking away from the perfect work of Christ on the cross. We are attempting to add our efforts to live righteously to the perfect atonement. |
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You have to give Satan credit. He comes up with some corkers. |
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Let us once and for all drive a stake through the heart of this deception, this reasoning that frustrates the intention of Christ and His Apostles in giving the commandments. |
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Christ said, "If you love me keep my commandments." Now, at what point did this change? After He rose from the dead? If this is true, then did the fact that we must be born again in order to see the Kingdom also change after He rose from the dead? Does the principle of being born again apply only to the Jews, as some are suggesting is true of the commandments of Christ? |
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Is it still true that we must abide in the Vine in order bear fruit? This announcement was made to Jews before the resurrection. |
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Is it still the pure in heart who see God? Are the peacemakers still blessed? |
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Are we still to leap for joy when we are persecuted or has all this changed after the resurrection? Is it still true that we must forgive others if we desire that the Father forgive us? |
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Are we still to let our light shine so that people can see our good works and glorify God? |
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Is the Lord's prayer still the Lord's prayer? This prayer was presented to Jews before the resurrection. Is it still valid? |
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Or are we to go through the Gospels and pick out what we think is still true? |
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Have we not been deceived grievously? |
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"Oh Brother Thompson, there is no law but the law of love." I will grant you that perfect love is the evidence of spiritual maturity. But most of us are still far from perfect love. In order to get to the place of perfect love we have to keep the commandments. You can't start at the top of the ladder. |
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I have been around people who preach love, love, love. You know what? I'd feel much safer with Siberian tigers. At least you know what to expect from tigers. |
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I have heard that Siberian tigers may be in danger of extinction. I have not heard the same about the preachers of love. Actually I am more concerned about preserving the tigers. |
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To be continued. |
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And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46) |
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To say there is no commandment other than that we love one another is the same as claiming we have no need of ministries or gifts because love is a more excellent way. In order to get to perfect love you have to have the ministries and gifts. Isn't that a fact? |
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There are numerous laws, principles, and commandments listed from Matthew through to Revelation. To say that if we try to keep them we are taking away from the atonement made by Christ is absolute confusion. |
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The Lord asked us why we call Him Lord, Lord and then don't do what He says. What is our answer? That now we are under grace? What is grace anyway? Isn't grace the Presence of God in Christ that enables us to serve God? Do you know a more scriptural definition? |
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The Lord told us it is the individual who practices what the Lord taught who is building his house on the rock. Is this still true or not? |
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Does post-resurrection grace mean we do not have to build our house on the rock of the Lord's teachings? |
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What is a disciple? Isn't a disciple someone who listens to a master and practices what he teaches? This is what a disciple was in the days of Christ. |
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Many of us are fathers. Suppose we tell our child to do something. Does he make us proud by doing it or by not doing what we tell him? Which action on his part brings honor to us? |
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Did you ever go into a store and see a mother with a disobedient child? She would tell the child don't do this or don't do that. He would do everything his mother told him not to do. "Don't handle this, don't pick up that." But Johnny goes right ahead and does as he pleases. |
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Now I ask you, do such actions bring honor to his mother? How do you feel about his mother? You probably wish his mother would warm his bottom. And that is just what God does to us when we don't do what He commands. |
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We do not increase the majesty of Christ by ignoring His commandments or claiming we are saved by grace. Rather we bring a reproach on Christ in the sight of the inhabitants of Heaven. |
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A disobedient child is a shame and grief to his parents. Isn't that so? Doesn't the Bible say something about that? |
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A tremendous spirit of error has been woven in the tapestry of Evangelical teaching. I think Christ is rebuking the angel of the Evangelical churches. I think He is commanding us to repent and to hate the doctrine of lawless grace, of antinomianism, which He also hates. |
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Let each of us be an Antipas—against all. Let us be a wrong-way lemming. Let us turn around and run against the multitude that is rushing toward the ocean of spiritual destruction. |
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Christ said, "If you love me keep my commandments." There are no ifs, buts, or maybes. In order to please God we have to listen to Christ and do what He says. |
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If enough believers repent and start obeying God's Word perhaps God will spare our nation. Will you help? |
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And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (II Timothy 4:4) |
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Did you ever try to untie your shoe and succeed in making a knot? You pull on the wrong string, or something and the bow doesn't come out. I have, many times. How frustrating! That is how I feel about Evangelical theology. It is founded on the atoning blood and triumphant resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. But it has erected a superstructure of error, as I see it, or am trying to see it. It is a knot of fables and the more you pull on it the tighter it gets. |
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How do I dare suggest such a thing? I don't dare. I believe the good Lord has impressed strongly on me that He wants His people to keep His commandments. I am declaring that the Lord told me this, and yet I tell the people of Mount Zion, our church, never say the Lord told me this or that unless you are pretty sure such is the case. Better to say I think this is what is true, or I feel the Lord may be saying, or something like that. You don't want to use the Lord's name in vain. |
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We encourage the saints not to give "words" to people unless they are in the presence of the elders so that the advice may be judged. |
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So you judge what I am saying to you. I am stating flat out that the Lord repeatedly has urged me to warn His people that He wants His commandments kept and not reasoned away. Pray and ask Jesus if what I am saying is coming from the Lord. |
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Now, what seems to be the problem? The problem is there have been a number of reasons advanced why we do not have to keep the commandments listed in the New Testament. Every true Christian agrees, I think, that we are supposed to keep God's commandments. But then our theology suggests we do not absolutely have to keep them. |
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I will refer to this number of reasons as areas of disagreement because there is a point of view other than that of Evangelical theology which maintains we indeed do have to keep the commandments of Christ and His Apostles. |
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The areas of disagreement may be four in number. |
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The first area of disagreement concerns the consequences of not keeping the commandments. |
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The second area of disagreement concerns our approach to the commandments given by Christ and His Apostles. |
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The third area of disagreement concerns the role of the integrity of our own personality, of the person we ourselves are, in keeping God's commandments. |
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The fourth area of disagreement concerns what the results are of keeping the commandments. |
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* The consequences of not keeping the commandments. |
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* The approach we take to the commandments. |
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* The role of our own personality in keeping the commandments. |
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* What the results are of keeping the commandments. |
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Now, think carefully about these four. Get them fixed in your mind because we will keep referring to them. |
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What happens to us when we don't keep the commandments? |
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What approach should we take to the commandments given by Christ and His Apostles? In what way should we regard them? |
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What is the role of our own personality in keeping the commandments? |
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What are the results of keeping the commandments? |
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Every true Christian believes that the commandments given by Christ and His Apostles came from God. I believe that. You probably do also. |
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The problem is, there are different points of view concerning the four areas we have just set forth. I am not going to attempt to cover all the bases. I will present just two sides, two points of view, concerning each of the four. The first side is the one I think is the true, scriptural point of view. The second side may have its roots in Lutheran theology (God bless all true Lutherans!) and today may be viewed as held (perhaps with several variations) by major Evangelical bodies. |
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To be continued. |
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If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, (I Timothy 6:3,4) |
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In the previous essay we stated that all true Christians believe that the commandments given by Christ and His Apostles came from God. The Great Commission enjoins the commandments upon us. |
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We noted, however, that in four areas there is considerable disagreement among Christian people. |
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* The consequences of not keeping the commandments. |
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* The approach we take to the commandments. |
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* The role of our own personality in keeping the commandments. |
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* What the results are of keeping the commandments. |
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We are going to combine all the disagreements into two major viewpoints. The first viewpoint is the one we hold to be true and scriptural. The second we think is often held by Evangelicals. |
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Our purpose in this discussion is not to prove we're right but to urge people to keep God's commandments. We believe the Lord has prompted us to emphasize this point. |
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The first viewpoint maintains that if we do not keep the commandments there will be very serious consequences and that grace does not alter this fact. |
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The first viewpoint maintains that our approach to the commandments is to be one of strict obedience, looking always to the Holy Spirit for comfort, wisdom, strength, and courage. We cannot possibly keep God's commandments in our own strength. Nevertheless they must be kept and so we must pray without ceasing. |
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The first viewpoint holds that we keep the commandments by the deliberate choice of our own personality. We do not wait for Christ to keep them for us. |
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The first viewpoint holds that the promises of both the Old and New Testament are assigned to those who keep Christ's commandments. The result of keeping the commandments is that God blesses us and gives us eternal life and salvation. |
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We are not saying that we earn eternal life and salvation on the basis of our works. We are saying rather that in order to receive eternal life and salvation we must do what the Lord commands. |
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His first commandment is that we put our faith in His blood atonement rather than in our dead religious works. If we do not obey Christ and His Apostles in this we do not receive eternal life and salvation. |
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After we believe in the atonement we must repent of our past life and be baptized in water. After we repent of our past life and are baptized in water we must do all the other works of the Christian life including gathering regularly with fervent believers, coveting the ministries and gifts of the Spirit, presenting our body as a living sacrifice, reading the Scriptures, praying, and giving of our means. |
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We must continue to shun evil and embrace the good. We must be careful to pursue righteousness and be zealous in all good works. |
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We must keep on doing throughout our lifetime what the Lord commands both in His Word and to us personally. If we do not, then we have believed in vain. We were obedient to begin with and then did not continue to obey. |
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To be continued. |
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But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. (I Timothy 6:11.12) |
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I guess what we are saying is that salvation and eternal life are not a one-time shot. The salvation that is in Christ is a continuing process we work out with meekness and fear, as the Scripture says. To claim that eternal life is some kind of ticket we get at one point and then cannot lose is to fly in the face of the Scriptures. It is to hold to a theological scheme deduced from a few verses and completely divorced from the reality of the Kingdom of God, from the Scriptures, and from life itself. |
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How do you feel about the first viewpoint? You can see at once that if a believer takes these positions he or she is going to get busy reading the Bible and doing what it says. Kind of simple and straightforward. Reminds one of old-fashioned Christianity. It is difficult for me to believe that any real Christian would have a problem with these responses to the four areas of difficulty. |
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Now let's take a look at how Evangelical theology views the four areas of disagreement. |
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* The consequences of not keeping the commandments. |
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* The approach we take to the commandments. |
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* The role of our own personality in keeping the commandments. |
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* What the results are of keeping the commandments. |
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The Evangelical viewpoint concerning the first area often is that there are no truly serious consequences of not obeying God's commandments. We ought to "try to do good" but if we don't there always is good ol' grace to bring us to Heaven. No one who has made a profession of Christ need have any fear of the Judgment Seat of Christ. |
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We can see right away there is an uncrossable gulf between the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint concerning the consequences of not obeying God's commandments, the first viewpoint holding that there indeed are serious consequences of not obeying the commandments. We think the second viewpoint is close to "You shall not surely die!" |
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We think it is right here—in the two differing viewpoints concerning the consequences of not keeping the commandments of Christ—that one finds the heart of the knot. If we can begin to unravel the problem here the rest may prove to be much easier. I expect a vicious fight over this point because when we claim that there are very serious—perhaps eternal—consequences of not obeying the New Testament commandments we are removing the security of millions of believers. |
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It appears the struggle over evolution (a foolish hypothesis, really!) does not stem from any substantial disagreement over observable facts but from the unwillingness of scholars to admit to a God and therefore to a day of reckoning. |
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Have we Evangelicals done the same thing with our "unconditional, eternal amnesty" for the individual who at one point makes a profession of belief in Christ? Are we maintaining that there is not coming a day of reckoning for us who believe in Christ and yet do not do what He had commanded? |
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To be continued. |
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