Grace of God
Barry said:
"I seek to live in the reality of the scriptures. Many
believe that by saying God desires obedience we again enter into the bondage of
the law, yet I believe this is where we enter into grace. He now allows us not
to seek a righteousness of our own but to be able to submit to his. He has freed
us from sin to become slaves of righteousness and enjoy the life of those who
live by faith.
Rather than sacrifice he desires obedience, rather than to save our own life he
says we must lose our life that we might find true life. He says we must deny
ourselves, we must empty ourselves, we become the least and the servant of all,
not to be great but to find the greatness in being the least and in having the
mind that was in our Lord. Freedom is for those who follow him and keep his
word, it is those who shall know the truth which can set us free.
What is obedience, do we now become righteous, do we now boast, are we now
worthy. No, for after we have done all that he commanded we are to say, We are
unworthy servants who have only done what we ought to have done. It is the grace
of God that saves us, but now we can walk his ways and do all to be pleasing to
him."
Jim's reply:
You would do well to use the Bible to state your case
concerning the Grace of God rather than your testimonial. My intent here is not
to seek out men's words but rather God's words as recorded in the Holy Bible for
our discussion:
Hosea 6:6
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than
burnt offerings.
KJV
What is this word used here?
"mercy": OT:2617
OT:2617 checed (kheh'-sed); from OT:2616; kindness; by implication (towards God)
piety: rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:
KJV - favour, good deed (-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-) kindness, merciful
(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.
*NOTE: from Old Testament word 2616
OT:2616 chacad (khaw-sad'); a primitive root; properly, perhaps to bow (the neck
only [compare OT:2603] in courtesy to an equal), i.e. to be kind; also (by
euphem. [compare l OT:88], but rarely) to reprove:
KJV - shewself merciful, put to shame.
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
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So ....... With this definition I see that God wants our "piety towards Him".
What's that properly said in English?
"piety": (pii-te)n.pl. pi-e-ties. 1. The state or quality of being pious,
especially: Religious devotion and reverence to God. Devotion and reverence to
parents and family: filial piety. 2. A devout act, thought, or statement. 3. A
position held conventionally or hypocritically. A statement of such a position:
"the liberated pieties of people who believe that social attitudes have kept
pace with women's aspirations" (Erica Abeel).[Middle English piete, mercy, pity,
from Old French, from Latin pietas, pietas, dutiful conduct, from pius, pius,
dutiful.]
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Excerpted from American Heritage Talking Dictionary
Copyright © 1997 The Learning Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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God wants our devotion and reverence and not burnt offerings. Those things
commanded in the OT were but a "shadow of things to come":
Hebrews 10:1-10
10:1 For the law having a >>>>>shadow<<<<< of good things to come, and not the
very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered
year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the
worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away
sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou
wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do
thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering
for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by
the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that
he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all.
KJV
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Did Jesus, as our "once for all" Sacrifice, do away with all of the law of the
OT? Absolutely not! It is written:
Matthew 5:17-20
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law , or the prophets: I am not come
to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle
shall in no wise pass from the law , till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall
teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but
whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom
of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the
kingdom of heaven.
KJV
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Those laws which Jesus' "blood" did not fulfill are still valid and to be
obeyed!
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j_b@holyscriptures.com