Flesh, Spirit, and the Function of the Law
The Hebrews who were placed under the law, were conditioned by that law to believe that sin, like Adventists believe today, was strictly about transgressing the law, despite references even in the law regarding the nature of their hearts.
The heart, mind, and soul that has been corrupted by sin, exists outside the realm of the Spiritual; a realm that Scripture informs us is incomprehensible to those so infected. All they see and understand is in relation to the physical realm of a strictly physical existence. They can know God is Spirit, existing in a Spiritual realm, yet will anthropomorphize God, understanding God from their own, physical perspective.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. — 1 Corinthians 2:14
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. °For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. — Isaiah 55:8-9
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. — 1 Samuel 16:7
Man “looks on the outward appearance” and judges according to appearance. God looks on the heart and judges accordingly. This is a fundamental difference between God and man; a righteous God and unrighteous men who judge unrighteous judgment, based on appearance, and not the heart.
If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? °Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. — John 7:23-24
Jesus was telling them; giving them a commandment to judge righteous judgment, and no longer according to how they were naturally judging one another, according to appearance; unrighteous judgment.
They were, being carnal, incapable of doing this. Christians, in whom now dwells the Holy Spirit, would later read this, and they would comprehend, now being led by the Holy Spirit, being guided into “all truth” that was impossible to accomplish by those strictly led by their carnal flesh and mind under the captivity of the flesh; a sinful nature.
Judging and condemning others over the Sabbath can only be accomplished through unrighteous judgment. The one making the accusatory judgment and condemnation can only do so in that manner, where there is no consideration for the heart; a heart unlike their own; a converted heart; a new heart, given them by God. To these carnal natured people who embraced a religion of law only know and judge according to physical things, and judge sin according to what a person does, despite the heart. They are locked in to the physical things. They see only physical things associated with physical acts or restraint from physical acts.
Such people cannot comprehend that the OC law was intentionally designed to condemn those of the flesh, sans the Spirit in such a fashion that their sins become utterly sinful as a result. They themselves will make an attempt to keep the law, such as the Sabbath, but the real draw of the law for many of them is the satiation of the evil heart’s desire to condemn others, and that law provides them with an ideal venue for doing so, unaware that they are sealing their own fate by doing so. You see this same mental state and condition with the Pharisees Jesus called evil children of the devil, doing the will of their father the devil.
“But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.” — John 7:49
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. °The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. °I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. — Luke 18:10-12
They have a greater need to use the law as a means of comparison between themselves and those they see as not keeping or living by the law. How often, for example, do you see accusations of others being “antinomian” who embrace the law of faith and the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that frees Christians from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2) where they are in denial that the law they embrace is that law of sin and death – what Paul wrote is the ‘ministration of condemnation and death, engraven in stones’? (2Cor. 3)
They are the ones who are not subject to the New Covenant law of God, mentioned here in Romans 8:2 where a few versus later:
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. — Romans 8:7
The only law they know and understand; comprehend, is the OC law that dealt with the Hebrews who had the “deceitful and desperately wicked hearts” of stone; evil hearts of unbelief. They do not “see” this law of faith; this law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, who was God Incarnate, mentioned just a few verses prior.
They deny the law they embrace is the law of sin and death, while parroting the belief that their version of the law is what defines sin, that being the transgression of it. And what are the wages of sin?
Death.
What gives “strength” to sin so that sin condemns?
The OC law.
“But, but, It’s God’s law!!!”
Yes indeed, and it does exactly what it was designed to do; make all guilty before God, worthy of condemnation and death.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden was “God’s tree.” It was still not a good idea to partake of it.
What, in Scripture, imparted a knowledge of good and evil (sin)?
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. — Romans 7:7
The law gave Paul a “knowledge of good and evil.” The law did exactly what it was designed to do, rightly; justly. The law that was holy, just, and good, performing its God given purpose to condemn the guilty, justly.
There is a strange dichotomy though with those who embrace the law, for they see how it condemns others, for they wield it themselves to participate in the condemnation of others. They simply refuse to see that it does that to them, and this is by design.
************
It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )
Acts 17:11
************
No comments:
Post a Comment