Grace, Part 6
A man responded to a former post of mine and wrote; “if you don’t believe that the commandments are for today, break one of them and you will find out”.
Religious philosophy maintains that if you sin or fail to "live up to the standards" you become a candidate for "purification" through the fiery trials of God's judgement on your life.
Where does this belief about purification and purging of sin come from? It is not a part of God's Gospel of Grace. It is connected to the demands of the Mosaic Law given to Israel. Purification from sin through judgement and "fiery" trials is a characteristic of the law. Yet, Paul tells us that the law and the Gospel of Grace have nothing to do with each other. Under grace, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses (purifies) us from all sin. When God tells us that His acceptance and justification is freely given, That means given without strings attached. When the Gospel of Grace says that our sin is forever remitted (cancelled) by the blood of Christ, it means exactly what it says. The blood of Jesus provides the believer with all the purification he or she needs for the rest of their earthly life. Pre-cross, (the law era) purification from sin was provided through fiery trials and tribulation. Post-cross, (God's Grace era) purification from sin is provided freely through the blood of Christ! Jesus bore the judgement and fiery trials that achieved our purification from sin. He did it for us, He provided true spiritual freedom.
This “another gospel” in it various forms is a cause confusion among believers. Many believe (as I do) that salvation is a free gift. The problem is some people add to God’s grace "after" salvation is received. The teacher of the “another gospel” focuses on the need for certain works and religious performance in order to maintain salvation, or to be continually accepted by God and the “church”. If you fail to meet the standards (whatever they may be) you're a candidate for God's purifying trials, including shunning by the “church group”.
This idea originates from the Mosaic Law and not from the Gospel of Grace. Scripture covers two different gospels that are meant for two different groups of people. The "gospel for the circumcision" (Israel) includes a commitment to the Mosaic Law that includes this idea of purging and purification of sin through fiery trials. God never intended for this gospel to apply or be transferred to the Church age, post-cross believer. Yet religion has transferred this pre-cross gospel and teaches it as the post-cross gospel even though Paul's Gospel of Grace (the gospel for the uncircumcision/the Gentiles) achieves purification from sin as the finished work of the blood of Christ.
The reason the religious gospel is a mixture of works and grace is that theologians merge the pre-cross gospel, (gospel of circumcision) meant exclusively for Israel, with the post-cross gospel, Paul's Gospel of grace was designed for the Church that Jesus is building. They are two separate gospels. The gospel for the circumcision was right for Jews under the Law of Moses (the house of Israel), yet wrong for people who are the Church. The gospel for the uncircumcision (the grace gospel) is right for both groups because the Church that Jesus is building is made up of Jews and Gentiles spiritually united by Christ.
Paul's Gospel of Grace does not treat the Jews as being "superior" to Gentiles like the gospel for the circumcision did, but realizes that both groups (Jew and Gentile) are under sin in the same way..."all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23) Under the Grace Gospel Jew and Gentile are treated as "one in Christ Jesus". (Eph. 2:11-22, Gal. 3:28-29). However, this fact should never lead us to commit the doctrinal heresy of combining the gospel of the circumcision and the Gospel of Grace. Yet, this is what has occurred through the religious environment.
The scriptures are wrongly used to defend the "works-grace mixed gospel", by wrong scriptural interpretation and lifting the scripture from its context. It creates a doctrine of spiritual bondage while still possibly providing the minimum requirements for salvation. The crossover of the pre-cross gospel to the post-cross gospel has created the Sunday-programmed-event-driven self-righteous-believer!
Religious philosophy maintains that if you sin or fail to "live up to the standards" you become a candidate for "purification" through the fiery trials of God's judgement on your life.
Where does this belief about purification and purging of sin come from? It is not a part of God's Gospel of Grace. It is connected to the demands of the Mosaic Law given to Israel. Purification from sin through judgement and "fiery" trials is a characteristic of the law. Yet, Paul tells us that the law and the Gospel of Grace have nothing to do with each other. Under grace, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses (purifies) us from all sin. When God tells us that His acceptance and justification is freely given, That means given without strings attached. When the Gospel of Grace says that our sin is forever remitted (cancelled) by the blood of Christ, it means exactly what it says. The blood of Jesus provides the believer with all the purification he or she needs for the rest of their earthly life. Pre-cross, (the law era) purification from sin was provided through fiery trials and tribulation. Post-cross, (God's Grace era) purification from sin is provided freely through the blood of Christ! Jesus bore the judgement and fiery trials that achieved our purification from sin. He did it for us, He provided true spiritual freedom.
This “another gospel” in it various forms is a cause confusion among believers. Many believe (as I do) that salvation is a free gift. The problem is some people add to God’s grace "after" salvation is received. The teacher of the “another gospel” focuses on the need for certain works and religious performance in order to maintain salvation, or to be continually accepted by God and the “church”. If you fail to meet the standards (whatever they may be) you're a candidate for God's purifying trials, including shunning by the “church group”.
This idea originates from the Mosaic Law and not from the Gospel of Grace. Scripture covers two different gospels that are meant for two different groups of people. The "gospel for the circumcision" (Israel) includes a commitment to the Mosaic Law that includes this idea of purging and purification of sin through fiery trials. God never intended for this gospel to apply or be transferred to the Church age, post-cross believer. Yet religion has transferred this pre-cross gospel and teaches it as the post-cross gospel even though Paul's Gospel of Grace (the gospel for the uncircumcision/the Gentiles) achieves purification from sin as the finished work of the blood of Christ.
The reason the religious gospel is a mixture of works and grace is that theologians merge the pre-cross gospel, (gospel of circumcision) meant exclusively for Israel, with the post-cross gospel, Paul's Gospel of grace was designed for the Church that Jesus is building. They are two separate gospels. The gospel for the circumcision was right for Jews under the Law of Moses (the house of Israel), yet wrong for people who are the Church. The gospel for the uncircumcision (the grace gospel) is right for both groups because the Church that Jesus is building is made up of Jews and Gentiles spiritually united by Christ.
Paul's Gospel of Grace does not treat the Jews as being "superior" to Gentiles like the gospel for the circumcision did, but realizes that both groups (Jew and Gentile) are under sin in the same way..."all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23) Under the Grace Gospel Jew and Gentile are treated as "one in Christ Jesus". (Eph. 2:11-22, Gal. 3:28-29). However, this fact should never lead us to commit the doctrinal heresy of combining the gospel of the circumcision and the Gospel of Grace. Yet, this is what has occurred through the religious environment.
The scriptures are wrongly used to defend the "works-grace mixed gospel", by wrong scriptural interpretation and lifting the scripture from its context. It creates a doctrine of spiritual bondage while still possibly providing the minimum requirements for salvation. The crossover of the pre-cross gospel to the post-cross gospel has created the Sunday-programmed-event-driven self-righteous-believer!
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