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Re: Bulletin Board [message #12083 is a reply to message #12082]

Sun, 04 September 2016 18:05

james
Messages: 2137
Registered: April 2008
Location: Birmingham, AL

Senior Member

The Ever Present Enemy of The Believer.....Works Salvation

It's been around since the Church began, we see it rear it's ugly head in the book of Acts. First the new Gentile believers were filled with joy at the good news of The Gospel and salvation by grace through faith in Jesus; then along came Jews from Jerusalem, still practicing the Law (though unable to keep it themselves), telling them they must be circumcised to be saved. Imagine their joy being sapped away as they wrestled with the two conflicting messages from two different groups men (Paul and the others supposedly from 'the' church in Jerusalem) who professed to be Christian.

Paul didn't waste much time in attacking this undermining of Jesus' work at Calvary (salvation by faith in Him...not faith plus circumcision). He went up to Jerusalem to meet face to face with the other Apostles, laying out the terrible thing being done to new Gentile believers by Jewish followers who were still wanting to follow the works of the Law.

Peter addressed them and stood up against this early cancer against the Body of Christ explaining how God had sent Him to Cornelius (Gentile) and how The Holy Spirit was given them by God. Then James reinforced this truth by reminding of the OT prophesies concerning the Gentiles being brought unto The Lord. This account can be found in Acts chapter fifteen. Imaging the joy the new believers had when the letter that was sent from Jerusalem was read and in which contained nothing about having to be circumcised. The Apostles just told them as Christians they should abstain from fornication (sexual immorality) and blood and strangled foods and foods offered unto idols, which Paul had already taught them that as Christian they should bring forth fruits unto righteousness. (live as examples of Christ and not as they had while living a pagan lifestyle)

It's still an issue in The Body of Christ today. Can and can't do laws and regulations. Heresies and false teachings abound all around believers today. Satan was undermining The Gospel then and he is doing it today. Blue jeans on a woman or Nike shoes on a guy or cooking cakes from boxed ingredients doesn't have anything to do with a persons heart before God. The legalistic laws I've witnessed (and even helped perpetrate upon myself and others) were nothing but a ploy by Satan to hinder Christian growth and to bring condemnation on young, immature, zealous believers. It worked quite well as my memory serves me. It took me many years to understand Grace and get that legalistic form of religion out of my life.(still working on some of the after effects)

Today we sang an old hymn that every believer over 50 knows very well; "It Is Well with My Soul". I couldn't help but rejoice in my heart when the lyrics came on the screen...

"Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own Blood for my soul.

My sin--Oh, the bliss of this glorious thought--
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to The Cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise The Lord, praise The Lord , O my soul."

BTW: William, I remember years ago "ABIDING" wrote how this was one of her favorite songs...I recalled that as I wrote this. God is SO merciful and gracious, salvation provided freely unto us at such a great cost to Him...

[Updated on: Mon, 05 September 2016 11:47]

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,”

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