Some preachers would always preach oxymoron doctrine which gives the ignorant sinners and believers the wrong impression that:
- God's law kills
- God’s law condemns the best of us; but grace saves the worst of us
- God's law demands; but grace supplies
I will tell them, No. If it is true, why do you still preach Psalm 1 which gives life?
- Psa 1:1-2 KJV Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
- 1Ti 4:11-16 KJV These things command and teach. .. (16) Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
God's law does not kill; sin kills
Obviously, God's law does not kill, condemn, or demand. God's law gives life:
Eph 6:1-3 KJV.. (2) Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) (3)That.. thou mayest live long on the earth.
Mat 19:17 KJV.. but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Rev 22:14 KJV Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into ..
Rev 22:14 KJV Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and .. Mat 19:17 KJV .. Why callest thou me good? ..: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Pro 6:23 KJV For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: Joh 14:6 KJV ..I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
God's law is not the old law which killed and condemned
God would not allow us to preach oxymoron to confuse the people. The radical grace preachers will argue, "But how do you explain it when Paul told us that the law kills, condemns, and demands.." I will ask them, Can you read your Bible again before preaching false impression on God's law ? Did you examine if the law Paul mentioned in those Bible verses referred to the old law or God's law ?
2Co 3:6-14 KJV Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life... (9) For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory... (14) But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
God's law will remain in the new covenant and in the hearts of the believers
No, God's law would not change. God's words said very clearly that the old testament condemned and killed; but God's commandments (or the ten commandments in the old covenant) which was written on the stones will still remain in the new testament. It is now written in our heart ! God's commandments and the ten commandments will never become obsolete no matter how we preach it:
2Co 3:2-3 KJV Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: (3) Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Mat 5:17-19 KJV 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.
Keeping the law of God in our hearts means doing it
I will tell the radical grace preachers, Do you know what does it mean when Paul said that God's law is written in your hearts ? Please read it again. Don't you agree that if the law of God is written in your heart, it means that you would do it, so that others may know that you are the true believers? Have you preached it clearly?
::
Keeping the law of God in our hearts means doing it
I will tell the radical grace preachers, Do you know what does it mean when Paul said that God's law is written in your hearts ? Please read it again. Don't you agree that if the law of God is written in your heart, it means that you would do it, so that others may know that you are the true believers? Have you preached it clearly?
2Co 3:2-3 KJV Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: (3) Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Hence, I would conclude that God's law would not condemn the best of us (the believers); God's law condemns the unrepentant and the lawless ! The way we look at God's law today will reflect what kind of people we are. Yes, of course, God's law will not condemn, neither will it save; it will REFLECT !
Who are those from the mount Zion ?
Of course, they are those who trust in the law of God and do it:
Psa 125:1-5 KJV A Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever..
Psa 119:42-48 KJV So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word. (43) And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments. (44) So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. (45) And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. (46) I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. (47) And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. (48) My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes. ... (69) The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. (70) Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
Did Paul say, The law is the sting of death or sin is the sting of death?
They will argue again, "But the law kills. How do you explain these Bible verses:
I will tell them, Please read your Bible again. These words say that the sting of death is sin or sin is the one that brings death; God's law had only revealed it to Paul. Again in the next Bible verses, Paul confirmed that God's law will magnify sin, reveal sin, or revived sin; but it does not bring sin. Hence, it is ridiculous to tell people that teaching of God's laws will bring sin, death, condemnation, or sin conscience to sin more. No, it brings sin conscience to repent. That was what Paul had conclude at the end of Roman 7. Why do I say that? Did Paul become more condemned or sin more after he realized or preached that God's laws would revive his sins? No, he did not sin; instead he became more determined in his life to resist sin and obey God's law:
Rom 7:24-25 KJV O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Rom 8:1-4 KJV There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Paul has now known that God's law is in his spirit and this law of the Spirit will keep him from the law of sin and death which was known as the law of circumcision or the law of flesh. (I will explain why Paul would think that keeping the law or keeping the law of flesh was actually keeping the law of circumcision next time).
God's law would not judge us if we have not judged God's law
Some preachers would tell us, "You should not judge radical grace. You are judging Jesus Christ. You should let radical grace multiply and save more people, for this is the will of God for grace to fill the entire earth .."
I will tell them, This is not written to judge radical grace. This is written to show you who is judging God's laws and commandments. Radical grace may have appeared to remove judgement but it has actually come to judge God's laws. But Jesus Christ would not judge God's laws; He fulfilled the law and told us to keep God's laws and commandments. If you think that God's law is more judgemental than radical grace, you should listen to some of the radical grace illustrations which judge God's law directly or indirectly as
Who are those who keep the law of God?
Radical grace will never tell you to keep the law of God. If they will tell you to keep the laws or commandments, they will interpret it in their own ways. But what did Paul say ? Do we have to keep the law of God ? Because of the evasive definition of radical grace about keeping God's laws, I would invite you to explore more on the real meaning of keeping God's law. Let us find out how would Paul define it. I believe he had said that those who kept the law of God were not :
In (27) above, Paul also said that the uncircumcision or those who keep the law will judge those who claimed to have circumcision by the law or 'the letter' but could not keep the law. Hence, I would believe that keeping and doing the righteousness of God is important. If we claim that we are righteous by grace, by laws, or by the letter, but we do not keep or do the righteousness of God, how can we judge others; we are no better than the Pharisees or the circumcision who could only boast about their law of circumcision:
Hence, I would conclude that God's law would not condemn the best of us (the believers); God's law condemns the unrepentant and the lawless ! The way we look at God's law today will reflect what kind of people we are. Yes, of course, God's law will not condemn, neither will it save; it will REFLECT !
Who are those from the mount Zion ?
Of course, they are those who trust in the law of God and do it:
Psa 125:1-5 KJV A Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever..
Psa 119:42-48 KJV So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word. (43) And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments. (44) So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. (45) And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. (46) I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. (47) And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. (48) My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes. ... (69) The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. (70) Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
Obviously king David did not trust in the sacrifice of the animal blood, the law of circumcision, or the 'Corban' law of confession; he trusted and delighted himself in the commandments of the Lord ! He was considered as the mount zion believer even though he was under the Old Testament.
Obedience to God means obedience to God's laws and commandments
Radical grace preachers will still argue, "However, under the law and repentance, you must obey in order for God to bless you; but under grace, the goodness of God will make us obey and we will sin no more. This shows that grace is more superior. We are no longer under the law to obey any laws ... we are under grace .."
I will tell them, I will not argue who is under the law or who is under grace now. I will just ask, Do you preach that the people must OBEY God ? If we must obey, don't you agree that it is meaningless to obey without any God's law or commandment ? Hence, if there is God's law or God's commandment, then the goodness and grace of God is not to replace our obedience to God's words and commandments. In fact, it should reinforce our obedience to God's commandments. Hence, it is a false liberty or impression to have no laws or commandments when you said that we are no longer under any law to obey any laws. I would say that we are under grace to obey more God's laws and to obey God's laws better. If you must deny this, you are only showing or telling your people that your doctrine has no desire to obey God; you have only desire for God to bless you.
Is teaching and obedience of God's commandments self-effort ?
After reading the above, do you agree that there is obedience and there are still some God's commandments in the New Covenant. Would it be wrong if we always teach and tell people about these commandments ? When we obey God's commandments, are we working for our own righteousness and believing in self-efforts ?
Is Repentance an old Jewish preparatory system for the Jews to come before the Lord ?
Radical grace preachers will still argue, "Under the old Jewish system, you must preach repentance for the people to come to God. But under the new system or the new covenant teaching, we will just preach grace. And the goodness of God will lead people to repentance. Jesus had done it and it proved to be more effective than the old system which John the Baptist had used to call the Jews to repentance and to prepare them to believe in the Lord .."
I will tell them, I don't know whether I should praise you for your fantastic creative logics or question you on your highly delusive system. Do you know that Jesus Himself was a repentance preacher? Jesus preached repentance and call sinners to repentance too. If repentance is the old Jewish system for the Jews to come to God, please tell me, Is the water baptism an old Jewish belief system too? If you still practise water baptism, repentance cannot be considered as the old Jewish belief system. I hope that you can recall all the reasons why you will still baptise your believers. If those reasons are valid, so are the reasons for repentance too.
Is teaching and obedience of God's commandments self-effort ?
Jas 4:6-8 KJV But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (7) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
1Pe 5:2-6 KJV Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (3) Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. (4) And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (5) Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (6) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:After reading the above, do you agree that there is obedience and there are still some God's commandments in the New Covenant. Would it be wrong if we always teach and tell people about these commandments ? When we obey God's commandments, are we working for our own righteousness and believing in self-efforts ?
Is Repentance an old Jewish preparatory system for the Jews to come before the Lord ?
Radical grace preachers will still argue, "Under the old Jewish system, you must preach repentance for the people to come to God. But under the new system or the new covenant teaching, we will just preach grace. And the goodness of God will lead people to repentance. Jesus had done it and it proved to be more effective than the old system which John the Baptist had used to call the Jews to repentance and to prepare them to believe in the Lord .."
I will tell them, I don't know whether I should praise you for your fantastic creative logics or question you on your highly delusive system. Do you know that Jesus Himself was a repentance preacher? Jesus preached repentance and call sinners to repentance too. If repentance is the old Jewish system for the Jews to come to God, please tell me, Is the water baptism an old Jewish belief system too? If you still practise water baptism, repentance cannot be considered as the old Jewish belief system. I hope that you can recall all the reasons why you will still baptise your believers. If those reasons are valid, so are the reasons for repentance too.
Will God's law create fear in our hearts ?
Radical grace preachers will still argue, "Oh, the word - laws or commandments will create fear and law-consciousness in the hearts of people. Why must we bring the law out to cause fear when we can use better and more gracious words; like 'grace', 'peace', 'prosperity' .. etc ?"
I will tell them, If you think that God's laws and commandments will bring fear, why did the Bible tell us that God put His laws in our hearts. Have these words brought fear to your hearts or to your thinking ? If it does, something is wrong !
Heb 8:10 KJV For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Do you know what it means ? It means that if you have no God's laws in your hearts or in your minds (IN YOUR THINKING), He is not your God, and you are not His people. Wake up !
Give honest and due credit to the word and the law of God
They will still argue, "But I have received many emails and testimonies that they could not overcome sins when they were under the teaching of the law and commandments. It shows that the teaching of repentance, God's laws, Bible values, doctrine, or commandments can never do what grace, favor, or prosperity teaching can do .."
I will tell them, Do you know that internet testimonies can be fake, so can emails ? Believers who wrote to you could be backsliders or the unrepentant who hate repentance teaching and God's law too. Overcoming of sins because of radical grace teaching will not prove that radical grace is the word of God. It must have stood the test of queries and examination via the word of God. It cannot be proven based on people's popularity alone. Besides, there are many things which can help the sinners to overcome sins too; like the love of their wives, the love of their families, the word or the law of God (Psalm 119:9,11), the reminders of the Lord's teaching, good upbringing from the family, or sound advice from the good counsellors and friends...
Heb 8:10 KJV For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Do you know what it means ? It means that if you have no God's laws in your hearts or in your minds (IN YOUR THINKING), He is not your God, and you are not His people. Wake up !
Give honest and due credit to the word and the law of God
They will still argue, "But I have received many emails and testimonies that they could not overcome sins when they were under the teaching of the law and commandments. It shows that the teaching of repentance, God's laws, Bible values, doctrine, or commandments can never do what grace, favor, or prosperity teaching can do .."
I will tell them, Do you know that internet testimonies can be fake, so can emails ? Believers who wrote to you could be backsliders or the unrepentant who hate repentance teaching and God's law too. Overcoming of sins because of radical grace teaching will not prove that radical grace is the word of God. It must have stood the test of queries and examination via the word of God. It cannot be proven based on people's popularity alone. Besides, there are many things which can help the sinners to overcome sins too; like the love of their wives, the love of their families, the word or the law of God (Psalm 119:9,11), the reminders of the Lord's teaching, good upbringing from the family, or sound advice from the good counsellors and friends...
Will you be blind enough to use your internet testimonies to argue that all other methods to help the people to overcome sins are men's ways, self-efforts, or under the law, except your own way ? Wake up again.
Did Paul say, The law is the sting of death or sin is the sting of death?
They will argue again, "But the law kills. How do you explain these Bible verses:
1Co 15:56 KJV The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
Rom 7:7-9 KJV 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. (8) But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. (9) For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.I will tell them, Please read your Bible again. These words say that the sting of death is sin or sin is the one that brings death; God's law had only revealed it to Paul. Again in the next Bible verses, Paul confirmed that God's law will magnify sin, reveal sin, or revived sin; but it does not bring sin. Hence, it is ridiculous to tell people that teaching of God's laws will bring sin, death, condemnation, or sin conscience to sin more. No, it brings sin conscience to repent. That was what Paul had conclude at the end of Roman 7. Why do I say that? Did Paul become more condemned or sin more after he realized or preached that God's laws would revive his sins? No, he did not sin; instead he became more determined in his life to resist sin and obey God's law:
Rom 7:24-25 KJV O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Rom 8:1-4 KJV There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Paul has now known that God's law is in his spirit and this law of the Spirit will keep him from the law of sin and death which was known as the law of circumcision or the law of flesh. (I will explain why Paul would think that keeping the law or keeping the law of flesh was actually keeping the law of circumcision next time).
God's law would not judge us if we have not judged God's law
Some preachers would tell us, "You should not judge radical grace. You are judging Jesus Christ. You should let radical grace multiply and save more people, for this is the will of God for grace to fill the entire earth .."
I will tell them, This is not written to judge radical grace. This is written to show you who is judging God's laws and commandments. Radical grace may have appeared to remove judgement but it has actually come to judge God's laws. But Jesus Christ would not judge God's laws; He fulfilled the law and told us to keep God's laws and commandments. If you think that God's law is more judgemental than radical grace, you should listen to some of the radical grace illustrations which judge God's law directly or indirectly as
- The ministry of death (when actually God's law gives life)
- Condemnation (when sin is lawlessness and condemnation)
- Demand or law-accuser (when God is the lawgiver and He gave Jesus as our law-advocate)
- The sting of death (when actually sin is the sting of death (1Cor15:56)
- The curse of the law (when the old law or man's sin is the curse)
- ...
- Mat 5:18 KJV 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.
- Luk 16:14-17 KJV And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. (15) And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. (16) The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. (17) And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
- Psa 147:15 KJV He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.
- Isa 24:4-6 KJV The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. (5) The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. (6) Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Who are those who keep the law of God?
Radical grace will never tell you to keep the law of God. If they will tell you to keep the laws or commandments, they will interpret it in their own ways. But what did Paul say ? Do we have to keep the law of God ? Because of the evasive definition of radical grace about keeping God's laws, I would invite you to explore more on the real meaning of keeping God's law. Let us find out how would Paul define it. I believe he had said that those who kept the law of God were not :
- those who were called under the law of circumcision nor
- those who were called under the law of uncircumcision (even those who were called under grace);
- but
- those who would keep or do the righteousness of the law of God:
In (27) above, Paul also said that the uncircumcision or those who keep the law will judge those who claimed to have circumcision by the law or 'the letter' but could not keep the law. Hence, I would believe that keeping and doing the righteousness of God is important. If we claim that we are righteous by grace, by laws, or by the letter, but we do not keep or do the righteousness of God, how can we judge others; we are no better than the Pharisees or the circumcision who could only boast about their law of circumcision:
- Rom 2:21-29 KJV Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? (22) Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? (23) Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? (24) For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written... (26) Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Of course, again we must not be confused by those who argue that keeping the law of God is keeping the curse of the law or keeping the old covenant. I will explain next time:
What's the difference between keeping the law and keeping God's law ?
(obviously there must be differences)
(obviously there must be differences)
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