Rom 8:2-4 KJV 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.
What is the law of Christ or the law of the Spirit?
Many of us will still ask, "What is the law of Christ? Why do you think that it is the law of the Spirit? Will it include the Ten Commandments?"
I will tell them, Of course, the law of Christ is not the Ten Commandments; but it would still include the Ten Commandments. The law of Christ is all the words, laws, principles, teaching, doctrine, parables, and commandments of Jesus Christ, which would, therefore, include obedience to the Ten Commandments too.
Mat 22:37-40 KJV Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Mat 5:18-19 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. (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.
Luk 10:27-37 KJV And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (28) And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live .. (37) And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
The Lord's teaching is not only for those who were under the law
However, many will say, "That is clearly the teaching of the Ten Commandments. It is only for those who were under the law."
I will tell them, Who told you that the teaching of the Lord is for those who were under the law. If Jesus taught it, it would not be the teaching under the law anymore. It would be the teaching for the kingdom of heaven. I have said that in K110 that the words, the law, and the Spirit of Christ can never be obsolete for the kingdom of heaven:
Mat 4:17 KJV From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 5:3 KJV Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:10 KJV Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:19-22 KJV 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. (21) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: (22) But I say unto you..
Mat 7:21 KJV Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 13:11-12 KJV He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (12) For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 25:1 KJV Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
The Lord's teaching is the law of the Spirit
Of course, the teaching of the Lord is not only the teaching of the kingdom of heaven; it is the words and the law of the Spirit too:
Joh 6:63 KJV It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Many people still argue that the words and the law of Christ are like the do's and don'ts of the Ten Commandments. However, I disagree. Although His words have the Spirit of the Ten Commandments or the Spirit of the laws of God, His words are certainly different from the do's and don'ts of the Ten Commandments which were written on the stones, scroll, or letters. Moses laid before the people the commandments which were later written on the stones (Exo 19:7-8); but Jesus laid before us His commandments which cannot be numbered, counted, or written like a list of do's and don'ts (Joh 14:23-24). For example:
Mat 25:31-40 KJV When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.. (40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Are the verses above a law or commandment of Christ? Yes. Has it become obsolete? Absolutely not. It is because the Lord has not come in His glory yet. In the parable, Jesus taught us to do like the sheep before His coming. Did He give us the commandment to give only one cup of water to one person? No. Did He tell us just to give water to those who are thirsty? No. It is clearly a command which is like the command He gave to the lawyer - we don't just do what the words or the law say; we do what the Spirit of the law says ! We do not just do ONE great commandment; we do ALL the commandments of God. It could be more than what we like to do (or bargain for):
Mat 22:35-36 KJV Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, (36) Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Luk 10:30-37 KJV .. (30) And Jesus answering said, A certain man .. .. .. (36) Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? (37) And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Many people, like the lawyer, may suddenly wake up and realise that the laws and commandments of Jesus Christ become tougher and more than what they can do under the Ten Commandments. Can they now tell the Lord that His words are under the law, and therefore, they can have the 'wonderful' excuse or justification not to keep any of law or commandment? No, the law of Christ is the law of the Spirit and only those who are in the Spirit will keep His laws. However, those who are still in the flesh would argue that His laws are too grievous for them. To hide their inability to keep and obey the law of the Spirit, they will just find all kind of excuses. They may just say that all the law of Christ is like the Ten Commandments which are obsolete. I will tell them, The law of Christ can never be obsolete because it is of a higher law and it is of the Spirit.
What is the difference between 'the law' and the law of the Spirit?
1. under the Old Covenant, the Word or the law of God was the law of Moses or the Ten Commandments on the tablets of stones; but
2. under the New Covenant, the Word or the law of God is the Spirit of the Ten Commandment, the law of the Spirit, or the law of Christ in the hearts of the true believers.
The Israelites might have the 'exterior' of the law which was about the outward expression of their 'obedience' to the works of the law or to the ceremony of their sacrifices and circumcision, but their hearts were far away from the true essence of the law of God which is to really do God's commandments with true love from their hearts. That's why God found fault with the Old Covenant (Heb 8:8), not because His laws were inferior and had to be replaced by other laws (or by some kind of 'pure grace', 'hyper grace', or 'lawless' doctrine), but because men were 'inferior' to keep His laws. So God found a better way, a new way, or a new covenant, not to remove ALL His laws from the world, but instead, put ALL His laws into the hearts of His people.
Hence, all the true believers of God must have the Spirit of the law of God. Unlike the Israelites under the Old Covenant who might just follow the rituals and the works of the law blindly, the true believers today can now receive the Spirit of the law and delight in the law of God because Jesus, the Word who came in the flesh, died, and became resurrected, can now live in our hearts so that the righteousness of God might be fulfilled in us:
Heb 10:16-17 KJV This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (17) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (The law that God put in our hearts is certainly not the law under New Covenant practised by the Israelites or the law of the flesh; it is the law of the Spirit that Paul preached.)
Rom 8:3-4 KJV 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.
Now, what if the churches would only preach 'change of mind' or repentance without any fruit or spirit of repentance? They would be worst than the Pharisees who could only focus on the 'exterior' of the law without the Spirit of God. They may focus on the 'exterior' of repentance too but there is no fruit from the true spirit of repentance. It would be a dead 'law' or dead 'repentance' which has no fruit and no spirit:
Mat 3:7-8 KJV But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Act 26:20 KJV But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and.. that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
We are still under the law (of Christ) in the New Testament
Many 'believers' will still argue, "Can you please stop bringing us back to the law again after we have been set free by the truth and grace of Jesus Christ (John 1:17) ? We are now in the gospel that Paul preached; not in the gospel that Jesus preached. We are in the gospel of grace; not in the covenant of the law. Hence, we hear only grace; not the law. God told Peter, John, and James, "Hear Him only (Mat 17:5) !" It means that we hear Jesus only. We hear grace only. We don't hear any law of Christ or the commandments of Jesus Christ in the New Covenant."
I will ask them, What happen if you still hear the law of Christ under the New Covenant? Will you harden your hearts? Or will you just close your eyes and assume that it isn't there? I hope that you will not go to the extreme and accuse all the Bible verses below are the words of condemnation or the words of bondages:
Gal 6:2 KJV Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
1Co 9:21 KJV To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
Heb 6:1-3 KJV Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, .. (3) And this will we do, if God permit.
If we are the true believers, we must have the law of Christ
Many 'believers' will argue that there is no more law for them or in them to do God's righteousness. I will tell them, If you have no more law of Christ, you are not of Christ. They will argue, "But, we are the believers. We are always in Christ. Hence, we are forever saved". I will tell them, Yes, you are always in Christ if you are the believers. If you are the believers, you would have the law of Christ. Otherwise, you are just the 'believers'.
Joh 13:4-11 KJV .. (5) After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet .. (7) .. What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter .. (10) .. He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (11) For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
There are two lessons we learned from Jesus:
1. Joh 13:14-15 KJV If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. (This is the commandment or the law of Christ too)
2. Not everyone is clean (or really 'clean' inside) even though he is seen being washed by Jesus (or by the words of Jesus). None of the disciples knew who among them was 'unclean' even though Jesus had given hints twice (Joh 13:10, Joh 13:26). Can this happen again in our churches today? I won't rule out the possibility and foolishly argue that this can never happen to our churches. It is possible to make foolish assumption and argue vehemently like Peter. Peter had learnt his lesson, but have we?
Joh 13:38 KJV Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
The churches must learn from the Spirit of truth too
I did not intend to share more. But, since the Lord has shown me that there is something more we can learn from here if we continue, I have to continue. When I flipped over to the next chapter John 14, I realized that Jesus continued to teach after Judas Iscariot had left. JUDAS WAS NOT THERE when Jesus talked about the Holy Spirit. It means that Judas had completely missed the teaching of the Holy Spirit and he would never understand the purpose, the conviction, and the works of the Holy Spirit:
Joh 14:15-18 KJV If ye love me, keep my commandments. (16) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you .. (23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words .. (26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 16:8-14 KJV And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of sin, because they believe not on me; (10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; (11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. (13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
The churches must be humble enough to repent when they are reproved
Now please think, Are there churches who can never understand the teaching of the Spirit or the law of the Spirit? I am afraid that there are churches who are so confused about the purpose and the conviction of the Holy Spirit that they call His conviction condemnation. Of course, if they do not know the law of the Spirit of the truth, they would think like Judas and they would call what is evil good and vice versa (i.e what is good evil).
Many 'believers' argue that the Holy Spirit can never reprove them of sin because the Holy Spirit can only reprove the world. They think that they can prove this based on John 16:8-14, and therefore, they can mock at any reproof of sins from the Holy Spirit as the condemnation from an angry devil. They think that they can just mock at any rebuke of sin or warning of God's commandment and judgement from God's preachers as the condemnation from the pulpit. They think that the Holy Spirit can only say the good things or righteous things about them even if they sin.
I will tell them to read John 16:8-14 again. Wake up please. If Jesus can reprove the church of the Laodiceans of their rebellion and sins in Rev 3, why can't the Holy Spirit reprove us and the churches? Of course, the Holy Spirit can reprove everyone in the world, including the believers or the churches in the world, unless they are no more in the world; but in heaven where they can never sin.
I will tell them, Do you know that the devil can appear smiling at you and say the righteous things about you, and he can still cause you to go down in hell and condemnation? Of course, there are angry devils who are condemning too. However, it is foolish to make it a general rule to say that anyone who is smiling at you is God, but those who do not smile at you are the devils.
I wonder if there is anyone whose father can never be angry with them even if they lie, rebel, or cheat? But, if I say that my father would never be angry with me even if I lied, rebelled, or cheated, either 1. I lied or 2. my father is abnormal. Of course, it is abnormal for God to smile at us when we sin because His holy nature cannot tolerate sins. But God can be angry and yet He will still give grace for us to repent. Only the devil will smile all the time and do nothing when he sees the people sinning. Now, please think again, Is your God an angry God or a smiling devil? I would rather believe in an angry God who is gracious to give us the grace to repent and turn to Him than believe in a smiling devil who tries to persuade the people to stop repenting from sins:
Act 17:30-31 KJV And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Act 26:19-20 KJV .. I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: (20) But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem .. that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
The Spirit of truth will still lead us to the law of the Spirit
I will tell them, You said that your 'believers' are set free by the truth and grace of Jesus Christ because you do not have any more law based on Joh 1:17 KJV "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
But do you know that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ through the law of the Spirit?
Joh 3:5-6 KJV Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Many think that if we are born of the flesh, we are born out of the womb physically. But when it was said to Nicodemus, it meant that those who were born under the law of the flesh (or under the law of circumcision) were born of the flesh. Nicodemus, like Judas, could never understand the law of the Spirit because they were born under the law of the flesh. Probably they might believe; but they did not want to repent or could not repent. They might believe up to the level where they could only call Jesus "Rabbi, Teacher, or Lord', but they have no true spirit of repentance to turn back to God to do God's will and commandments under the law of the Spirit:
Joh 3:10-12 KJV Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? (11) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. (12) If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Mat 7:21-23 KJV Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:23 LITV And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; "depart from Me, those working lawlessness!"
The Spirit of truth will lead us to the law of the Spirit; not 'lawlessness'.
The law of the Spirit will teach us many things in the Bible. And it has been written in the New Testament in many Bible verses on how we can live under the Spirit too. However, nothing much has been written on how the law of lawlessness will teach the people. Will it teach the people or the believers to be more wicked only? I doubt so because the Bible has said that it will teach deceitfully. It will teach the people of the world to be more lawless or violent in their deeds; but it will also teach the 'believers' to be more 'lawless' in their mind, in their belief, in their confession, or in their spirit too:
2Th 2:7-12 LITV For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it comes out of the midst. .. (9) His coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and miraculous signs and lying wonders, (10) and in all deceit of unrighteousness in those being lost, because they did not receive the love of the truth in order for them to be saved. (11) And because of this, God will send to them a working of error, for them to believe the lie, (12) that all may be judged, those not believing the truth, but who have delighted in unrighteousness.
2Pe 3:11-17 LITV Then all these being about to be dissolved, of what sort ought you to be in holy behavior and godliness .. (15) And think of the long-suffering of our Lord as salvation, as also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him; (16) as also in all his epistles, speaking in them concerning these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the unlearned and unsettled pervert, as also they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. (17) Then beloved, you knowing beforehand, watch lest being led away by the error of the lawless you fall from your own steadfastness.
Do we have any clear examples of how the lawless one will teach and pervert, as they do the rest of the Scriptures? It could be hard to detect and find one; however, I could think of one clear example:
He would lay before us all the Scripture from Genesis to Revelation as follows:
Genesis, Exodus, .. Malachi, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, .. Acts .., Corinthians, Galatians, Hebrews, Hebrew 10:26, .. James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter .. 1 John 1:9, 2John .., Jude, Revelation 3, Revelation 13-14, Revelation 15-22
But he will start to expound on each book or letter with other Scripture, eliminate it book by book, letter by letter, verse by verse, or line by line, and convince us with his perverted lawless arguments on why they are not for us. In the end, the Scripture, after his 'anointed' preaching, would become so 'mutilated' that it looks like this:
The Scripture is no longer God's Scripture to us after his mutilation or perversion !
When the law of the Spirit is taken out of the way, it is the end
If the devil has succeeded to change the Scripture, does it mean that he has won ultimately? No, God will never be caught by the surprise. If God has not judged the devil, it does not mean that the devil has won. It means that it is not his time yet; but it could means that the second coming of Christ is very soon, when the law of the Spirit will be 'taken out of the away':
2Th 2:7 KJV For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Isa 28:7-14 KJV But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. (8) For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. (9) Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (11) For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. (12) To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. (13) But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. (14) Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
Mal 2:8 KJV But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
Many think that the false prophets will teach the people to depart out of the way or out of the law into more violence or more criminal acts. But I think the devil and the false prophets are not very concerned about making the sinners more lawless; they are more concerned about making the people of God or churches to be more 'lawless' in their belief, doctrine, or covenant. When the law of the Spirit is taken out of the way (out of the churches), they know that the whole world will become theirs in the long run, or (the worst) in the next generation.::
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