K144. Two types of walking or covenant

Most of us agree that there are two types of 'walking':
1. Walking under the Old Testament ie. walking by the law of Moses and the commands of the Prophets
2. Walking under the New Testament ie. walking by the grace of Jesus and the doctrine of the Apostles
In summary, we can put it in a simple chart:

   Old Testament            New Testament
  Law and Prophets      Grace (gospel) and Doctrine

Today we are no more under the Old Testament, but we can see from the Old Testament that there is the law and there are the prophets. Similarly, we do not have the gospel only (like Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John); we have the Acts and the letters of the Apostles which are the doctrine too. The doctrine consists of the commands, instructions, and principles which we must do and practise; they are not sermon scripts just for confessing, analysing, or debating (between the law and grace).

The Law and Grace are both the gifts of God
Since they are the gifts of God, we can never work for them because they are both given. They were given by God, but through Moses and Jesus Christ:
Joh 1:17 KJV  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ
a. From the law, the Israelites would then have the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets (like Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, .. etc. They were written based on the laws and commands of Moses)
b. Similarly, from grace or the gospel, the believers of Jesus Christ would now have the law of Christ or the doctrine of Christ which is written in the letters of the Apostles (Acts, Romans, Corrinthians, Galatians, Peters, James, and Johns). The letters were written based on the words and teaching of Jesus Christ; not based on the teaching of Paul. In fact, Paul wrote his letters based on the teaching of Jesus Christ. Hence, if we find conflicts between the gospel that Jesus preached and Paul preached, we should take the gospel that Jesus preached. Very likely the conflicts arose because we could not understand Paul; so, we should just go back to the gospel of Jesus Christ and simply keep His commandments.

Grace without doctrine is not grace
Now please think, Did God split the Old Testament into the law and the prophets and tell the Israelites to walk according to the law only? No.
Similarly, God would not split the New Testament into the gospel and doctrine and tell us to walk according to grace only! Notice that Jesus always mention the law and the prophets together? He did not split the law and the prophets, neither did He tell us to split grace and doctrine. Many still argue, "But Grace is not a doctrine. Grace is Jesus Christ. Grace can teach us so we can live without any need for sound doctrine." I will tell them, Yes, grace came from Jesus; but grace is not Jesus. Even if grace is Jesus, Jesus would not tell us to cast away His doctrine or commandments. Grace and doctrine are always together in the teaching of the New Testament. Casting away His doctrine is like casting away the words of Jesus and listening only to the false prophets. Without the doctrine of God, false prophet can tell you:
a. that they listen to grace only, and
b. so you must listen only to them
That is the oldest and most brilliant strategy when the serpent, the dragon, the beast, the frogs, and the false prophets would tell you to listen to them only:
Gen 3:4 KJV  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Tit 2:1-12 KJV  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine .. (10) Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.  (11)  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  (12)  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Grace without the doctrine or law of God is not the grace of God; it would be the 'grace' of the serpent or the frogs:

Both the law and grace have God's commandments
Today we are not under the law to follow the teaching or the law of Moses; we are under grace to follow the teaching or the law of Christ. However, do we realise that both the teaching of Moses and the teaching of Jesus are not totally different. They both have the law and commandment of God! The difference is:
a. how the law and commandment is given? one is by Moses; the other by Jesus
b. how the law and commandment is written? one is written on the stone; the other on the heart
c. how the law and commandment is obeyed? one is obeyed through the external flesh, circumcision, and outward effort; the other through the Spirit of Christ in the heart
d. how law and commandment is understood? .. applied? ..
We can keep asking questions and try to differentiate between the law and grace, but we can never deny that the law and grace are both from God, they are good, and they are not 'enemies' to each other. The real enemy is lawlessness. When the Apostles told us not to keep the law of Moses or the teaching of Moses, they did not tell us to reject it as the enemy of God; they told us to 'grow out' of it. They knew that the law of Moses or the teaching of Moses would no longer be effective when Jesus came. However, they still showed that keeping the law and commandment of God is still valid up till today:
Act 15:5 KJV  But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:24-29 KJV  Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:  (25)  It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul .. (29)  That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Eph 6:1-3 KJV  Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.  (2)  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)  (3)  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
If we want long life, we don't listen to the serpent or the false prophets; we listen to God; but how do we listen to God if we do not have any of God's commandment? Hence, we must still walk with God's commandment if we are really walking in the Spirit of God; we do not walk in ignorance to God's words, doctrine, and commandments. Those who want to just walk in the Spirit and reject God's commandments can never really walk with God. They have walked out of the will of God. Oh, I have almost forgotten, there is a third type of 'walking'.
1. Walking under the Old Testament
2. Walking under the New Testament
3. Walking out of His will

Ironically, like the prodigal son or Adam, many do not know that they have walked so far and so fast (without God's commandments) that they have walked out of His will.

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