JESUS FULFILLED THE OLD TESTAMENT AND ALL ITS LAWS EVEN THE 10 COMMANDMENTS HE TOOK TO THE CROSS
LAW V.S. GRACE
by Jimmie Warren
When you read your Bible, have you ever noticed that Jesus never condemns anyone except the religious leaders of the time? When they came to him and asked why he ate with tax collectors and whores, Jesus told them that the well do not need a doctor. (Matt.9:12 and Luke 5:31) Jesus was trying to tell them that those who did not know the word of God needed to hear God’s plan to save the world. Jesus preached that if they would only believe what he was telling them, then they would be saved.
Now one young man came to ask Jesus what else he needed to do to be saved. He had kept the law all his life and did not want to miss out on salvation, so he asked again what he must do to be saved. (Matt. 19:16-20) Jesus’ reply was shocking to the pharisees. He said, he who believes in me and the one who sent me shall be saved. (Romans 10:9) Where is all the law stuff??
Yes, the New Testament does talk about keeping the Ten Commandments, but Jesus goes even farther saying that if you even look on a woman and lust, you have committed adultery. (Matt. 5:28) The Jews of that time did not get it. Everything had to be by the book. They even killed Jesus using the Law of Moses.
A lot of churches today go by the letter of the law not by the spirit of the law. Which one do you think God judges you by??
Look in the Bible yourself in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They all have the message there. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son so you and I could be saved. (John 3:16) That’s GRACE folks, not LAW.
Jesus’ death means nothing if we can save ourselves by keeping some written law. Jesus even tells the people that the law is a curse to man and that no man can keep the law, not even the priests in the temple.
Today some of our churches are still trying to get us back into bondage. They want us to keep special holy days, to eat or not eat certain foods, to wear what they deem fit, to drive the appropriate car, to wear our hair at just the right length, etc. Where does the Bible say to tell my people what to wear? Where does it say to lord it over my people until I get back?
Why do ministers insist on preaching about giving money to this cause or that cause? The Bible clearly says what you receive freely, give freely, doesn't’t it? (Matt. 10:8) Now, everyone knows, or should know, that it takes a certain amount of money to run a church, so everyone should give as God has blessed them to give. Paul says we should give from our heart. God loves a generous heart, and it is true that you cannot out give God. (II. Cor. 9:7) Come on people, where is your heart? If you think, "Do I have to give my hard-earned money to that church," then you don’t get it!
God does not need your grubby little money. God loves a giving heart. That is someone like the little old woman who gave her last penny to help others. (Mark 12:42-44)
Next time you give to God ask yourself, "Am I giving this because I want to or because I feel I have to?". Our churches want us to give from the bottom of our pockets, but God wants your gift to come from the bottom of your heart.
If all people would give this way, God would bless them hundreds of times over. Our churches would be debt-free. Our country would be debt-free. If all, if rich and poor alike, would pay 10 percent of what they make, then we would owe nothing.
The churches of today are always trying to outdo the other church down the street, so they plead for more money. If every saint would help his fellow man, we could reach the world with the message of Christ.
Too many ministers want to build their own ministries to be world famous. Then they get so wrapped up in doing the work that they forget who they are working for. JESUS is our boss, and if he wants you to do bigger things, then he will provide for your needs without pleading the money out of people who don’t want to give it anyway. Remember, if God is behind you, then you will get the job done with all the money you need.
I don’t understand all these churches preaching about old laws that Jesus took to the cross with him. He did this so it wouldn't’t be hard to make it into God’s kingdom. He said he did not come to do away with the law but to complete it. (Matt. 5:17) Jesus is the only man who could keep the law perfectly.
We need to stop here and think..."Why would the Son of God come here to hang on a tree and bleed to death so we could live forever."
Why would he make laws so hard to keep that if we even try, we fail. (Gal.3) Is this a loving Father? Does any of this make sense? People wake up. Read what your Bible says about salvation.
Jesus says over and over that he who believes in him shall be saved, not he who works his way up the ladder. (Eph. 2: 8-9)
Remember what Paul said in (I Cor. 13:1-13). If you keep all these things and don’t have love, you may not even be in the kingdom of God.
Jesus said he gives two new commandments. These are to love God with all your heart and to love your fellow man as you love yourself. (Matt. 22:37-40) This is all the law we need to keep.
Don’t let your pastor bring you back under the old law. Read what Paul says in these books of the Bible: Ephesians, Galatians, and Colossians. These are three books of your own Bible that you need to read to be truly free in Christ Jesus.
I hope in some small way that the truth is here for all of you. Get your Bibles out, wipe off the dust, and read how simple salvation really is for you and me.