Law And Grace
THE DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE RELIGIONS OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTERMENTS
The heavenly race as ordained by God is a race with set down rules and regulations, which all comers must abide by - else he will run in vain. In the book of 2 Tim. 2:5 it is written, if a man also strive for masteries, yet he is not crowned except he strive lawfully. Also in the book of 1 Cor. 9:24-27 it is written, do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? SO RUN THAT YE MAY OBTAIN. I therefore run, not as uncertainly; I do not box as one beating the air…. lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. Seeing that one can be disqualified at the end of his race because he did not run according to the rules, we must be careful not to run in vain, for some indeed believed in vain [1 Cor. 15:2]. Even as God also admonished Moses in Heb. 8:5 “See that you make every thing according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain” As Moses was warned not to alter the pattern given by God, so are we warned in our own time not to change the rules of the race set before us. Therefore, we must follow the examples laid down for us by Christ our Lord and the early apostles and saints. Indeed no man has right on his own to introduce strange rules into the race as many have done today in the Christendom. For not knowing the righteousness of God people have established their own will - expecting that God would accept it from them. But the scripture has this to say in Romans 11:34, who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? No man can advice God on how he should be worshiped, but rather it is he to whom all worship belong that has the right to determine how he should be worshiped. What we need to do is just to obey his will in all things.
THE RELIGION OF THE JEWS; THE LAW OF MOSES
Prior to this time God was worshiped in Israel according to the law that he gave unto them through Moses on mount Horeb [Deut. 4: 1-15]. And these were carnal ordinances which were aimed at purifying the flesh; these ordinances were imposed on them until the time of reformation. [Heb. 9:1-14] The religion of the Jews was entirely different from the religion given to us by Christ. For in their religion there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein were the candlestick, table and the bread of his presence (kept before the Lord on Sabbath days). Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Holy of Holies, having the golden alter of incense and the ark of covenant. There were ordained priests who go in there to accomplish the service of God (ceremonially), other ordinances include the keeping of Sabbaths (Ex 20:8-11), the paying of Tithes (Deut. 14: 22-29), the use of animal blood for atonement (Lev. 17: 11 Moreover the worshippers were classified into three categories: The Priests (Aaron and his sons), The Levites (the tribe chosen to be ministers of Aaron). The rest were common people. Thereby having a kind of Clergy and Laity arrangement (Num: 18:1-28). But all these ceremonies the bible classified as a shadow and not the perfect pattern of worship that God truly requires, for it could not make those who draw near to God through it to be perfect [Heb. 10: 1]. After giving these ordinances, the Lord told them through Moses in Deut. 18:15-18 that he will send another prophet like Moses who shall come with word from God, that unto that prophet shall they listen. It was expedient that another prophet should be sent with a more perfect way of divine service because God knew that the religion that He gave them was not good and that they cannot live by it; as He explained to them many years later through Ezekiel the Prophet in Ezk. 20:24-25. Here he told them that the statutes and judgments that He gave them were not good – that He purposely gave it to them because they refused to obey Him right from Egypt- even through the wilderness. The New Testament later confirmed in various places that religion of the Jews was not the perfect form of worship (Gal. 3:10-12 Heb. 8:7-13, Heb. 9:9). The Law of Moses was an interim measure that God imposed on them pending when he shall come to whom it pertains to declare the truth. For the law came through Moses but GRACE AND TRUTH came from Christ (John 1:17). Now that the truth is come we need not the law any more (Gal.3:23-25). When Christ came he confirmed that he was the person that Moses was speaking about (John 5:46-47). When the fullness of time came God sent his son born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem us [the Jews] who were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Gal. 4: 4-5) Therefore one of the primary purposes of Christ’s first advent was to redeem the Jews that were under the law [for Gentiles were never under the law, for the law was not given to them Deut. 4: 5-10]. Now that faith [Christ] is come we are no longer under the school master, (Gal. 3: 23-25). The scriptures both in old and new testament stated explicitly that the law shall have an end. Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone that believe (Rom. 10: 4).
THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
The section of the bible known as the New Testament began with this statement; “The new testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” The word TESTAMENT means COVENANT; which also literally means a formal binding agreement. Therefore the New Testament is a binding agreement that God put forward to be the new term of relationship between Him and the Jews, and by extension all mankind. Even as he spoke in Jeremiah 31:31-33, which also was quoted in Heb. 8: 7-13; “Behold the days will come says the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not like the covenant that I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt…. In speaking of the new covenant he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away”. (To the Jews it is a new covenant but to the rest of mankind it is the only covenant; for the Gentiles were strangers to the covenants, because it was unto the Israelites that the covenants belong Eph. 2: 11-13, Rom. 9: 4) The first advent of Christ was to fulfill the promise made unto the fathers (Rom. 15:8), that was why he said that all things which were written about him in the law, must be fulfilled [Luke 24:44, Matt. 5: 17-19]. This he fulfilled on the cross and said, “It is finished” (John 19:28-30).Having nailed the law to the cross, He obtained a more excellent ministry which is much more excellent than the old covenants (Heb. 8: 6); having determined prior to this time that his disciples shall not drink the old soured wine.
THE NEW RELIGION: WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT AND TRUTH: WHAT IS IT?
As Christ told the Samaritan woman at the well who demanded to know from him which way is the most appropriate way to worship God - whether it was as the Samaritans worshiped on mount Gerizim or as the Jews worshiped in Jerusalem in the temple. She wanted Christ to solve this problem once and for all; hoping that Christ would approve one of the two religions as the perfect will of God, Christ surprised her by setting forth a new religion altogether. He told her in John 4:19-24 that the hour is coming, and now is, when you will neither at this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the father. But the hour is coming and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth, for such the father seeks to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. If the New Testament worshippers must worship in Spirit and truth, then it is necessary that we define the term SPIRIT through the bible – and this is explained in Luke 24:39, it said “A spirit is something that cannot be seen with physical eyes, something that cannot be touched or handled and finally something that has no bone and flesh” It means that they will not worship God according to the carnal ordinances of the Law of Moses as given to the Israelites. It then means that they will not worship God with things that have to do with external sacrificial ceremonies. That is why he said of the true worshippers in Phil.3: 3, for we are the true circumcision, who worship God in the spirit and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh. He also said in Acts 1 7:24-25, God who made the world and all things in it, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is he worshiped with human hands. The problem in Christendom these days is that people fail to articulate and understand these verses of the scriptures properly, for if they had done so - much of the confusions that abound today could not have been there. It is those who do not understand the difference between Christianity and Judaism that are muddling up issues. They are also ignorant of the difference between the Church in the wilderness and the church of Christ. (Once someone is able to know this difference his perception of worship will change). These confused people put new wine in old wineskin and put a piece of new garment in an old garment Some still keeps the Sabbath days, some place altars where they sacrifice to devils (unaware), while others light candles on a lamp stand in pursuance of the law some use incense. Some denominations still maintain the clergy/laity classification till this day. (But in Christ all are priests none is superior to others). The continuance of following the Old Testament pattern is what informed the doctrine of tithing today in Pentecostal churches; they hold strongly to this doctrine of tithing not minding that we are not under the law any more. They quote from Malachi 3 to extort money from ignorant and unsuspecting believers. Remember that you must strive lawfully: If you worship God in a way that he did not recommend – do you think that he will accept it from you? When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord he killed them. Do you know that you are transgressing more than they? It is because we are in the generation of grace that makes people to think that they can worship God according to their own will and get away with it. These are they that follow human precept and pattern in pursuit of rigour of devotion: But these things are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh. God did not permit any body to devise by himself how he wants to worship God. For doing the will of God does not depend on man’s will or exertion (Rom: 9:16). If indeed God allows man to choose how he desires to worship Him, it then means he is setting confusion among his worshippers.
ONE TRUE WAY OF WORSHIP
Since there is only ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD, it means that there is ONE TRUE AND LIVING WAY by which he must be worshiped (John 17:3, Heb. 10: 20). As God gave Israelites one pattern of worship, so has he done in our time. Therefore he that wants to win the prize at the end of the race must strive lawfully. Else after he must have preached to others he will be cast away. Remember the verdict “Depart from me you workers of iniquity, for I do not know where you come from” We are emphatically saying that worshipping in spirit entails the removal of all Jewish ceremonial activities as practiced in the Old Testament. The paying of tithe, use of candles, incense, holy water, white garments, animal sacrifices, keeping of Sabbaths are not part of the requirements demanded from worshippers in Spirit. Some use to say, since Elijah offered sacrifice and God consumed the sacrifice with fire that we too ought to do the same. Such people are ignorant of the fact that Elijah was not Christians. Although he was a man of God in his day but his religion was different from ours. Some people went out of the way to introduce many Gentile way of worship and sacrifices. Some examples of these errors are; going to rivers and streams to offer sacrifices to mermaid spirits and devils and using magical powers to cast spell on people in the name of new anointing. All these practices are the manifestation of demonic influences as if it were in the name of Jesus It should be noted that all defiled sacrifices that people are given as if it were unto God – do not actually go to God but to the devils. For whatever the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devils not unto God 1 Cor: 10:20. We don’t want you to run this race in vain after all these tribulations. That is why we are explaining the way of the Lord more perfectly to you through this tract. ARE YOU STRIVING LAWFULLY? So you need to examine your way of worship, is it in agreement with the New Testament or are you worshipping as people under the Law of Moses in the Old Testament. The danger is that those who are still following the way of the Old Testament today are actually following after devils because God has left the temple and Synagogues of the Old Testament desolate (Matt.23:37), those who erect such structures and worship in them are worshipping in the Synagogue of Satan, thinking that they are Jews but are not (Rev.3:9).