* The "Jewish View" (keeps the Commandments in order to be saved).
* The "Judaizer's View" (keeps the Commandments in order to remain saved).
* The "Justified View" (keeps the Commandments out of gratitude for having been saved).
"Jewish View" - To the Jew, the Old Testament contained 613 Commandments which needed to be obeyed in order to stay in God's favor. When a Jew broke any of the 613, he was required to have the Jewish priests offer a sacrifice for the forgiveness of his sin. The Word says that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22). What the Jews have never learned, is that no one can be saved by doing the works of the Law (Gal. 2:16)! The purpose of the Law was to serve as a "schoolmaster," that is, to teach man that he needs a Savior (Gal. 3:24)!
"Judaizer's View" - The Judaizers were believers in Christ, but because of their errant theology, they believed a Christian is bound to live according to the Jewish Law. Hence, they believed a Gentile who had come to faith in Jesus Christ was required to be circumcised. They were even described as being "of the circumcision" (Acts 10:45; 11:2; etc.). Acts 15:1-29 describes a meeting of the Apostles, at which they ruled against the legalism of the Judaizers. Believe it or not, there are still Judaizers in the Church today who teach that the Old Testament Commandments are binding on Christians. Paul called what they teach, a false Gospel, a Gospel of works salvation, and he said, "Let them be accursed" (Gal. 1:6-9)!
"Justified View" - Born again believers are said to have been justified by the blood of Christ (Rom. 5:9). "Justified" is from the Greek δικαιόω (dikaioō), which means "to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be." The born again believer is justified, not by works, but by God's grace (Acts 13:39; Rom. 3:20, 24, 28; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:11; Titus 3:7; etc.). It is clearly stated in Romans 8:30: "Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified."
As born again believers, in order to please God, we obey the Commandments because they serve as "God's Instruction Manual" on how we are to love our brethren. God's Commandments are summed up in just one Commandment: we are to love one another (Gal. 5:13-14)!
We show our love for God when we love one another!
No comments:
Post a Comment