QUESTIONS FOR THOSE WHO WOULD
PUT US UNDER BONDAGE by George Zeller
Here are some questions for those who would try to make the LAW the
believers rule of life:
If the law is a "MINISTRATION OF DEATH" (2 Cor. 3:6-9) than how can
it be the believers rule of life? If the law has been "done away"
(2 Cor. 3:11) and "abolished" (2 Cor. 3:13; Eph. 2:15) and
disannulled (Heb. 7:18-19) and "taken away" (Heb. 10:9 and compare
Heb. 8:6-13), then how can a believer be under the law as a rule of
life?
Why do you accuse those who teach that the believer is not under
the law of promoting LAWLESSNESS and antinomianism? Does not Paul
teach that Gods grace teaches us the very opposite? "For the grace
of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Tit.
2:11-12). Was not Paul, the champion of the doctrine of grace, also
falsely accused of teaching a doctrine that would promote
lawlessness? See for example, Romans 6:14-15.
[Ro 6:15 What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but
under grace? May it never be!]
How can you place the believer under the law when the New Testament
in at least four places declares that the believer is not under the
law? See Romans 6:14; Romans 6:15; Galatians 5:18 and 1 Corinthians
9:20 (NASB). If the law is "the strength of sin" (see 1 Cor.
15:56), how can it be the believers rule of life? If the believer
has died to the law and has been delivered and released from the
law (Rom. 7:1-6), then how can the believer be under it as a rule
of life?
Why did Paul give credit for the success of his Christian life to
the grace of God instead of to the law of God (1 Cor. 15:10)? Why
did he say, "I live by the faith of the Son of God" (Gal. 2:20)
instead of saying "I live by the Ten Commandments"?
If the law cannot justify us, why should we think that it can
sanctify us? If we were saved by the hearing of faith and not by
the works of the law, then should not progress in the Christian
life be made in the same way (see Gal. 3:2-3)? If we were saved at
Mount Calvary, why should we abandon Mount Calvary and go to Mount
Sinai for sanctification?
IS THE BELIEVER UNDER OBLIGATION
TO KEEP CHRISTS COMMANDS? by George Zeller
"And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His
commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John
2:3-4). "If ye love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Yes,
commandment keeping is essential!
The believer living under grace whose focus is on Mount Calvary
must keep Gods commands. Obedience to the Word of God is
essential. The key question is this: What commands are we to obey?
What commandments has Christ given to believers living in this
present Christian age of grace? Here are some examples:
"And now, little children, ABIDE IN HIM; that, when He shall
appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at
his coming" (1 John 2:2
.
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but BE FILLED WITH
THE SPIRIT" (Ephesians 5:1.
"This I say then, WALK IN THE SPIRIT, and ye shall not fulfill the
lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
"Likewise RECKON YE ALSO YOURSELVES TO BE DEAD INDEED UNTO SIN, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:11).
"Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin: but YIELD YOURSELVES UNTO GOD, AS THOSE THAT ARE ALIVE
FROM THE DEAD, and your members as instruments of righteousness
unto God" (Rom. 6:13).
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, SO WALK YE IN
HIM" (Col. 2:6).
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye WALK
WORTHY of the vocation [the believers high, heavenly, holy
CALLING] wherewith ye are called" (Eph. 4:1).
"And that ye PUT ON THE NEW MAN, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness" (Eph. 4:24).
"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:
WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT" (Eph. 5:.
"If ye then be risen with Christ, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE
ABOVE, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Col.
3:1).
"PUT ON therefore, AS THE ELECT OF GOD, HOLY AND BELOVED, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering"
(Col. 3:12).
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth
so easily beset us, and LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE that is
set before us, LOOKING UNTO JESUS the Author and Finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God" (Heb. 12:1-2).
As believers living under grace we need to have our minds baptized
and immersed in the EPISTLES, becoming more and more familiar with
the great GRACE-ORIENTED COMMANDS that are found therein. Yes we
are certainly to obey Gods commands, but the commands which God
has given to us are based upon the believers glorious position in
a crucified and risen Christ. These commands do not flow out of
Mount Sinai, they flow out of Mount Calvary.
