2 Cor 3:6 The letter kills, but the Spirit produces life. We need His Spirit to interpret the letter correctly. We cannot properly understand the Bible without His Spirit.
2 Cor 8:14-15 The parallel to the manna gathering indicates that those who gathered much gave to those who did not.
Is Paul saying that the law (God’s instructions for us on how to live and love our neighbor) is no longer necessary for our lives? If so this would be contrary to many verses in the Bible, including ones that say God does not change. I offer another perspective below in that it is not the law that was removed, but that the price (penalty) was paid for our transgressions. We must consider all scripture together as a whole.
Gal 4:5 God’s son sent to: “redeem those under the law” To redeem is to pay the price. The law was made because of transgressions, (Gal 3:19) to define the penalty. This redemption paid for our transgressions, releasing the law’s penalty (subjugation). Being under the law returns when one continues in sin without repentance. This is why we need to continually seek redemption, less we trample the blood and again are under the law.
Gal 5:14 The fulfillment of the law is loving your neighbor as yourself. If the law is “done away” then we also have no need to love our neighbor, as well as no need for a redeemer. This illustrates that no longer being under the law does not mean the law is removed, just that the penalty for breaking it has been paid. (Redemption)
Gal 5:18 If we are being led by the Spirit, then we are not under the law penalty because we will not be carrying out the fleshly desires. (Not committing transgressions of the law) This is why there is no law against the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:23) because there is no fleshly transgressions or sin being done.
Gal 6:2 To fulfill the law is to obey it.
Eph 2:15 To make of no affect the law is the same as saying removed the penalty by redemption. Again, we cannot be removing the law because there are too many other verses showing the value of it.
Next Reading: Week 50 Philippians 1:1 to Hebrews 1:1
Wisdom for the week
I really enjoy Dale Cresap’s short wisdom packed blogs that he gets from God. So much so that I even made an Android program (with Dale’s permission) that is free on Google play which contains his blog entries in a nice little searchable app. This week’s selection from Dale’s blog posting is extra special to me. I believe this is the third time that I have been pondering or struggling with questions that God chose to answer for me the next day through Dale’s blog that came in my email. With this one I was thinking about my sense of value and God addressed it in the blog below the very next day! What makes this even more amazing is that understanding from working with Dale for the app I know that Dale is about a year ahead on his blog postings. So each blog post he sends out is something he wrote around a year ago! That means God coordinated the time to the answers of my questions at least a year in advance!
Self-Esteem
Have you noticed that low self-esteem is always considered a problem and that high self-esteem is a desirable trait? This is contrary to Biblical wisdom. Can you find anything in the Bible that tells you to think more highly of yourself than you otherwise would? Yet there are many admonitions to humble yourself and to esteem others better than yourself. High self-esteem is inherent in the human race and it is a big part of your problem. The conflict between this and reality is mistakenly called low self-esteem. A mature Christian has a proper understanding of his own nature and position. He is content to be accepted and beloved by me, and has nothing to prove about himself to himself or to others.
No comments:
Post a Comment