Re: Delighting in God's law and Romans 7

Delighting in God's law is indeed an activity of the Christian and thus
the words of Paul in Romans 7 are not necessarily those of an unbeliever,
in my opinion. :-)

I delight in God's law as did King David, who was also justified (Romans
4) by grace through faith: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth
in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Ps. 1:1-2. And Ps 19, Ps
119.

The truth that holds the mind will surely mold the life!

I do so because it is a revelation of God's eternal character and of his
desires of how people should relate - honoring one another and honoring
him. I do so because it contains an excellent value set which is
concerned with peace, justice, and equity. I do so because the the law is
holy, just, and good. Romans 7.

I remembered the ancient quarantine laws yesterday as I read the
headlines about the spreading SARS virus in China and Montreal.

My GREATEST delight is the Lord Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled the law -
the very law which drove me to him to begin with. His righteousness is
mine by imputation and where he imputes it, he also imparts it as we
daily die to sin and live unto Him.

Love fulfills the law and I have noticed that obeying God's commands is
always the loving thing as long as the motives correspond to the external
act of obedience. In other words, these guys who use the line "I love
you, so let me" are not acting in true love. Obviously the same for those
who "bear false witness", steal, kill, and place others before Jehovah.
That's not love - it is disobedience.

Notice in Ephesians 5 how the saints are advised to "walk in love" AS
they avoid adultery, lies, etc. In so doing Paul shows that loving each
other and obeying the laws of God are completely compatible elements in
everyday affairs.

One hindrance to our discussions is that the English word for -law-
supposedly translates about a dozen different words in the OT and NT
original. Law can mean operational principle, the entire old testament,
the 10 commandments, ceremonial laws, etc. Confusion is almost inevitable.

Have a Jesus day, brothers and sisters. It is He who said: If you love
me, keep my commandments.

David Anderson in TN

The law of Moses has no power to save. It has no power to make righteous, or even to drive men to Christ. The Gospel and the New Law of faith is the sole power of God. Even those saved or rejected in the Old Testament had the gospel of the future messiah preached to them. Heb ch 3-4. And Abraham and the patriarchs were saved prior to the law being introduced.

The law of Moses is good insofar as it contains the types and shadows of the truth. But Jesus both fulfills and ends the law. He is the sabbath. Through Him our circumcision is spiritual. Through him all peoples are clean and all foods are clean. Through him the elect are called from all nations.

But we have come to a point where there is little faith on the earth. The New Law of Christ gives liberty as James said, but the law of Moses is the law of sin and death and has no power to make righteous.