House Church Talk - Re: Yet another newspaper article...

[RoyalHeirling at aol.com]

Dan,

You stated: <I guess I mean to say that remove the word law from your phrase 
- and we agree, I think...>


Let me rephrase that sentence this way which is almost a direct quote of 
Romans 8:7.

Is our hope in the lack of organization? Do we believe that the answer lies 
in throwing off the yoke of organized religion? Or, is our hope in Jesus and 
His ability to purify each of us, to remove the enmity against God and bring in 
perfect love, to bring peace where there was punishment and guilt and fear 
because of our sins, and to justify us by His blood and help us remain just by 
His righteous life?

To me, the word Law and God are interchangable in the sense that the law of 
God represents His character. What the law lacks, and most likely the reason 
you "hate" the law, is mercy. But while we are not "under the law" as a means of 
salvation, we are to receive the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus which 
is witnessed by the law and the prophets that it is the righteousness of God 
and not our own. Without the law to describe sin we would not know 
righteousness. Without the law to point out our transgressions we would feel pretty smug. 
But the law entered so that sin would become exceedingly sinful and we would 
realize "Hey, we need help from someone outside ourselves." Then we turn to 
Jesus as our only means of salvation. So, the law is not bad if presented 
correctly. No need to have enmity against the law of God because the law is our 
schoolmaster leading us to Christ. In the end, the law of God, which the carnal 
mind hates, will be written in our hearts and minds. This is the new covenant 
promised in Deut. and restated in Hebrews. 

Scripture reference:
Ro 3:21  "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, 
being witnessed by the law and the prophets."

Jeff in Richmond,VA

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[God’s] heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even 
by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that 
perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, 
for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the 
universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is 
too small for Him to notice.
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