Eternal Approach

There are many forms of the Law.

The Old Testament Levitical priesthood system was the original version.

But men have created innumerable other forms of that system of morals, rules, and rituals to replace the original law.

The very law that the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled. By bringing in another law. A better Law.

Which is the Law of faith.

All of the religions of the world, outside of the biblical gospel of Christ, are simply man’s attempt to please God by his own efforts.

Trying to placate whatever “god” that men choose to follow. 

And there is no end to the creativity or limits to how far men will go to appease their “gods”. 

This even includes the countless forms of “Christian” religious groups. All those within the big tent called, “Christendom”. Who follow the many variations-on-a-theme of “other” gospels. 

Or other Christs. 

Even in the midst of the so-called “gospel-centered” and “Christ-centered” movements there is a rejection of biblical truth. It is a rejection of the simplicity that is in Christ. 

Because the gospel of Christ is simple. So simple that men reject it. 

That gospel is based upon faith.

Which only comes through an understanding of and a belief in the words of God as written in the Old and New Testaments. 

Not on any extra-biblical sources of truth. Or on “church tradition” or some presumed “apostolic authority” outside of the clear authority of scripture. 

Many Christian leaders today do a lot of talking about the gospel.  

But talk is cheap. 

Among the many “talkers” few have submitted themselves to the authority of God’s words. And, in the process, have veered off course toward another gospel. 

Even while they speak glowingly of following Jesus. It’s amazing, really, that there is a rejection of truth in the midst of all these leaders speaking about truth. 

What are our Leaders Seeking After?

What many Christian leaders are seeking after today are manifestations. The outward demonstrations of a supposed inner reality. 

As in speaking in tongues, healings, ecstatic experiences, holy laughing, barkings, falling to the floor, being “baptized in the Spirit”, being “slain in the Spirit” and many other supposed works of the Holy Spirit. 

Or maybe they’re just seeking a lot of activity for the church. An outward demonstration of “servanthood” and “service”. All for the needs of others, of course. 

Or maybe a demonstration of outward “niceness” or “compassion” or “humility” or “meekness” or a thousand other good qualities a person might exhibit who is “filled with the Spirit”. 

The Emphasis is Wrong

These things, as good as they may seem, are based on a false gospel emphasis. This emphasis is, in itself, another gospel. 

Because, at the core, they are trying to establish a new system of law. Even while they call this emphasis the fulfilling of “the law of love” or the Royal law or the real message of the gospel or the real fulfillment of the heart of Jesus in the gospels. 

But what most Christians don’t understand is that the Lord Jesus was not establishing some new law for us to work toward fulfilling. Not some new law that we could substitute for the old law. 

No. The Law has been fulfilled in fullness by the Lord Himself. 

The sermon on the mount and the list of all the things noted there are to show how we should live toward one another and to God; they are simply another law that the Lord has shown us that we CANNOT fulfill. Another way to show us how we CANNOT please God by our own efforts.  

Not in rituals. And not in good, loving works toward our fellow man. 

Neither emphasis gives us any hope of fulfilling.  

The true gospel is based upon faith. It is based on our knowledge of the Lord, our knowledge of His truth in His word, and our faith and trust in those same words He has said to us. 

That is not a measurable thing.

We can’t take inventory of our loving actions nor measure any other outward manifestations of love to prove our level of faith. 

We can only believe and be saved. And then believe and rest in Him day by day.

Trusting that He will produce the good works in us and through us according to His will and His power. 

By our faith in Him, fully in His own Person, as the fulfillment of our Righteousness and the fulfillment of our Sanctification – both spiritually and physically in the real world. 

Image by Victoria Regen from Pixabay