LAW AND GRACE
Any Greek or Hebrew translations are quoted from
New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D.
Thomas Nelson Publishers 1990 edition
We must discuss this very important subject. Quoting from certain religious leaders, the term “Law and Grace”, and how this pertains to us today. I have used many Old Testament scriptures in all of my documents, so this subject must be addressed. Certain religious leaders believe that teaching anything out of the Old Testament is legalism. However, following God’s Old Testament commandments, and His moral laws, is not legalism – as these religious leaders are trying to claim. All commandments and moral laws in the Bible still apply to us today, and are just as important now as when they were given. God’s grace has saved us through faith but some do not even know what they were saved from! It is the law that shows us what sin is! Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Deuteronomy 6:5: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Joshua 22:5: But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Matthew 22:37-38: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. Mark 12:30: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Some Christians have been taught by certain leaders that they do not have to pay attention to any of the Old Testament because they proclaim they are not under any of God’s Old Testament laws, but are only under His New Testament grace. By calling this time in which we live the dispensation of grace they claim they do not have to obey any of God’s Old Testament laws. If this were true then this would mean we do not have to follow any of the Old Testament, including its moral values. By using the following scripture, concerning Paul’s ministry and his administration of grace, many Christians attempt to cut the Old Testament out completely. Ephesians 3:2: If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward. The Greek word for ‘dispensation’ in Ephesians 3:2 is “oikonomia; administration… stewardship”. In this scripture Paul was not cutting the Old Testament out of the Bible, or its moral and Spiritual value. In this scripture Paul was reaffirming that God had made him a steward to carry the message of the grace of God. It is also this same man Paul which administered correction to God’s people for their un-Godly lifestyles! Paul was carrying the message of God’s grace, containing both love and correction, to God’s people. It is because of God’s grace that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. It is also His grace which teaches us to deny un-Godliness and to live a higher moral standard – and many of these moral standards are described in the Old Testament. Titus 2:11-12: 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. God’s grace does not teach us to ignore His moral laws and commandments after salvation. Nor does it teach us that we can just claim grace and continue sinning. It is God’s Word which corrects us and holds us accountable for the sin we continue to practice after salvation, and it is God’s Word which judges us. When someone holds us accountable to God’s Word (as Paul did) they are not judging us, it is God’s Word that judges. When we become Christians we must strive to live a Christ like lifestyle. As Christians, we cannot continue sinning with the forethought that we will just claim grace – as so many Christians are negligently doing today. It is after salvation that we are responsible for our continual sin. We are responsible for the lifestyle that we live. Hebrews 10:28-29: He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Romans 3:31: Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. We are also responsible for what we bring into our home. It is not legalism to get rid of items that are leading us down the wrong path, morally and spiritually.
God’s entire Word is His law, and any Christian must see that God’s commandments (Old Testament and New Testament) still apply to us today. Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Jesus himself says in Matthew 22:37-38: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. Mark 12:30: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. The first commandment in the New Testament coincides with the first commandment in the Old Testament – so how can we ignore the Old Testament? John 14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments. The scriptures, Old and New, work together!
Let’s look at a scripture concerning God’s law. Matthew 5:17: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. The Greek word for ‘law’ in Matthew 5:17 is “nomos, nom’-os; …spec. (of Moses)”. The Greek word for ‘destroy’ in Matthew 5:17 is “Kataluo, kat-al-oo’-o; …dissolve… over throw… throw down”. The Greek word ‘fulfil’ in Matthew 5:17 is “pleroo, play-ro’-o; …perfect”. Jesus did not come to throw down or dissolve the law of Moses. It is just that the law of Moses could not save us – it required a perfect sacrifice – which was found in Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:21: Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. Jesus Christ is the Only One who could save us, and it is Jesus himself who said in Matthew 5:17: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Romans 3:31: Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. It is after salvation that (as Christians) we should see how many of the laws of the Old Testament, and certainly the commandments, are still practical for us today. Of course, excluding all blood atonement, ceremonial rituals, and any Biblical punishments that we may attempt to exert on others outside the legal justice system. Jesus Christ paid this price once for all! Hebrews 7:27: Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Hebrews 9:28: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 10:10: By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Being under grace does not give us permission to ignore the practical or moral laws and standards by which any Christian should live. These laws and standards are outlined for us in both the Old and New testaments. Though the law cannot save us – it is the law which gives us knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Jesus Christ taught the Old Testament scriptures when he was on earth. Obviously, the New Testament was not yet written. However, the New Testament was not intended to dissolve the Old Testament. The Old Testament did not become null and void by the writing of the New Testament. Both the Old and New Testaments work together, and one is not complete without the other. Hebrews 10:26-29: For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
In the New Testament the apostle Paul, and also Peter, talked about the attitudes of the Jewish teachers concerning the law of circumcision (an outward sign of their obedience to the law). Some of these Jewish teachers of the law were saying that the Jews obedience to the outward act of circumcision placed Jews in better standing with the Lord than Gentiles (who were uncircumcised) but this was, and is, not true. Scripture shows us that Gentiles are able to receive the same salvation as the Jewish people, through Jesus Christ; not through circumcision. Acts 15:5-9: But there rose up certain of the sect of Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. I Corinthians 7:18-19: Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Galatians 6:15: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:11-13: Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision (Jews) in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made right by the blood of Christ.
The outward act of circumcision was actually a covenant between God and Abraham, and though it was an outward sign or seal of Abraham’s faith in God, circumcision did not give Abraham faith. Circumcision does not give people faith or salvation – Jesus Christ does. Abraham had faith in God even before he was circumcised. Genesis 17:1-11: AND when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. Romans 4:9: Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith Abraham; who is the father of us all.
Important additional comment: Muslims believe that Ishmael, who was one of Abraham’s sons born to him through Hagar (Agar), was the son through whom the covenant was established. However, this is not what scripture says. Genesis 17:19, 21: And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. It was not Agar’s son Ishmael that was the son of the promise. It was Sarah’s son Isaac who was the son of the promise. Sarah was the freewoman! Galatians 4:22-31: For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. An interesting thing is that Ishmael was conceived (and born) before Abraham was circumcised, before God’s covenant was made with Abraham through the outward sign of circumcision. The following scripture proves this fact. Genesis 17:24-26: And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. But, it was after Abraham’s circumcision that Isaac was conceived. It was after the circumcision that the seal of the covenant was complete. It could only be through Isaac that God’s covenant was established; not through Ishmael. That is why the scripture in Galatians 4:23 says… But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
As important as the covenant of circumcision was, it is the reason for the circumcision that should have been the true focus. The reason was the covenant between Abraham, Isaac, and God. Just as the focus should always have been on the covenant and not the outward sign of circumcision; so also should the Jewish Pharisees in Paul’s day have put their focus on Jesus Christ and not on their circumcision. Jesus was and is the covenant! Galatians 2:21: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Jesus Christ is the ultimate covenant between God and man – to be a part of this covenant man must accept Jesus Christ through faith and not through circumcision, or works. Galatians 2:16: Knowing that man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Galatians 3:17-26: And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. After salvation we are no longer subject to the schoolmaster – but to the Master, who is Jesus Christ!
In the New Testament the Jewish Pharisees and scribes needed to get their focus on Jesus Christ, and off their circumcision. Neither their circumcision nor their strict adherence to the Mosaic laws could save them. This is the point the apostle Paul was trying to make. He was not saying they should no longer follow any of God’s Old Testament laws and commandments, he was telling them that the mosaic law of circumcision and their works would never save them. Galatians 3:2-3, 11: This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. Paul was speaking to the Galatians in these verses because some of them had been deceived by the false teaching of the Pharisees and scribes who said that it was only by following the Mosaic law that they could be saved. This was a lie. Salvation is a gift of God. For by grace are we saved through faith in Jesus Christ, and not of ourselves. Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. However, it is the same grace which brought us salvation that also teaches us we are to deny all un-Godliness. After salvation, through grace we can live a Godly life in this present world – and to live a Godly life we must follow God’s Word, which includes His moral laws and commandments. But, we should not try and use them as a means of attaining salvation. Titus 2:11-12: 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. Neither God’s laws nor our good works can save us; it is only by God’s grace that we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s look again at Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Understand that this portion of scripture does not exempt us from doing good works after salvation, because it is what we do after salvation that represents how the Lord has changed our life. Our good works that we do towards others show the world the love of Jesus Christ. However, it is also after salvation that our sinful works and our disobedience towards God’s Word (which is His law) can hurt others – and can cause us to lose our salvation. Salvation is only the beginning of our walk with God, we must then learn and obey God’s laws and commandments after we are saved or we will struggle to maintain our walk and our salvation. Psalm 119:11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
We should never take the grace of God lightly – after all, where would we be without His grace! But, today Christians are trying to twist the apostle Paul’s words around quoting only certain portions of scripture (the portions that pertain only to grace) just so they can continue to sin. They claim they do not have to follow the law, and are saying “they are only under grace”. They are using grace as a license to sin, when it is God’s grace that teaches us a stricter guideline by which to live. The ‘law of God’, His Word, applies to all Christians and it cannot be ignored! Titus 2:11-12: 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. Psalm 1:1-2: 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. Because of God’s mercy and grace, many Christians today think they are not accountable for their repeated sin(s). However, we are not exempt from following God’s laws and commandments. Nehemiah 1:5-7: And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. We have a covenant to obey –and the covenant is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God’s Word – and God’s Word is His Law. John 1:14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Revelation 19:13: And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. God’s Word is law! Hebrews 10:16: This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. I John 5:2-3: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. John 14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:21: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. I John 2:3-5: 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. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. I Timothy 6:14: That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In New Testament scripture Paul was telling the Pharisees that their radical approach concerning circumcision did not exempt them from obeying God, or His law (a law the Pharisees claimed but really would not them self obey). Paul was warning them, and still they would not obey. Galatians 6:13: For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. The Pharisees did not truly keep God’s laws and imposed their own man-made law(s), trying to hide behind their circumcision. Romans 2:26-29: Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Paul spoke out against the Jewish Pharisees and teachers of the law, on several occasions, concerning their misuse of circumcision as their way of looking down on the Gentiles. Paul not only corrected them about their abuse of the law concerning circumcision, but also about their own man-made laws – which were actually there own man-made additions to the laws and commandments of Moses. Paul took corrective measures against their use of the law as a means of trying to obtain favor. A lot of his correction pertained to the outward sign of circumcision which the Jews were using against the Gentiles. Peter was the first to be sent by God to bring the message of salvation to the Gentiles, telling them that salvation is more than just an outward sign of faith, it is an inward faith in Jesus Christ. A faith that does not come through works but only through belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul was not against obeying the laws of God, but was against the Jewish leaders for using the law to their own advantage. Today many Christians will try to use the words of the apostle Paul to their own advantage too when confronted about their sin(s), especially when confronted about their sin of idolatry. In trying to excuse their own repetitive sin(s) they say they are only under grace, not the law. Many will tell you they do not have to listen to Old Testament law, especially concerning idolatry. But, what about this New Testament scripture! Acts 15:20: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. See my document on ‘idols’.
Christians are to live a higher standard [both morally and Spiritually] than the world, and it is grace that teaches us this. Titus 2:11-12: 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. In an effort to excuse their own continual sin(s) Christians take advantage of scripture by preaching, and teaching only portions of scripture pertaining to love and grace; they forget about correction and judgment. They even quote some of Paul’s writings; when Paul himself was a true teacher of love, grace, salvation, faith, correction, repentance, discipline, and judgment. Paul preached the whole package, not just the parts he wanted. Christians today, and leaders alike, are picking and choosing only the parts they want. Instead of repenting for their continual sin they use grace as if it were an excuse to sin. Jude 4: For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to the condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. These men were among God’s people!
Make no mistake God has given us His grace, but not so Christians can use it as a license to sin (or to bring sinful abominations into their home). Being under grace does not mean we should not obey God’s moral laws, Old Testament and New. Joshua 1:8: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success. Psalm 1:2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Romans 3:31: Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. The Hebrew word for ‘law’ in Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2 is “towrah, to-raw’; or torah, to-raw’; a precept or statute, the Decalogue or Pentateuch”. When you truly love the Lord you will desire to obey His moral laws and commandments. Many Christians today are not obeying God’s laws and commandments because church leaders are telling their congregation that none of the Old Testament laws (or more precisely the moral laws and commandments of Moses) apply to us today, which is a lie. If you look up the Greek (which is New Testament) word for ‘law’ or ‘laws’ it means “nomos, nom’-os; …spec. (of Moses)”. As Christians we are not without God’s law – and I Corinthians 9:21 even says this: To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. The New Living translation reads: When I am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. The Greek word for ‘law’ in this particular verse is both “nomos, nom’-os (of Moses) and ennomos, en’-nom-os”; …ennomos meaning… “subject to…lawful…under law”. Again, Jesus did not come to destroy (or Greek dissolve) the law of Moses. Matthew 5:17: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. The Greek word for ‘law’ in Matthew 5:17 is “nomos, nom’-os; …spec. (of Moses)”. The Greek word for ‘destroy’ in Matthew 5:17 is “Kataluo, kat-al-oo’-o; …dissolve… over throw… throw down”.
Many Christian leaders today do not want to obey God’s law(s). Zephaniah 3:4: Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. They sin on a regular basis and think that because of God’s grace He will just close His eyes to their sin. Romans 6:1-2: WHAT shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Hebrews 10:26-29: For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Romans 3:31: Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Some Christians are spiritually blind to what the Word of God really says concerning continual sin. Why, because many church leaders only teach grace. They have a spirit of religion, and not a true relationship with Jesus Christ. The very scripture these religious leaders use as a defense against the law is also the very same scripture that says; “sin shall not have dominion over you”. Romans 6:14: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Since sin does not have dominion over us now that we are saved then why are so many Christian’s still sinning on a regular basis? Romans 6:15: What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Many Christians (leaders alike) use Paul’s writings in an effort to disregard any, and all, teaching of God’s laws. Psalm 119:126-128: It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way. These leaders are incorrectly explaining the apostle Paul’s teachings concerning sin, grace, and the law – and this is why so many Christians continue sinning on a regular basis – when God’s Word says we are to live righteously in this present world. Titus 2:11-12: 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. If these leaders would teach us the Old and New Testament truth about the unclean things we are bringing into our home then we would not be so willfully sinning on a regular basis!
In the New Testament Paul was not saying we should no longer obey any of God’s laws or commandments. Many Christians today try to twist Paul’s teachings in an effort to excuse their own lack of obedience to God’s Word. God’s Word is His Law and His Word is the commandment we are to live by. Today many Christians confuse obedience with legalism. In their effort to excuse their own repeated sin they falsely call obedience to the laws and commandments of God’s Word legalism. Legalism is when someone attempts to use the works of the law as a means of salvation. After salvation our obedience to God’s moral laws and commandments is not legalism – trying to use them to gain salvation is. But, obedience is not legalism.
The Jewish Pharisees in Paul’s time had not accepted Jesus Christ and were trying to say their works of the law were their entrance into heaven, so Paul corrected them on this matter. Paul explained to them that Jesus Christ is the only way anyone can receive salvation – it is not through works. Ephesians 2:7-9: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Today many Christians, and leaders, are in bondage to repeated sin and will come against anyone who teaches obedience to God’s laws and His commandments (especially any of the the Mosaic laws and commandments). When we try to teach obedience they start hollering legalism. Again, an excuse! Why the excuse, because many do not want to obey the whole truth of God’s Word and want to continue in their sinful patterns. II Timothy 3:7-8: Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. Obeying God’s Word is God’s moral standard – and is a standard by which any true Christian should want to live! I ask this question: what is wrong with Christians doing their best to obey God’s moral rules and regulations? And as the Old Testament says; get the idols and abominations out of their home and their life. Deuteronomy 7:25-26: The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing. Again, obedience to God’s moral laws and commandments is not legalism. We must strive to follow God’s Word and His commandments (both Old and New Testament) regardless whether it is popular in the Christian world today or not. Proverbs 4:1: HEAR, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. Proverbs 6:23: For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is a light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Proverbs 7:2: Keep my commandments and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
As I mentioned previously, in the New Testament several of Paul’s corrective statements concerning the law were in regard to the Jews using outward signs (mainly the outward sign of circumcision) and works against the Gentiles. Circumcision is part of the Mosaic law, John 7:22, but Paul was telling the Jewish people that their circumcision did not save them – and neither did their works. Titus 1:10: For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision. Ephesians 2:7-9: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Paul not only corrected them concerning their pride in their circumcision, but about their man-made laws they made in addition to God’s laws – laws that God never told them to make. The Jewish teachers of Paul’s time were not only using the Mosaic laws against the Gentiles but were even using their own man-made laws. When Moses himself said in Deuteronomy 4:2: Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. In Paul’s correction to the Jewish teachers of the law he went even further by saying that if they thought following the law gave them favor with God why weren’t they even following, or being a debtor, to His whole law themselves. They were not even practicing what they taught. Galatians 5:2-3: Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Their practices contradicted their own teachings! Paul knew they were using God’s laws against the Gentiles while not even following (or being a debtor) to the whole law themselves. The laws that they said made them better in God’s eyes were the very laws that they were not completely following. Not only were they not following them but they were adding to them. They were only following parts of God’s laws that they wanted to follow; or parts they had added. James 2:10: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Romans 2:25-29: For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
In Matthew 23:1-6 Jesus himself addresses the issue concerning the scribes and Pharisees own disobedience to the law. According to the scripture these leaders were placing heavy man-made burdens on the people. Matthew 23:1-6: Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues. Matthew 15:3, 9: But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Many Christians today (including leaders) are in bondage to sin and they are diluting scripture – or adding their own man-made doctrines and traditions to God’s Word – in an effort to cover up the fact they just do not want to follow the laws and commandments of God. They are also teaching other Christians not to follow God’s true laws and commandments either! Isaiah 9:16: For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Many disregard or disobey God’s laws and commandments (especially those of Moses) and try to use God’s grace as a license to sin. When Jesus himself said in Matthew 5:17-20: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever there shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. The Greek word for ‘law’ in Matthew 5:17 is “nomos, nom’-os; …spec. (of Moses)”. The Greek word ‘fulfil’ in Matthew 5:17 is “pleroo, play-ro’-o; …perfect”. The Greek word ‘fulfilled’ in Matthew 5:18 is “ginomai, ghin’-om-ahee; (be) come (to pass), continue”.
If we are to no longer obey any of the laws and commandments of Moses then what about the following commandments in Exodus 20:3-5 and Deuteronomy 5:7-9 which collaborate with Matthew 22:37-38 and Mark 12:30.
Exodus 20:3-5 and Deuteronomy 5:7-9: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. Joshua 22:5: But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Matthew 22:37-38: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. Mark 12:30: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. When you truly love God with all your heart you do not want to do or have anything that would go against His Word or His commandments!
Jesus Christ did not destroy the old law but fulfilled it. Jesus Christ did not wipe out the law but He fulfilled (perfected) all the law of blood atonement by dying on the cross for our sins. Now we no longer offer sacrifices. Hebrews 7:27: Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Jesus Christ was, and is, the only perfect sacrifice. Jesus himself tells us in Matthew 5:18 that “till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”. The law of blood atonement is made perfect through Jesus Christ, but this does not mean we are no longer supposed to obey God’s (other) moral and Spiritual laws and commandments – they are His Word. If anything we should desire to be obedient to the laws and commandments of God’s Word now more than ever before because of the sacrifice Jesus has made for us. Jesus Christbecame our priest forever; after the order of ‘Melchisedec’! Genesis 14:18: And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the most high God. Psalm 110:4: The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:6, 9-10: As he saith also in another place, THOU ART A PRIEST FOR EVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 6:20: Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 7:15-28: And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedic:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Jesus Christ fulfilled (perfected) the law so He could make a way for our eternal salvation. Hebrews 8:1: NOW of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. Jesus Christ (who was and is sinless) did what could never have been done through the old priesthood of the law (a priesthood consisting of mere sinful men). Though the priesthood has been fulfilled through Jesus Christ God never intended for Christians to use the blood of His Son Jesus Christ as an excuse to sin! I Peter 2:16: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. I Peter 1:14: As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. I John 1:6: If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. God still intends for His people to obey His Word (His Law). I John 3:4: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Jesus Christ (our Savior) was wounded for our transgressions, but many Christians are abusing the salvation Jesus Christ so freely gave and are transgressing against Him by not being obedient to His moral laws and commandments – and this wounds His heart. Isaiah 53:5: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. As Christians, we should desire to follow God’s moral laws and commandments. Psalm 119:32-35, 100: I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. We must love God with all of our heart, as Christians, and obey Him with all of our life. Because of what Jesus Christ did for us; we now have God’s laws written on the tablets of our heart, and our mind – so how can we continue to ignore them. Deuteronomy 30:6: And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. Jeremiah 4:4: Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. Jeremiah 31:33: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Hebrews 8:10-13: For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. Hebrews 10:16: This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. The Greek word for ‘laws’ in Hebrews 8:10 and Hebrews 10:16 is “nomos, nom’-os; …spec. (of Moses)”.
Does this mean that a Christian will never sin? On the contrary, it means that if we truly follow after God’s moral laws and Spiritual commandments we will not desire to follow after sin and will be less likely to continually sin. If we, as Christians, do sin Jesus Christ is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. I John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But we cannot just keep disobeying God’s laws and commandments and then try to use Jesus Christ as a pre-planned confessional for our continual sin(s). Hebrews 10:26-29: For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
As Christians, we must strive continually to walk in the light of God’s Word – or we will continually walk in sin. I John 1:7: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. God’s Word gives us the key to walking, and living, in the freedom Jesus Christ has given us – and this key is we must walk in obedience to His Word, which includes His laws, and His commandments. I John 2:3-7: 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. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which he had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
Christians (Jews and Gentiles alike) have a new priesthood and a new circumcision through Jesus Christ – and we now have God’s laws written on our heart and our conscience, not on tablets of stone! II Corinthians 3:3: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. Jeremiah 4:4: Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart... Colossians 2:11: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Romans 2:11-15: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another).
Note: To any Christian who thinks we are no longer subject to the law – then what about the law of tithing? Tithing is an act of the law which still applies today (as do other laws, statutes, commandments and ordinances of God). Our religious leaders are regularly teaching this law, and specifically quoting from the Old Testament (Malachi 3:8-11), yet they do not call this act of the law legalism! Hebrews 7:5: And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, thou they come out of the loins of Abraham. Malachi 3:7-9: Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
We must diligently hearken to God’s Word, and His commandments, in order to do what is right in God’s sight. By ignoring the Mosaic commandments we are not obeying God’s Word. The Mosaic commandments in Exodus combined with commandments in both Matthew and Mark show us how both the Old and New Testament work together. Exodus 20:3-6 and Deuteronomy 5:7-10: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Joshua 22:5: But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Matthew 22: 37-39 and Mark 12:30-31: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. I John 2:7: Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which he had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
Due to the traditions of men (our religious leaders), a very important part of scripture is not being taught or followed – the portion in Acts 17:29-30: Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent. This portion of scripture coincides with Exodus 20:3-5 and Deuteronomy 5:7-9: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. John 14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:21: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Jesus Christ came from Heaven above and is in heaven now – and we are not to make, or have, images of anything in heaven above. Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above… John 6:38: For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. John 17:5: And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Matthew 26:64: Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Hebrews 4:14: Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Jesus Christ is a part of the Godhead – and this very important scripture in Acts 17:29-30 (which I might add is New Testament) is not being obeyed. Acts 17:29-30: Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent. Colossians 2:8-9: Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. We go against scripture when we try to make, or have, images of the Godhead – this includes pictures of Jesus. If we truly love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength we will not want any false images or statues of the Godhead (which include God the Father, His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit). We are ignorant to God’s Word if we think that a false manufactured image of the Godhead of Jesus Christ could ever show Jesus in His fullness. Yet most Christians have them because of religious tradition – which is their own man-made tradition. Then they try and say it is wrong if you do not follow their tradition. Talk about legalism! Isaiah 42:17-20: They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to molten images, ye are our gods. Hear, ye deaf, and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant? Or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? Who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. A portion of the previous scripture in Acts 17:29 says “graven by art and man’s device”. The Greek word for ‘device’ is “enthumesis, en-thoo’-may-sis; …thought”. Decorating our homes with a pagan image or statue of what we think represents Jesus Christ is the same as ‘having another god before God’. Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. In our effort to recreate God’s Son Jesus Christ we have broken God’s commandment, and have gone outside the realm of God’s blessings. Deuteronomy 27:15: Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
Scripture reveals that disobedience to God’s commandments is one reason there may be so much sickness among God’s people. It is because we have not diligently hearkened to the voice of God and obeyed His commandments. Christians are living among Satan’s idols and images, and are actively practicing methods that are rooted in false religion. God’s people are participating in evil worldly things and many think this is not affecting them; yet, one must wonder why so much physical, mental, and emotional sickness has come upon so many of God’s people. Exodus 15:26: And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Deuteronomy 28:1, 13-15: AND it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail, and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them. And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. It is interesting to note that as we continue reading in Deuteronomy Chapter 28 some of the curses listed below sound very much like what we are facing today. Deuteronomy 28:27-28, 61: The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods (tumors; see below), and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and with blindness, and astonishment of heart. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. The Hebrew word for ‘emerods’ in Deuteronomy 28:27 is “ophel, o’-fel; … a tumor… strong hold”. These verses alone describe illness that we see today, including tumors (emerods)and they are a stronghold (another meaning for emerod) in a person’s life. In Deuteronomy 7:26 it also mentions that bringing cursed abominations in our house will curse us. Deuteronomy 7:26: Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing. Many will try and argue that Jesus Christ set us free from the curse, but it is because He set us free from the curse that we must remove the cursed idols and images from our Christian homes. Jesus Christ will not set us free from the curse associated with idolatry if we willfully choose it!
God warns His people through scripture that in order to continue walking within the realm of His protection we must obey His laws, statutes, and commandments. Some very important ones, which still apply today, are found in Deuteronomy Chapters 27, 28, & 29. It lists both blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience. Another scriptural example pertaining to sickness is Exodus 23:24-25: Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness from the midst of thee. Note: Scripture also teaches, concerning sickness, that we are not to drink or eat of the Lord’s Supper unworthily or this too will cause sickness, or even death, among God’s people. I Corinthians 11:27-30: Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (are dead). Scriptural parenthesis added for additional emphasis. The Greek word for ‘unworthily’ in I Corinthians 11:27 is “anaxios, an-ax-ee’-oce; …irreverently”.
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin; but it does not excuse our ignorance to God’s Word. A lot of the time our ignorance to His Word is willful! Many just do not want to read, learn, and follow after God’s Word. They only believe what preachers are telling them, and will not even check God’s Word to see if what they are saying is right. God gave us His Word (His Bible) so we have no excuse to continue walking in spiritual ignorance and disobedience. If we want to walk in God’s protection we must know and obey His Word – and we must get the abominations out of our homes and churches. Deuteronomy 7:26: Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing. Joshua 6:18: And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing lest ye make yourselves accursed when ye take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. Deuteronomy 23:14: For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. The books of the Old Testament are still effective today, and were put there for our own well being. Jesus himself even quoted scriptures specifically from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy to defeat Satan in the wilderness – and these scriptures have not lost their power today!
Many of the laws of the Old Testament are still practical for us today excluding all blood atonement, ceremonial rituals, and any Biblical punishments that we may attempt to exert on others outside the legal justice system. These laws all pertain to, and are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the law that he has established. Hebrews 10:1-12: FOR the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first (the blood of bulls and goats), that he may establish the second (by the blood of Jesus Christ). By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. (Scriptural parenthesis added for emphasis)
Priests are no longer to make blood sacrifices because Jesus Christ became the final sacrifice for us once and for all! Hebrews 7:27: Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Jesus Christ became the ultimate blood sacrifice for our sin. Any blood sacrifice made after Jesus Christ is not scripturally justified, and falls under the category of witchcraft. Jesus Christ was the only perfect and sinless sacrifice for mankind. Before Jesus Christ came down to earth animals had to be sacrificed regularly by the high priests to cover sin. When Jesus Christ gave His life for us it covered every sin known to mankind and with His shed blood the sacrifice is complete. Hebrews 10:10: By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Any sacrifice after this point is an abomination and in direct rebellion of scripture – and is witchcraft!
When Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice, He was made a curse for us. Galatians 3:13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. We have been separated from the curse of the law and its penalty of death – which means we will no longer die under the curse of law because Jesus Christ broke that curse for us when He died, giving eternal life to those who will accept Him. II Timothy 1:10: But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. When we give our life to Jesus Christ we no longer die under the curse, but having cursed things can affect our walk with the Lord; which brings me to the following verses that I shared previously in Deuteronomy 7:26: Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shall utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing. Joshua 6:18: And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing lest ye make yourselves accursed when ye take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. We have been rescued from the curse so why do we want to reconnect any curse to our life, and the temptations that come with it, by bringing cursed abominations (spiritually unclean objects and images) into our homes and living among them? This is not only breaking God’s law, but His commandments. Exodus 20:3-6 and Deuteronomy 5:7-10: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. John 14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:21: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
According to Matthew 22:36-38 the great commandment in the law is to ‘love the Lord thy God with all thy heart’, which is the sum of Exodus 20:3-5 and Deuteronomy 5:7-9; Deuteronomy 6:5,proving that the Old Testament commandments and the New Testament commandments both apply today. Exodus 20:3-5 and Deuteronomy 5:7-9: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. Joshua 22:5: But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Matthew 22:36-40: Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Mark 12:30: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. How can we say we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind while living among spiritually unclean objects and images that are provoking Him to jealousy? To show our true love and devotion for God we must walk after His commandments. In order to truly love the Lord our God (and His Son Jesus Christ) with all our heart, soul, and mind we must have no other gods before them – including our religious graven images and icons that we try to name after them! I John 2:7: Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which he had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. I John 3:11-12: For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. II John 5-6: And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. I Timothy 6:14: That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We claim to love God, yet we are not keeping His commandments. If we really love God with all our heart we will not want to do, or have, anything that displeases Him. John 14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments. We are ignoring scripture by living with abominations (spiritually unclean objects and images) that carry the same curses from which Jesus Christ has set us free? Deuteronomy 7:26: Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing. Joshua 6:18: And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing lest ye make yourselves accursed when ye take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. Deuteronomy 23:14: For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.
By having cursed things in our Christian homes we may eventually forfeit the inheritance that Jesus Christ gave us, and re-connect the curse – unless we get the cursed abominations out! Christian’s should not decorate their homes or churches with objects of worship, especially when they do not know the true origin (history) of these items. No matter how you see it the actual object itself is a cursed thing and therefore is an abomination to God! Regardless of whether you have bowed to it or are just living with it the object is cursed. Exodus 20:5 and Deuteronomy 5:9 says that the children are ‘visited’ with the ‘iniquity’ of their fathers, for what their fathers bowed to, unto the third and fourth generation. Exodus 20:5 and Deuteronomy 5:9: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. Numbers 14:18: The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. You could be displaying objects and images in your home that are very much like those your ancestors (forefathers) may have bowed to, and because of this you are being visited by the same evil spirits who tempted your ancestors (even three or four generations back) to sin. And with each generation that possesses these unclean items the generational chain of temptation can continue on and on.
We, as Christians, have ignored Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7 by placing ‘other gods before God’ in our homes! Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. By having pagan images in our home we are living in a spiritually unclean environment, and this is one of the main reasons so many Christians are having trouble overcoming evil temptations. Satan and his evil spirits aretrying everything in their power to tempt us to commit the same sinful pattern of iniquity as our ancestors, and our ‘unclean objects’ are their open invitation to continue tempting our bloodline. We live with replicas of what our ancestors may have once worshipped and yet we wonder why we are in bondage. Just by our having unclean objects (replicas or not) we make our ancestors iniquity our own!
If you read II Kings Chapters 22 & 23 and II Chronicles Chapter 34 you will see how Josiah completely destroyed all the idolatrous images! He also broke down the houses of the sodomites. Josiah was obedient to God’s Word (as soon as he learned the truth), but he nearly suffered the consequences of what his father had not taught him. When Josiah heard God’s Word he immediately humbled himself and repented for thedisobedience of the people (including his father’s disobedience) – and God heard Josiah. After Josiah repented God sent word to Josiah, through Hulda the prophetess, by Hilkiah the priest. II Chronicles 34:26-27: And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the Lord, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel concerning the words which thu hast heard; Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord. II Kings 22:19-20: Because thine heart was tender, and thou has humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and has rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again. Notice that God did not delay his wrath because Josiah did not know the book of the law. God delayed His wrath only when Josiah repented for not knowing and obeying God’s law. Josiah was living among every abomination that God’s Word warns against, and although Josiah did not know what God’s law said he nearly suffered the consequences for what his father had not taught him. Are we, or our children, suffering the consequences of what our own parents did not teach us concerning God’s Word? Because of our lack of knowledge are our children suffering from bondage to repeated sin? Hosea 4:6: My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. We have never had easier access to the Bible than we have today so there is no excuse for not knowing or seeking after the truth in God’s Word!
Many Christians try and use the following scriptures in II Chronicles and Jeremiah to say that children cannot reconnect or be visited by the iniquity (or same sin as) their forefathers. However, these scriptures say that the children will not directly die (or Hebrew be slain) for their ancestors iniquities (sins); it says nothing about being visited by, or repeating their sin. II Chronicles 25:4: But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin. Jeremiah 31:30: But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. This scripture from II Chronicles and Jeremiah talks about physical death. What many Christians do not understand is that the commandment in Exodus 20:4-6 and Deuteronomy 5:8-10 does not say that the children will die (or Hebrew be slain) for the iniquity of the fathers but this commandment says they will be “visited with the iniquity of the fathers”. This commandment talks about spiritual visitation, not physical death. You cannot use II Chronicles 25:4 and Jeremiah 31:30-33 to try and invalidate the commandment in Exodus 20:4-6 and Deuteronomy 5:8-10. Being visited with the iniquity of our ancestors does not mean we will physically die or be slain for their sins; it means the same evil pattern of temptation, or the same evil spirits, will visit our lives and tempt us repeat or reconnect their same type of sins. Though people may die for what they do not know about God’s Word or for their own repeated sin, even if their forefathers did not teach them the truth, they will not die or be slain for the sins of their fathers.
When we ask God’s Son Jesus Christ into our heart it is our responsibility to seek and obey the truth of God’s Word. When Christians sincerely seek God’s Word they will desire to obey His laws and commandments. But, because many Christians are not earnestly reading God’s Word (His law) for themselves, and hiding it in their heart, they are not following it. Psalm 119:11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Instead Christians are following the traditions of men. Due to our own lack of knowledge about God’s Word and His commandments cursed objects have been passed down to us through religious tradition, allowing many Christians to be visited with the iniquity of their ancestors. Exactly what God warns us against in Exodus 20:4-6 and Deuteronomy 5:8-10. Because many Christians do not know the truth of God’s Word they continue to allow the same patterns of temptation into their life as their ancestors – even after salvation. To some, in each generation, the temptation to sin becomes so overwhelming it causes bondage (spiritual imprisonment) to these temptations – yes, after salvation their mind, will, and emotions (soul) seem imprisoned. Psalm 142:7: Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name… If Christians continue living in spiritual ignorance they, and their children, will be visited with the same iniquity as their ancestors – in other words, the family will continue to follow this generational pattern of iniquity (sin), being visited by the same evil unclean spirits! It is extremely important that we get rid of, and destroy, any unclean cursed items in our homes that are spiritually reinforcing evil visitations, especially after salvation. We cannot continue to display cursed items in our homes, living with the same ‘iniquity’ as our ancestors. By living among cursed items we will eventually reconnect the very curses that Jesus Christ set us free from at salvation. Satan will use the same spiritual blueprint of iniquity to try and tempt us and our children into committing the same type of sins as our ancestors; and to some the temptation will be overwhelming. We are to blame if we do not teach our children the truth about God’s Word and His Commandments, and though our children will not die or be slain for our sins they may follow the same sinful pattern of iniquity and may die for their own sins spiritually and physically! Proverbs 19:16: He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.
A generational pattern of iniquity (which is a generational pattern of sin) is not a physical death for what our ancestors have done, it is an evil spiritual visitation that can result in something worse than just a physical death – it can result in our children being spiritually lost throughout eternity. The truth is, as Christians, we allow evil spiritual visitation when we have cursed objects in our homes, and this evil visitation can result in the reconnection of a generational pattern of iniquity – in our life, and our children’s lives. Deuteronomy 7:26: Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing. Many of our cursed objects or heirlooms are passed down from generation to generation – however this is not always the case, because any cursed object will have the same spiritual affect regardless of where, or who, it comes from! Hosea 4:6: My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. It is also interesting to know that the word ‘loom’ (from heirloom) in the American Heritage Dictionary (Second College Edition) © 1982 Houghton Mifflin Company is: “To come into view as a massive, distorted, or indistinct image. To appear to the mind in a magnified and threatening form. A distorted, threatening appearance of something, as through fog or darkness”. As Christians we must recognize that cursed ‘physical heirlooms’ result in ‘spiritual heirlooms’ – which is: spiritual distortion, fog, and darkness!
If we do not teach our children the wisdom and knowledge of God’s Word they will be led down the wrong path following the way of the fools that despise, refusing to accept, the wisdom and knowledge of God. Proverbs 1:20-33: Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying; How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. I know this seems harsh, but it is God’s Word! However, look at the following scriptures and see what a blessing the wisdom and knowledge of God can be to us, and our children. Proverbs 2:1-12: My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. Then wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh forward things. Proverbs 3:1-2: My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Praise the Lord! These are the blessings that we need to leave for our children, the wisdom and knowledge of God’s Word the Bible.
Our children will repeat the same sin process as the generations before if we do not share with them the wisdom and knowledge of God’s Word and Commandments, putting to practice the following scripture: Deuteronomy 6:8: And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. In other words, teach your children how to pick up their Bible in their hand and read it with their eyes!
(For more information on this and many other subjects ask me for a copy of my book called “Truth or Tradition”.)