Dan, I agree that Christ's shed blood was our atonement and the means to reconciliation with God the Father. Christ's death is the source of eternal life.
What value then, is religion? Absolutely none under grace.
In Paul's epistles we find the way to God to be as free and clear as infinite grace can provide. That this was not the case in the Kingdom teaching of Jesus can be seen in this scripture.
"Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth into life, and few there be that find it." (Matt. 7:14) Under law it was very hard but the law of Moses was set aside because Paul tells us so. The religious system was only a type of better things to come as Paul indicates.
"Which stood only in meats(foods) and drinks, and diverse (various) washings (baptisms) , and cardinal ordinances (including circumcision) imposed on them (Israel) until the time of reformation (to set right or straighten) (Heb. 9:10)
One may teach law or teach grace but to mix them is a perversion of and reveals a lack of understanding of the Grace of God.
Paul said this about the Christian's position.
".....Ye are not under the law but under grace." Rom. 6:14
It is a sad commentary that the Christian Churches have taught a mixture of law and grace and have promoted and practiced required rituals which are not Christian at all.
The Bible presents no other requirement for salvation under grace than to believe the simple Gospel.
"Christ died for our sins.... He was buried..... He rose again the third day..... He was seen alive...." (1 Cor. 15:3-5)
During the present dispensation, no one has any right or Scriptural authority to teach anything that is a doctrinal part of those Scriptures belonging to other dispensations. To practice any ordinances whatever is a denial of the pure Gospel of the grace of God, and a denial of the all-sufficiency of Christ's death. We are taught in 2 Timothy 2:15 to rightly divide the Scripture so that we and our studies stand approved by God.
I sincerely wish that you can understand what is to us and about us during the dispensation of grace and remember the curse about trying to add or take away from Paul's Gospel. I do not take this lightly and only post the Good News about the Grace of God for your edification and not as a basis for arguement or disagreement.
God bless,
Jim
(Santiago) |
