THE BIBLE SPEAKS DAILY (OCTOBER 22nd, 2024).

THE BIBLE SPEAKS DAILY (OCTOBER 22nd, 2024).

TODAY'S TOPIC: Intermixing Judaism and Christianity.

TODAY'S VERSE: Galatians 2:16, 21.

"...knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified...I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

The problem of intermixing the religion of the Law of Moses and the religion of the Law of Christ is not a problem peculiar to this our modern day. 

Even, during the New Testament days, one of the greatest dangers confronting the growth and the development of the Church was that of mixing Judaism with Christianity. 

This is more understandable in New Testament times, than it is in our day. 

Those people in New Testament times had just come out of Judaism, and therefore it would be rather difficult for them to outrightly abandon all their religious principles of lives, and to replace these with Christian religious systems. As a nation, the Jews had lived under the Law of Moses for fifteen-hundred years. This made it all the more difficult for them to give up their Jewish beliefs overnight. 

Efforts were made on the part of some to Judaize Christianity, or to Christianize Judaism. So considerable writings and preachings were done to show that this would not work.

One of the intentions of the Roman Epistle is to give the people to whom it was addressed an insight into the relationship existing between the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Christ. So Paul wrote to correct this false impression. 

The Galatian Epistle was written because some of the members of the church were on the verge of going back to the Law, and even already some of them were intermixing the Law of Moses and the Faith of Christ. So Paul writes to teach them that Christianity is a religion separate and independent from Judaism. 

The Hebrew Epistle has a similar intention. Certain ones of the Jews that had been converted to Christianity were getting a little discouraged. So Paul wrote to them to encourage them to continue in the Faith, and to warn them of going back to the Law of Moses. These brethren were being severely persecuted by their former Jewish brethren and this persecution had something to do with their retreat toward Judaism. 

Paul rebuked them for giving up, saying, 

"Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin" (Hebrew 12:4). 

The indication is that there was great danger that they were going to have to shed some blood because of renouncing Judaism, but he said you are giving up before you even shed your blood. 

So one can readily see that this problem of intermixing the Old Testament and the New Testament laws was a problem confronting the early Church.

It is likewise a tremendous problem in the World of today. 

There are many false doctrines being taught because people do not understand how to differentiate the relationship of the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Christ, the New Testament.

 Some Churches exist as separate bodies simply because they want to intermix the Gospel with a touch of Judaism, and this touch of Judaism is often a rather heavy touch, leading to a very serious sin of lawlessness. 1John 3:4.

a. There are some individuals today who try to bind the carnal act of circumcision, and say that it is an obligation upon those living today under God's Law. I Corinthians 7:19 "Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters."

b. There are some Churches that keep the Sabbath Day. They do not meet upon the First Day of the week as the New Testament church did, but they meet on Saturday. Why? Because they try to bind on people today a portion of the Law of Moses. Acts 20:7.

c. There are some religious organizations which burn incense in their worship. Why? Not because of any commandment found in the New Testament, the Gospel of Christ, but merely because it was a part of the Law of Moses. They mix the two laws, a mixture of both.

d. The vast majority of religious organizations use mechanical instruments of music in their worship service. They looked for justification for this in the Psalms of David chapter 150, at the extreme cost of their lives, "...You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by Law; you have fallen from grace." Galatians 5:4.

Thereby, they neglected the essential recommendations of the New Testament for Christian worship in Ephesians 5:18-19; Hebrews 13:15. This is but another attempt on the part of man to intermix Judaism and Christianity. I

e. There are others who think a Preacher or a "Priest" has to make intercession for the Sinner, and that they have to make confession to a Priest in order to get their sins forgiven. Under the Old Testament, the priests had to offer the sacrifices, and they did stand between God and the sinner. But not so in the New Testament. Christ is the High Priest, and each Christian is a priest, so each person can pray to God for forgiveness. This is another example of mixing the two systems.

So it is apparent that this was as much a problem in New Testament times than it is today. Levitical Priesthood was cancelled and replaced with the General Priesthood of all Christians, read 1 Peter 2:5, 9.

f. There is yet another popular doctrine of going back to the Law of Moses in Malachi 3:8-12, despite their claim of Christianity!!! (Detailed explanation of TITHE, in tomorrow's edition). GOD didn't lay the burden of Tithe on Christians. Ministers of God were enjoined to work with their own hands, and eat from their own labour. Bible commanded further that any Minister of God, who does not live by this instruction must not be supported, and encouraged by the Brethren. Read it in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-14.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Precious Father of all Souls of Men. 

Help my understanding of your Will for my salvation. Enable me to know the length, the breadth, and the depth of your love for me, in the precious Gospel of my salvation.

Bring me home on the Narrow path of Life.

Please heal the Sick and provide for the Needy,

AMEN.

Read, Study, Meditate and Do what is written in the Bible, daily.

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Thanks.