I'm going to read
you two texts today
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that seem to
contradict one another.
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Now we know the Bible
doesn't contradict itself
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because it just doesn't do that.
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But these two texts do
seem to contradict one another.
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Let me read the
first one to you.
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Come over to the book of
Ephesians the 2nd chapter -
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at the back of the
Bible, the book of Ephesians -
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chapter 2 and verse 15.
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Ephesians
chapter 2 and verse 15.
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Paul writes this statement:
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Now here Paul is saying that
a law contained in commandments,
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the commandments
contained in ordinances,
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has been done away with.
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It's been nailed to the cross.
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So are we clear on that?
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All right. Well maybe you
won't be so clear when we read
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the next verse. Come
over to the book of James now
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chapter 2 at the
back of the Bible.
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James chapter 2
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and here James makes a
very interesting statement...
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the opposite statement.
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James 2
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and we'll have a
look at verse 10.
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Now this seems to
contradict exactly what Paul was
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talking about in
Ephesians because Ephesians says
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the law contained in ordinances
has been done away with
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whereas James says
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we're going to be
judged by the law.
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How do you reconcile those
two apparently contradictory
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statements? One that says
the law has been done away with;
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the other that says
we're going to be judged by it.
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Now that's a serious
problem and many Christians have
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stumbled over this very point.
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You see the word law in
the Bible is a very, very broad
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term... the same
as we use it today.
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For example, if I came
to you and I said: "Today
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I broke the law"
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what would your
next question to me be?
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Yeah. Which law?
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Because we all understand the
word law can mean many things,
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doesn't it? It just
doesn't mean one thing.
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I might have
broken the road laws,
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the health laws,
the marriage laws.
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There's a whole lot of
laws that we could break
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and they're all different.
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And the word law in the
Bible is a very broad term
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and it's only the
context that makes it clear
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which law it's talking about.
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So when we go back to
Ephesians and Paul says there
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that the law contained in
ordinances has been done away
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with, that is not the same
law that James is talking about
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when he says that we're
going to be judged by that law.
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Because you remember that
James is talking about the
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Ten Commandments because he
quotes from the Ten Commandments
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doesn't he? There in verse 11.
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Whereas the law that
Paul is talking about
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is the law contained in
ceremonies and ordinances.
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And the two things
are very, very different.
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And it's because many Christians
have not noticed the clear
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distinction
between these two laws
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that we have an
absolute hotch potch
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in the Christian church today.
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But it's a very simple
thing. Once you understand
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the difference, most of
the problems that people raise
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against the law and the
Sabbath in particular disappear.
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Let me read you
some more verses.
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Just come over to
the book of Hebrews now.
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Hebrews chapter 7
which is just back one book.
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Hebrews 7 and verse 12.
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Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 12
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where again
Hebrews says in verse 12:
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So here Hebrews is pointing
out that when the priesthood
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was changed... that is,
the priesthood was changed
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from the earthly priesthood
to the heavenly priesthood
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that Jesus is
engaged in today...
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When that priesthood was changed
there was made a necessity
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to change the law, too,
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because there was a law which
governed the earthly priesthood.
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And when that came to
an end that was changed.
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Have a look at Hebrews 5:1
which is just back another page.
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Hebrews the 5th
chapter and verse 1
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where again Hebrews says:
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In other words,
because people sinned
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and broke one of
the Ten Commandments
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then another law came into being
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which stated and specified
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what sacrifice was to be offered
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for the broken law
of the Ten Commandments.
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Can you see the point?
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So the second law -
that is, the law of the Jews,
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the law of ceremonies that
Ephesians is talking about -
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specified the
specific gift or sacrifice
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that was to be
offered when people sinned
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and broke one of
the Ten Commandments.
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And that's what
Hebrews here is talking about.
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And so that's why as Christians
we do not involve ourselves
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in the major ritual of the Jews:
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because that came to an end
when Jesus died on the cross.
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The purpose of the ritual
of the Jews, the ceremonies and
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the ordinances that were
associated with the Jewish
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religion, all really
pointed forward to the time when
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Jesus was going to
come in one form or another.
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Because as you can imagine
living back in the Old Testament
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it was very hard to
visualize the idea of Jesus
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coming to die for us.
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And so God had to make
that a visual representation
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like a kindergarten lesson
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so that they could
understand clearly that one day
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Jesus was going to come.
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And all of those
sacrificial lambs and goats
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and bulls and all the things
that were done - the ritual
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of the Old Testament -
really the purpose of it was
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to point those peoples'
minds to the time that one day
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Jesus was going to
come and die for us.
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And obviously, when
Jesus did come and die for us
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that ritual came to an end.
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And that's what much of the
New Testament is talking about
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because once again, when
you had had these rituals
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for 1,500 years, they
were going to die pretty hard
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in the minds of the people
that had been used to engaging
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in this type of service
for all of those long years.
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And so the New Testament clearly
talks about the abolition
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of the law of the Jews
or the law of ceremonies.
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The law of ordinances,
the laws of sacrifices.
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Now the Bible makes a
very clear distinction between
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these two laws.
Let me read it to you.
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Come back to Deuteronomy at
the beginning of the Bible -
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Deuteronomy chapter 33 -
and you'll see very clearly
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how the Bible distinguishes
between these two laws.
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Deuteronomy chapter 33
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and we'll have
a look at verse 2.
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What law was that? That fiery
law that came on Mt. Sinai?
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And the Bible says
God gave that law because
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He loved the
people. What law was that?
00:10:09.06\00:10:11.38
That's the Ten
Commandments. Correct!
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Couldn't disagree with that
because the Bible's so clear
00:10:14.74\00:10:17.50
on it. That's
the Ten Commandments.
00:10:17.60\00:10:19.28
And remember this: that
God gave the Ten Commandments
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because He loves us.
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You know, you parents
will understand this analogy.
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We make laws in our home,
we have rules in our home,
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to knock and to be a
hindrance to our children?
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Is that the reason we
make laws in our home?
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No! It's because
we love the children
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and we understand that
when they're growing up
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and they haven't had a
lot of experience in life
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unless they have
rules and regulations
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they could do
themselves a lot of harm
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and get themselves
into a lot of trouble.
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So as wise parents
because we love them
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we make some rules.
00:11:00.88\00:11:02.96
Now God is exactly the same.
00:11:03.26\00:11:05.46
God gave us the Ten
Commandments not to restrict us
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but because He loves us
00:11:09.31\00:11:10.91
and He knows that without rules
like we understand with our
00:11:11.31\00:11:15.56
children without rules
they would just go berserk
00:11:15.76\00:11:19.12
and would grow up very,
very warped personalities.
00:11:19.42\00:11:23.17
And so God knew the same thing.
00:11:24.36\00:11:26.75
That's why He gave
us the Ten Commandments:
00:11:26.85\00:11:28.63
because He loves us.
Now, have a look at verse 4
00:11:28.73\00:11:31.20
because it goes on to say:
00:11:31.50\00:11:33.50
You see how the Bible makes
a distinction between what God
00:11:37.49\00:11:40.25
gave and what Moses gave?
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Let me give you
another illustration.
00:11:43.21\00:11:44.84
Come over to II Kings.
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II Kings chapter 21.
00:11:46.88\00:11:50.55
II Kings chapter 21
and we'll pick up here
00:11:50.85\00:11:55.51
verse 8.
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Chapter 21 of II Kings
and we'll read verse 8.
00:11:58.22\00:12:03.80
Can you see how the Bible
makes a very clear distinction
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between what God gave
when He says "I commanded them
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and what my servant
Moses commanded them? "
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So all through the Bible there's
a very, very clear distinction.
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Now I'm going to read you
a statement by Mrs. Booth.
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Now I'm sure that many of
you know who Mrs. Booth was.
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She was a very famous lady.
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She was the wife of Mr. Booth
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or General Booth who was the
founder of the Salvation Army,
00:12:55.14\00:12:59.75
and she was a mighty
preacher in her own right...
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probably a better
preacher than her husband.
00:13:03.18\00:13:04.89
And she made this
statement in one of her books
00:13:05.29\00:13:08.39
on Romans chapter 8.
00:13:08.69\00:13:10.26
Listen to what she says:
00:13:10.56\00:13:12.27
Let me just pause here for a
moment to explain that big word
00:13:22.79\00:13:25.44
antinomianism.
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It's not a word that
you probably use today.
00:13:27.06\00:13:29.09
But it simply
means to be anti-law.
00:13:29.59\00:13:32.87
When a person is anti the law
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they are antinomian.
00:13:35.93\00:13:37.70
Comes from a
number of Greek words.
00:13:37.90\00:13:39.74
And so when we
read this statement
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she said "there has come to
be a spirit of antinomianism"
00:13:42.74\00:13:45.38
or there has come to be a
spirit of being against the law.
00:13:45.58\00:13:48.83
Opposed to the law.
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Let's read on:
00:13:51.37\00:13:52.71
Now can you see what
Mrs. Booth is saying?
00:14:48.94\00:14:52.01
She was saying back in
her day there was a spirit of
00:14:52.21\00:14:55.08
antinomianism or anti law.
00:14:55.18\00:14:56.56
I don't know what she would
say if she was alive today.
00:14:56.76\00:14:58.48
But... because
it's become a lot worse
00:14:58.68\00:15:02.42
today than it
was back in her day!
00:15:02.62\00:15:04.30
But that spirit was
evident when she was alive.
00:15:04.50\00:15:07.01
And she said there has
come a spirit of confusion
00:15:07.31\00:15:10.42
between the moral
and the ceremonial laws.
00:15:10.62\00:15:13.74
Now what would be the
moral law do you think?
00:15:13.77\00:15:15.79
Yeah, that's the Ten Command-
ments because it deals with
00:15:17.58\00:15:19.71
moral principles and the
ceremonial law which deals with?
00:15:19.81\00:15:22.73
Ceremonies and ordinances
and rites and sacrifices.
00:15:22.93\00:15:26.93
And she said in her
day in theological circles
00:15:27.23\00:15:30.96
in the church there was a
great confusion between those
00:15:31.17\00:15:34.92
two laws. And she
said: "Be very careful.
00:15:35.13\00:15:38.94
Make sure when
you read the Bible
00:15:39.14\00:15:41.67
that you are clear which
law is being spoken about. "
00:15:41.87\00:15:46.24
Whether it's the great moral
law which never can be changed
00:15:47.38\00:15:50.67
or the ceremonial law which
in Christ was done away with.
00:15:50.87\00:15:55.82
And she said: "Because
there has come a confusion... "
00:15:56.12\00:15:59.92
She calls it a "hotch potch. "
00:16:00.12\00:16:01.78
Real total
confusion in the church today
00:16:02.08\00:16:05.63
because people don't understand
the difference between
00:16:05.83\00:16:09.25
the Ten Commandments
and the law of the Jews.
00:16:09.45\00:16:12.04
But the Bible makes a
very, very clear distinction.
00:16:12.34\00:16:15.18
Now in order to make it
clear, I've got a little sheet
00:16:15.48\00:16:18.48
that I'm going to ask the
ushers if you wouldn't mind
00:16:18.69\00:16:20.49
just handing out to everybody
00:16:20.59\00:16:22.25
which clearly makes the
difference very obvious.
00:16:22.45\00:16:27.06
So they are just
going to hand that out
00:16:27.36\00:16:29.13
and then we are
going to read it together
00:16:29.33\00:16:31.60
because you'll find it
to be very, very helpful.
00:16:31.80\00:16:35.00
Extremely helpful.
00:16:35.30\00:16:36.55
And it sets out the difference
between these two laws.
00:16:37.79\00:16:41.09
So you'll all get one of these.
00:16:41.29\00:16:43.50
And those of you who are
watching will be able to see it
00:16:43.80\00:16:46.76
on the screen.
00:16:46.86\00:16:48.47
But these are the
two major divisions
00:16:48.77\00:16:53.01
of the divine law. First of all
00:16:53.21\00:16:56.00
on the left-hand side
you'll see the moral precepts.
00:16:56.20\00:16:58.83
For example, James says
it is called "the royal law"
00:16:59.03\00:17:03.08
or "the law of liberty. "
00:17:03.29\00:17:04.95
Whereas on the other
side the ceremonial is called
00:17:06.20\00:17:09.82
"the law of commandments
contained in ordinances. "
00:17:10.02\00:17:14.60
The second point is
that the Ten Commandments
00:17:14.80\00:17:18.00
were spoken by God Himself
00:17:18.20\00:17:21.40
whereas the law of
Moses was given by Moses.
00:17:21.60\00:17:25.84
That's why it's
called The Law of Moses.
00:17:26.04\00:17:27.79
Moses was told
by God what to say
00:17:28.19\00:17:31.46
but it was still
given through Moses.
00:17:31.66\00:17:33.53
Whereas the Ten Commandments
remember were written by
00:17:33.73\00:17:36.43
God's finger on stone.
That's the third point.
00:17:36.63\00:17:39.05
God never even trusted Moses to
write the Ten Commandments down.
00:17:39.35\00:17:43.57
And when the
first lot were broken,
00:17:43.77\00:17:45.36
God wrote them down the
second time with His own finger
00:17:45.56\00:17:48.30
on stone. That's how sacredly
00:17:48.50\00:17:50.83
God regards the
Ten Commandments.
00:17:51.03\00:17:53.10
Whereas on the other side
00:17:53.40\00:17:56.11
the law of Moses was
written by Moses in a book...
00:17:56.31\00:17:59.90
in the book of the law.
00:18:00.10\00:18:01.94
On the other hand, the Ten
Commandments were placed inside
00:18:02.35\00:18:06.74
the ark. Now we're not
talking about Noah's ark here.
00:18:06.94\00:18:10.12
This is the ark of the
covenant in the sanctuary.
00:18:10.32\00:18:13.43
And whereas the law of Moses
was placed in a little pocket
00:18:14.62\00:18:18.28
on the side of the
ark in the sanctuary.
00:18:18.48\00:18:22.06
A very clear distinction.
00:18:22.36\00:18:24.36
One was inside; the other
was on THE side of the ark.
00:18:24.66\00:18:28.71
The Ten Commandments
existed before sin...
00:18:29.11\00:18:32.48
otherwise there would be no sin
00:18:32.68\00:18:34.55
because it's the Ten Command-
ments which define what sin is.
00:18:34.75\00:18:38.30
And if you don't
have a definition of sin
00:18:38.60\00:18:41.91
there would be no sin.
00:18:42.21\00:18:44.93
Whereas the law of Moses
was given after man had sinned.
00:18:45.23\00:18:49.65
The Ten Commandments the
purpose was to reveal sin.
00:18:51.16\00:18:55.03
It was to point out what sin is.
00:18:55.33\00:18:57.49
Whereas the law of
Moses the purpose was
00:18:57.79\00:19:01.98
to reveal the remedy for sin
00:19:02.18\00:19:04.62
through the ordinances
and through the ceremonies.
00:19:04.93\00:19:07.29
The Ten Commandments were a
complete, perfect, holy, just,
00:19:08.71\00:19:13.15
and good the New
Testament says in Romans.
00:19:13.25\00:19:15.60
Whereas the law of
Moses was subject to change
00:19:15.90\00:19:20.10
and the Bible says
it made nothing perfect
00:19:20.30\00:19:23.32
because it pointed forward to
the perfection that was to come
00:19:23.52\00:19:27.39
in Jesus. The Bible
says the moral law or the
00:19:27.59\00:19:30.64
Ten Commandments was eternal
00:19:30.75\00:19:32.48
and it was
established by the gospel.
00:19:32.68\00:19:34.54
Whereas the law of
Moses was temporary
00:19:34.74\00:19:38.29
and abolished at the cross.
00:19:38.49\00:19:40.21
So I just thought that
you would be pleased to get
00:19:40.52\00:19:43.30
that clear distinction because
00:19:43.40\00:19:45.78
that makes us clear in
our minds of the distinction
00:19:45.98\00:19:48.90
that the Bible
makes between the two.
00:19:49.00\00:19:50.82
Now by the way, this
distinction is not something
00:19:50.92\00:19:54.21
which Sabbath-keepers
have come up with.
00:19:54.41\00:19:58.02
Do you know that every
church has taught the clear
00:19:58.32\00:20:01.47
distinction between the ceremon-
ial law and the moral law?
00:20:01.57\00:20:05.62
This is not just something
that I have thought about.
00:20:05.72\00:20:08.97
All churches have taught that.
00:20:09.37\00:20:12.32
In fact, those of you who
have been brought up in the
00:20:12.62\00:20:15.22
Anglican church or
Episcopalial church
00:20:15.32\00:20:17.49
and the Methodist
church, Uniting church,
00:20:19.05\00:20:22.19
will remember that as the
minister reads each one of the
00:20:22.39\00:20:27.17
Ten Commandments the
people stand up and they say
00:20:27.27\00:20:33.16
"Lord, incline our
hearts to keep this law. "
00:20:33.36\00:20:38.68
And that's good
Biblical teaching.
00:20:39.08\00:20:42.07
I commend the churches
for doing that because that's
00:20:42.27\00:20:47.32
good Biblical teaching.
00:20:47.52\00:20:49.07
But it's interesting that the
same prayer book out of which
00:20:50.37\00:20:54.22
you - the congregation
- read their response
00:20:54.42\00:20:57.31
as the minister reads each
one of the Ten Commandments
00:20:57.51\00:21:00.27
the same prayer book
makes this statement. Listen:
00:21:00.47\00:21:04.13
So the Anglican prayer
book clearly points out
00:21:30.16\00:21:33.36
that there... while nobody has
to keep the law of ceremonies
00:21:33.56\00:21:37.86
now everybody is
obliged to be obedient
00:21:37.96\00:21:42.66
to the commandments
which are called moral:
00:21:42.86\00:21:45.95
the Ten Commandments.
00:21:46.25\00:21:48.16
That's good Biblical teaching
00:21:48.46\00:21:50.56
and it happens to be
good Anglican teaching.
00:21:50.76\00:21:53.41
It's pretty good teaching
just about from every church
00:21:53.61\00:21:56.68
that's taught that. But
you see, a problem arose...
00:21:56.78\00:22:00.82
and the problem was this:
00:22:01.03\00:22:02.97
when Sabbath-keepers
came to town and they said:
00:22:03.17\00:22:05.52
"Look, we agree
with you good Christians
00:22:05.72\00:22:08.02
in upholding the
Ten Commandments.
00:22:08.22\00:22:09.82
We believe, too, with you;
we are all united in believing
00:22:10.02\00:22:14.38
that the Ten Commandments
are eternally binding. "
00:22:14.52\00:22:17.08
But Sabbath-keepers said:
00:22:17.28\00:22:20.73
"Why is it then that you do not
observe the fourth commandment
00:22:20.93\00:22:25.41
which says the
seventh day is the Sabbath
00:22:25.61\00:22:28.01
not the first day of the week? "
00:22:28.21\00:22:29.96
That was a deep
embarrassment to these people.
00:22:31.94\00:22:35.04
And do you know what they
did? In order to get around that
00:22:35.34\00:22:37.70
difficulty they then
picked up verses in the Bible
00:22:37.80\00:22:41.91
that apply against the law
of ceremonies and ordinances
00:22:42.11\00:22:46.39
and sacrifices and they
then applied that against
00:22:46.59\00:22:50.52
the Ten Commandments and
the Sabbath in particular.
00:22:50.72\00:22:53.88
And because the average
person doesn't read their Bible
00:22:55.54\00:22:58.48
too much, they just read
that the law was done away with
00:22:58.58\00:23:03.81
and they presumed
because that was what the church
00:23:04.01\00:23:07.29
was telling them... they just
presumed then that that meant
00:23:07.39\00:23:10.81
that the law of God, the
Ten Commandments and the Sabbath
00:23:10.84\00:23:13.64
in particular,
was done away with.
00:23:13.74\00:23:15.48
Now can you see why Mrs.
Booth says "there has come about
00:23:15.78\00:23:19.95
a hotch potch in
the church today? "
00:23:20.05\00:23:22.76
An absolute confusion.
00:23:22.96\00:23:26.12
Because there are no
verses... there's not one verse
00:23:26.42\00:23:28.95
in all the Bible that ever
talks about the abolition of
00:23:29.15\00:23:32.14
the Ten Commandments or any
one of the Ten Commandments.
00:23:32.24\00:23:34.59
Not a single verse anywhere.
00:23:34.79\00:23:36.56
But there are many
verses which talk about
00:23:36.86\00:23:40.14
the abolition of the law
of Moses... and rightly so!
00:23:40.35\00:23:43.35
And that's why Mrs.
Booth says we ought to check up
00:23:44.55\00:23:47.93
to make sure in the context
which law is being referred to
00:23:48.13\00:23:52.76
when we... when we
read about the law.
00:23:53.06\00:23:55.64
You know, it's interesting
that if you go over to the book
00:23:57.32\00:24:00.39
of Isaiah in the
middle of the Bible,
00:24:00.53\00:24:02.92
Isaiah the 30th
chapter... Just turn with me
00:24:03.12\00:24:05.41
to Isaiah chapter 30, would you?
00:24:05.52\00:24:07.50
Isaiah chapter 30 and verse 8.
00:24:07.70\00:24:11.80
I wish this verse actually
wasn't in the Bible, but
00:24:12.00\00:24:14.59
it is and we need to read it
00:24:14.80\00:24:17.17
because it doesn't show
Christians up in a good light.
00:24:17.47\00:24:20.51
But Isaiah chapter 30 and
verse 8 makes this statement
00:24:20.81\00:24:24.42
where Isaiah is told:
00:24:24.52\00:24:25.78
God wants us
never to forget this.
00:24:34.96\00:24:37.23
What does He want
us never to forget?
00:24:38.60\00:24:40.62
Verse 9:
00:24:40.72\00:24:41.73
You know, what a
commentary on the honesty
00:25:03.16\00:25:06.69
of Christians today
00:25:06.89\00:25:09.65
as it was a commentary on
people back in Isaiah's day
00:25:09.96\00:25:14.63
who professed to
be followers of God.
00:25:14.83\00:25:16.87
They said to their
preachers and to their leaders
00:25:17.17\00:25:20.60
"Look, we want to hear anything
from you. You can tell us
00:25:20.80\00:25:24.64
deceits. You can tell us lies.
You can preach anything to us
00:25:24.84\00:25:28.88
but don't preach
the law of God to us.
00:25:29.08\00:25:31.67
We don't want to
hear the law of God.
00:25:31.97\00:25:34.90
Tell us lies if you want.
00:25:36.47\00:25:38.24
Tell us anything...
00:25:38.54\00:25:40.68
but don't preach
the law of God. "
00:25:40.98\00:25:43.91
I want to tell you friends,
that's a very sad indictment
00:25:44.11\00:25:46.58
against people, isn't it?
00:25:46.68\00:25:47.79
When God can write up
that that's what people want.
00:25:47.99\00:25:50.68
Until today about the
only thing that you ever hear
00:25:52.45\00:25:56.15
people say about the law,
unfortunately, is that it's
00:25:56.35\00:25:59.23
done away with.
And I've seen it.
00:25:59.33\00:26:00.69
Whenever I run a series of
meetings I have people come
00:26:00.79\00:26:03.58
to me and they say:
"Geoff, we have never heard
00:26:03.68\00:26:05.45
the Bible explained as
simply and as clearly as you
00:26:05.55\00:26:08.13
are doing. " But
some of those same people
00:26:08.23\00:26:12.53
when we talk and
read from the same book
00:26:13.89\00:26:16.17
about the commandments
and the Sabbath in particular
00:26:16.20\00:26:18.79
I couldn't shoot them
out of the room quicker
00:26:18.99\00:26:21.99
if we had a machine gun.
00:26:22.19\00:26:23.66
Now why is that?
00:26:24.06\00:26:26.03
Well, it's because as the
Bible says that people will not
00:26:26.33\00:26:30.63
be interested in the law of God.
00:26:30.74\00:26:32.67
They're not interested
in hearing the standards
00:26:34.62\00:26:37.02
that God has. And if
there's ever a generation
00:26:37.22\00:26:39.70
that is alive on this earth
it's the generation alive now
00:26:40.00\00:26:43.85
that hardly knows the difference
between right and wrong
00:26:44.05\00:26:47.02
and if ever a time in
human history when we need to
00:26:47.32\00:26:50.67
be upholding the Ten
Commandments it's now!
00:26:50.87\00:26:53.22
Because we've got a generation
growing up that doesn't know
00:26:54.76\00:26:59.66
what is right.
00:26:59.76\00:27:01.28
And in fact, if you go
to people today and you say
00:27:04.26\00:27:07.29
"Well this is what the
Bible says" or "Well, this is
00:27:07.50\00:27:10.05
the right thing to do" they
almost say that you're a bigot
00:27:10.15\00:27:13.10
or you're narrow-minded.
00:27:13.30\00:27:14.77
And our generation today
is summed up with that song
00:27:17.17\00:27:21.46
that Frank Sinatra
popularized many years ago
00:27:21.56\00:27:23.98
when he said:
"I Did It My Way. "
00:27:24.18\00:27:26.69
That's the
attitude of people today.
00:27:26.99\00:27:29.77
They want to do what's
right in their own eyes.
00:27:30.07\00:27:33.92
But the Bible says there is
a standard of right and wrong
00:27:35.40\00:27:38.22
and that standard is summarized
in the Ten Commandments.
00:27:38.52\00:27:42.14
And instead of the church
upholding the Ten Commandments
00:27:42.44\00:27:44.83
they are crying out for union
00:27:44.93\00:27:46.55
because they see people are
dwindling away from the church.
00:27:47.82\00:27:50.75
And friend, I tell you
what people want today:
00:27:52.43\00:27:54.67
they want to
hear the Word of God.
00:27:54.87\00:27:56.83
I will beat a path to a
man's door that can preach
00:27:58.28\00:28:01.94
it up and unfold the Bible to me
00:28:02.05\00:28:04.53
but I'm not interested
in going along to a church
00:28:06.02\00:28:09.24
and just listening to what
some person thinks is right.
00:28:09.44\00:28:12.71
Nor are millions of others.
00:28:13.01\00:28:14.80
That's why they're
leaving the church.
00:28:14.90\00:28:16.44
The Bible says here in
Isaiah that in the last days
00:28:19.00\00:28:22.72
people will not be interested
in hearing the law of God.
00:28:22.92\00:28:26.67
And you and I see prophecy
fulfilled before our very eyes
00:28:26.88\00:28:31.40
today.
00:28:31.60\00:28:32.69
I don't have to
prove that to you.
00:28:32.99\00:28:34.34
And if you haven't yet
heard people talk against the
00:28:34.65\00:28:36.87
Ten Commandments, you haven't
talked to them much about
00:28:36.97\00:28:39.26
the Sabbath and so forth.
00:28:39.36\00:28:40.54
When you do, let me tell
you, you'd better be prepared
00:28:40.74\00:28:43.20
because that's what
they're going to tell you.
00:28:43.40\00:28:46.38
Now there are a couple of
verses that my friends who
00:28:49.10\00:28:52.86
oppose the Sabbath
always want to quote,
00:28:52.89\00:28:55.80
and I want to have a look
at one or two of those now.
00:28:56.10\00:28:58.47
Come over to the
book of Galatians.
00:28:58.67\00:29:00.16
In fact, I've
had people say to me:
00:29:00.46\00:29:01.79
"The way to fix up you
Sabbath- keepers is just simply
00:29:01.99\00:29:05.05
to read Galatians. "
00:29:05.15\00:29:06.49
"Galatians will
soon put you straight. "
00:29:06.79\00:29:09.01
Well friend, I have never
had anyone who wanted to stay
00:29:09.31\00:29:11.75
in Galatians very long at all
00:29:11.85\00:29:13.84
when you simply point out
1 or 2 little things to them.
00:29:14.04\00:29:16.56
But let me read you the verses
that are often quoted to me.
00:29:16.86\00:29:21.20
When I say "to
me" I mean "against me
00:29:22.74\00:29:25.55
and against what I'm teaching. "
00:29:25.85\00:29:27.68
This is the first verse...
Galatians 5 and verse 1:
00:29:27.99\00:29:31.23
And they say: "That's
you! You are putting a yoke of
00:29:41.84\00:29:45.84
bondage on the people
00:29:45.94\00:29:48.76
by teaching them
to keep the Sabbath
00:29:48.96\00:29:51.23
and upholding
the Ten Commandments.
00:29:52.59\00:29:54.33
You've got this yoke
of bondage on them. "
00:29:54.63\00:29:56.38
But you know, friend,
they never read the next verse
00:29:59.19\00:30:01.53
because the next verse explains
what the yoke of bondage is.
00:30:01.73\00:30:05.43
But they only ever
read that first verse.
00:30:05.73\00:30:08.77
What does the next verse
say? Have a look at verse 2:
00:30:09.07\00:30:11.62
What was the problem?
00:30:21.28\00:30:22.82
Well, it was simply this:
00:30:23.12\00:30:25.05
that back in those days the
Jews who had become Christians
00:30:25.26\00:30:30.12
were teaching the Christians
or those who were pagans
00:30:30.32\00:30:33.90
who wanted to become
Christians they said: "Look,
00:30:34.00\00:30:36.04
in order to become a Christian
you've got to become a Jew first
00:30:36.24\00:30:39.75
before you can
become a Christian
00:30:39.95\00:30:41.95
and you have to
be circumcised. "
00:30:42.25\00:30:43.56
Because being circumcised
was the outward evidence
00:30:43.66\00:30:46.83
of being a Jew back
in the Old Testament.
00:30:47.03\00:30:49.60
That was correct.
00:30:49.80\00:30:51.13
And they were continuing teach-
ing this in the New Testament
00:30:51.43\00:30:55.31
after Jesus had come.
00:30:55.51\00:30:57.14
And Paul is
thundering against that teaching
00:30:57.34\00:31:01.08
because he says: "In Christ
that has been done away with. "
00:31:01.28\00:31:05.62
And you can understand, friend.
00:31:06.12\00:31:08.65
We must not be too intolerant
of these Jewish Christians
00:31:08.85\00:31:12.67
because we've got to
understand that the tradition
00:31:12.77\00:31:15.17
of circumcision had
been in the church -
00:31:15.27\00:31:17.50
or the Jewish church
- for over 1,500 years.
00:31:17.70\00:31:20.51
And suddenly Christ comes along
and the New Testament teaching
00:31:20.71\00:31:25.94
comes along. Paul
starts to teach them
00:31:26.14\00:31:27.95
it's all done away with.
Now you can understand that
00:31:28.15\00:31:30.67
that was very unsettling to
them. Can you see the point?
00:31:30.77\00:31:33.10
And they really struggled
coming to grips with this.
00:31:33.40\00:31:36.22
And so many of them wanted
to go back to their old ways
00:31:36.43\00:31:40.47
and they wanted to
accept Christ but they wanted to
00:31:40.67\00:31:42.77
hang on to the old as well
00:31:42.87\00:31:44.28
and they wanted to
link them together.
00:31:44.38\00:31:46.01
And the purpose of
the book of Galatians
00:31:46.21\00:31:48.09
is to thunder
against that misteaching.
00:31:48.29\00:31:51.72
In fact, if you read through...
00:31:53.48\00:31:56.04
and once you point this
out, of course, to people
00:31:56.34\00:31:58.36
they want to get out of
Galatians pretty quickly.
00:31:58.56\00:32:00.35
Because I have simply
said to people: "You show me
00:32:00.65\00:32:03.36
one reference in the book
of Galatians to the Sabbath. "
00:32:03.56\00:32:05.96
There's no references to
the Sabbath in Galatians.
00:32:06.97\00:32:09.56
Not talking about the Sabbath;
00:32:09.76\00:32:11.15
it's talking
mainly about circumcision.
00:32:11.35\00:32:13.88
In fact, circumcision
is mentioned over 13 times
00:32:14.08\00:32:17.35
in the book of Galatians
and there's only six chapters!
00:32:17.56\00:32:19.88
In fact, if you have a look...
Let me just read it to you...
00:32:21.94\00:32:24.38
Have a look at
verse 3 of chapter 2.
00:32:24.59\00:32:26.50
Chapter 2 verse 3:
00:32:27.20\00:32:29.21
Verse 4:
00:32:36.13\00:32:37.54
And then if you
go down to verse 7
00:32:46.96\00:32:50.57
you'll notice that
circumcision is mentioned again.
00:32:50.87\00:32:53.93
Verse 8... circumcision.
All through these verses.
00:32:54.03\00:32:58.73
The subject is circumcision
00:32:59.06\00:33:01.70
because they were
wanting to teach the people
00:33:02.74\00:33:05.02
that you have to be circumcised
or to become a Jew first
00:33:05.12\00:33:08.56
and follow the ceremonies
of the Jewish religion
00:33:08.76\00:33:11.06
and THEN you can
become a Christian.
00:33:11.26\00:33:13.50
And Paul writes
Galatians to say: "Nothing doing
00:33:13.70\00:33:17.30
because you're
taking us back into bondage.
00:33:17.60\00:33:21.52
Now Christ has come and
set us free from that! "
00:33:21.82\00:33:26.66
So friends, that's not
saying... God is not saying
00:33:26.96\00:33:29.54
that set us free
from the Ten Commandments.
00:33:29.64\00:33:31.54
There's no reference to
that anywhere in Galatians.
00:33:31.74\00:33:33.69
It's circumcision which
is the subject of Galatians
00:33:34.00\00:33:36.82
or the major
emphasis in Galatians.
00:33:37.96\00:33:39.95
Have a look at chapter
5 again in verses 3 and 4.
00:33:40.25\00:33:43.21
And Paul says here in verse 3:
00:33:45.44\00:33:47.63
Tell me... is that logical?
00:33:54.28\00:33:55.83
"If you're going to follow
circumcision, " Paul says,
00:33:56.13\00:33:58.40
"you have to do everything. "
00:33:58.50\00:33:59.72
You have to become a
debtor to the whole law...
00:34:00.02\00:34:02.71
which is logical. Verse 4:
00:34:02.91\00:34:07.41
So the issue here
was over circumcision.
00:34:17.22\00:34:20.79
In fact, let me read you
again chapter 3 of Galatians.
00:34:23.02\00:34:25.82
Just back a page.
00:34:26.02\00:34:27.33
The third chapter of Galatians
and verse 10 where Paul writes:
00:34:27.36\00:34:32.16
And I say that's
you... talking to me.
00:34:36.29\00:34:39.41
You're putting a
curse upon the people
00:34:39.71\00:34:42.19
in what you're preaching.
00:34:42.49\00:34:43.70
So hang on, let's
just continue to read:
00:34:44.00\00:34:47.11
What was written in a book?
00:35:00.08\00:35:01.98
The law of the Jews.
We noticed that before.
00:35:02.49\00:35:06.43
In fact, if you
come down to verse 19
00:35:07.81\00:35:10.49
again Paul makes it
clear when he says...
00:35:11.86\00:35:14.88
Because you see after arguing
against the law of ceremonies -
00:35:15.18\00:35:18.99
the law of circumcision -
you could ask the question
00:35:19.19\00:35:22.44
that is asked in verse 19:
00:35:22.64\00:35:24.00
"What purpose then
does the law serve? "
00:35:24.30\00:35:26.52
If it's done away with,
what purpose did it have?
00:35:26.92\00:35:30.78
Well he adds:
00:35:31.09\00:35:32.11
So the Bible makes it
very clear that this law -
00:35:43.25\00:35:47.01
the law of the ceremonies
- was for a temporary period.
00:35:47.21\00:35:50.47
"Until the Seed should come. "
00:35:51.64\00:35:53.88
Who was the Seed?
00:35:54.08\00:35:55.34
That's Jesus!
00:35:55.64\00:35:57.19
And when Jesus came,
that law was done away with.
00:35:57.50\00:36:01.22
And you can understand, friends,
that people don't want to stay
00:36:02.63\00:36:05.33
in Galatians very long
00:36:05.44\00:36:06.57
once you point out one
or two of those things.
00:36:06.78\00:36:08.63
Galatians is not a
difficult book at all.
00:36:09.58\00:36:11.50
As I said, the major emphasis
in Galatians is over the...
00:36:11.80\00:36:15.83
over circumcision.
That's what occurs over and over
00:36:16.03\00:36:19.64
and over again.
00:36:19.74\00:36:21.28
Now another verse that
is terribly misunderstood
00:36:21.48\00:36:25.33
by many Christians is
found back here in Romans
00:36:25.53\00:36:27.90
chapter 6 and verse 14.
Let me just read this to you.
00:36:28.10\00:36:31.78
Romans chapter 6 and verse 14.
00:36:31.88\00:36:34.80
And I'm sure
you've heard this verse.
00:36:36.43\00:36:38.60
You only ever
hear half the verse,
00:36:38.80\00:36:40.83
but it's half the verse which
is quoted over and over again.
00:36:41.03\00:36:44.35
Romans chapter 6 and
verse 14 where Paul writes:
00:36:44.45\00:36:48.39
See, they say "You're
no longer under the law
00:36:58.00\00:37:01.57
because you've
been saved by grace. "
00:37:01.77\00:37:03.97
And people think that
that verse teaches that the
00:37:04.07\00:37:07.30
Ten Commandments
have been done away with.
00:37:07.41\00:37:09.10
Well let me illustrate.
00:37:10.22\00:37:11.60
Let's say I'm
driving my car around town
00:37:11.90\00:37:14.68
and I'm thinking about
the meeting and so forth,
00:37:14.78\00:37:18.31
I'm not
worrying about the speed.
00:37:18.41\00:37:20.27
I should be concentrating,
but my mind's on other things.
00:37:20.37\00:37:23.36
And suddenly I see a
blue light and a red light
00:37:23.66\00:37:27.06
flashing in my
rear vision mirror.
00:37:27.26\00:37:28.92
Pull over.
00:37:30.20\00:37:31.49
So I pull my car over,
and whenever that happens
00:37:31.80\00:37:35.26
I always get out of the
car. I never have the policeman
00:37:35.36\00:37:37.60
look at me through the window.
00:37:37.70\00:37:38.78
I always get out and
look him straight in the eye.
00:37:38.88\00:37:40.39
You can see I've had a
bit of experience with this.
00:37:40.69\00:37:43.28
And so I get out, and he said:
00:37:43.68\00:37:48.51
"Can I see your license? "
00:37:48.81\00:37:50.65
"Is there any reason that you
were doing 80 kilometers an hour
00:37:50.95\00:37:54.14
in a 60 zone? "
00:37:54.34\00:37:55.54
"Well, I really
haven't got an excuse. "
00:37:56.04\00:37:59.23
And with that he gets into his
pocket and gets out the book.
00:37:59.53\00:38:03.75
The book goes back,
and he gets his pen out
00:38:04.25\00:38:08.30
and then I know things
are pretty serious now.
00:38:08.50\00:38:10.65
And he begins to write.
00:38:11.81\00:38:13.88
And I object, you see, a bit.
00:38:14.18\00:38:15.79
"Well, " he said, "if you
want to object, you can go down
00:38:15.99\00:38:17.92
to the court. "
So, that's what I do.
00:38:18.02\00:38:20.98
When it comes up an opportunity
I go down to the court.
00:38:21.28\00:38:24.04
And the magistrate says
when my name is called up:
00:38:25.40\00:38:28.03
"How do you plead? " I
say: "Look, your honor,
00:38:28.33\00:38:30.70
I plead guilty with
extenuating circumstances. "
00:38:30.90\00:38:34.86
"Oh? What are
those circumstances? "
00:38:35.06\00:38:38.35
Well I explained that
my mind wasn't on things
00:38:38.65\00:38:41.76
and I was going to a
meeting to teach the people
00:38:41.97\00:38:43.59
to keep the law... and
here I am breaking it myself!
00:38:43.69\00:38:47.09
So I said: "It's a great
embarrassment to me. " See?
00:38:47.19\00:38:50.42
Well I put up a pretty good case
00:38:50.63\00:38:52.93
and I'm polite to him
and he says: "Well, look,
00:38:53.13\00:38:55.09
under these
circumstances this time...
00:38:55.19\00:38:57.79
We've checked your record;
we'll let you off this time.
00:38:57.89\00:39:00.48
The court is going to
extend its grace to you today. "
00:39:00.58\00:39:03.57
Well I'm delighted because that
was going to cost me over $200.
00:39:03.87\00:39:07.38
So I'm delighted.
00:39:07.88\00:39:09.55
So I go out of the
court and I get into my car
00:39:09.75\00:39:12.52
and I turn the
engine on and I rev it up.
00:39:12.82\00:39:15.22
Big throaty motor.
00:39:17.07\00:39:18.91
Rev it up.
00:39:19.01\00:39:20.25
And I speed off and
kick the stones out the back
00:39:21.56\00:39:25.36
and I'm driving 'round
town. And it's not long before
00:39:25.56\00:39:27.85
I attract the
attention of the law again.
00:39:28.05\00:39:30.00
And you wouldn't believe it...
the blue light, the red light.
00:39:30.30\00:39:33.16
Pull over, and it's the
same policeman if you please.
00:39:33.46\00:39:36.30
He said: "Haven't
I met you before? "
00:39:36.60\00:39:38.84
And I said: "Yes, a
couple of weeks ago we met. "
00:39:39.14\00:39:41.72
"Well, " he said, "what's
the reason you're speeding
00:39:42.02\00:39:43.98
this time? " Well I
said: "Listen, officer, "
00:39:44.08\00:39:46.98
I said, "I have been to
court since I last saw you
00:39:47.18\00:39:50.79
and I want to
explain to you that the court
00:39:51.09\00:39:54.13
extended its grace to me.
00:39:54.23\00:39:56.56
And I want you to understand
from this point onwards
00:39:56.86\00:40:00.51
don't ever pursue me again
because now I'm under grace.
00:40:00.75\00:40:04.17
I don't have to
worry about your law. "
00:40:04.37\00:40:06.96
Tell me, friend, what would
happen if I was foolish enough
00:40:09.88\00:40:13.25
to argue like that?
00:40:13.45\00:40:14.56
What do you think would happen?
00:40:14.76\00:40:16.16
When I face up the
magistrate the next time
00:40:16.46\00:40:19.07
do you think he's going to
extend any more grace to me?
00:40:19.27\00:40:21.28
Absolutely not.
He'll throw the book at me!
00:40:21.48\00:40:23.77
Now listen, friends, in
real life no one would argue
00:40:24.97\00:40:28.22
such foolish nonsense like that.
00:40:28.33\00:40:30.33
But when it comes to
Christianity, that's exactly
00:40:30.53\00:40:33.02
what Christians argue.
00:40:33.12\00:40:34.80
They argue that
because we're saved by grace
00:40:35.10\00:40:38.54
that that frees us from being
obedient to the commandment.
00:40:38.74\00:40:43.03
But listen!
00:40:45.53\00:40:47.05
The very fact that we
need to be saved by grace
00:40:47.35\00:40:52.64
is the greatest evidence
that the Ten Commandments
00:40:52.74\00:40:55.41
are still binding.
00:40:55.51\00:40:57.32
Let me illustrate.
00:40:57.42\00:40:58.52
Let's say a
policeman comes in here
00:40:59.42\00:41:01.30
and he arrests us all.
00:41:02.41\00:41:04.10
And we all have to go
down to court tomorrow morning.
00:41:04.40\00:41:07.08
And the magistrate says,
the judge says: "Why have you
00:41:07.28\00:41:09.87
brought all of these people?
" And the policeman says:
00:41:09.97\00:41:12.67
"I caught them all
studying the Bible. "
00:41:12.87\00:41:14.42
"Well, " the judge says,
"I don't think there's any law
00:41:15.56\00:41:18.88
against that. Well,
I'll pardon the lot of you. "
00:41:19.08\00:41:22.45
How would you react if the
judge said: "I'll pardon you? "
00:41:23.62\00:41:27.90
Would you accept his pardon?
00:41:28.11\00:41:29.44
I see you shaking
your head in the negative.
00:41:31.93\00:41:33.62
Why wouldn't you
accept his pardon?
00:41:33.83\00:41:35.74
Or why don't you
need to accept his pardon?
00:41:35.84\00:41:37.69
We haven't broken any law!
00:41:39.11\00:41:41.36
I only need grace
when I've broken the law,
00:41:41.76\00:41:46.05
isn't that right?
00:41:46.25\00:41:47.26
If there is no
law, I don't need grace!
00:41:47.46\00:41:51.73
Is that right? Absolutely!
00:41:51.93\00:41:54.35
If there was no law which
said you only have to drive
00:41:55.73\00:41:59.41
at 60 in this zone,
00:41:59.51\00:42:01.28
could the officer
pull me over for speeding?
00:42:01.48\00:42:04.79
Never. Only
because there's a law
00:42:04.99\00:42:09.16
that I will need
grace if I break it.
00:42:09.46\00:42:12.25
And the greatest evidence
that the Ten Commandments
00:42:12.55\00:42:15.50
is still binding upon us today
00:42:15.60\00:42:17.73
is the fact that we
need to be saved by grace.
00:42:17.93\00:42:20.13
I wouldn't need
grace if there is no law!
00:42:20.63\00:42:24.27
Well you say: "What does this
verse mean: 'you're not under
00:42:26.89\00:42:29.39
the law but
you're under grace? ' "
00:42:29.49\00:42:30.80
It simply means when we
accept Jesus we are no longer
00:42:31.10\00:42:34.97
under the law's condemnation.
That's what it's saying.
00:42:35.17\00:42:38.17
And thank God for that!
Aren't you glad of that?
00:42:38.48\00:42:41.75
That when Jesus comes
into our life and He atones
00:42:42.05\00:42:46.84
for our sin we are no longer
under the law's condemnation.
00:42:47.04\00:42:52.23
That's what
Romans is talking about.
00:42:52.53\00:42:54.41
It's not saying the
law's been done away with
00:42:54.71\00:42:56.71
because clearly in the
book of Romans Paul says
00:42:56.91\00:43:00.29
"Do we do away with
the law? " "No, " he says,
00:43:00.50\00:43:03.12
"we establish the
law. " Romans 3:31
00:43:03.32\00:43:06.23
and many other verses
like that in the book of Romans
00:43:06.43\00:43:08.73
over and over again.
00:43:09.03\00:43:10.95
Now there's another verse,
too, that many folk misquote
00:43:12.58\00:43:17.36
and I want to have
a look at it with you.
00:43:17.56\00:43:19.21
Come over to the
book of Colossians.
00:43:19.31\00:43:20.79
Colossians chapter 2 because
00:43:21.29\00:43:24.17
I want to have a look at
these verses because listen
00:43:24.37\00:43:27.52
I can almost promise you
that as you get excited about
00:43:27.72\00:43:31.67
these messages...
and I know you are
00:43:31.77\00:43:33.45
as I became excited about
them when I first heard them...
00:43:33.65\00:43:36.23
and you begin to talk to other
Christians about the Sabbath
00:43:36.53\00:43:40.04
and the commandment, I want
to tell you these are the texts
00:43:40.24\00:43:43.74
that they're going
to bring up to you.
00:43:43.84\00:43:45.58
So that's why
I'm going over them
00:43:45.78\00:43:47.67
so that you are familiar
with them. Get the idea?
00:43:47.87\00:43:49.64
And you need to pay a
lot of attention to this
00:43:49.94\00:43:52.90
because I can promise
you these are the verses
00:43:53.20\00:43:57.42
you will meet. And
Colossians 2 in particular.
00:43:57.62\00:44:01.21
This is what it
says in verse 14:
00:44:01.51\00:44:03.57
So here is something
that was nailed to the cross.
00:44:14.54\00:44:18.55
Then verse 16 is the
verse that is so often quoted
00:44:18.85\00:44:23.24
but misquoted:
00:44:23.44\00:44:25.01
"Oh, " you say, "it
mentions the Sabbath
00:44:40.50\00:44:43.25
which is a shadow
of things to come. "
00:44:43.55\00:44:45.25
Yes it does, but I want
you to notice the context
00:44:46.80\00:44:50.36
that Paul is talking about here
00:44:50.56\00:44:52.24
because he says here
00:44:52.54\00:44:54.96
that we are not to judge
anyone in food or in drink.
00:44:55.16\00:44:57.86
How many foods and
drinks are mentioned in the
00:44:58.07\00:44:59.75
Ten Commandments? Are there any?
00:44:59.85\00:45:01.33
No. What about
festivals or new moons?
00:45:02.37\00:45:05.86
Any of those mentioned
in the Ten Commandments?
00:45:05.96\00:45:07.92
No.
00:45:08.22\00:45:09.48
Are they
mentioned in the Jewish law?
00:45:09.68\00:45:11.96
The law of ceremonies?
00:45:12.16\00:45:13.42
Absolutely. Full of them.
00:45:13.62\00:45:15.37
Well you say it
mentions the Sabbath.
00:45:17.18\00:45:19.47
Yes it does, and the context
here: "which are a shadow
00:45:19.67\00:45:23.73
of things to come. "
The things that Paul here
00:45:23.84\00:45:26.27
is talking about that were
done away with at the cross
00:45:26.37\00:45:28.89
were those things which
were a shadow of things to come.
00:45:29.09\00:45:33.50
Now listen:
00:45:33.70\00:45:34.76
was the seventh-day
Sabbath a shadow of anything?
00:45:34.96\00:45:39.21
When was it made?
Before Adam and Eve sinned
00:45:40.74\00:45:44.30
or after?
00:45:44.50\00:45:45.54
BEFORE in the Garden of Eden.
00:45:45.74\00:45:47.84
Before the death of
Jesus was even necessary
00:45:48.14\00:45:50.55
the Sabbath was
made... the same as marriage.
00:45:50.85\00:45:54.23
Both of those gifts that
God gave to us were in existence
00:45:54.54\00:45:58.59
before Adam and
Eve sinned. Therefore,
00:45:58.79\00:46:01.05
neither of them point
forward to Jesus and His death
00:46:01.25\00:46:06.43
because as yet that
death wasn't necessary.
00:46:06.84\00:46:11.39
It was only after
Adam and Eve sinned
00:46:11.69\00:46:14.24
that Jesus needed to
die, isn't that right?
00:46:14.44\00:46:16.80
The seventh-day Sabbath
points backwards to creation.
00:46:17.20\00:46:21.52
But you say: "It
mentions the Sabbaths here. "
00:46:21.72\00:46:24.04
Yes it does. And
what we have to understand
00:46:24.24\00:46:27.57
is that in the Jewish law -
00:46:27.77\00:46:32.46
the law of ceremonies - there
were seven annual Sabbaths.
00:46:32.66\00:46:36.70
That is, they
were kept once a year.
00:46:37.00\00:46:39.58
There was Pentecost Sabbath.
Day of Atonement Sabbath.
00:46:39.88\00:46:42.73
Firstfruits Sabbath.
Seven of them all together.
00:46:43.03\00:46:47.20
Passover Sabbath.
Seven of them all together.
00:46:47.40\00:46:51.30
And they were kept once a
year and they fell on a date
00:46:51.50\00:46:55.35
because like the Passover it
commemorated a particular date
00:46:55.55\00:46:59.64
when the angel of death
- remember? - passed over.
00:46:59.84\00:47:02.14
And so every year it
fell on a different day
00:47:02.84\00:47:06.00
like Christmas does. Christmas
falls on a different day
00:47:06.10\00:47:08.78
every year because
it's a date, right?
00:47:08.88\00:47:11.64
So these annual
Sabbaths - the seven of them -
00:47:11.74\00:47:14.36
fell on
different days every year.
00:47:14.56\00:47:16.55
Now sometimes those days
00:47:16.95\00:47:20.82
coincided with the
seventh- day Sabbath
00:47:21.02\00:47:24.06
and that's why the
New Testament refers to it
00:47:24.26\00:47:26.36
as a "high day" when the
two Sabbaths came together:
00:47:26.56\00:47:30.18
the ceremonial Sabbath and
the weekly seventh-day Sabbath.
00:47:30.48\00:47:34.18
But this verse is talking
about those ceremonial Sabbaths.
00:47:35.65\00:47:39.02
All the things that had
to do with the ceremonies.
00:47:39.23\00:47:41.43
The drink
offerings... the new moon.
00:47:41.73\00:47:46.79
The food offerings. All
of that was associated with
00:47:47.09\00:47:50.49
the ceremonial law...
that was done away with
00:47:50.69\00:47:53.16
when Jesus died on the cross.
00:47:53.36\00:47:54.68
And that's what
Colossians is talking about.
00:47:54.88\00:47:57.35
It is not talking
about the weekly Sabbath.
00:47:57.65\00:48:01.36
And once you understand that,
friend, and just apply those
00:48:03.12\00:48:06.20
simple rules then
there is no problem at all.
00:48:06.40\00:48:08.62
And that's why in the book of
Revelation... If you come over
00:48:08.82\00:48:11.31
to Revelation
chapter 14 and verse 12
00:48:11.52\00:48:14.25
John the Revelator
makes this statement.
00:48:15.80\00:48:18.08
Revelation 14 and verse 12.
00:48:18.28\00:48:20.11
Those two things go together.
00:48:30.02\00:48:31.95
And it's interesting that the
book of Revelation - written for
00:48:32.15\00:48:34.37
the last days -
doesn't point out God's people
00:48:34.47\00:48:36.66
as keeping circumcision
or the law of the Jews
00:48:36.86\00:48:40.48
but the Ten Commandments
and the faith of Jesus
00:48:40.69\00:48:42.89
because those two
things go together.
00:48:43.19\00:48:44.93
When we love Jesus
we'll keep His commandments.
00:48:45.13\00:48:47.79
And God's people in the last
days are going to be a people
00:48:47.99\00:48:51.48
who love Jesus so much
that they are willing to do
00:48:51.68\00:48:54.97
all that He asks us to do.
00:48:55.17\00:48:57.11
And then after
writing the book of Revelation
00:48:57.42\00:49:00.40
John wrote his epistle of John,
that is, the letter of John.
00:49:00.60\00:49:04.10
Let's come back to the
beginning of Revelation
00:49:04.30\00:49:06.61
and you'll go back past Jude
00:49:06.81\00:49:08.62
then you will come to I John.
00:49:08.82\00:49:10.88
I, II, and III John.
00:49:11.18\00:49:12.27
We'll have a look at I
John chapter 3 and verse 4.
00:49:12.57\00:49:16.25
And here's a very
interesting statement.
00:49:17.23\00:49:19.43
Very clear statement. I
John chapter 3 and verse 4
00:49:19.63\00:49:23.35
where John writes:
00:49:23.66\00:49:25.10
So if you want a good
Bible definition of sin
00:49:34.11\00:49:37.59
it is lawlessness.
00:49:37.80\00:49:39.12
When a person doesn't
want to follow the law
00:49:39.22\00:49:41.59
and breaks the law, that's sin.
00:49:41.80\00:49:44.18
Now look... let me illustrate.
00:49:46.45\00:49:48.83
Let's argue the way
some Christians argue.
00:49:50.13\00:49:54.18
First of all the Bible
tells us if we put this into
00:49:56.54\00:49:59.26
diagrammatic form
because there is a law
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and a law that's broken, then
there is sin. Is that right?
00:50:02.80\00:50:06.68
You can see that.
00:50:06.98\00:50:08.55
Because we have sinned
and we've broken the law
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we need who? A Savior.
00:50:12.15\00:50:15.28
Because we have a
Savior we have a gospel.
00:50:16.82\00:50:21.57
And because we have a
gospel then we have ministers
00:50:22.92\00:50:28.17
who tell people about that.
00:50:28.38\00:50:32.05
Now let's argue the
way some Christians argue:
00:50:33.48\00:50:37.79
that the law's
been done away with.
00:50:38.09\00:50:39.47
So let's just for a moment
we'll say the law has been
00:50:39.77\00:50:43.08
done away with.
00:50:43.18\00:50:44.39
So as we look at
our illustration again
00:50:44.69\00:50:46.89
the law's been done away with.
00:50:47.09\00:50:48.25
And if there is no
law, is there any sin?
00:50:48.35\00:50:50.90
Can't be...
because only where sin is
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where there is a law...
otherwise there would be no sin.
00:50:55.04\00:50:58.03
If there's no sin,
do we need salvation?
00:50:59.06\00:51:01.54
No, because we're not sinners.
00:51:01.85\00:51:04.95
If there's no salvation, is
there any need of a Savior? No.
00:51:05.25\00:51:09.55
If there's no Savior, is there
any such thing as a gospel? No.
00:51:09.75\00:51:13.71
And if there's no gospel, is
there any need of these fellows?
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All in the doll
queue... social services.
00:51:16.52\00:51:19.73
Can you see when you
look at that equation now
00:51:20.03\00:51:24.24
on the screen, what is the
devil really trying to aim at
00:51:24.44\00:51:27.64
when he teaches people that
the law has been done away with?
00:51:27.84\00:51:30.55
What's he really getting after?
00:51:30.75\00:51:32.42
He's not so much
worried about the law as such.
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What's he really
after in that equation?
00:51:35.32\00:51:37.65
What's he wanting to
minimize in people's minds?
00:51:38.74\00:51:42.19
Yes, sin... and
therefore the need of a Savior.
00:51:42.69\00:51:45.73
Isn't that right?
He's aiming right at Jesus
00:51:45.93\00:51:48.23
because listen: if I
don't think that I've sinned
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why do I think I
need to go to Jesus?
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"I'm doing pretty well
myself thank you very much.
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I live a good life. "
And you hear people say this.
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"Don't talk to me
about going to church.
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I pay 100 cents on the dollar.
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I don't do my
neighbor any bad turns
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and I live as good a
life as anyone else. "
00:52:06.38\00:52:08.38
You ever heard
people talk like that?
00:52:08.48\00:52:09.61
Hear it all the time. And
you know that when a person
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talks like that they are
a long way away from Jesus
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because when you're a
long way away from Jesus
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you talk about you're...
yes, you feel you're doing well.
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It's only when we
get close to Jesus
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that we
recognize our sinfulness.
00:52:24.63\00:52:28.04
And that's why Satan
is trying to minimize
00:52:29.20\00:52:32.33
the commandments
in people's minds.
00:52:32.54\00:52:34.82
Because if they have no
great acute sense of what sin is
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they haven't got an acute
sense of their need of Jesus.
00:52:39.35\00:52:42.41
And that's the central issue.
00:52:43.66\00:52:45.18
And the purpose of
the law is not to save us.
00:52:45.48\00:52:48.91
We're not saved
by keeping the law.
00:52:49.01\00:52:50.25
God forbid that
anyone would ever think that.
00:52:50.45\00:52:52.53
The purpose of the law
is to drive us to Jesus,
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and that's why I want to
uplift the Ten Commandments!
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Not as a means of our salvation
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but to drive us to Jesus.
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Because the more I look
into the mirror of the law
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as James says... When I go
to the bathroom in the morning
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and I look at the mirror...
The mirror... I don't wash
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my face in the mirror
but the mirror reveals
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how much I needed the soap.
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And that's why James
says the law is a mirror.
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Because the purpose of
the law is to reveal to me
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how much I need of Jesus.
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That's why the Bible
upholds the commandments
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and why it's so necessary.
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Let me just read
you I John chapter 5.
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This is a wonderful
little book: I John.
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Chapter 5 and verses 2 and 3.
Look at this where John writes:
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"For this is the
love of God" it says
00:53:53.10\00:53:56.94
"that we keep His commandments.
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And His commandments
are not burdensome. "
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When you love the Lord, the
commandments aren't a burden
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at all, John
says. And it's true.
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Let me illustrate.
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It's about 5 o'clock
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and the boss comes to
John. Says: "John, I've got to
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have this parcel taken
over the other side of the city
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and delivered to
one of our clients. "
00:54:19.49\00:54:20.99
"Oh, right on knock-off time. "
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Well... it's the
boss and it's the job.
00:54:24.28\00:54:27.60
So he goes around to
get the bus and realizes
00:54:27.91\00:54:33.42
that today
there is a bus strike.
00:54:33.62\00:54:35.96
"Bother" he says. Grab the bike.
00:54:36.17\00:54:38.64
So he goes round to the
back of the office - the shed
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there - for a few
things and a bike,
00:54:41.90\00:54:44.55
but the bike hasn't
been ridden for so long
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that the tires are all flat.
00:54:47.36\00:54:49.42
So he drags it out.
Goes round to the bike shop.
00:54:49.72\00:54:52.48
But by now it's about quarter
past five and the bike shop's
00:54:52.58\00:54:55.50
all shut up for the day
and the man's gone home.
00:54:55.60\00:54:58.11
Drag the jolly bike
back. Puts it back in the shed.
00:54:59.76\00:55:02.36
Realizes he'll have to
walk, and it's one of those hot
00:55:02.57\00:55:05.44
humid days.
00:55:05.64\00:55:06.96
And as he walks and walks over
to the other side of the city
00:55:07.16\00:55:10.15
he can feel the perspiration
running down the back of
00:55:10.25\00:55:12.07
his neck and he
thinks about that boss.
00:55:12.17\00:55:14.33
Thinks Herr Hitler is
an exciting comparison.
00:55:14.53\00:55:17.37
But finally he
delivers the parcel
00:55:18.78\00:55:21.42
and then he wanders home.
00:55:21.62\00:55:23.16
He gets home, and he's been
so tired now after the day's
00:55:23.46\00:55:27.28
work and all this long
walk that he just flops into the
00:55:27.38\00:55:29.90
easy chair and it's not
long before he's sound asleep.
00:55:30.00\00:55:32.74
And all of a sudden
the telephone rings.
00:55:34.01\00:55:36.47
Now I'm sure all of us have
been woken up by the telephone
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from a deep sleep and
for a moment you wonder
00:55:40.00\00:55:41.55
what's going on.
Then he suddenly realized
00:55:41.65\00:55:44.05
it was the
telephone. He picks it up.
00:55:44.25\00:55:45.66
Feels like lead he's so tired.
00:55:45.97\00:55:47.62
Puts it up to his ear.
00:55:47.92\00:55:49.34
It's his girlfriend.
00:55:49.54\00:55:52.13
"Come around to
tea? " "Sure, yes! "
00:55:53.56\00:55:56.37
"Yes, I know
there's a bus strike.
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Look, I'll jog around.
That'll be no problem at all. "
00:55:58.99\00:56:01.28
What's made the difference?
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Yes... a little
word spelled L-O-V-E.
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And I want to tell you friend,
if you and I are struggling
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with the commandments,
the problem is not with the
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commandments. Doing away
with the commandments is not
00:56:16.43\00:56:18.60
going to solve the problem.
00:56:18.70\00:56:20.12
If I'm struggling with
the commandments, what I need
00:56:20.43\00:56:23.65
is more of the love of Jesus
in my heart, isn't that right?
00:56:23.85\00:56:26.70
Because when the love of
Jesus comes into our hearts
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we naturally want to do
what God wants us to do.
00:56:30.44\00:56:33.39
It's not a burden.
00:56:33.80\00:56:35.49
It becomes a delight!
00:56:35.59\00:56:37.54
In fact, our highest delight
is to do what God wants us to do
00:56:38.04\00:56:44.02
when we are in love with Him.
00:56:44.22\00:56:46.34
And we can all understand
our relationship with love.
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Because when you really
love somebody you want to do
00:56:52.60\00:56:55.20
that which pleases that person.
00:56:55.40\00:56:57.51
It's not a burden at all.
00:56:57.81\00:56:59.06
Even washing the
fellow's socks is not a problem.
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Not when you love them, see?
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But if there's no love, it
becomes an absolute burden.
00:57:06.53\00:57:09.50
And that's why the
Bible is talking here about
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when we love Jesus
we'll keep His commandments.
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And I trust that God
will help us and we will sense
00:57:15.93\00:57:20.42
the wonderful relationship
between His commandments
00:57:20.62\00:57:23.51
which reveal to
us our need of Jesus
00:57:23.71\00:57:26.23
and it drives us to Jesus
to get to know Him better.
00:57:26.43\00:57:29.39
Let's just bow our
heads together in prayer.
00:57:29.70\00:57:31.47
Our wonderful Father in
heaven, I want to thank you
00:57:31.87\00:57:34.55
again for Jesus, and
I want to thank you for
00:57:34.65\00:57:37.12
Your commandments.
Not because we're saved by
00:57:37.32\00:57:40.35
keeping the commandments,
Lord, but the commandments
00:57:40.45\00:57:42.72
reveal to us how
much we need of Jesus.
00:57:42.93\00:57:45.47
They are like the mirror
that as we look at the mirror
00:57:46.70\00:57:49.94
it drives us to the
soap. And so the commandments
00:57:50.14\00:57:52.50
drive us to Jesus. And so
I pray that You will help us,
00:57:52.70\00:57:55.81
Lord, to understand
the relationship between
00:57:56.02\00:57:58.67
grace and law. That
You'll help us to understand
00:57:58.87\00:58:01.87
that Jesus has given
to us the commandments
00:58:02.07\00:58:04.14
because He loves us.
00:58:04.24\00:58:06.02
And so as we go home
again today please be with us
00:58:06.32\00:58:09.35
and bring us back as further
we study and look into these
00:58:09.45\00:58:12.40
wonderful wonderful truths.
00:58:12.50\00:58:14.11
For I pray for
Christ's sake, Amen.
00:58:14.21\00:58:16.95