The Bible tells us...
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is,
The Gospel of Galatians.
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Hello and welcome to the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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I'm Jill Morikone.
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And we're so glad
that you have tuned in
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and are taking time as
we open up the Word of God
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and share from our
hearts and from the Word of God.
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If you're just
joining us, we are studying,
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The Gospel in Galatians.
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This is the
quarterly put out by the
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Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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And you are welcome to
attend a local SDA church
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and they would be happy
to give you a quarterly,
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or you can go to the website.
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That stands for,
Adult Bible Study Guide.
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And we are on lesson
number seven, The Road to Faith.
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We're discussing Paul's
epistle to the Galatian church
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and the concept of
justification by faith
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that just runs like a
thread, you could say,
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through the entire book.
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I want to introduce
our panel here today.
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To my left is
Pastor Ronnie Shelton.
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And it's a joy to have you here.
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Thank you, Jill.
Appreciate the offer.
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And brother Johnny Dinzey.
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And we're so glad
that you're here too.
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Good to be
here. Praise the Lord.
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And Pastor C.A. Murray, welcome.
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You're quite welcome.
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It's a joy to have you.
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And Shelley Quinn.
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Oh it's always fun to be
with you all and to discuss
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these wonderful truths.
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Amen, it's just a joy
to open up the Word of God
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and to see what
His Word has for us.
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And I'm always blessed by
each member of this panel,
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because they
have a walk with God.
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And they share from
their own experience
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and from their
knowledge of the Word.
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So before we go any further,
let's go to the Lord in prayer.
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And Pastor Ronnie,
would you pray for us?
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Our heavenly Father,
Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit,
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again we thank You that
You have promised to be with us
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when we open the Word.
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And I pray that our
hearts and our minds
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can be drawn
closer to You today.
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Lord, help us to
get into the Word
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and discover the truths, the
treasures, that You have there
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for each of us.
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Bless again, and most of all
that You be worshiped above all.
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- In Christ's
name, amen. - Amen.
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My mom and I were
taking a cross-country trip.
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We left in my little
green car, this is before Greg
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and I got
married, Washington state
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and we drove all
the way to Virginia
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in just a couple of days.
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So it was a long journey.
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And I remember we
were kind of mid-country,
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I think we were in Nebraska.
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And we did not have GPS.
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I don't even think
we had cell phones.
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And so, there's none
of those gadgets that
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kind of help direct you.
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And we were on a
country road because we were
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going to go visit some friends.
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On the way we were spending
the night at their house.
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And so on this
country road it was pavement.
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And then it turned to
gravel, brother Johnny.
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And you would think the smart
thing would be to turn around.
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But we kept going.
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It turned from
gravel, it went to dirt.
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And you would think the
smart thing at that point
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would be to turn around.
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But we kept going.
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We were convinced
from looking at a map,
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but it's not that blown up,
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but we thought
this was the right way.
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And then from the dirt
road it turned into a field.
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And we actually
almost got stuck.
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It was a little muddy, and we
actually ended up in the field.
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We had to turn around
and we had to come back.
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I think many of us have
experienced that situation
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where maybe you
become disorientated
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or you become lost.
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But spiritually
that happens as well.
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Even after we accept Christ,
as Paul talked to the Galatians,
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they received Christ; they
were justified in the Spirit.
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But then we can
become disorientated.
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And we can all of a sudden
think it's all about works.
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It's all about
something that I have to do.
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And we kind of lose our
way or lose our road map.
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So that's why we're talking
today about the road to faith.
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Or you could say, the road
map that leads us to faith.
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There's two
viewpoints out there.
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You could say it's all gospel.
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We're not under the
law, but under grace.
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Or you could say
it's all about the law,
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or it's faith plus works.
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But really, the
two are inseparable.
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The law points us to Jesus.
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And then at the
foot of the cross
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we experience justification.
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We accept Jesus.
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He brings us
into right standing.
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And God enables us by
the power of His Spirit
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to transform us and
write His law on our hearts.
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So this week we're looking
at, The Law and the Promise.
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Galatians 3:21-25 is
really the verses that we'll be
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focusing on this week.
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Let's read our memory text.
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Galatians 3:22
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We'll say that together.
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"Scripture has
confined all under sin,
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that the promise by
faith in Jesus Christ might be
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given to those who believe."
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Sunday is, The
Law and the Promise.
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And let's read Galatians 3:21.
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Galatians 3:21, the Bible says,
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"Is the law then
against the promises of God?
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Certainly not!"
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I want to stop
there just a second.
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The New King James
says, "Certainly not!"
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I think King James
says, "God forbid."
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NIV says, "Absolutely not."
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If you look at it in the
Greek, "Never may it be."
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"May it be," would be, come
into being, to happen or become.
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So Paul is saying,
"Never may that take place."
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"Never may that happen."
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"Certainly not!
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For if there had been a
law given which could have
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given life, truly
righteousness would have been
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given by the law."
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Paul's opponents, the
lesson brought this out,
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that Paul's
opponents believed that the law
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somehow gave spiritual life.
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Can the law give life?
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- It cannot. - No, it cannot.
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That's right, Pastor Ronnie.
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I think of Leviticus 18:5.
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"You shall therefore keep
My statutes and My judgments,
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which if a man does, he shall
live by them: I am the LORD."
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So you might think, "Oh, if
I do these I would be okay."
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However, we forget Romans 3:23.
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"...all have sinned and fallen
short of the glory of God..."
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Therefore, no matter
what I try to do now,
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even though maybe we could
keep the letter of the law,
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it would not be, what we would
say, the spirit of the law.
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And we know that in our
past we would have all sinned,
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some point, and fallen
short of the glory of God.
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I think about Jesus and
the sermon on the mount.
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You know, the Jews kind of
prided themselves that they
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were keeping
the law pretty well.
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And if you look at
simply the letter of the law:
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"Thou shalt not
commit adultery."
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Okay, I'm faithful to my spouse.
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"Thou shalt not steal."
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I'm not going to steal
something of Shelley's.
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"Thou shalt not
bear false witness."
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Okay, I won't...
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But if you look beyond
that to the spirit of the law,
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there's no way that any of us
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could keep the
spirit of the law.
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The Bible says whoever
even looks at a woman with lust,
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or whoever...
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It goes so much deeper.
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If you even have hatred
for someone, or unforgiveness,
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it's the same as
committing murder.
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We know that the
law cannot give life.
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Only God and His
Spirit can make us alive.
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I want to look at just a
couple of scriptures about that.
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Let's look at John 5:21.
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John 5:21
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Looking at God and His
Spirit can make us alive.
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Do you have that
Shelley? You want to read that?
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Certainly. John 5:21
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"For as the Father raises
the dead and gives life to them,
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even so the Son gives
life to whom He will."
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So who gives us
life, from that scripture?
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That's Jesus.
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Yes, absolutely.
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"The Father raises the
dead and gives life to them,
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the Son gives life
to whomever He will."
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There's another
verse I love; John 6.
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We're still in John.
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Just jump over a chapter here.
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John 6:63
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John 6:63
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"It is the
Spirit who gives life."
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Now here it's the Spirit.
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"The flesh profits nothing.
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The words that I speak
to you, they are spirit
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and they are life."
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Now the word in here in
the Greek, in the words,
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and you can correct me,
but it's the "rhema" word.
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The spoken word.
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"Rhema," would be a
specific word spoken by God
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with an applied purpose.
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It goes beyond me just saying,
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"I'm going to claim
a certain scripture."
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It is a confession of faith.
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A word of faith that declares,
"I am who God says I am."
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Not what I think, not what
Pastor Ronnie thinks about me,
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but who God says I am.
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You think about the
word, "in the beginning,"
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when Jesus, God
spoke and there was light.
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Spoke the world into existence.
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The same power is here
inherent in the Word of God.
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"The words I speak to you..."
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So the life; we're talking
about what makes us alive.
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The law cannot make us alive.
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Jesus can make us alive.
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We read that in John 5:21.
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The Spirit makes us alive.
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That's John 6:63.
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But also the Word.
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The Word makes us alive.
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Let's jump over
to another scripture.
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Romans 4:17
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Romans 4:17
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Now this is
talking about Abraham
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and the faith of Abraham.
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Then he says, Abraham,
"...in the presence of Him
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whom he believed,"
meaning Abraham believed,
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"God, who gives life to
the dead and calls those things
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which do not exist as
though they already did..."
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"...calls those
things that do not exist..."
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So when I speak the
Word of God over my life,
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it's calling those
things that do not exist.
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2 Corinthians 5, you think
about, "If anyone is in Christ,
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he is a new creation.
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Old things have passed; behold,
all things have become new."
00:11:04.43\00:11:07.50
Now I can say, Pastor Ronnie,
"Well, I don't know about that.
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And I don't feel
like a new creation.
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And I don't think
I'm very new today.
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And I feel
disconnected from God."
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The Word of God says,
"If anyone is in Christ,
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He is a new creation."
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I can claim that
word over my life.
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You're saying we
can't go by our feelings?
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Yes, that's what I'm saying.
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Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...
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That's right, we can't go by our
feelings because our feelings
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will always cast us down.
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That's right.
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Seldom does your
feelings cause you to rise.
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Most of the time
it's, "You are unworthy.
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You're a sinner.
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How do you have the
audacity to claim anything?"
00:11:43.77\00:11:46.57
- Amen. - That's right.
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Even in those times when
the feelings are telling you
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you're pretty good,
don't go by that either.
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Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...
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So we go by the Word of
God and not by what I feel.
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Amen, whether I wake up in
the morning and you feel like,
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"Oh it's a rainy
day, and I've prayed,
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and I don't feel
real connected to God.
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So today must
not be a good day."
00:12:02.22\00:12:03.69
No, we don't go by how we feel.
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We go by what
the Word of God says.
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And the Word of
God gives us life.
00:12:08.59\00:12:10.56
Jesus gives us life. The
Holy Spirit gives us life.
00:12:10.59\00:12:14.10
So if the law cannot
save us, and the law cannot
00:12:14.60\00:12:18.70
give us life, what benefit
do you think the law has for us?
00:12:19.13\00:12:24.21
It can't save us, and
it can't give us life,
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but what benefit
does the law have?
00:12:28.18\00:12:29.94
When you say, the
law, you're talking
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about the Ten Commandments?
00:12:31.38\00:12:32.71
Yes, the moral law.
00:12:32.75\00:12:34.08
Well, the moral law
helps us to understand sin.
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Sin in our life.
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It reflects the character
of God so that we know,
00:12:39.59\00:12:44.53
you know, who God is
and understand His holiness.
00:12:45.96\00:12:49.50
But it also points us
to our need for a Savior.
00:12:49.73\00:12:52.97
- Amen. - Amen.
00:12:53.00\00:12:54.34
You know what else it can do?
00:12:54.40\00:12:55.74
It cannot give you life,
00:12:55.77\00:12:57.14
but it can protect
the life that you have.
00:12:57.17\00:12:58.97
- That's good. - Good.
00:12:59.01\00:13:00.41
Just think, if everyone
in the world were faithful
00:13:00.44\00:13:03.81
to the seventh commandment,
would we have an aids epidemic?
00:13:03.85\00:13:08.02
If everyone was
faithful to their spouse,
00:13:08.42\00:13:11.19
they did not
commit pre-marital sex,
00:13:11.22\00:13:13.49
or extra marital
sex, or homosexual sex,
00:13:13.52\00:13:17.09
or sex with animals, or
whatever else perversion we can.
00:13:17.36\00:13:20.80
If we all just did
what the commandment says,
00:13:20.83\00:13:23.23
a lot of pain, a lot of
death, and a lot of sorrow
00:13:23.67\00:13:26.10
could be
alleviated, would never exist.
00:13:26.20\00:13:28.10
So it does protect
the life that we have.
00:13:28.14\00:13:30.41
Amen, absolutely.
00:13:30.61\00:13:32.01
Pastor Ronnie, you
have, "Kept Under the Law."
00:13:32.57\00:13:35.14
I do.
00:13:35.51\00:13:36.85
"Kept Under the Law,"
under Monday's portion.
00:13:36.88\00:13:39.15
And we're looking
at Galatians 3:23.
00:13:39.98\00:13:43.62
We talked about that somewhat.
00:13:43.65\00:13:45.39
Let's look at
that, Galatians 3:23.
00:13:46.15\00:13:48.46
And there it says,
"For all have sinned
00:13:49.19\00:13:51.49
and fall short of
the glory of God."
00:13:52.43\00:13:54.10
Are you in Romans 3:23?
00:13:54.13\00:13:55.66
I am. What am I
doing over there in Romans?
00:13:55.70\00:13:57.50
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...
00:13:57.53\00:13:59.03
- You did that
earlier. - I did that before.
00:13:59.07\00:14:00.84
That's contagious.
00:14:00.87\00:14:02.27
Let me look over here again.
00:14:02.30\00:14:03.64
Three and twenty three.
00:14:03.67\00:14:05.01
I even had the
bookmark in the right place.
00:14:05.04\00:14:06.78
And there it says,
00:14:07.94\00:14:09.28
"But the Scripture has
confined all under sin,
00:14:10.48\00:14:16.28
that the promise by
faith in Jesus Christ might be
00:14:16.65\00:14:20.42
given to those who believe."
00:14:20.46\00:14:22.69
That's verse 22. He's
reading Galatians 3:22.
00:14:22.72\00:14:25.86
And then 23, "But
before faith came, we were kept
00:14:26.26\00:14:30.60
under guard by the
law, kept for the faith
00:14:30.63\00:14:34.50
which would
afterward be revealed."
00:14:34.57\00:14:37.41
And so Paul writes
that before faith came,
00:14:38.07\00:14:40.68
that we were kept under the law.
00:14:40.91\00:14:43.35
And you notice by,
"we," Paul is referring to the
00:14:44.28\00:14:47.35
Jewish believers in
the Galatian churches.
00:14:47.38\00:14:51.72
By, "we," he's including
himself when he says, "we."
00:14:51.82\00:14:54.59
And then they are the
ones acquainted with the law,
00:14:55.79\00:14:59.53
and Paul has been
speaking to them in particular
00:14:59.56\00:15:02.13
since Galatians 2:15.
00:15:02.16\00:15:04.03
You remember what
happened before Galatians 2:15?
00:15:04.07\00:15:07.20
He talks about
the Jerusalem Council,
00:15:08.37\00:15:09.97
the first part of Galatians 2.
00:15:10.01\00:15:11.34
Yeah, there he was talking
about, this is where he went
00:15:11.37\00:15:13.84
face to face with Peter.
00:15:13.88\00:15:15.74
Remember and he said, "You were
associating with the Gentiles
00:15:15.78\00:15:21.38
until the brethren
came down from Judea."
00:15:21.45\00:15:24.09
Or from Jerusalem, rather.
00:15:24.62\00:15:25.95
And he said, "Now you aren't."
00:15:26.19\00:15:27.52
So they had a face to
face confrontation there.
00:15:27.56\00:15:29.96
And so this can be
seen in the contrast then;
00:15:30.39\00:15:33.50
the, "we," in Galatians 3:23 and
the, "you," in Galatians 3:26.
00:15:33.53\00:15:40.00
Galatians 3:23 reads,
"Before faith came..."
00:15:40.04\00:15:44.14
But in the literal Greek, it
read, "Before the faith came..."
00:15:44.81\00:15:49.14
Because Paul then is
contrasting the place of
00:15:49.41\00:15:53.25
the law before and after Christ.
00:15:53.28\00:15:55.62
So he said that's
two different things.
00:15:55.65\00:15:57.89
The law says one
thing before Christ,
00:15:58.19\00:16:00.89
but after Christ now it's saying
something a little different.
00:16:00.92\00:16:04.76
So, "the faith," is more likely
a reference to Jesus Himself
00:16:04.79\00:16:08.60
and not a reference to
Christian faith in general.
00:16:08.63\00:16:12.10
Now Paul says that we
are kept under the law
00:16:12.83\00:16:15.27
before the coming of Christ.
00:16:15.30\00:16:16.87
What does it mean
to be under the law?
00:16:17.74\00:16:19.77
As Adventists we've
been told that a lot;
00:16:21.28\00:16:23.71
"Oh you people
live under the law."
00:16:23.75\00:16:25.25
What does it mean
to be under the law?
00:16:25.28\00:16:26.85
Don't you think it's under
the condemnation of the law?
00:16:28.42\00:16:30.59
- Precisely - Okay.
00:16:30.62\00:16:32.05
Were you going to
add to that, C.A.?
00:16:34.26\00:16:35.59
No, that's precisely
what I was going to say.
00:16:35.62\00:16:38.43
The reference that is give there
is, compare Galatians 3:22-23,
00:16:38.96\00:16:42.46
which we just read,
with Romans 6:14-15.
00:16:42.50\00:16:45.67
So let's look at Romans 6:14-15.
00:16:45.70\00:16:47.80
Romans 6:14-15
00:16:55.04\00:16:57.58
"For sin shall not
have dominion over you:
00:16:57.71\00:17:01.05
for ye are not under
the law, but under grace.
00:17:01.35\00:17:04.39
What then? Shall we
sin, because we are not
00:17:04.42\00:17:07.06
under the law, but under grace?
00:17:07.09\00:17:09.22
God forbid."
00:17:09.26\00:17:10.59
Yeah, certainly not. God forbid.
00:17:10.63\00:17:11.96
Paul uses the
phrase, "under the law,"
00:17:12.03\00:17:14.23
twelve times in his letters.
00:17:14.36\00:17:16.46
Depending on its
context, we have a couple of
00:17:16.97\00:17:20.07
different connotations.
00:17:20.10\00:17:21.74
And the first one it talks
about in our lesson studies
00:17:22.57\00:17:25.21
is, "under the law," as an
alternative way of salvation.
00:17:25.27\00:17:28.54
This is the way the
Jewish nation was looking at it.
00:17:29.01\00:17:32.15
I told you the story in
another lesson study about
00:17:33.05\00:17:36.32
the Jewish lady radio syndicated
person, Laura Schlessinger.
00:17:36.45\00:17:42.96
And she wrote a book
called, The Ten Commandments.
00:17:43.36\00:17:45.39
And she said, in the Christian
view she said we are saved,
00:17:45.43\00:17:50.53
"You say that you are
saved by the merits of Christ.
00:17:50.73\00:17:53.94
That He gave His life for you."
00:17:54.37\00:17:56.30
And she said that's the
way Christians look at it.
00:17:56.34\00:17:58.97
She said, "But me, as a Jew,
I look at it as if we are saved
00:17:59.01\00:18:02.98
by our merits."
00:18:03.01\00:18:04.45
In other words, by the
keeping of the law still.
00:18:05.35\00:18:08.08
And you know, I think the
Jewish nation still does that,
00:18:09.05\00:18:11.35
because they still
have not accepted Christ.
00:18:11.39\00:18:13.62
They still are
looking for their Messiah.
00:18:13.69\00:18:15.66
And so they are not going to
be saved by the merits of Christ
00:18:16.56\00:18:21.23
because they
don't recognize Christ.
00:18:21.26\00:18:23.26
What's sad about that is,
if you do not have Christ,
00:18:23.30\00:18:26.03
the only way to get
right is to work your way.
00:18:26.13\00:18:28.37
And it's impossible.
00:18:29.27\00:18:31.34
So you're climbing a
wall that you can never scale.
00:18:31.54\00:18:34.71
Because your
ability, you cannot do it.
00:18:34.91\00:18:38.38
You cannot do it consistently,
you cannot do it thoroughly,
00:18:38.41\00:18:40.78
you cannot do it from the heart.
00:18:40.82\00:18:42.18
And you cannot meet
the demands of the law
00:18:42.22\00:18:43.85
because you are
not a holy person.
00:18:43.89\00:18:45.65
So you're kind of working
against the wind, basically.
00:18:46.79\00:18:52.23
You know, and some have said,
brother, that when Jesus came
00:18:52.56\00:18:56.00
He did away with the law.
00:18:56.03\00:18:57.50
But did Jesus do
away with the law?
00:18:57.97\00:18:59.67
In reality, He did more...
00:19:00.34\00:19:03.10
In reality He required
more from the law keeping
00:19:03.71\00:19:08.01
than the commandments did.
00:19:08.04\00:19:09.91
In other words, you
referred to it about,
00:19:10.15\00:19:12.31
"Thou shalt not
commit adultery."
00:19:12.35\00:19:13.85
Jesus said, "Don't
even think about it."
00:19:13.88\00:19:16.15
So He made the law
even a bigger issue
00:19:16.62\00:19:18.95
about being obedient
to that part of the law.
00:19:18.99\00:19:21.59
The moral law.
00:19:21.99\00:19:23.32
So Jesus didn't
wipe out anything.
00:19:23.36\00:19:25.36
He said, "Don't think I came
to destroy the law and prophets.
00:19:25.39\00:19:28.00
I didn't come to destroy
them but to fulfill them."
00:19:28.10\00:19:30.40
And some people will still say,
00:19:30.43\00:19:31.77
"See, there He
did away with it."
00:19:31.80\00:19:33.30
But He said He fulfilled it.
00:19:33.57\00:19:35.34
And we look at that, well what
is it then that Jesus fulfilled?
00:19:35.70\00:19:39.27
Somebody give me that.
00:19:39.64\00:19:40.98
What is it that Jesus fulfilled?
00:19:41.01\00:19:42.34
He said, "I didn't come
to destroy but to fulfill."
00:19:42.38\00:19:44.58
The word, "fulfill," is
to fill it to its fullest.
00:19:44.65\00:19:47.38
So as you just said,
when it comes to the letter
00:19:47.42\00:19:50.52
of the law, He added.
00:19:50.55\00:19:51.99
Because to
Jesus, lust was the sin,
00:19:52.02\00:19:56.09
adultery was the
fruit of the sin.
00:19:56.12\00:19:58.13
Hatred was the sin,
murder was the fruit of the sin.
00:19:58.16\00:20:01.60
But He also fulfilled
all of the ceremonial laws,
00:20:01.66\00:20:07.67
everything that had to do
with the sacrificial system,
00:20:07.70\00:20:10.44
which pointed to Him.
00:20:10.47\00:20:11.81
So in all ways when He
fulfilled that, it came to an...
00:20:11.97\00:20:16.41
He fulfilled it and it was over,
because it only pointed to Him.
00:20:16.61\00:20:20.92
But in the Ten Commandments,
He filled it to its fullest.
00:20:20.95\00:20:24.42
And it's eternal.
00:20:24.65\00:20:25.99
It also means, to
meet the requirements of.
00:20:27.52\00:20:29.96
Without the shedding of blood,
there is no remission of sin.
00:20:29.99\00:20:33.16
Someone had to
meet that requirement.
00:20:33.19\00:20:34.86
It's like all of us have gone
to school and gotten a degree.
00:20:34.93\00:20:37.23
Somewhere on your degree
it says, "Because you have
00:20:37.27\00:20:38.83
fulfilled the requirements
of...," yada, yada, yada,
00:20:38.87\00:20:41.50
"...we give you this degree."
00:20:41.57\00:20:42.90
Now it doesn't mean that
those requirements are gone.
00:20:42.94\00:20:46.24
The next person that
wants to get that degree
00:20:46.27\00:20:47.94
has got to fulfill
those requirements too.
00:20:48.01\00:20:49.71
But for us, Christ
has fulfilled them.
00:20:49.98\00:20:52.65
So now they are done.
00:20:52.68\00:20:54.02
And that's what the
book of Hebrews says.
00:20:54.05\00:20:55.38
The old system, you had priests
who would come and live and die,
00:20:55.92\00:20:58.45
and then
someone else would come.
00:20:58.52\00:20:59.85
But Christ did
it once and for all.
00:20:59.89\00:21:01.29
He fulfilled the requirements,
so now they are fulfilled,
00:21:01.32\00:21:03.53
and they have been
lived out in His life.
00:21:03.56\00:21:05.39
If you'll give me that thought.
00:21:05.43\00:21:06.76
That's was exactly
what I was going to say,
00:21:06.80\00:21:08.23
is what Pastor C.A. said.
00:21:08.26\00:21:09.60
Not only the sacrificial system
pointed forward to Christ,
00:21:09.63\00:21:12.23
and He fulfilled that,
but He also fulfilled the law.
00:21:12.33\00:21:16.17
You know, "Without
the shedding of blood,
00:21:16.20\00:21:17.54
there is no remission of sin."
00:21:17.57\00:21:18.91
And He lived a perfect life,
died as the perfect sacrifice,
00:21:18.94\00:21:22.34
for you and for me.
00:21:22.38\00:21:23.71
You know, and I can add to
that too, that when He says
00:21:23.75\00:21:25.85
He came to fulfill
the law and the prophets,
00:21:25.88\00:21:28.68
we can go back and look
into the book of Isaiah and
00:21:28.75\00:21:31.65
other places where it predicted
the Messiah would come.
00:21:31.72\00:21:34.92
And He said, "I fulfilled that.
00:21:35.59\00:21:37.23
I came."
00:21:37.36\00:21:38.69
And the book of Isaiah
told how He would be born,
00:21:38.76\00:21:41.43
and how He would
suffer, and how He would die.
00:21:41.50\00:21:43.97
And the prophets foretold
this, and that, and the other
00:21:44.17\00:21:46.80
about Him, He said, "I
fulfilled all of those things."
00:21:46.84\00:21:49.50
Could I just add one scripture?
00:21:49.70\00:21:51.14
You were in Romans,
what was it, Romans 6:14-15
00:21:51.21\00:21:57.18
about not being under
law but being under grace.
00:21:57.21\00:21:59.85
And then, he's basically saying,
"No one can serve two masters."
00:22:00.18\00:22:04.49
You can't serve the
law and serve grace.
00:22:04.52\00:22:06.55
But look at verse 16, because
we have a choice of masters.
00:22:06.59\00:22:09.96
Here he says, you're
not under the law, but,
00:22:10.16\00:22:11.86
"Do you not know that to
whom you present yourselves
00:22:11.89\00:22:15.73
slaves to obey, you are
that one's slaves whom you obey,
00:22:15.76\00:22:19.80
whether of sin leading to death,
00:22:19.83\00:22:22.77
or of obedience
leading to righteousness?"
00:22:22.87\00:22:27.21
I just think that is...
00:22:27.54\00:22:28.91
We know that righteousness
by faith is the only kind of
00:22:28.94\00:22:33.11
righteousness there is.
00:22:33.15\00:22:34.92
But when Christ's
righteousness is working in us,
00:22:34.95\00:22:37.85
there is going to be
that we're going to follow
00:22:37.89\00:22:40.72
that path of obedience.
00:22:40.76\00:22:42.16
So we talked about the
first part of, "under the law,"
00:22:42.19\00:22:44.96
the first as an
alternative way of salvation.
00:22:45.03\00:22:50.17
And we've just
said that's impossible.
00:22:50.37\00:22:52.03
If I could live perfect from
this moment on, which I can't,
00:22:52.73\00:22:56.40
if I could, I
would still be lost.
00:22:56.44\00:22:58.61
Because my past is
full of sin, you see.
00:22:58.94\00:23:02.08
And if I have to
pay for my own sin...
00:23:02.41\00:23:05.65
And I always ask this
to people, "Do you think
00:23:05.68\00:23:07.32
you can pay for your own sin?"
00:23:07.35\00:23:08.72
And I'll get mixed...
00:23:09.15\00:23:10.89
And I'll say, "Yeah, you can."
00:23:12.39\00:23:13.72
And millions will
pay for their sins.
00:23:13.76\00:23:16.16
But I don't want to.
00:23:16.19\00:23:17.53
And explain that, what happens
when you pay for your sin?
00:23:17.89\00:23:21.66
It's the eternal second death.
00:23:21.70\00:23:23.70
That's it, that's it.
00:23:23.73\00:23:25.07
And millions and millions of
people will pay for their sins.
00:23:25.13\00:23:27.77
But not and live.
00:23:27.80\00:23:29.14
Yeah, that's right.
00:23:29.17\00:23:30.51
Because you pay for
your sin, and it's over.
00:23:30.67\00:23:34.18
And so the second
thing we look at then about,
00:23:34.28\00:23:37.25
"under the law," in
the sense of being under
00:23:39.81\00:23:42.52
its condemnation.
00:23:42.55\00:23:44.12
We are under the law,
the condemnation of the law.
00:23:44.15\00:23:47.22
Because the law cannot atone
for sin, the violations of it
00:23:48.66\00:23:53.16
demands ultimately
results in condemnation.
00:23:53.19\00:23:57.87
This is the
condition of all human beings.
00:23:58.30\00:24:01.60
We always talk driving down.
00:24:05.71\00:24:08.58
We're all tempted at times to
go faster than the law allows.
00:24:08.64\00:24:12.61
You know, we're
in a big hurry, C.A.
00:24:13.21\00:24:15.08
"I've got to get to
the airport because the
00:24:15.12\00:24:17.02
plane won't wait on me."
00:24:17.05\00:24:18.39
You know?
00:24:18.45\00:24:19.79
"I've got to get there."
00:24:19.82\00:24:21.16
The next thing you know
the speed limit says, "70,"
00:24:21.19\00:24:22.59
and I'm doing 80
or 85, or something.
00:24:22.62\00:24:25.53
And when the policeman
pulls me over, what can I say?
00:24:26.26\00:24:29.76
I'm guilty.
00:24:29.80\00:24:31.13
I'm caught. The
radar has got me, you know.
00:24:31.17\00:24:33.47
I'm guilty.
00:24:33.50\00:24:34.87
And he says, "You know,
there's a penalty for this."
00:24:34.90\00:24:37.17
And Jesus looks at
our lives and He says,
00:24:38.94\00:24:40.88
"There's a penalty
for what you've done.
00:24:40.91\00:24:42.74
But if you will surrender to Me,
I'm going to pay your penalty."
00:24:43.08\00:24:48.28
And so when my name comes
up in the courts of heaven,
00:24:49.18\00:24:51.62
He stands by me and He says,
00:24:51.65\00:24:53.62
"I'm going to pay
the penalty for him.
00:24:53.66\00:24:55.49
Because He's one of My own."
00:24:55.79\00:24:57.23
And so we're
talking about being under,
00:24:57.86\00:25:00.43
you know, being under
the condemnation of the law.
00:25:00.96\00:25:04.30
Johnny, help me with that.
00:25:04.80\00:25:06.13
Well thank you very much.
00:25:07.97\00:25:09.30
You know, as you were
talking, and you said that
00:25:09.57\00:25:14.41
you mentioned the
punishment for somebody breaking
00:25:15.41\00:25:19.18
the speed limit.
00:25:19.21\00:25:20.55
And we've mentioned this before,
00:25:21.65\00:25:22.98
but it's good to
bring it out again.
00:25:23.02\00:25:24.35
Maybe somebody is listening
that has not heard it before.
00:25:24.39\00:25:27.16
When Jesus saves you
from the punishment of sins,
00:25:28.49\00:25:33.36
it doesn't then
give you license to say,
00:25:33.56\00:25:36.30
"Well, He's forgiven
me. I can go ahead and..."
00:25:36.90\00:25:39.47
I don't have to obey
the speed limit no more.
00:25:39.50\00:25:41.40
I've been forgive, you know.
00:25:41.44\00:25:42.77
So it doesn't do that.
00:25:42.87\00:25:44.61
It's wonderful when
you look at 2 Corinthians,
00:25:45.21\00:25:49.81
I think it's 2 Corinthians 5:21.
00:25:49.84\00:25:53.78
"For He hath made
Him to be sin for us,
00:25:54.62\00:25:58.59
who knew no sin, that we
might be made the righteousness
00:26:00.32\00:26:04.29
of God in Him."
00:26:04.66\00:26:05.99
So it's not only that
God wants to forgive us,
00:26:06.59\00:26:09.10
and I'll say that
again, and again, and again,
00:26:09.13\00:26:11.17
it's not only that
God wants to forgive us,
00:26:12.77\00:26:15.04
He wants to change us so
that we don't do it again.
00:26:15.07\00:26:18.51
Because what really
are the Ten Commandments?
00:26:18.54\00:26:21.41
They're protecting us
from hurting ourselves
00:26:21.71\00:26:24.35
and they're protecting
us from hurting others.
00:26:24.38\00:26:26.48
So they are to our benefit.
00:26:27.12\00:26:30.15
So if they are protecting
us and protecting others,
00:26:30.92\00:26:33.96
then they are
good, they are good.
00:26:34.26\00:26:36.42
I remember one
time I was in a country.
00:26:36.69\00:26:39.03
For some reason my mind
says, "Don't mention it."
00:26:39.39\00:26:42.90
But it could
happen here in the U.S.
00:26:43.97\00:26:46.07
And I had to rent an
apartment at that place.
00:26:46.10\00:26:49.34
And there the home had a
little gate that if somebody
00:26:49.37\00:26:57.81
really wanted, they
could jump over that gate.
00:26:57.85\00:26:59.51
But there was a gate to
keep people out of there.
00:26:59.55\00:27:02.25
Maybe dogs or other
creatures, whatever.
00:27:02.28\00:27:04.22
But then I was given a
key to open another gate
00:27:04.75\00:27:08.99
which was taller, and you
really couldn't get through that
00:27:09.06\00:27:11.13
unless you
really, really wanted to.
00:27:11.16\00:27:13.19
And so now I go to the
door and there's a lock
00:27:13.86\00:27:17.97
to get into the door.
00:27:18.47\00:27:19.93
But wouldn't you know
it, I had to close the door
00:27:20.60\00:27:23.67
but then there's
another iron gate inside.
00:27:23.71\00:27:26.37
The first day I
did this, I said...
00:27:27.61\00:27:30.11
And I looked at the
windows and they had bars also.
00:27:30.58\00:27:33.21
I said, "I'm in jail in here."
00:27:33.65\00:27:35.28
And so I could look at it
that way, but at the same time
00:27:36.85\00:27:40.72
I could say, "I am safe here.
00:27:40.76\00:27:42.96
Because really, who is
going to be able to get in here.
00:27:42.99\00:27:46.46
It has to be somebody that
really, really is desperate
00:27:46.83\00:27:49.50
to get in to where I am."
00:27:49.53\00:27:50.87
So I was somewhat safe.
00:27:50.90\00:27:52.30
Looking at this in
Tuesday's portion, it says,
00:27:52.97\00:27:56.71
The Law as Our "Guard".
00:27:56.97\00:27:59.14
The Law as Our "Guard".
00:27:59.67\00:28:01.11
So Paul gives us two
basic conclusions about the law.
00:28:01.14\00:28:03.35
One, the law does not
nullify or abolish God's promise
00:28:03.38\00:28:07.25
to Abraham, which is
found in Galatians 3:15-20.
00:28:07.28\00:28:10.92
And number two, the law is
not opposed to the promise,
00:28:11.02\00:28:14.02
which is Galatians 3:21-22.
00:28:14.06\00:28:16.73
So we have to ask ourselves,
what role does the law
00:28:17.79\00:28:21.00
actually play then?
00:28:21.03\00:28:22.63
What benefit?
00:28:23.23\00:28:24.57
We already
mentioned some benefit.
00:28:24.60\00:28:26.03
It protects us
and protects others.
00:28:26.07\00:28:27.84
And you mentioned about the
law that protects the people.
00:28:28.20\00:28:32.57
Imagine if it says,
"Thou should not steal,"
00:28:32.64\00:28:34.78
and everyone obeyed that.
00:28:34.81\00:28:36.14
Wouldn't that be wonderful
that you could put your things
00:28:36.44\00:28:38.48
anywhere and you
know when you come back
00:28:38.51\00:28:40.48
it will be there?
00:28:40.52\00:28:41.85
And that you could
park your car anywhere
00:28:43.08\00:28:45.62
and not have to lock it up?
00:28:45.65\00:28:46.99
But people not only
have locks for their cars,
00:28:47.19\00:28:49.39
they have alarms.
00:28:49.42\00:28:51.43
And so we live in a society
where we are not guaranteed
00:28:52.46\00:28:56.73
that the other person is going
to obey the laws of the land
00:28:56.77\00:29:01.40
and the laws of the Lord.
00:29:01.80\00:29:03.47
And so we have to
consider these things.
00:29:04.04\00:29:06.61
And I am reminded one
time while I was in the army,
00:29:06.64\00:29:09.81
there was this young man
that was reading the Bible
00:29:09.84\00:29:13.11
for the very first time.
00:29:13.15\00:29:14.65
And interestingly
enough, the Lord said to me,
00:29:15.38\00:29:19.92
"Don't bother him."
00:29:20.22\00:29:21.56
Because I said, "Wow, first time
that he's reading the Bible.
00:29:22.69\00:29:25.76
I get to share with this
person the wonderful things."
00:29:25.79\00:29:29.20
And the Lord said,
"Don't bother him."
00:29:29.46\00:29:31.63
And I said,
"Okay Lord, I won't."
00:29:32.00\00:29:34.30
So as time went on, I
noticed that he would come to me
00:29:34.77\00:29:39.11
and tell me what
wonderful things he was
00:29:39.74\00:29:41.71
discovering in the Bible.
00:29:41.74\00:29:43.08
And when he got to
Moses, he said, "Is this the one
00:29:43.65\00:29:47.35
that died on the cross for us?"
00:29:47.38\00:29:48.95
This is how little he knew.
00:29:49.05\00:29:50.92
And then he got to
the Ten Commandments.
00:29:51.39\00:29:53.05
"Wow, I just read
the Ten Commandments.
00:29:53.09\00:29:56.36
They are wonderful."
00:29:56.56\00:29:58.33
And he said this...
00:29:58.53\00:29:59.86
Now he was in the
army at that point.
00:29:59.89\00:30:01.90
He says, "If in the
United States everyone kept
00:30:02.10\00:30:06.53
these Ten Commandments,
00:30:06.57\00:30:08.30
what a different
country this would be."
00:30:08.34\00:30:10.97
So he, reading
this for the first time,
00:30:11.44\00:30:14.61
his mind was open to the
beauty of the Ten Commandments
00:30:14.64\00:30:19.45
and how wonderful they are.
00:30:19.48\00:30:20.95
So when we think of
God's laws as our guard,
00:30:20.98\00:30:25.35
we can think that God
provided them for our benefit.
00:30:25.45\00:30:29.36
And as we mentioned
before, they are a transcript
00:30:29.42\00:30:32.19
of God's character.
00:30:32.23\00:30:34.20
So, I would like to bring some
things that are mentioned here
00:30:35.56\00:30:39.63
in Galatians 3:19-24.
00:30:39.67\00:30:42.47
In Galatians 19...
00:30:43.17\00:30:45.17
Chapter 3.
There's no chapter 19.
00:30:45.44\00:30:47.34
Galatians 3:19-24, it talks
about the Ten Commandments.
00:30:47.84\00:30:52.48
And I'm just going to look
at some of the verses here.
00:30:53.01\00:30:55.65
We already
talked much about 19-21.
00:30:56.85\00:30:59.92
But verse 22 says, "But
the scripture hath concluded
00:31:00.19\00:31:02.56
all under sin, that the
promise by faith of Jesus
00:31:02.59\00:31:06.36
might be given to
them that believe.
00:31:06.39\00:31:09.13
But before faith came,
we were kept under the law,
00:31:10.13\00:31:13.54
shut up unto the faith which
should afterwards be revealed."
00:31:13.57\00:31:18.31
Now notice this,
"...under the law, shut up
00:31:18.54\00:31:21.54
until the faith
afterwards be revealed.
00:31:21.58\00:31:24.45
Wherefore the law
was our schoolmaster..."
00:31:24.48\00:31:27.05
See, it's making a conclusion
00:31:27.08\00:31:30.92
based on what
was mentioned before.
00:31:30.95\00:31:32.32
"Wherefore the law was
our schoolmaster to bring us
00:31:32.35\00:31:35.19
to Christ, that we
might be justified by faith."
00:31:35.29\00:31:38.89
And that is something
we're going to talk about later
00:31:39.36\00:31:42.20
in another study, about
the law being our schoolmaster.
00:31:42.23\00:31:46.00
So here, the word
translated, "kept," in verse 23
00:31:46.30\00:31:49.24
literally means, to guard.
00:31:49.27\00:31:51.17
And it can be used
in a negative sense
00:31:52.31\00:31:54.21
as well as in a positive sense.
00:31:54.24\00:31:56.75
As I mentioned, the illustration
about being in a house
00:31:56.78\00:32:00.42
apparently protected, but
at the same time I felt like
00:32:01.78\00:32:04.59
I was in jail initially
until I analyzed it and said,
00:32:04.62\00:32:07.42
"I am safe in here."
00:32:07.46\00:32:08.79
And so we see that
Paul talks in a positive way
00:32:09.29\00:32:16.83
about the Ten Commandments.
00:32:16.93\00:32:18.37
He says that the law is good,
and just, and it's beautiful.
00:32:18.40\00:32:25.44
Let's look at a scripture that
is found in the Old Testament
00:32:25.84\00:32:30.58
here in Psalm 19.
00:32:31.05\00:32:35.52
Psalm 19
00:32:37.35\00:32:38.69
Wow, I just
thought of a scripture
00:32:38.72\00:32:40.06
I never put together with this.
00:32:40.09\00:32:41.42
We may have to read
that, it may fit very well.
00:32:41.46\00:32:45.09
Notice this.
00:32:45.46\00:32:46.86
I hope I have time.
00:32:48.30\00:32:49.63
Psalm 19:7-8, it
says the following,
00:32:49.66\00:32:54.34
"The law of the LORD is
perfect, converting the soul:
00:32:55.40\00:32:59.31
the testimony of the LORD is
sure, making wise the simple.
00:32:59.37\00:33:03.98
The statutes of the LORD
are right, rejoicing the heart:
00:33:04.01\00:33:07.22
the commandment of the LORD
is pure, enlightening the eyes."
00:33:07.25\00:33:10.42
So this psalmist
makes a declaration that the
00:33:10.45\00:33:13.52
law of the Lord is perfect.
00:33:13.56\00:33:15.76
I would like to ask for somebody
to read in 1 Corinthians 13,
00:33:16.29\00:33:20.66
maybe read the
last three verses.
00:33:20.70\00:33:22.00
Because I never put these
two together until this moment.
00:33:22.06\00:33:24.13
And it may be something
that we need to look at,
00:33:24.43\00:33:27.54
because I think there's...
00:33:27.57\00:33:29.10
What verse do you
want? 1 Corinthians 13?
00:33:29.20\00:33:30.77
1 Corinthians 13,
the last three verses.
00:33:30.81\00:33:33.74
"When I was a
child, I spoke as a child,
00:33:34.24\00:33:36.31
I understood as a
child, I thought as a child;
00:33:36.34\00:33:39.01
but when I became a man,
I put away childish things.
00:33:39.21\00:33:42.78
For now we see in a mirror,
dimly, but then face to face.
00:33:42.98\00:33:47.12
Now I know in part,
but then I shall know
00:33:47.16\00:33:49.26
just as I also am known.
00:33:49.32\00:33:51.26
And now abide faith,
hope, love, these three;
00:33:51.59\00:33:55.63
but the greatest
of these is love."
00:33:55.66\00:33:57.97
Amen.
00:33:58.00\00:33:59.33
It's not the
scripture that I thought it was.
00:33:59.40\00:34:01.14
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...
00:34:01.17\00:34:02.54
You're looking for the one
that parallels the same thing
00:34:02.57\00:34:05.67
from 19 and then
the New Testament?
00:34:05.71\00:34:07.28
Yes, because it says, "When that
which is perfect has come..."
00:34:07.48\00:34:10.41
I can find it in a moment.
00:34:10.45\00:34:11.78
"When that which is
perfect has come..."
00:34:11.85\00:34:13.28
So we see here that the
law of the Lord is perfect.
00:34:13.31\00:34:15.88
And if something is
perfect, I question...
00:34:15.92\00:34:18.12
Verse 10, "When that
which is perfect has come,
00:34:18.62\00:34:20.42
then that which is in
part will be done away."
00:34:20.46\00:34:22.26
- That's right. - Okay.
00:34:22.32\00:34:23.66
So, "When that
which is perfect is come,
00:34:23.69\00:34:26.76
then that which is
partial will be done away,"
00:34:26.80\00:34:28.86
then we can look at
that verse and understand
00:34:29.23\00:34:32.30
that the law of
the Lord is perfect,
00:34:32.33\00:34:33.94
talking about
the Ten Commandments,
00:34:33.97\00:34:35.30
it's not in part.
00:34:35.50\00:34:37.14
It cannot be done away
because it's perfect already.
00:34:37.44\00:34:40.04
That's the point I
wanted to make here.
00:34:40.44\00:34:42.54
And so we see that the
law of the Lord is perfect,
00:34:42.81\00:34:44.98
converting the soul,
created by a perfect God,
00:34:45.01\00:34:49.92
a transcript of His character.
00:34:50.19\00:34:52.22
And it helps us understand
that we are to love God
00:34:52.25\00:34:55.82
with all of our hearts, and
our fellow man as ourselves.
00:34:55.89\00:34:58.46
I think we have something
that doesn't need to be changed.
00:34:58.56\00:35:02.66
It's already perfect.
It cannot be improved upon.
00:35:02.70\00:35:04.87
- Amen. - Amen.
00:35:04.90\00:35:06.23
You cannot
improve upon perfection.
00:35:06.30\00:35:08.17
"The Law as Our Schoolmaster."
00:35:08.50\00:35:10.41
So we undertake now to
delve into the schoolmaster
00:35:10.44\00:35:14.24
aspect of the law.
00:35:14.28\00:35:15.61
I'm in Galatians 3,
reading verses 24-25.
00:35:16.21\00:35:20.45
"Therefore the law is
our tutor," I have in the
00:35:20.75\00:35:23.62
New King James,
"to bring us to Christ,
00:35:23.65\00:35:26.32
that we might be
justified by faith.
00:35:26.35\00:35:29.79
But after faith has come, we
are no longer under a tutor."
00:35:29.82\00:35:34.00
Now I want to read
something from Ellen White,
00:35:34.30\00:35:36.40
Selected
Messages, book 1, page 234.
00:35:36.43\00:35:39.80
"In this scripture,"
that is Galatians 3:24,
00:35:40.20\00:35:43.04
"the Holy Spirit
through the apostle is speaking
00:35:43.07\00:35:45.27
especially of the moral law.
00:35:45.31\00:35:47.58
The law reveals sin to us,
and causes us to feel our need
00:35:47.94\00:35:52.08
of Christ and to flee
unto Him for pardon and peace
00:35:52.15\00:35:57.15
by exercising
repentance toward God and faith
00:35:57.25\00:36:01.49
toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:36:01.52\00:36:04.46
The text that was read
in Romans 6 reminds me,
00:36:05.36\00:36:12.27
when we look at
the word, "under,"
00:36:12.47\00:36:14.57
"under," has been used
by many people to suggest
00:36:15.10\00:36:19.24
that being out from under
is saying that we no longer
00:36:19.61\00:36:23.41
have to keep.
00:36:23.45\00:36:24.78
But, "under," really
has to do with whatever
00:36:25.01\00:36:28.28
penalty, or
sanction, or encouragement
00:36:28.62\00:36:30.82
that particular part
of the law has to do.
00:36:31.02\00:36:34.19
That's why if you're under
grace, there are certain things
00:36:34.22\00:36:36.86
that come with
being under grace.
00:36:36.89\00:36:38.63
If you are under the
law, there are certain things
00:36:38.66\00:36:40.46
that come with
being under the law.
00:36:40.50\00:36:42.26
I'll tell you a quick story.
00:36:42.30\00:36:43.63
Years ago I was in
New York City pastoring
00:36:43.67\00:36:45.33
and I was late for prayer
meeting, Wednesday evening,
00:36:45.37\00:36:47.40
and I was flying
along the parkway,
00:36:47.44\00:36:49.14
and a police stopped me.
00:36:49.20\00:36:50.54
And I had on my
dashboard a little clergy sign.
00:36:50.77\00:36:54.78
And he said to me,
"Are you a real clergyman?"
00:36:55.04\00:36:58.21
I said, "Yes sir, I am."
00:36:58.71\00:37:00.18
New York City
policeman, he said, "Okay."
00:37:00.38\00:37:02.65
He said, "Slow down or
you're going to meet your Boss."
00:37:02.85\00:37:06.49
- Ha, ha, ha,
ha... - That's great.
00:37:06.52\00:37:08.99
He said, "And you make
take some others with you
00:37:09.06\00:37:11.49
who may not be so ready.
00:37:11.53\00:37:12.93
So slow down."
00:37:13.33\00:37:14.73
And I thought about that.
00:37:15.86\00:37:17.40
Because we have
established here that the law
00:37:17.43\00:37:20.17
protects us and protects others.
00:37:20.20\00:37:22.64
You know, it protects
us and protects others.
00:37:22.70\00:37:24.04
And he said that.
00:37:24.07\00:37:25.41
"You may be ready to meet
your Boss, but you may take
00:37:25.44\00:37:27.38
some other people with
you who are not so ready.
00:37:27.41\00:37:28.94
So slow down."
00:37:28.98\00:37:30.31
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...
00:37:30.81\00:37:32.41
I thought about that.
That was many years ago.
00:37:33.95\00:37:36.28
But this part of the lesson
looks at the schoolmaster.
00:37:37.12\00:37:41.09
And I knew about this
idea of the "paidagogos,"
00:37:41.12\00:37:45.49
or the teacher, or the tutor,
00:37:45.53\00:37:47.66
but I did not know
that it was a slave.
00:37:47.76\00:37:49.76
I thought it was an indentured
person or someone assigned
00:37:49.83\00:37:53.13
to take care of the children.
00:37:53.20\00:37:55.04
But we find here
that it is a slave.
00:37:55.07\00:37:57.31
And evidently the owner of the
home, or the lord of the home,
00:37:57.34\00:38:03.01
had great
confidence in this person.
00:38:03.08\00:38:06.21
Because he put this
person in the hands, gave them
00:38:06.35\00:38:10.62
charge over his children.
00:38:10.65\00:38:11.99
Not only to teach them,
but the lesson gives indication
00:38:12.45\00:38:16.22
that they took care
of the physical needs.
00:38:16.46\00:38:18.89
So it was almost like a nanny.
00:38:19.09\00:38:21.06
But it was a
nanny who was a slave.
00:38:21.76\00:38:23.53
They provided food.
00:38:24.13\00:38:25.57
They were also
allowed to punish.
00:38:26.20\00:38:28.70
Now of course that
goes back to the old days
00:38:28.74\00:38:30.61
when we went to
school; they punished.
00:38:30.64\00:38:32.54
Ha, ha, ha, ha...
00:38:32.57\00:38:34.31
You can't do that
anymore because they'll
00:38:34.34\00:38:36.21
call Child Protective Services.
00:38:36.24\00:38:37.68
But back in those
days you could punish.
00:38:37.71\00:38:40.18
So this tutor was responsible
really for every aspect
00:38:40.22\00:38:46.52
of the child rearing
process of those young people.
00:38:46.55\00:38:50.03
And he was turned over.
00:38:50.13\00:38:52.36
The idea that they
served a dominant position
00:38:54.66\00:38:58.57
in the life of that child.
00:38:58.60\00:38:59.93
They could
reward, they could punish.
00:39:00.04\00:39:01.37
They really had charge
of the disciplinary aspects
00:39:01.54\00:39:05.54
of that child's life.
00:39:05.57\00:39:06.91
Well, if we transport
that to the commandment of God,
00:39:06.94\00:39:11.25
the commandments of God really
keep us from a lot of suffering.
00:39:12.25\00:39:16.69
They keep us from a lot
of bad things happening.
00:39:16.75\00:39:19.12
And we've sort of,
we've touched on this.
00:39:19.15\00:39:21.32
If the commandments of God
were kept as best man could,
00:39:21.36\00:39:26.39
what a different
world we would have today.
00:39:27.13\00:39:29.90
It would be just a
far different experience
00:39:31.73\00:39:34.04
than we now find ourselves in.
00:39:34.24\00:39:36.64
So now we come to
Christ and we are no longer
00:39:37.94\00:39:42.48
under the condemnation, as
you well said, Pastor Ronnie,
00:39:42.51\00:39:46.68
of the law.
00:39:46.72\00:39:48.88
"There is now, therefore,
no condemnation," Romans 8:1,
00:39:49.15\00:39:53.02
"to those who
are in Christ Jesus."
00:39:53.09\00:39:55.76
We are out from
under the negative aspects
00:39:55.96\00:39:58.76
of the law.
00:39:58.79\00:40:00.13
So the law becomes to us,
for us, a very positive thing.
00:40:00.63\00:40:05.33
I have never looked
at the Ten Commandments
00:40:05.37\00:40:07.40
as negative aspects
of walking with Jesus.
00:40:07.64\00:40:11.81
You know, I don't
see them as restrictive,
00:40:12.11\00:40:15.01
I don't see them as
against me or negative.
00:40:15.48\00:40:18.75
They're something
that I willingly do.
00:40:18.78\00:40:21.05
Plus they're something
that I know if I do these things
00:40:21.08\00:40:23.72
my life will be better off.
00:40:23.75\00:40:25.39
You know, my
life will be happier.
00:40:25.99\00:40:27.56
I have a wife that
I love and care for.
00:40:27.96\00:40:29.86
I have no desire to
break the seventh commandment.
00:40:29.92\00:40:32.79
Why would I want to do that?
00:40:33.33\00:40:34.63
- And break her
heart. - And break her heart.
00:40:34.66\00:40:36.43
So doing these things,
keeping these commandments,
00:40:36.46\00:40:39.23
don't keep us from
anything that is good for us.
00:40:39.30\00:40:42.24
And point in fact,
they keep us from things
00:40:42.87\00:40:44.61
that are bad for us.
00:40:44.64\00:40:46.04
They are not only a transcript
of the character of God,
00:40:46.24\00:40:50.01
they become part of my
character when I accept them.
00:40:50.25\00:40:54.12
So being faithful
to Irma is not work.
00:40:54.15\00:40:57.55
It is not something that I
have to force myself to do.
00:40:57.82\00:41:00.42
It's something that I
want to do because we have an
00:41:00.46\00:41:02.46
existing love relationship.
00:41:02.49\00:41:03.99
And my love
relationship with the Lord
00:41:04.19\00:41:07.03
filters through all
of those commandments.
00:41:07.73\00:41:09.63
And that's why when Exodus
31 says that the Sabbath is
00:41:09.66\00:41:14.00
a sign of our sanctification,
it is the most visible...
00:41:14.04\00:41:17.81
Our sanctification by God.
00:41:19.24\00:41:20.58
But it is the most
visible of the signs.
00:41:20.61\00:41:22.51
But they all really are signs.
00:41:22.54\00:41:24.21
When I'm faithful to my wife,
00:41:24.38\00:41:25.88
that's a sign of
my sanctification.
00:41:26.08\00:41:27.98
When I don't
covet, when I don't lie,
00:41:28.02\00:41:30.65
when I don't cheat; those
are all emblems of the fact
00:41:30.69\00:41:33.12
that something is going
on between me and the Lord.
00:41:33.22\00:41:35.36
And the Sabbath is the
most visible of those signs.
00:41:36.02\00:41:39.16
But I'm not under the law,
00:41:39.29\00:41:40.93
I'm not under the
penalty of the law,
00:41:40.96\00:41:42.70
because I'm walking
within the confines of the law.
00:41:42.73\00:41:46.37
And God is
guarding me and keeping me.
00:41:46.70\00:41:49.27
And I think if we were to
think of that as a guardrail
00:41:49.34\00:41:54.58
along a cliff,
you're driving along a cliff
00:41:55.01\00:41:57.38
and there's a guardrail there,
that guardrail is keeping you
00:41:57.41\00:42:00.58
from doing something,
but it's something you
00:42:00.62\00:42:02.68
wouldn't want to do anyway.
00:42:02.72\00:42:04.29
I don't want to
go over that cliff.
00:42:04.32\00:42:05.65
That guardrail is my friend.
00:42:05.69\00:42:07.09
I love that guardrail.
00:42:07.12\00:42:08.46
- Thank you, Jesus. -
I love that guardrail.
00:42:08.49\00:42:10.39
Lord, please let
that guardrail continue.
00:42:10.43\00:42:12.96
And so that's the
mindset that we need to have.
00:42:13.63\00:42:16.30
The schoolmaster
says, "Come to the Lord."
00:42:16.53\00:42:20.14
And when you get
there, you get free.
00:42:20.24\00:42:23.04
You're not under
condemnation anymore.
00:42:23.07\00:42:25.91
You are free.
00:42:25.94\00:42:27.28
So you don't need the tutor
now because Christ is inside
00:42:27.31\00:42:30.55
and He's teaching me
from within, not from without.
00:42:30.58\00:42:33.95
Amen. Well said.
00:42:34.02\00:42:35.55
I would like to,
for Thursday's lesson,
00:42:36.52\00:42:39.49
"The Law and the
Believer," as Ellen White said,
00:42:39.52\00:42:42.16
this is in particular
speaking to the moral law,
00:42:42.19\00:42:45.66
but I want to
broaden this out just a bit.
00:42:45.76\00:42:47.60
Because in the entire
chapter of Galatians 3,
00:42:47.60\00:42:53.03
he tells us in verse 10, he's
speaking of the book of the law,
00:42:53.07\00:42:56.87
which is the old
covenant of what Moses wrote
00:42:56.91\00:43:01.44
by God's dictation.
00:43:01.88\00:43:03.51
He says that this was
something that was put into
00:43:03.61\00:43:07.42
process through a mediator.
00:43:07.62\00:43:09.32
So we know he's talking
about the book of the covenant,
00:43:09.35\00:43:12.52
which included
the ceremonial laws.
00:43:12.55\00:43:14.76
So my thought, Galatians 3:25,
when he's been talking about
00:43:14.79\00:43:20.03
we're no longer under
this tutor, I'm thinking
00:43:20.06\00:43:23.10
in a broader sense that the
whole entire Mosaic covenant
00:43:23.16\00:43:27.47
was the tutor.
00:43:27.70\00:43:29.04
And he says, "Therefore," in
verse 25, "after faith has come,
00:43:29.14\00:43:35.18
we're no longer under a tutor."
00:43:35.38\00:43:38.31
Now faith, here, is
the provision of faith
00:43:38.61\00:43:44.15
by salvation in
Christ Jesus as our Savior.
00:43:44.19\00:43:48.66
So this law, this whole
system that Moses wrote,
00:43:48.89\00:43:55.13
is no longer the "paidagogos"
that has to take us to school
00:43:55.36\00:43:58.90
safely every day.
00:43:58.93\00:44:00.34
Because what we have
is, the Author of the law
00:44:00.37\00:44:05.01
is now our school
teacher, is He not?
00:44:05.04\00:44:07.08
Jesus Christ.
00:44:07.11\00:44:08.44
And we've talked
about the Ten Commandments
00:44:08.58\00:44:10.88
revealed our sin.
00:44:10.91\00:44:13.62
The Ten Commandments reveals
our sin nature, I should say.
00:44:13.65\00:44:17.92
It reflects the
character of God.
00:44:18.22\00:44:21.06
And it points us to
the need for a Savior.
00:44:21.19\00:44:24.36
So that's how it was kind of
something that was so special.
00:44:24.39\00:44:28.90
It points us to the need.
00:44:28.93\00:44:30.30
But then when you
think of this ceremonial law,
00:44:30.40\00:44:33.23
it symbolized
everything about Jesus Christ.
00:44:33.30\00:44:37.44
And He fulfilled
everything that was typified.
00:44:37.47\00:44:42.71
But then the civil law, do
we still follow the civil law
00:44:43.01\00:44:46.95
of that old covenant?
00:44:46.98\00:44:49.05
No. It was very strict.
00:44:49.08\00:44:51.29
It was harsh, almost.
00:44:51.32\00:44:53.62
Because God was
working with a people
00:44:54.12\00:44:56.52
that could not
understand their own sin.
00:44:56.93\00:45:00.23
So what we have is the
moral law at the heart of
00:45:00.53\00:45:04.87
the old covenant, but it's the
foundation of God's covenant.
00:45:04.90\00:45:10.17
So it's inside the ark.
00:45:10.21\00:45:12.47
And we see in Hebrews 8:10
that the Ten Commandment law
00:45:12.51\00:45:18.31
is also the heart of the new.
00:45:18.35\00:45:20.18
He says, "'This is the covenant
that I will make with the
00:45:20.62\00:45:22.78
house of Israel after
those days,' says the LORD:
00:45:22.85\00:45:26.32
I will put My laws in their mind
and write them on their hearts;
00:45:26.72\00:45:32.16
I will be their God, and
they shall be My people.'"
00:45:32.19\00:45:35.43
So we don't obey the
commandments to be saved.
00:45:35.63\00:45:39.60
We've said this a million times.
00:45:39.67\00:45:41.47
But we obey because Christ's
nature is working in us.
00:45:41.90\00:45:48.61
It's imparted to us.
00:45:49.01\00:45:50.51
If this is the
transcript of God's character,
00:45:50.55\00:45:54.45
as we obey we begin to
reflect His character, right?
00:45:54.48\00:45:57.92
So what we look at, as you've
said, that moral law is like
00:45:58.49\00:46:03.46
a fence to keep us
protected to have happiness,
00:46:03.53\00:46:08.16
and our freedom
is found in Christ.
00:46:08.36\00:46:11.57
Because now we can go on
without any fear of condemnation
00:46:11.67\00:46:16.74
of our previous life.
00:46:16.77\00:46:18.11
Now our lesson
takes us to Romans 8:1-3,
00:46:18.27\00:46:21.61
but I want to jump back.
00:46:21.64\00:46:23.08
Somebody look up Romans...
00:46:23.11\00:46:24.81
Well no, let me just, let
me just, I'll give you a...
00:46:24.98\00:46:27.75
We don't have much
time, so I will give you
00:46:27.95\00:46:30.42
a succinct, hopefully
it will be succinct...
00:46:30.62\00:46:35.12
Ha, ha, ha, ha...
00:46:35.16\00:46:37.53
And I have to go
back to one thing.
00:46:37.56\00:46:39.83
Some people think that
Galatians 3:25, when he says
00:46:39.86\00:46:43.16
that, "After faith has come,
we're no longer under a tutor,"
00:46:43.60\00:46:47.07
they think that
dismisses the Ten Commandments.
00:46:47.10\00:46:49.00
But disobedience to
the moral law is what?
00:46:49.04\00:46:53.07
- Sin. - Sin.
00:46:53.74\00:46:55.11
That's what 1 John 3:4 says.
00:46:55.14\00:46:56.85
And so Jesus said in John
8:34, "Whoever commits sin is
00:46:57.18\00:47:01.15
a slave to sin."
00:47:01.18\00:47:02.52
So we lose our
freedom as we sin.
00:47:02.55\00:47:05.75
Now before I go to Romans
8, let me just kind of back up
00:47:05.95\00:47:08.89
to Romans 6.
00:47:08.92\00:47:10.26
In Romans 6:3, go ahead
and somebody read Romans 6:3.
00:47:10.73\00:47:15.96
"Or do you not know that
as many of us as were baptized
00:47:17.07\00:47:20.04
into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death?"
00:47:20.07\00:47:23.00
If we're looking at God's
true process for sanctification,
00:47:23.04\00:47:29.64
first we've got to
recognize the justification
00:47:30.05\00:47:34.58
that Jesus Christ
accomplished for us, right?
00:47:34.62\00:47:37.35
Romans 6:11
00:47:37.55\00:47:39.02
Romans 6:11
00:47:40.36\00:47:42.66
"Likewise you also, reckon
yourselves to be dead indeed
00:47:42.69\00:47:46.33
to sin, but alive to God
in Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:47:46.39\00:47:50.73
Alright, so if we're reckoning
that we have been dead to sin,
00:47:50.77\00:47:54.67
what are we going to do?
00:47:54.70\00:47:56.04
We're going to live
by His righteousness.
00:47:56.07\00:47:57.51
This is God's
process of sanctification.
00:47:57.54\00:48:01.98
Johnny, how about Romans 6:13.
00:48:02.01\00:48:04.08
Romans 6:13
00:48:04.65\00:48:05.98
"Neither yield ye
your members as instruments
00:48:06.01\00:48:09.82
of unrighteousness unto sin:
but yield yourselves unto God,
00:48:09.88\00:48:13.46
as those that are
alive from the dead,
00:48:13.66\00:48:16.19
and your members as instruments
of righteousness unto God."
00:48:16.22\00:48:19.89
Alright, do you see this
process of sanctification?
00:48:19.93\00:48:22.93
We understand the justification
Christ has accomplished for us.
00:48:22.96\00:48:27.20
We know that we're dead
to sin, we're living by His
00:48:27.37\00:48:31.37
righteousness, and we yield
ourselves, surrendering totally
00:48:31.41\00:48:36.11
to Him day by day.
00:48:36.14\00:48:37.48
So now if you go on in Romans
7, and speaking specifically
00:48:37.51\00:48:44.32
to the moral law, it was
intended to promote moral life
00:48:44.39\00:48:47.76
and guard against sin.
00:48:47.79\00:48:49.52
Could man keep the
law under his power?
00:48:49.72\00:48:52.09
- No. - And what does Paul say?
00:48:52.13\00:48:53.86
You know, he's talking
about this internal strife
00:48:53.90\00:48:57.27
that he suffered because
he inherited this sin nature.
00:48:57.53\00:49:02.47
There were two natures in him.
00:49:02.50\00:49:05.61
And they were constantly
warring with one another.
00:49:05.64\00:49:08.64
And what he found is
that this sinful nature
00:49:08.74\00:49:12.68
brought him down
quite often, right?
00:49:13.18\00:49:15.18
And here's what
we have to remember.
00:49:15.72\00:49:17.45
When we are striving for
sanctification by self-attempts,
00:49:17.49\00:49:23.29
if we're being sanctified
in any other way than by grace,
00:49:24.26\00:49:29.90
if we're not surrendered to
God, anything that you do to try
00:49:29.93\00:49:34.20
to sanctify yourself,
it's going to be frustrated.
00:49:34.24\00:49:38.14
I mean, that's
just the bottom line.
00:49:38.37\00:49:40.04
And Paul knows
this by experience.
00:49:40.11\00:49:41.44
So Romans 8:1...
00:49:41.48\00:49:43.78
Here he's saying in
Romans 7, "Oh who can deliver me
00:49:43.91\00:49:48.88
from this body of sin?"
00:49:48.92\00:49:50.32
But in Romans 8:1...
00:49:50.65\00:49:52.42
Well he ends in Romans 7,
00:49:52.79\00:49:54.89
"Thank God
through Christ Jesus."
00:49:54.92\00:49:58.29
And then he says, "There is
therefore now no condemnation
00:49:58.39\00:50:02.16
to those who are are in
Christ Jesus, who don't walk
00:50:02.36\00:50:06.20
according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit."
00:50:06.23\00:50:09.10
So God imputes
Christ's righteousness to us.
00:50:09.70\00:50:14.64
And here our
guilt, our death penalty,
00:50:14.84\00:50:18.65
was removed by
Christ on the cross.
00:50:18.75\00:50:20.78
And when we
receive Him as our Savior
00:50:20.82\00:50:22.75
we are no longer under
that threat of God's punishment.
00:50:22.85\00:50:27.26
And then we've got
this imputed righteousness.
00:50:27.29\00:50:29.59
And then here he's
talking about it in verse 2.
00:50:29.86\00:50:32.23
"The law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus
00:50:32.26\00:50:35.83
has made me free" from
this law of the spirit of death.
00:50:36.10\00:50:39.80
That old sin nature,
that's the law of the
00:50:39.83\00:50:43.07
spirit of death, isn't it?
00:50:43.10\00:50:44.44
Plus it's like
somebody says, you tell a kid,
00:50:44.47\00:50:47.31
"Don't touch this cake," what's
the first thing they're going to
00:50:47.81\00:50:51.25
want to do if
you turn your head?
00:50:51.28\00:50:52.78
All you think about is
touching the cake, right?
00:50:52.81\00:50:55.02
And eating cake too.
00:50:55.68\00:50:57.29
And so it's kind of
like the commandments
00:50:57.32\00:51:00.39
gave opportunity,
it pointed out sin,
00:51:00.42\00:51:02.62
but it's kind of like,
"Oh, don't? Okay, I will."
00:51:02.66\00:51:05.79
But it's interesting
here because in Romans 8...
00:51:06.63\00:51:10.53
To this point Paul has
only mentioned in the whole book
00:51:10.57\00:51:13.60
of Romans, he's only
mentioned the Holy Spirit twice.
00:51:13.64\00:51:16.50
He mentioned it in
Romans 1:4 and in Romans 5:5
00:51:16.87\00:51:20.58
when He said God pours
His love into our hearts.
00:51:20.64\00:51:22.64
But now in Romans 8, he
mentioned the Holy Spirit's
00:51:23.21\00:51:26.08
sanctifying
influence nineteen times.
00:51:26.11\00:51:30.75
Isn't that amazing?
00:51:31.12\00:51:32.79
Twice in the book
before, and now nineteen times.
00:51:33.05\00:51:35.99
So I just think of what he said,
"Where the Spirit of the Lord
00:51:36.39\00:51:41.00
is, there is liberty."
00:51:41.03\00:51:43.23
And there is, you know,
John tells us in 1 John 3:8
00:51:43.60\00:51:48.50
that, "He who
sins is of the devil,
00:51:48.54\00:51:51.97
for the devil has
sinned from the beginning."
00:51:52.31\00:51:54.68
So there's no freedom in sin.
00:51:54.91\00:51:57.11
You may think that if
you don't pay attention to
00:51:57.18\00:52:00.45
God's commandments, you're free.
00:52:00.52\00:52:01.92
No, you're a slave to sin.
00:52:02.05\00:52:04.65
And so what Jesus did was
take on our flesh and blood
00:52:04.85\00:52:09.22
to deliver us from that power.
00:52:09.26\00:52:11.13
And in verse 3,
real quickly, he says,
00:52:11.16\00:52:13.66
"For what the law could
not do in that it was weak
00:52:13.70\00:52:17.00
through the flesh, God
did by sending His own Son
00:52:17.03\00:52:19.77
in the likeness of
sinful flesh, on account of sin:
00:52:19.80\00:52:23.04
and He condemns sin in
the flesh, that the righteous
00:52:23.07\00:52:26.81
requirement of the law might
be fulfilled in us by those
00:52:26.84\00:52:32.11
who don't walk
according to the flesh
00:52:32.15\00:52:34.48
but according to the Spirit."
00:52:34.58\00:52:36.72
So the leading of the
Holy Spirit is God's provision
00:52:36.85\00:52:40.09
for sanctification
by grace through faith.
00:52:40.12\00:52:43.96
Amen. Well said, Shelley.
00:52:44.06\00:52:46.19
You know, Augustine, the
great Catholic theologian,
00:52:46.23\00:52:48.96
ran into this same thing.
00:52:49.00\00:52:50.50
He knew that there
were things in his life
00:52:50.57\00:52:52.23
He could not control.
00:52:52.33\00:52:53.67
He had this old man,
new man fighting against.
00:52:53.74\00:52:56.81
- Oh, don't we
all. - And we all do.
00:52:56.84\00:52:58.57
And that's my point.
00:52:58.61\00:53:00.04
He came up with an
inadequate solution
00:53:00.08\00:53:02.54
because he focused
so much on the weakness
00:53:03.31\00:53:05.58
of the law in the flesh.
00:53:05.61\00:53:07.35
Well, the solution is
to get Christ in there
00:53:07.38\00:53:10.82
to counteract that.
00:53:11.02\00:53:12.35
It's not going to be by works,
00:53:12.39\00:53:13.79
it's not going to be
by beating yourself up.
00:53:13.82\00:53:15.62
It's not going to be
by those kinds of thing.
00:53:15.79\00:53:17.59
The secret is not fighting
as much as it is surrender.
00:53:17.63\00:53:22.13
It's waving the white
flag and letting Christ come in
00:53:22.36\00:53:25.00
and work His
life out through you.
00:53:25.03\00:53:28.07
It reminds me of Galatians 5.
00:53:28.27\00:53:29.90
And we'll be studying
this in a future lesson
00:53:29.94\00:53:32.51
about the work of the
flesh, the works of the flesh,
00:53:32.54\00:53:36.41
lusting or warring
against the fruit of the Spirit,
00:53:36.44\00:53:39.45
and how as we
walk in the Spirit.
00:53:39.48\00:53:42.12
I love what you said,
Pastor C.A., as we surrender.
00:53:42.15\00:53:44.92
It's all about
saying yes to Jesus,
00:53:45.09\00:53:47.62
making that choice for Jesus.
00:53:47.66\00:53:49.86
Allowing Him to
work in and through me.
00:53:49.92\00:53:52.09
There's a quote from
Ellen White I wanted to read.
00:53:52.13\00:53:54.30
And then I'll pass it back
to you all with a question.
00:53:54.36\00:53:56.83
This is from Friday's
portion of the lesson.
00:53:57.07\00:53:59.37
In Selected
Messages, book one, page 235,
00:53:59.40\00:54:03.24
"The law of ten commandments
is not to be looked upon
00:54:03.44\00:54:06.88
as much from the prohibitory
side, as from the mercy side.
00:54:06.98\00:54:12.28
Its prohibitions are
the sure guarantee of
00:54:12.38\00:54:15.75
happiness in obedience.
00:54:15.78\00:54:18.19
As received in Christ, it works
in us the purity of character
00:54:18.22\00:54:24.86
that will bring joy to
us through eternal ages.
00:54:24.89\00:54:28.63
To the obedient it is
a wall of protection."
00:54:28.73\00:54:33.03
And that's what you
brought out, brother Johnny.
00:54:33.07\00:54:34.80
That guard, the
law as our guard.
00:54:34.84\00:54:37.94
So in the couple of
moments we have left,
00:54:37.97\00:54:39.87
a question for you as panelists.
00:54:40.04\00:54:42.41
How can we grow...
00:54:43.01\00:54:44.35
We've been talking this
whole lesson about the law
00:54:44.38\00:54:46.51
and the role of
the law in our lives.
00:54:46.58\00:54:48.45
How can we grow to love the law?
00:54:48.48\00:54:51.75
And I know, Pastor C.A.,
you touched on that a bit
00:54:52.69\00:54:55.16
when you talked about
the love relationship.
00:54:55.19\00:54:57.29
But how can we grow to
love the law in our lives?
00:54:57.33\00:55:00.43
I think grow to
love the Lawgiver.
00:55:00.46\00:55:02.70
- Amen. - Amen.
00:55:02.73\00:55:04.23
Focus on the person of Jesus.
00:55:04.50\00:55:07.04
And then those things that are a
part of the personhood of Jesus
00:55:07.24\00:55:10.57
become part of your personhood.
00:55:10.61\00:55:12.54
I wouldn't so much
focus on loving the law,
00:55:12.64\00:55:15.44
or hating the law, or even
my relationship with the law.
00:55:15.48\00:55:17.95
I would really work on my
relationship with a Person.
00:55:18.15\00:55:20.92
With Christ Jesus.
00:55:21.18\00:55:22.52
And then these other
kind of things fall into line
00:55:22.55\00:55:25.42
as I love the Lawgiver.
00:55:25.45\00:55:27.12
And He works out His law
by putting His commandments
00:55:27.16\00:55:30.39
in my heart, as Hebrews 8 says,
00:55:30.49\00:55:32.83
and making me part
of His kingdom that way.
00:55:32.86\00:55:34.86
Amen.
00:55:34.93\00:55:36.23
I think we see in the law,
as we read, that it's perfect.
00:55:36.26\00:55:40.20
And when we consider
that it came from the
00:55:40.57\00:55:43.00
perfect mind of God we can
come to some degree of love.
00:55:43.04\00:55:47.78
David said,
"How I love thy law."
00:55:47.81\00:55:49.74
Well, is it talking
about the Ten Commandments
00:55:49.78\00:55:51.91
or the whole five books?
00:55:51.95\00:55:55.15
The Pentateuch, as they say.
00:55:55.58\00:55:56.92
But the priority is,
"Love the Lord your God
00:55:57.62\00:56:02.29
with all your heart, with all
your soul, with all your mind."
00:56:02.32\00:56:04.49
And as you learn
more and more about Him,
00:56:04.99\00:56:07.96
you cannot but help
to fall in love with Him,
00:56:08.26\00:56:10.73
because God is love Himself.
00:56:10.80\00:56:15.27
And when you see love in action
in God through His people,
00:56:15.57\00:56:20.34
and how He can
change the worse of people
00:56:20.81\00:56:23.78
to be such
wonderful human beings,
00:56:24.38\00:56:29.02
to be kind and
loving towards others,
00:56:29.05\00:56:31.49
you just have to say,
"Only God can do that."
00:56:31.52\00:56:34.02
Amen. It's a beautiful thing.
00:56:34.09\00:56:35.86
I think that's what God
wants to do in each one of
00:56:35.89\00:56:38.33
our hearts and lives
as daughters and sons
00:56:38.36\00:56:42.16
of the Most High.
00:56:42.23\00:56:43.57
And that is our next
lesson, From Slaves to Heirs,
00:56:43.60\00:56:46.97
and the adoption we
have as God's children.
00:56:47.04\00:56:49.44
But I just want to encourage
you to fall in love with Jesus.
00:56:49.47\00:56:53.31
If you don't know who He
is, spend time in His Word.
00:56:53.38\00:56:57.45
Maybe start with the gospels.
00:56:57.48\00:56:59.11
It's a wonderful picture of
who Jesus is, of who God is.
00:56:59.15\00:57:04.05
Find out who He is and
make a choice to surrender
00:57:04.15\00:57:07.82
your life to His
care and keeping.
00:57:07.86\00:57:09.82
I want to thank Shelley
Quinn, Pastor C.A. Murray,
00:57:09.86\00:57:12.39
John Dinzey, and
Pastor Ronnie Shelton
00:57:12.59\00:57:14.56
for sharing your thoughts
from the book of Galatians.
00:57:14.56\00:57:17.67
And we just want to
thank you for joining us
00:57:17.70\00:57:20.04
as you do each week.
00:57:20.14\00:57:21.90
I want to encourage
you to check out your local
00:57:21.94\00:57:24.01
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:57:24.04\00:57:25.37
Spend time learning,
growing, fellowshipping
00:57:25.41\00:57:29.84
with brothers and sister.
00:57:29.88\00:57:31.35
We will see you next time.
00:57:31.38\00:57:32.71
God bless you and keep you.
00:57:32.75\00:57:34.32