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As I was ministering to someone, what I call a blocking demon took control of them. Blocking demons have very unique types of functions. They do strange things. But these strange things are diversionary mechanisms so that the exorcism cannot proceed. This demon somehow lowered the body temperature of this person - I mean their lips turned blue. They were dying.
-- Bob Larson Live, March 26, 1996
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Preterism: The Church - The Israel Of God
Posted on Thursday, January 15 @ 05:05:44 PST by John |
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williamprice submitted: "By: William Price
http://www.apostolicdefender.net
Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Gal 3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
Gal 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Here, we see where Paul is putting aside the need for circumcision as a mean of receiving the Holy Spirit. He questions as to whether they received it by works of the law, or by true faith (Acts 2:38). Did their outward works through their flesh (circumcision) give them the Spirit of Promise? Paul starts off by asking, who deceived you or charmed you into forsaking the truth for a lie? The person who ministered, or provided to you the Spirit, who worked miracles, were they by being circumcised or by faith?
Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Here is a profound statement. Abraham was not made righteous before God just because he followed circumcision, but did so in faithful obedience to God. When God spoke, Abraham believed and because of that, Abraham was made righteous. This idea of faith without works is deadly, because that is not true faith. James 2:20 states, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” True faith is alive and has works to prove it. Dead faith is mouth service, and has no place in the Kingdom of God.
Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Gal 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
These verses say volumes about who the children of the promise are. It is not according to the flesh, but of the Spirit are these children born. When we become born again, we become children of promise. We become the seed of Abraham, and as such, are entitled to the Abraham blessings from Jesus. We are blessed with Abraham.
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
If someone comes up and says we have to keep the whole law, then they are bound to do it as well. They cannot keep part, and not be guilty of all. Those who continue to proclaim law, are cursed. It is impossible to keep the law, cause one slip, one sin, and the whole law is broken. If you are under the law, you are under bondage to the law.
The law is not of faith, but of the flesh. You do the law, and nothing is done by God. You have to do it, and try to make it the whole way by yourself. It is nothing you believe God for, or that he is able to do. The law is of yourself, and that you are a loner in it. There is no faith, no trust in God, and as such, the law is now a curse. Jesus made the way, and we are now according to faith, it that glorious way. The way of faith is the way of the cross, is the way of Blood. But, let us always remember, the law was not done away with, but was fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18).
Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Because of Jesus, because of Calvary, we are no longer under the law. We are no longer in need of animal sacrifices, and in no longer a need for a high priest. Jesus, taking on the curse of the law which is sin, made Himself a curse so that we would no longer be under the curse. This was the fulfillment of all the law, that Jesus hung on the Cross, the Tree, so that we would receive the blessings of Abraham on us, Gentiles.
Gal 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
But, let's get this one item straight. The law was not disposed of, but was fulfilled. The law was confirmed, and no man can disannul it. However, if the law is fulfilled, than the covenant is still in effect. The price was paid, because a price had to be paid. But, since the law has been fulfilled, not disannulled but fulfilled, the promise is in effect. If it had been disannulled, the promise would have left as well.
Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
If the inheritance of Abraham be of the law, then it is no longer a promise. It is yourself. It is not, is not of anything we trust God for, but is what we do for ourselves, and as such, it is not a promise, but is a paid price for services rendered unto ourselves.
Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
Since we could not fulfill the law on our own, and because of sin the law was brought about, and because sin and God cannot dwell together, there was a need for a mediator, a go-between. Someone to step into the situation, and make a way where there was no way. There was not a need for many mediators, but just one, and that one was God. God stepped in and became the way, robbing Himself in flesh as Messiah, and became our sin, so we would not have to go under the law, but be children of the promise (Romans 8:3).
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
However, in all this, we are reminded that the law was not against the promises of God. But, it was because we are under sin, we needed the law, so that we would receive the promise. Jesus Christ did what we could not do, fulfilling the law, and making us children of the promise, because we believe, not that we are obey the law.
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Before Jesus Christ came and fulfilled the law, we were under the law, a schoolmaster, so that we would be brought unto faith in Christ. This was done so that we would be justified by our faith, not of the law, and not of works of the law. The law became fulfilled, thus removing us from the schoolmaster. The law was not eliminated, but was fulfilled. And since Jesus came and fulfilled, we through faith become children of God, children of the promise. What is our faith, but when we are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, we put on the name of Christ, and as such, through real faith, we become real children of the promise. It is not according to the flesh, as physical Israel shouts, but is according to our faith, making us the real Israel.
A real Jew is not one outwardly, but one inwardly (Romans 2:28-29). It is in faith that we become a real Jew, but not an Israeli. An Israeli is one of the physical seed of Abraham, while a real Jew is one who by faith, comes to Jesus and accepts the truth that Jesus Christ, God manifested in the flesh, came and fulfilled the law.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
We are no longer Gentiles, but are now spiritual Jews. There is neither any physical difference in Christ Jesus, but are all, those who obey Acts 2:38, now real Jews. We become the Israel of God (Galatians 6:15-16). We are all one. There is not Gentiles and Jews, but now are Jews and lost. And, since we are not under the law, but are under Christ, we are heirs according to the promise. Everything that God promised Abraham and unto his seed is ours, because we are now become the seed of Abraham. "
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Average Score: 5
Votes: 1
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Re: The Church - The Israel Of God (Score: 1)
 by davecollins on Thursday, January 15 @ 13:32:33 PST
(User Info | Send a Message) | Dear Brother Price, You do a great service emphasizing the glorious New Covenant promises we have by being in Christ. One thing that jumps out in your article, is the absence of the word(s) foreknowledge or election. It may seem like a little thing to some, but to me, to KNOW that we are part of His special plan, according to God's foreknowledge is a great humbling blessing.
You wrote;
"These verses say volumes about who the children of the promise are. It is not according to the flesh, but of the Spirit are these children born. When we become born again, we become children of promise. We become the seed of Abraham, and as such, are entitled to the Abraham blessings from Jesus. We are blessed with Abraham."
Biblically,we ARE the children of God and we ARE in the Seed of Abraham....being born from above demonstrates that position of grace.
Maybe I misunderstood your view or maybe I'm a bit sensitive to this topic today.....
Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Brother Price, I'm not trying to be critical of your article, but often I think we give the perception that our New Life is something we accomplished , not a grace gift we received.
Thanks again for reminding us that all the promises are yes and Amen in Christ. dave |
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Re: The Church - The Israel Of God (Score: 1)
by sixstringfunk on Saturday, January 17 @ 10:35:41 PST
(User Info | Send a Message) | You wrote:Abraham was not made righteous before God just because he followed circumcision, but did so in faithful obedience to God. (emphasis mine) Then you go on to write:When God spoke, Abraham believed and because of that, Abraham was made righteous. This seems to be a bit of a contradiction. On the one hand Abraham is made righteous because of his obedience and on the other hand his belief makes him righteous.
I think it needs to be specified exactly what Abraham believed God for that was counted to him as righteousness. This quote of Paul's comes from:Gen 15:6
Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
The immediate context of this passage reveals what exactly Abraham believed God for:Gen 15:5
And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
Paul makes it clear in Gal 3:7 that "descendants" in verse refers to people of faith - specifically faith in Christ. Previously in your text, Paul tells the Galatians:Gal 2:16
... a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Therefore, righteousness comes through faith in Christ alone. And this faith (or hope, in Abraham's case) comes to us by grace through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.Titus 3:5
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
Eph 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it (faith) is the gift of God;
Then the Holy Spirit produces obedience in us:Phil 2:13
for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Therefore, it was God who applied Christ's works to Abraham, making him righteous and producing faith and obedience. Neither Abraham nor we can take a strand of glory from God's saving work in us. |
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