To some being Free from Religion means converting to atheism while to others it means freedom from religious culture. But the Biblical definition of being Free From Religion is being dead to the Works of The Law. In this sermon, I discuss how God sees our deeds as used menstrual rags.
Some people were a bit upset with the promotional picture of this sermon. Many did not take it kindly of me holding a sanitary pad with ketchup on it. I promise you; it was ketchup.
I admit it was a little crude but necessary to illustrate a particularly important Biblical point. Trust me, this imagery of our good deeds, our good works, our good karma, and our hasanats being compared to a used menstrual rag is not from my pocket but from the Bible.
We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind.
~ Isaiah 64:6 NET
Some Bible translations use the words filthy rags instead of menstrual rags. I guess they are very offended by that fact. But I believe such shyness robs us of the deeper truth found in this crude and rude depiction of our good works.
God compares our good deeds, righteous acts, charitable works, our keeping of the 10 commandments, and our religious piousness to used menstrual rags. Bear in mind, God is not just talking about our bad deeds or sins here. God considers our so-called good deeds as used menstrual rags.
This need for the menstrual rags, this human need for religious piousness, and our tendency to go back to the 10 commandments are referred to as The Flesh in the Bible.
Watch the full sermon on YouTube
The Woman with the issue of Blood
This understanding of the correlation between the Menstrual rags and good works is beautifully explained in the typology of the incident where Jesus heals the woman with the issue of blood.
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
~ Mark 5: 25 – 34 NKJV
We the church are like this bleeding woman who is tired of our works of the law, tired of religion. For 2000 years, the church has tried everything in terms of Religion. Tried everything by going back to the law, going back to religion, and forgetting the Gospel that Paul Preached and Christ died to give.
We think our works of the law, our religious piousness, and our good behavior will make us good in the eyes of God, but they actually arouse the sinful passions in our flesh. Just like the woman with the issue of blood we grow worse because of our self-efforts.
The moment we let go of religion, the moment we let go of the 10 commandments and touch the righteousness of Christ we stop bleeding. We start producing fruits, remember self-righteousness comes from the 10 commandments.
Works of the Law Leads to the Outbreak of Sin
Back when I was a Catholic, I thought I was such a good person. I did not drink, I did not do drugs and never had sex. I thought since I was such a good person surely God must bless me for my good deeds. Instead, the more good deeds like charity, fasting, reading my Bible, and praying I did the worse I felt. Instead of being blessed, I got the opposite, I ended up in my own personal hell.
Suffering from psoriasis and depression I did not care about if I would go to hell or heaven, I just wanted to get out of the hell I was in right now, hell here on earth. The religious answer to my predicament was more works. You should pray more they said, go to more Christian retreats, read more Bible, fast more, more and more. It never ended.
Add to it my personal failings and sins you get the taste of hell right here on earth. I did not have to wait to die to go to hell, I was already in one. Christian life which was supposed to be a life of joy unto the Lord was a life of sorrow unto myself.
For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
~ Romans 7:19 NIV
This was the exact feeling I had. When I read this verse, I felt the bible was reading me instead of me reading it. But why do we do this? What compels us to not do the good we want to do and do the evil we do not want to do?
This abnormality of our flesh affects every part of our lives. We sabotage good relationships, and friendships, we sabotage our health by eating unhealthy, etc. It is weird when we see doctors smoking, they have all the medical knowledge, yet they do the evil they do not want to do.
There is no good in our flesh by God’s Holy standards we are all unclean, when we presume to do good deeds or good works, they are just a patchwork to our self-righteousness. They mean nothing compared to the standards of God.
For this reason, even good intentions turn into some of the worst evils. Someone rightfully said The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions. No wonder the Bible compares all our good deeds to a used menstrual rag.
Free from Religion: No more under the 10 Commandments
The core tenant of the Reformation was justification by faith, but they failed to preach on the root. Early Protestant theologians continued to take the Ten Commandments as the starting point of Christian moral life.
Martin Luther taught about not being saved by our works but failed to teach the root of Sola Gratia. He was not brave enough to expound from the Bible that Christians are supposed to be dead to the Ten Commandments.
Even today there are those out there who claim that we are not justified by the 10 commandments but for our moral living we need the law, we need the 10 commandments. Galatians is very clear on this issue; it clearly tells us that Christians are no more under the 10 commandments as seen in
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
~ Galatians 3: 24 – 25 NKJV
Royal Romans during Paul’s time would hire tutors or guardians for their children to teach them the ways of life, work, history, and Royalty. They would have to listen to tutors every day and be faithful to them. They had to wake up at a fixed time of the day, do their chores, study, etc.
The tutor would discipline any rebellion. But once the children come to the age of adulthood they would no longer be under the said tutor. In fact, being royalty, they had power over the tutor.
In the same manner, the 10 commandments were our tutor to bring us to an end of ourselves and come to Christ so that we are justified by Christ alone. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the 10 commandments and this bitter truth is very difficult to digest for us self-righteous Christians.
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
~ Romans 6:14 NKJV
Sin loses its power over us when we are no longer under the law and under Grace. We are free from the 10 commandments not to be lawless, but we are free from the law to marry Christ alone. Our human flesh thinks that we become lawless when we are no longer under the law, but the opposite is the result. Sin loses its dominion over us when we are not under the law and married to Christ.
Now without Christ, if we are no longer under the law then you are right to think Sin continues to be our master. Without Christ, we are all lost we are all under the power of sin. For this reason, we are married to Christ and dead to the law. We are not orphans, the Holy Spirit, Jesus himself will work through us for God’s good pleasure.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
~ Romans 10:4 KJV
When we are of Christ, the 10 commandments are no more for us. Christ is our righteousness, not our works that come from the law. In the Christian world, the theologians, and the clergy don’t like it when we preach this. This is too scary for them. By their flesh they reason without the 10 commandments Christians will go on a sinning spree.
Not knowing the 10 commandments were given by God so that sin might become exceedingly sinful. To bring out the sinful passions from our flesh so that we might know that we cannot save ourselves by our good works. We need a savior.
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
~ Romans 5:20 KJV
Bible Verses like these you don’t get to usually hear in the churches today. The law was given so that sin might increase, they weren’t given for holy living instead were given for so that we know we cannot do anything without Christ but where sin increased grace increased much more.
This explains why prostitutes, sinners, and tax collectors accepted Jesus as their savior gladly while the Pharisees would not. By the same token, if the true gospel is preached today, the gospel Paul preached and Christ died to give we will see Homosexuals, drug addicts, porn addicts, thieves, murderers, and porn stars accept Jesus and his finished works on the cross before goodie-too-good Christians, Pastors, Priests, nuns, or theologians.
Accusations of Antinomianism, The License to sin argument
And when Homosexuals, drug addicts, bartenders, and porn addicts understand Grace before the goodie-too-good Christians, Pastors, Priests, nuns, or theologians. The messenger, the donkey, and the preacher who preaches Grace will be accused of teaching people to break the 10 commandments.
The simple messenger, the preacher, the donkey who is carrying Jesus, and one who preaches the Gospel of Grace will be accused of Antinomianism and of giving people the license to sin. First off no one needs a license to sin, no one needs a reason or an excuse to sin. We all sin without any certification.
Religion brings up some interesting questions. Can I do anything I want without the 10 commandments? Can I kill, commit adultery, steal so that Grace might increase? Can we go crazy with sin? Parroting the very same arguments the Judaizers used against Paul.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
~ Romans 6:1-2 KJV
The religious folks are arguing against Paul because just a few verses before this, he claimed where Sin increased Grace increased even more. Paul’s answer to this is not “Oh you are right! Grace probably can give people license to sin. So, let’s have some law let’s have some Ten commandments to keep it all balanced.”
No, Paul does not say that.
When we are dead to the law ipso facto, we are dead to sin then how can we continue to live in sin? This is Paul’s stance, not we cannot rely on Grace alone. Religion cannot bear the sheer awesomeness of the Gospel. Romans 6 ends with Paul talking about Sin not having dominion over us because we are under Grace and not under the law.
In the very next Chapter, in Romans 7 Paul talks about how the law, the 10 commandments arouse the sinful passions in our flesh and how Christians ought to be dead to the law and married to Christ alone apart from the works of the law.
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works
~ Romans 4:2-6 NKJV
This is the reason our religious flesh does not like Grace, this is the reason those who preach Grace are accused of Antinomianism because God justifies the ungodly not because they worked but simply because they believed in what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
Now I don’t need to explain to you here that “work” is not your regular job or business. The work here is your relationship with God. Fasting, praying hard, religious rituals, and most importantly trying to keep the 10 commandments are referred to as works here.
A very good illustration of this can be seen in the Religious Obsession with Fasting. There is so much teaching around this. I wish Christians were more obsessed with eating than fasting, let me explain.
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
~ Romans 10:17
The best way to prepare for any challenges in life is by feeding on the words of Christ being preached. Listen to sermons and feed on them every day.
So, when challenges do present themselves, you have the faith and wisdom to deal with them. I wish people would concentrate more on feeding themselves with the words of Christ, listening to preaching on what Jesus has accomplished than works of fasting.
Accusations of Antinomianism are the best indicator that you are preaching the true Gospel that Paul preached, and Christ died to give. I promise you, if you are not being accused of encouraging the people to break the 10 commandments then you are not preaching the Gospel.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said, “If your preaching of the gospel of God’s free grace in Jesus Christ does not provoke the charge from some of antinomianism, you’re not preaching the gospel of the free grace of God in Jesus Christ.”
Work and Grace cannot Go Together
The majority of the Christian world agrees that we are not saved by our works. Where most defer in their opinion is in the issue of when once saved, are we still under the 10 commandments or not?
Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, and even most Protestants Churches believe that the 10 commandments are integral parts of Christian morality. The Christian religion prides itself on having the 10 commandments as the starting point of their moral life but Paul begs to differ.
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
~ Galatians 3:1-4 NKJV
Paul was talking to the already saved Galatian Christians here. The Galatians were going back to the works of the law, going back to the 10 commandments, and going back to religion. We get frustrated when we pray, fast, and beg God for help with our rebellious child who has become an atheist for example. It seems like the more we pray, the more we fast, and the more we beg God the worse it gets.
This begging, this fasting, and praying is putting ourselves under the works of the law. Under the law, we had to beg God for mercy but under Grace, God was merciful towards us before we even cared about him. So, when we put ourselves under the law, we essentially believe we don’t trust in what Christ accomplished on the cross, we believe it’s an unfinished business and we try to achieve it through our works.
For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.
~ Galatians 5:4 NLT
Bear in mind this verse talks about Christians not unbelievers because the unbelievers would not care if they were or were not cut off from Christ. Christians can never lose their salvation but when a Christian goes back to the 10 commandments they lose the fellowship, the blessings, the favor, and the rest that comes as a gift under God’s Grace.
We think or rather religious Christianity has made us believe that SIN makes us lose our fellowship with Christ, but the Bible is very clear going back to the 10 commandments is the sure way to be cut off from Christ.
Now all of us go back to the law, go back to the 10 commandments from time to time. Even I, a preacher of Grace end up going back to the law. The thing is before we Sin, we have to go back to the law because the strength of sin is the law.
When we go back to the law in a particular area of our lives in that area Christ becomes of no effect to us. For example, if I start preaching that Christians are still under the 10 commandments then Christ becomes of no effect in my ministry.
In every aspect of our lives be it personal finances, parenting, job, or relationships. If we think we must work towards them instead of trusting in Christ, we strive instead of resting on what Jesus did for us in those areas of our lives, Christ becomes of no effect and falls from Grace.
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
~ Romans 11:6 KJV
There are only two ways to get out of sin either you work your way out of that sin by trying your best or believe that God’s Grace is Sufficient to get out of any sin. Guess which one will be more effective? Work and Grace cannot go together as many preach in the Christian world today and have been taught in the past. These are antitheses of each other.
Work out your Own Salvation
Verses in James about “Faith without works” and Philippians on “Work out your Own Salvation” seems to be talking about the importance of going back to works, well at least looks like it on the surface. But does it actually say that? Let’s find out
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
~ Philippians 2:12 NKJV
Please note the phrase “fear and trembling” is a Hebraism or Hebrew idiom that means extreme joy. Just like the English idiom “It’s raining cats and dogs” has nothing to do with cats or dogs but with heavy rains in the same manner the Hebrew idiom “Fear and trembling” has nothing to do with fear or trembling but extreme joy.
Many use the verse “Work out your own salvation” to assume that we have to work for our salvation, but the verse does not say that. It says to work out your own salvation which is already in you provided by Jesus through his finished works on the cross. How do I know this?
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
~ Philippians 2:13 NKJV
Somehow people forget or ignore reading the very next verse. It is God who first works in our salvation to his will and to do for his good pleasure in the first place.
Now many will have a different definition of the will of God, some use the “Will of God” to control others’ behavior while others use it as a religious authoritative statement to preach their agenda. But what is the will of the father according to the bible?
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
~ John 6:40 NKJV
So, the will of the father is to provide salvation to everyone who believes in his son. It was God who did it first, we work it out which is already provided for us 2000 years ago.
It was God who first provided this salvation for us, Philippians asks us to work out the salvation which is already in us. The works we do are dead works which are like a used sanitary pad in God’s eyes. But the works God had already laid out for us are fruits for God’s good pleasure.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
~ Ephesians 2:10 ESV
So, when we fail to walk in the works God has already prepared for us beforehand our faith becomes dead in the eyes of God.
For example, if God has ordained for you to be a father but for your own personal reasons you refuse to have children with your wife citing career ambitions or thoughts of discomfort raising children then your Faith without works is dead.
Then you are not walking in the good works God has already prepared for you and going after your own works which are dead works that will lead you to disappoint.
Even if they are noble works, say for example you want to preach the gospel all over the world, but God wants you to stay at home with your wife and children. It’s a noble work but God did not ordain it for you. So, if you force yourself to do it then it becomes dead works.
God did not give us the law for us to follow, God did not give us the 10 commandments for our morality, and God did not give us the 10 commandments for our righteousness. God gave the 10 commandments so that sin would be exceedingly sinful in our flesh and so that we would cry out for a savior.
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound
~ Romans 5:20
Knowing this if you still believe the 10 commandments are required for our morality then to you my friend Faith without works is dead is for you.
Since you are not walking in the Grace that God has already laid down for you and instead go back to the law, go back to the 10 commandments Christ has become of no effect and we fall from God’s Grace.
Labor to Enter into Rest
God wants us to rest and not work when it comes to our relationship with him. Even though all the work is already finished on the cross our flesh still wants to believe there is still work to be done.
This is why we have crazy theologies out there where Christians ask those who are sick and need healing to fast and pray. For healing, one of the main reasons Jesus went on the cross for us, we turn that into works.
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
~ Hebrews 4:11 KJV
Attraction to works becomes stronger the more religious we get. Depending on the denomination, you will find examples of this all over the Christian world. From ritualistic services in the Roman Catholic Churches to extreme forms of Cults in the Protestant spheres.
Not resting in what Christ has done is unbelief. Our flesh is such that we cannot enjoy this amazing gift of rest God provided for us. We are needed to be persuaded to rest in Christ, we are naturally restless, religious, and want to always work in terms of our relationship with God.
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.
~ Matthew 15:19 NASB
The Greek word for Evil is πονηρός (poneros) and the definition according to Thayer is
“Restlessness, full of labors, annoyances, hardships, pressed and harassed by labor’s, bringing toils, annoyances, perils; of a time, full of peril to faith and steadfastness; causing pain and trouble”
Hence, an evil heart is actually a restless heart. Out of a restless heart all kinds of evil deeds, fornications, thievery, and slander come out. Tell me in history, name a dictator who had a calm heart. And I will name you a king who ruled for 1000 years.
Are you restless with your studies, job, business, health, or family? Are you restless with your relationship with God? Are you restless in your preaching or ministry? I submit to you; we have all been guilty of having an Evil Heart. What hope do we have then?
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
~ John 14:27
Let not your heart be troubled, look to Christ’s finished works on the cross and you will have a peace the world will never know.
What does Rest look like?
When we talk about rest, do I mean we relax all day and don’t do any work? No, the rest Bible talks about has nothing to do with physical work, everyone needs work.
The rest bible talks about the relationship between God and man. The work involves our approach to God. The story of Martha and Mary best illustrates this:
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
~ Luke 10: 38-42 NASB
The greatest Rest ever was when Jesus finished all the work on the cross and dismissed his spirit. All the requirements of the Law were fulfilled on the cross. All the work was finished.
So, the more we learn about the Cross the more we enter into the rest. Let us shed all the religious efforts of “growing” by worldly actions of torturing our bodies by masking them with religious works like fasting and all-night prayers.
And concentrate on that ONE thing that brings us into his rest. The one thing Mary chose here in Luke 10 is hearing of the word, and listening to a sermon. That’s it.
And it’s the most crucial thing anyone can do. If you are sick listen to sermons on how by Jesus’s stripes we are healed, if you are heartbroken listen to sermons on how Jesus came to die on the cross for the brokenhearted. If you lack wisdom, listen to sermons on how Christ is our wisdom.
Unfortunately, with an overwhelming abundance of sermons that talk about human behavior, human sins, human work, and human repentance. Never really expounding on what Jesus accomplished on the cross for us. We have not really truly appreciated the importance of sermons.
Doctrines of Demons
Watching movies is a sin, drinking wine is a sin, the Harry Potter series are satanic cult book, and everything is a sin under the sun in religious Christianity today.
The Christian world has turned The Gospel into touch not, taste not, speak not, religion. God did not intend this to be so when he revealed the Gospel of Grace to Paul.
The majority of the Christian world preaches the Gospel of Prohibition. They have copied the rituals and traditions of prohibition from the worldly systems of religion which are common anywhere in the world.
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
~ 1 Timothy 4:1-5
Notice the term “Doctrines of Demons” in the Bible is not used the same way modern Christianity uses it. Religion today calls “Prosperity Gospel” a doctrine of demons, religion accuses Grace of being a license to sin and preaching grace as a doctrine of demons.
But the bible clearly teaches the religious Christianity’s obsessive-compulsive need to call everything sin, prohibiting everything under the sun, as the Doctrines of Demons.
The Gospel of prohibition breeds hypocrisy. Take the Harry Potter series, for example, Christians love to accuse it of being satanic for the portrayal of magic and witchcraft. At the same time, they heap praises on the Lord of the Rings franchise and The Chronicles of Narnia series.
Which has an even worse portrayal of magic and witchcraft in it. Some of the stuff in it even puts the Harry Potter series to shame.
Why then is it considered satanic while The Chronicles of Narnia and the Lord of the Rings are not? People see the apparent hypocrisy when the Church preaches the Gospel of Prohibition, the young people especially take note when the Doctrines of Demons are preached.
For this reason, young people leave religious Christianity. Something inside them tells them this type of Christianity is not the original.
If only the unadulterated Gospel was preached to them. Only if we put the pride of our denomination, and boastfulness of our theology aside and preach the Gospel that Paul preached, and Christ died to give.
Unfortunately, like the sheep without a Shepherd, they go ashtray because no one tells them the truth.
“Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
~ Colossians 2:21-23 NLT
When Christians preach the Doctrines of Demons, when their whole sermon, theology, and teaching revolves around the Gospel of Prohibition there is an outward façade of piousness and devotion.
Jesus did not come to change people’s personalities; he came as a savior. It becomes easier to control people when they are religious and pious on the outside.
Cults try to change and control people’s personalities. They say in a cult you make a lot of money as the leader, but you have a lot of fun as the follower. In every level of religious hierarchy, the flesh becomes exceedingly sinful when the Gospel of Prohibition is preached.
For this reason, it is so popular to preach the Gospel of Prohibition in the Christian world today. It’s an opportunity for our religious minds to be boastful in our own flesh.
The moment we are boastful of the flesh we go back to the 10 commandments because we get the confidence that we can keep God’s Law. When this happens, sin becomes attractive and there is an outbreak of sin in our lives.
But why do people preach the doctrine of demons? Why do Christians still preach the gospel of prohibition? Why does the Church still believe we need the 10 commandments for our morality?
But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
~ 2 Corinthians 3: 14 – 16 NKJV
Preaching of the Law brings a veil into our minds. We are blinded when the 10 commandments are preached, and Christ becomes of no effect in such preaching.
A preacher must expound Jesus from the books of Moses and a good sermon brings out Jesus from the Old Testament. When Christ is unveiled, we are transformed into his image from Glory to Glory.
For this reason, even 2000 years after Paul wrote his epistles, even though the issue was settled 2000 years ago modern Christianity still believes we need the 10 commandments for our morality.
If you still believe preaching the gospel of prohibition is beneficial to the church. Let me ask you this question.
If God’s law, the 10 commandments which are holy, good, and just arouse the sinful passions in our flesh, how much worse will human laws to reach God would arouse the sins in our flesh?
Conclusion: What is Love?
When the Israelites demanded the 10 commandments, God knew they would not be able to keep them. Even with all the boastfulness of religion today, God knows we cannot keep the 10 commandments.
With God’s awesome wisdom and love, he sent his only begotten son for us so that he would fulfill all the requirements of the law, all the requirements of the 10 commandments on our behalf.
We have all kinds of definitions for Love. Regardless of our understanding of this thing called Love ultimately, we all equate it to some form of feeling or emotion. But what is the Biblical definition of love?
This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
~ 1 John 4:10 KJV
Most of us are guilty of thinking that loving God first originates from a spiritually bankrupt human being. But the very definition of love in the Bible is God’s first love for us in the act of sending his Son to be an atoning sacrifice to take away our sins.
God demonstrates his love for us in this manner that while we were still sinners, when we did not even care about God or his son, Christ died for us.
We crucified Jesus and told God this is what we think of his son. For this reason, the bible says Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
I know this verse from 1 Corinthians 13 is read during weddings, but these characteristics of Love are speaking about God’s love for us. God was the one who was patient, long-suffering, and kind when we did not care about him.
So, the definition of Love in the Bible is not an emotion it is not even our love for God but an action by God towards a sinfully bankrupt man.
