Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Gentiles and the Law - by Dr. Roland Icke


Romans 2:14-15 "For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things contained in the law ... these are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts ... accusing or else excusing one another."

Though the conscience may be a guide, it can be deceived and become insensitive (seared) by sin (l Timothy 4:2). From the creation of the world, God clearly revealed His eternal power and Godhead, so that those who violated their own consciences were without excuse when they vainly imagined their own wisdom, worshipped creatures instead of the Creator, and were given up to their own vile affections (Psalms 19:1; Romans1:20-32). God remembers that we are but dust (Psalms 103:14). He promised a Redeemer and desires that no one should perish, but that all should come to repentance (Genesis 3:15; 2 Peter 3:9).

Ephesians 2:11-12 "In time past, Gentiles ... were without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world"

Redemption for Gentiles apart from the Law, was revealed later in due time (1 Corinthians 2:7-8; 15:8).

Romans 5:12-14 "As by one man, sin entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law, nevertheless sin reigned from Adam to Moses."

See also Genesis 2: 17; 3 :6-19, and Acts 17:30.

Galatians 3:8 "And the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [Gentiles] by faith, preached the gospel before to Abraham, saying, 'in thee shall all nations be blessed."

The law was added because of transgression, in the hands of a mediator (Galatians 3:19). God gave Moses the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, with details of more than 600 civil, ceremonial, and health laws in their other chapters and in Leviticus, for "the children of Israel."

"Because God loved them," He sovereignly chose Israel to be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, and gave them the Sabbath as a perpetual covenant, a sign between God and the children of Israel, not Gentiles (Exodus 31:14-18; Romans2:14-15). All but the Fourth of the Ten Commandments continue as God's righteous standards for man's behavior, but impossible for sinful man to fulfill (Romans6:14; 7: 12-24; 1 Corinthians 9:21). Jesus said that total love for God with heart, soul, and mind "is the first and great commandment." Love for neighbor as one's self is second and like unto it: "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 5:48; 22:36-40).

James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

In mercy, God gave Israel "carnal ordinances" to be observed sincerely as a temporary atonement (covering) for man's failures (Leviticus 17:11; Acts 22:17; Hebrews 9:9-10). Instead of being the God-ordained witness to the Gentiles, observance of these ordinances became Israel's showpiece of "religious piety" (Romans9:31-33). Peter called the Law "an unbearable yoke" (Acts 15:1 0).

Paul called it "the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).

Galatians 4:4-5 "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law."

Jesus said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:24). He lived under the Mosaic Law and commanded His apostles to "obey the scribes and Pharisees, for they sit in Moses' seat" (Matthew 23:1-3).

John 1:17 "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

Romans 11:32 "For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all."

God determined "that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Galatians 3:13-14). This is accomplished without the deeds of the Law (Romans 3:28; 1 Corinthians 1:17; Galatians 3:2-3).

Romans 3:20 "For by the deeds of the law there shall be no flesh justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. "

"But now in Christ Jesus, you [Gentiles] who were formerly far off are made near by the blood of Christ ... having abolished ... the law of commandments contained in ordinances," all of which were "nailed to His cross" in triumph (Ephesians 2:8-10,13-19; Colossians 2:14-15, 20). The Law served its purpose, revealed our inability to meet God's perfect standard of righteousness, and acted as our schoolmaster to lead us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). "God shall justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision by faith," no one by the Law. "He is the God of the Jews and also of the Gentiles (Romans3 :28-31; 4:6).

Ephesians 1:22-23 "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body [the Church], and partakers of His promises in Christ by the gospel."

2 Corinthians 5:19 "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them ... "

The everlasting God commanded the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the previously secret (mystery) gospel for the salvation of all nations (Gentiles), for the obedience of faith (Romans16:25-26; 1 Corinthians 2:7-8; 15:1-4). For God has "made Him [Christ] to be sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21 ).

Romans 10:4 "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes."

He is "the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). We are to reckon that we died to sin, in Christ, when His blood paid our death penalty in full at Calvary (Romans6:1-14). The mighty power of God was wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead (1 Corinthians 2:7-8; Ephesians 1:19-20).

Galatians 2:20 "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

"The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death," and given me a new life (Romans 6:3-4, 11; 8:2-4).

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are you saved through faith and that ... is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast."

Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

He asks that we believe the Gospel. Because of His great love, we should be motivated to serve Him even more diligently than we would merely by trying to obey His rigid laws (Romans10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; Ephesians 2:4-10).

Romans 11:33 "0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out."



 How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4


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