Angelic Conflict part 297: Reigning in life – Rom 5:12-21; Heb 10:8-10; 19-22; 12:18-29; Gal 1:6-7; 3:17-19; 2Co 3:1-18.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 297: Reigning in life - ROM 5:12-21; HEB 10:8-10; 19-22; 12:18-29; GAL 1:6-7; 3:17-19; 2CO 3:1-18.

 

 

ROM 5:20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

 

In Exo 19 the washing, the cleansing of clothes, the storm, and the distance from the mountain all spoke of God's holiness and the sinfulness of the people. In faith they could be sanctified unto Him as they believed His promises, acknowledging that they could not keep the Law and that the Law revealed their sinfulness, but the coming Messiah would take that away, as the animal sacrifices revealed, and so in humility and faith they had every advantage to consecrate themselves, separate from the idolatry of other nations, and set themselves as sanctified as unto Jehovah [I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself], yet their stubborn hearts wouldn't do it and they incurred barriers between them and God.

 

MAT 23:37-39

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. "Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! "For I say to you, from now on you shall not see Me until you say, ' Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

 

Was it their arrogant admonition that they would keep all the law or was it their disobedience in their first year in the wilderness, or was it both? What we know for sure is that man would not be able to approach God under the Law. Israel proved that they would not rely on God but on themselves and so the Law is given to show them what that self-reliance would mean - condemnation and self-righteousness and that sin would increase. It is as if they asked to be let off the eagle's wings and would rather walk along on the side of the road under their own power.

 

The Law itself is perfect and holy, but man's self-reliance is at the heart of his evil.

 

Man can only approach God in grace, through the finished work of Christ. God can bring man to Himself by grace; but if there is even the slenderest thought that man has any rights in the matter, or can live up to any obligation imposed by a holy God, then God must manifest Himself in opposition. God never confounds his justice and love. The only place where justice and love came together was at Calvary.

 

Man can only approach God in grace, through the finished work of Christ.

 

HEB 10:19 Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

 

HEB 10:20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,

 

HEB 10:21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

 

HEB 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

 

Now that it has our passage takes on a beautiful light, like a cut glass, multicolored vase in a sunlit window; in the dark it is bland, but in the right light, you can't take your eyes off it.

 

ROM 5:20

And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

 

HEB 12:18 For you have not come to a mountain that may be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,

 

HEB 12:19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word should be spoken to them.

 

HEB 12:20 For they could not bear the command, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned."

 

HEB 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I am full of fear and trembling."

 

HEB 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,

 

HEB 12:23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven [enrolled as citizens there], and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,

 

HEB 12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

 

HEB 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

 

HEB 12:26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, " Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven."

 

This is a quote from HAG 2:6. It would seem that the writer is stating that the giving of the Law only shook the earth. But the coming of Christ in the first Advent, which Haggai is referring to, His victory over opposition, His suffering, death, and resurrection would shake the earth and heaven.

 

The giving of the Law shook the earth only, but the gospel of Christ shook the earth and the heavens.

 

HEB 12:27 And this expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

 

The effect of the gospel would be that everything that was of a temporary character would topple over as does everything not truly grounded in an earthquake.

 

What cannot be shaken are the things of God. Human self-reliance, false religious systems, world systems that attempt to fulfill man's soul, the ruler of this world, etc. would all be shown to be inadequate and on shaky ground. What remains is the gospel of Christ and the truth that sets men free. Our flesh is on a shaky foundation, as the Law made proof of, but our new nature, our doctrine, the HS within, and all gifts from God are shown to be unshakable.

 

Virtues that are shown to not depend on circumstances or other people are shown to be immovable and unshakable. The gospel saves every man from all walks of life showing that it is immovable and unshakable. The Bible has revealed this by its preservation over thousands of years.

 

Therefore, every part of the kingdom of God is immovable, unshakable, and unstoppable. No revolution can topple any of it.

 

No amount of man's revolution or the antichrist's revolution, or any amount of time could ever shake these things from God.

 

Though it is recorded in the OT forever, we could add the Mosaic Law to the list of shakable, since it was not permanent. It had a beginning and an end.

 

HEB 12:28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

 

Our kingdom is permanent, and nothing will be able to overthrow it, so in service and reverent fear of God there is permanence. Our gratitude should flow from the realization that we are a part of this unshakable kingdom. Our gratitude will lead us to service that is of His will and therefore acceptable. If one serves in a temporary kingdom, his service will die with the kingdom, but if one serves in a permanent kingdom, his service will live on forever.

 

Neglecting God to serve the world system may result in rewards from that system, but a temporary system can only offer temporary rewards.

 

The world system, the earth itself, every man's flesh, and satan and the KOD are all going to perish. Nothing they offer is unshakable and eternal. They are weak, temporal, and finite.

 

2PE 3:10

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

 

In a government where nothing is settled; where all policy is changing, and where there are constantly vacillating plans, there is no inducement to enter on any enterprise demanding time and risk. But where the policy is settled; where the principles and the laws are firm; where there is evidence of permanency, there is the highest encouragement. The highest possible encouragement of this kind is in the permanent and established kingdom of God. All other governments may be revolutionized; this never will be. All others may have a changeful policy; this has none. All others will be overthrown; this never will.

 

HEB 12:29 for our God is a consuming fire.

 

This is a quote from:

 

 Deut 4:24

 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

 

We often pause at this phrase because it just seems so old testament, and not of grace. Yet we must soberly recognize that God does not change.

 

God is no more a friend of sin and evil now than He was then. His discipline is as fierce now as it was then.

 

If a man should have a reverent fear of Him as a member of the nation of Israel, shouldn't we also as members of His royal family and His children? What child is without chastisement? If His children turn from Him to worship someone or something else is He still not jealous for us in the only way a righteous God can be? We are not to be afraid of Him, but we are to certainly have a reverent fear of Him.

 

HEB 4:1

Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.

 

ROM 5:20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

 

False theology is gladly accepted by the pride of men, and many, by not rightly dividing the word of truth have attempted to put the Law upon Christians.

 

The Law is not eternal. It had a beginning at Sinai and it had an end in Christ. We have eternal life and a fruit in life through the eternal Spirit, and against such things there is no law.