₦airaland Forum

thesolutions:
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?
Galatians 3:1–3


Do you know why many believers today have a confused perspective of God? For example, many believers think that God is sometimes angry with them, but at other times pleased with them.

And while they would personally never hurt their own children this way, many believers today think that their heavenly Father would actually punish them with sicknesses and diseases. What accounts for this apparent “schizophrenia” that exists in the body of Christ today?

The answer lies in a mixture of covenants (or “Galatianism”) that is prevalent in the church of Jesus Christ. During Paul’s day, the church in Galatia was struggling with this intermingling of teachings about God that contains a little bit of the law as well as a little bit of grace—a mixture of covenants. From the severity of Apostle Paul’s tone to the Galatians, it is obvious that Paul regarded this issue very seriously.

You might expect Paul to be more upset with the believers in Corinth, who were involved in all kinds of public sins and immoral activities, but he was not. His intense reaction toward the church in Galatia reveals what is of priority to God. It is clear that in God’s eyes, believing the wrong doctrine is worse than exhibiting wrong behavior!

When it came to wrong behavior in Corinth, Paul was cool and collected toward the believers. He was able to handle their wrong behavior because he knew that the grace of God was able to take care of their spree of wrong behavior. That is why he was able to speak positively to them, even telling them, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:4). But when it came to wrong doctrine in Galatia, he rebuked the believers there because they nullified God’s grace by mixing it with the law.

In the very first chapter of Galatians, Paul says, “I marvel . . .” or as you and I would say today, “I am appalled . . .” What appalled him? Paul continues, “. . . that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:6–7).

Paul had preached the gospel of grace to the Galatians, but he found that there were Judaizers who introduced elements of the law to them. They mixed God’s grace with the law, causing the Galatians to turn away from the pure grace of Christ. They said, “Yes, it’s good that you are saved by grace, but it’s not enough for you to just have Jesus. You must also know and abide by the law of Moses and be circumcised to be pleasing to God.”

This mixture of law and grace angered Paul. You see, if you have wrong behavior, as long as there is grace in the church, grace will teach and give you the power to overcome your wrong behavior. But if there is no grace in the church, or if grace is mixed with the law and nullified, then what hope is there for overcoming your wrong behavior?

Beloved, wrongly believing a mixture of law and grace leads you down a path of defeat and will keep you trapped in paralyzing captivity. Right believing in the pure, unmixed gospel of grace, on the other hand, is the door out of this vicious cycle of defeat and bondage.

Today, begin to believe right by choosing to know and believe in the true gospel of grace. Believe that Jesus’ finished work has cleansed and forgiven you, and made you righteous with His own righteousness in the eyes of Almighty God. I pray that as you turn to the person of Jesus who has saved you to the uttermost by His sacrifice on the cross, you will begin to experience your breakthrough and lasting victory!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.

thesolutions:
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?
Galatians 3:1–3


Do you know why many believers today have a confused perspective of God? For example, many believers think that God is sometimes angry with them, but at other times pleased with them.

And while they would personally never hurt their own children this way, many believers today think that their heavenly Father would actually punish them with sicknesses and diseases. What accounts for this apparent “schizophrenia” that exists in the body of Christ today?

The answer lies in a mixture of covenants (or “Galatianism”) that is prevalent in the church of Jesus Christ. During Paul’s day, the church in Galatia was struggling with this intermingling of teachings about God that contains a little bit of the law as well as a little bit of grace—a mixture of covenants. From the severity of Apostle Paul’s tone to the Galatians, it is obvious that Paul regarded this issue very seriously.

You might expect Paul to be more upset with the believers in Corinth, who were involved in all kinds of public sins and immoral activities, but he was not. His intense reaction toward the church in Galatia reveals what is of priority to God. It is clear that in God’s eyes, believing the wrong doctrine is worse than exhibiting wrong behavior!

When it came to wrong behavior in Corinth, Paul was cool and collected toward the believers. He was able to handle their wrong behavior because he knew that the grace of God was able to take care of their spree of wrong behavior. That is why he was able to speak positively to them, even telling them, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:4). But when it came to wrong doctrine in Galatia, he rebuked the believers there because they nullified God’s grace by mixing it with the law.

In the very first chapter of Galatians, Paul says, “I marvel . . .” or as you and I would say today, “I am appalled . . .” What appalled him? Paul continues, “. . . that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:6–7).

Paul had preached the gospel of grace to the Galatians, but he found that there were Judaizers who introduced elements of the law to them. They mixed God’s grace with the law, causing the Galatians to turn away from the pure grace of Christ. They said, “Yes, it’s good that you are saved by grace, but it’s not enough for you to just have Jesus. You must also know and abide by the law of Moses and be circumcised to be pleasing to God.”

This mixture of law and grace angered Paul. You see, if you have wrong behavior, as long as there is grace in the church, grace will teach and give you the power to overcome your wrong behavior. But if there is no grace in the church, or if grace is mixed with the law and nullified, then what hope is there for overcoming your wrong behavior?

Beloved, wrongly believing a mixture of law and grace leads you down a path of defeat and will keep you trapped in paralyzing captivity. Right believing in the pure, unmixed gospel of grace, on the other hand, is the door out of this vicious cycle of defeat and bondage.

Today, begin to believe right by choosing to know and believe in the true gospel of grace. Believe that Jesus’ finished work has cleansed and forgiven you, and made you righteous with His own righteousness in the eyes of Almighty God. I pray that as you turn to the person of Jesus who has saved you to the uttermost by His sacrifice on the cross, you will begin to experience your breakthrough and lasting victory!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs.

paxonel:
Africans Christians, do they even comprehend what is law and what is Grace and how they apply differently?

MightySparrow:
Most Christians in Africa are3 lazy, they don't want to read the Bible. It is all about pastor said..,. There is this evil mindset of mixing traditions with Christianity. You will be hearing, it is written, actually it is. But when a preacher dwells much on Old Testament, he himself is confused. It is very difficult to change the mindset of a black man. Moreso , we only read to pass examinations. We largely don't read for living and knowledge.

paxonel:
Here is the origin of the problem

Intellectually, many Christians not just only in Africa are not trying at all to understand the God they worship.But Africans mostly are badly affected..

Obviously, the European missionaries who brought Christianity to Africa were never intelligent enough to fully understand the bible and to fully pass the information therein to Africans, so they settled for teaching afrivans the traditional misconceptions of the bible that we have today, knowing that is what they can easily understood and accept.
So, Africa today is a carry over of the many misconceptions of the bible that put them into perpetual confusion.
Even as they read this, many of them cannot even comprehend.

MightySparrow:
You are right. I was telling some folks last week that any teaching of the Bible that is localized, is not talking of the God of the Bible. If you see the prayer pattern of most churches, especially pentecostals, they are born out of traditional experiences. All this 'enemy praying churches' for instance. Some other practices show they are mixing Christianity with religion. IEven in the enlightened worlds, most of churches taken to Europe and America from Africa, are not attracted by whites. They find our theology funny. Actually, our theology is funny

paxonel:
Africans Christians, do they even comprehend what is law and what is Grace and how they apply differently?

Someone like one mumu StillDtruth will continue to be in perpetual confusion

paxonel:
I can tell you many Nigerian pastors who were barred from entering the UK.
Oyedepo, Oyakhilome and many of them like that cannot even go there.

Here is another fascinating confusion

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

A typical African pastor will quote this scripture to cast and bind devil, witches and wizards. But meanwhile, the scripture only used the terms principalities and powers to describe people who persecuted Christians at that time, not any devil and witches.

In Africa, if you are not a church freak, then you are not a Christian (they don't even know what it means to be a Christian).
Evangelism is Christian to Christian,
Not Christian to Non Christians

God is magician of testimonies.
A woman who gives birth is testimony.
If you buy car, testimony
If you build house, testimony
If you go work come back, testimony

thesolutions:
[
You might expect Paul to be more upset with the believers in Corinth, who were involved in all kinds of public sins and immoral activities, but he was not. His intense reaction toward the church in Galatia reveals what is of priority to God. It is clear that in God’s eyes, believing the wrong doctrine is worse than exhibiting wrong behavior!

When it came to wrong behavior in Corinth, Paul was cool and collected toward the believers. He was able to handle their wrong behavior because he knew that the grace of God was able to take care of their spree of wrong behavior. That is why he was able to speak positively to them, even telling them, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:4). But when it came to wrong doctrine in Galatia, he rebuked the believers there because they nullified God’s grace by mixing it with the law.

paxonel:
Africans Christians, do they even comprehend what is law and what is Grace and how they apply differently?

Someone like one mumu StillDtruth will continue to be in perpetual confusion

hisgrace090:
Very deep and difficult for today church to understand having bn too long in practicing of the law.

StillDtruth:
Read well! Paul did not attack The Law he only addressed The Law on circumcision with regard to its physical (flesh) implementation, whereas, All God's Laws are spiritual and the emphasis is on spiritual conpliance.

For do you see him contend with The Law of stealing? Or of adulter? Or of fornication, whoredom and other Laws? No

It is only this circumcision Law he addressed because it is physical therefore people are bound to forget its spiritual side and implication where the substance is.

So paul only reminded everyine that The Law is spiritual and its due compliance is in the spiritual and not in its physical in repeating what Moses said to wit "circumcise yout heart"

Romans 2:29
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit

Deut 10:16
6 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

So, you see a very clear example of where Paul is Upholding The Law which you people err and teach that Paul said The Law is aboloshed!

thesolutions:
The 10 commandments and the law referenced here are not the same..

StillDtruth:
I don't understand you, is The Law different from The Commandments?

thesolutions:
Circumcision is not part of the 10 commandments. But circumcision is the beginning of the law that separate the Jews from non Jews as God was perceived by that law to be strictly for the Jews. The 10 commandments is different from the religious law of the Jews. No non Jews had access to God or the temple but by Jesus we now have access to God.

StillDtruth:
Is it not the fact that God got over close to the jews, even to the point of Speaking to then that makes them separate from others?

Deut 4:7
For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?

See, you dodged answering the question "is The Law different from The Commandments?" because you already know that there is no difference for Law is Commandment and Commandment is Law.

And what you do not appreciate is that every time God Speaks, Law/Commandment comes out!

https://www.nairaland.com/6625238/every-word-god-law-commandment#103176717

So, whether circumcision or adultery or stealing or lust, ALL ARE LAWS AND COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, that should be obeyed in spirit and Truth and fact!

thesolutions:
God's command remains his command. His laws remains his laws.

But the law is different from the 10 commandments

But a law is made as rules and regulations to govern a group of people.

StillDtruth:
Then what is a Commandment?

thesolutions:
A commandment is a rule or instructions to be followed stricktly.
Add Ten to commandment and it becomes something specific and different.
Next.

StillDtruth:
See, no difference!

elated177:
Do you observe the Sabbath, thesolutions?

elated177:
Are you sure you not confused, thesolutions?

thesolutions:
Oh big difference. The 10 commandment is the 10 commandment.
The Law is Moses Instructions. The law of Moses contains the 10 commandments.
Moses Received the 10 commandments from God. Most part of the law are revelations Moses received. Those revelations has Spiritual interpretations. faulty interpretation is what Jesus came to correct.
Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. But it is impossible for the blood of animals to cleanse one from sin. Jesus blood was shed so we can obtain forgiveness. The law did not offer forgiveness. Christ did. Therefore Christ is the only valid law.
In Him we live, move and have our being.

StillDtruth:
First, do you not see how crazy and ridicule you, you sound? You obviously are brainwashed.

You admit, law is a rule and a commandment is a rule, then you say The Law cointains The Commandments, yet you still say they are different?

Secondly, you obviously did not read the bible else you would have seen that what you call The Law did not by revelation but by Commandment.

Then thirdly, do you not see that you call God stupid when He Commanded the blood of animals be used to cleanse sin which ye now say that "it is impossible for the blood of animals to cleanse one from sin" thereby saying God is a Liar and a fool?

Read your bible yourself lest you blaspheme The Lord because someone has misled you. Everything is there

thesolutions:
The law is a general name for rules and regulations. The 10 commandments is a specific rule from God to to the Israelite. It is not the law. God told Moses to strike the rock with his staff to provide water to the people. It is God's command
but it is not the law.
God told Moses to stretch out his hands and divide the Sea and he did. It is not the law but it is God's command.
Laws are made by man and not by God to rule men.
But laws made by Moses have devine inspiration which I called revelation in my previous post. It should not be difficult to understand if you are not being deliberately........
Just like I said, the law which Moses gave were images/symbols of spiritual reality. The book of revelation clarified this. Jesus is that sacrificial lamb. No animal blood was able to cleans sin. When the real came, the image or symbols was done away with.

StillDtruth:
Do you see how you are in twined in barb wires?

You kept saying 10 commandments now are these examples you gave "God told Moses to strike the rock with his staff to provide water to the people. /.God told Moses to stretch out his hands and divide the Sea, parts of the 10 Commandment

StillDtruth:
Is it not the fact that God got over close to the jews, even to the point of Speaking to then that makes them separate from others?

Deut 4:7
For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?

See, you dodged answering the question "is The Law different from The Commandments?" because you already know that there is no difference for Law is Commandment and Commandment is Law.

And what you do not appreciate is that every time God Speaks, Law/Commandment comes out!

https://www.nairaland.com/6625238/every-word-god-law-commandment#103176717

So, whether circumcision or adultery or stealing or lust, ALL ARE LAWS AND COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, that should be obeyed in spirit and Truth and fact!

thesolutions:
You are actually the one trying to gratify your own understanding. I have constantly separated the 10 commandment as specific instructions from God but you are keen on proving that Gods every command is the law.
When I said the circumcision law is not the 10 commandment you were quick to declare that the commandment is the law and the law is commandment. What changed, is the law now different from the commandment or you are still asking?