Simple Church Ministries of Lancaster

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (Jn. 19:30) KJV 

Recently I received a letter from a dear brother who shared with me a conversation between two believers discussing the relationship between faith and works.

One assumed the position that salvation is a free-gift by grace through faith; the other the position that obedience is an essential component and evidence of salvation.

Without trying to be critical or judgmental, I believe such discussions exist because many believers do not have an understanding or appreciation of what is commonly referred to in theology as, the finished work of the cross.

More importantly, some believers do not appreciate nor understand how Christ’s finished work of substitution and atonement relates to the justification, sanctification, and preservation of the believer.

 More than good news:

All of my life I have heard many teach that the gospel is the good news.  However, the gospel of Jesus Christ is more than simply good news.

Just what is it about this good news that makes it so good? Read more…

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (Heb. 10:1)

Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (Col. 2:17)

The Law, A Shadow of Things To Come

It has been said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is Old Testament revealed. However, many preachers do not understand the relationship between the types and shadows of the Old Testament and their fulfillment in the New Testament (Col. 2:17).

When interpreting and applying Old Testament scriptures many have ignored a very important hermeneutic principle of interpretation.  That is:

When interpreting the relationship between the types and shadows of the Old Testament and their fulfillment in the New Testament, we must progress in revelation and knowledge from a revealed truth (the New Testament covenant of Grace)in order to understand a concealed truth (the Old Testament covenant of The Law). 

Think of the Law as the shadow of an object which is cast backward through time.  The shadow (in this instance) is the Old Testament typology of the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms (Lk. 24:44).  The object which cast the shadow backward through time is the cross of Jesus Christ, His “finished work,“ and the New Testament of Grace.

In other words, as New Testament believers, we must interpret the types and shadows of the Law from the standpoint of Grace rather than interpret Grace from the standpoint of the Law.

Just because we are first introduced to The Law (the shadow) does not mean that we are to use the Law to interpret Grace (the body casting the shadow) (Col.2:17).  Why is this so? Read more…

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (Gal. 3:24-25)

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (Heb. 10:1)

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. (Heb. 7:19)

 No Longer Under a Schoolmaster

Although the Old Testament canon of scripture (Genesis – Malachi) is referred to as the Law and the Prophets, the Law specifically was the moral, civil, and ceremonial code that was given to the prophet Moses as revealed in the first five books of the Bible known as the Pentateuch (Genesis – Deuteronomy). 

 The apostle Paul said this law was the handwriting of ordinances contained in commandments that was against us and contrary to us (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14). Read more…

Since the dawn of history and in each age or dispensation thereafter, man has always attempted to justify himself, to make him-self  holy, clean, acceptable and right with God.  In addition, man has always attempted to improve on God’s plan of redemption.  Such attempts have always led man to some form of legalism.

Since the beginning of the church and for nearly 2,000 years, there has also existed a great debate within-a theological tug of war between proponents of law vs. grace and works vs. faith.   This is written about that struggle, a struggle that will continue until Jesus returns.

Legalism, A Religious Phenomenon

Legalism is a religious phenomenon within the Body of Christ.  At the core of legalism is the concept of righteousness through works (human merit).   For the purposes of this work, I would like to offer the following definition of works.

Works:  righteous acts, deeds, effort, or service based on human merit.

Righteousness through works is self-righteousness.  Self-righteousness and legalism are both a curse and a stumbling block to the Body of Christ (Rom. 9:31-33).

Legalism is responsible for more darkness and false teaching within the Body of Christ than anything else.

Legalism, The Yoke of Bondage

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines legalism as strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code.  For purposes of this work, I offer a definition of legalism:

Legalism is any belief system where man derives merit through the keeping of the Law or other man-made doctrines, disciplines, or rules in order that he might obtain righteousness with God and thereby secure for himself favor, blessings, and in the end, salvation and eternal life. Read more…

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman.  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise.  Which things are an allegory:  for these are the two covenants;   (Gal. 4:22-24)

 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  (Jn. 1:13)

  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  (Jn. 3:6)

Salvation, A Miracle of Grace

An allegory is an extended metaphor. It is an illustration used in scripture to explain or give meaning to a biblical type, shadow, or other spiritual truth.  

The Old Testament is full of types and shadows.   The New Testament abounds with allegories.  This allegory of Isaac and Ishmael illustrates the New Testament truth that:

Salvation is possible only because of the promise of God and not by the righteous efforts of man. 

Furthermore, it illustrates the struggle between the proponents of law and grace; “but as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now” (Gal. 4:29).  In other words:

Those, who by the grace of God put their trust solely in the blood of Jesus as the basis for salvation, are persecuted by those who look to themselves and to their own works in order to obtain and maintain righteousness with God.

I can find no better example of this than Paul’s use of Isaac and Ishmael.  Isaac was a child of promise, born after the Spirit. He was conceived by grace through faith.  He was a gift to Abraham through Sarah; though Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah 90 and beyond the age of childbirth (Gen. 15:1-6; Rom. 4:17-22).  

 As Isaac’s birth was made possible because of a miracle of God’s grace, so is the believer’s salvation made possible because of a miracle of God’s grace.  Read more…

At first mention in the bible, systematically, the word grace in its generic form simply means favor; Thus, “Noah found grace [Heb. chen favor] in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8). The Hebrew word chen is translated elsewhere in the Old Testament as either grace or favor (e.g. Gen. 18:3 favor and 19:19 grace; 39:4 grace and 39:21 favor).

The idea of grace as favor can be seen and understood in the context of the following scriptures:

“Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. 2And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she “obtained” favour [grace], in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. 3Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom” (Esth. 5:1-3 emphasis mine)(e.g. Esth. 2:15,5:8,7:3,8:5; Heb. 4:16)

Here, we find that although under the condemnation of the law, Esther, a young Jewish girl obtained grace “favour” (Heb.chen) in the eyes of the king and was granted her petition. What a beautiful picture of what happens to the believer in Christ today when he/she petitions our heavenly Father.  In fact, the New Testament anti-type of this verse is revealed in the book to the Hebrews.   It reads:

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace [charis], that we may “obtain” mercy, and find grace [charis] to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16 emphasis mine).

Whenever God is doing something for us, to us, in us, or through us, it is through the means of and to the glory of His grace (Eph. 1:6). Whenever grace is supplied to the believer it is always given to “help in the time of need.”   Thus, grace is and always brings with it a divine benefit of a sort.

“Mercy, forgiveness, divine enablement, and strength to walk in our gifts and calling flow [freely] from the throne of grace to the believer” (Fallen from Grace, Zulon Press pg. 245) Read more…