Dear Brethren in Christ Jesus,

 

The apostle Paul has revealed all of the great secrets for our understanding that we might become mature. But, we must carefully read what he has recorded for us, "The Nations."

 

"...that we may by no means still be minors surging hither and thither and being carried about with by every wind of teaching [of the legalist brethren] by human caprice, by craftiness with a view to the systematizing of the deception..." [Eph.4:14. C.V.]

 

 

"...Therefore, even as through one man "the" sin entered into the world, and through "the" sin "the" death passed through into all mankind, on which all sinned for until law sin was in the world, yet sin is not being taken into account where there is "NO LAW"; nevertheless "the" death reigns from Adam to Moses, over "the" those who do not sin in the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him "the" Who is about to be..." [Rom.5:12-14.C.V.]

 

Paul has just revealed that from Adam to Moses there was no law, yet all Adam's offspring were dying even though they were not under law and their sins were not being taken into account. The modern church tell us that death is the result of sin, but Paul tells US that sin is the result of death.

 

The truth is that we are dying because Adam was disobedient. Paul said;

 

"...Therefore, even as through one man "the" sin entered into the world, and through "the" sin

"the" death, and thus "the" death passed through [Adam] into all mankind..." [Rom.5:12]

 

"...For if by the offense of the one [Adam] the many died..." [Rom.5:15]

 

"...For if by the offense of the one, [Adam] death reigns through the one..." [Rom.5:17]

 

"...Consequently, then, as it was through one [Adam's] offense for all mankind for condemnation..." [Rom.5:18]

 

 

"...Yet law [ the Decalogue at Sinai] came in by the way, that the offense should be increasing..."

 

In other words, when Moses gave them the law, [the Ten Commandments] the sins that had not been taken into account because there was no law from Adam to Moses, now became an offense and SIN gained its power from the Decalogue given to Moses on the two tablets to the nation of Israel.

 

Now it became necessary to give the ceremonial law with its day of Atonement to cover the sins of the nation of Israel who found they were unable to put the law of Sinai into practice because the flesh is not subject to law and they all became transgressors of the law quickly finding out by experience that through the law is the recognition of the law.

 

 

When we say on the Day of Atonement their sins were covered for another year, we do not mean they were covered up or hidden. They were covered like a bank promissory note that covers the indebtedness of an overdrawn account from the bank for say a year. Legally, for that year the client does not owe the bank anything, but when the year has expired the loan becomes due and payable.

 

Each year on the Day of Atonement the debt the law demanded for SIN became due and payable, so the high priest went into the holy of holies and sprinkled the blood of the slain lamb and God accepted this and a temporary cover was obtained, and the hope was that Christ would come and pay by His sacrifice and the sin would be entirely put away once and for all and a true propitiatory shelter would be effected.

 

Paul has told us that Adam's offense has placed all under death, sin and condemnation. Then he tells us that law came in by the way to increase the offense, or deepen the estrangement between mankind and God. In [2.Cor.3:7] the law is said to be a "dispensation of death" and in verse 9, a "dispensation of condemnation." Now this was the "INTENT" of the law. Or as we read in Gal. 3:2], the scripture, [or "the law," as in verse 21] locks all up together under sin. Still we must distinguish between the "INTENT" of the law and the "PURPOSE" of the law.

 

In the very first commandment in Exodus 20:5, God said, "I, Jehovah thy God am a jealous God." So He locked up all under sin by the law, so that the flesh would have nothing of which to boast. And the true "PURPOSE" of the law was to escort us to Christ, as we read in [Gal.3:24]. Thus Paul declares, "Now may it not be mine to be boasting, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" [Gal.6:14] .G.M.

 

 

"...Now before the coming of faith we were garrisoned under law, being locked up together for the faith about to be revealed. So that law became our escort to Christ..." [Gal.3:23-24] Hence, the "PURPOSE" of the law was to lock us up to one way of deliverance from SIN, even the cross of Christ. Or as we read;   "...Being justified gratuitiously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus..." Yes, grace defends us from the condemnation of the law. [Rom.3:24]

 

 

 

"...Now the sting of "the" death is sin, yet the power of "the" sin is THE LAW..." [1.Cor.15:56]

 

So then my brethren, the great truth is that when Christ paid the debt that the law demanded in full we were removed from its jurisdiction[of the law] and SIN lost its power over us.

 

For God's sake, don't go back under law and give sin its power back over you.  Paul speaking to the Galatians said; "...Who bewitches you...So foolish are you? Undertaking in spirit, are you now being completed in flesh?..." [Gal.3:1-3]

 

 

"...Yet now, apart from law, [any law] a righteousness of God is manifest [being attested by the law of the prophets], yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's FAITHing, for all, [the nations] and all "the" who are FAITHing, for there is no distinction, for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of "the" God.

 

Being justified gratuitously in His "the" grace, through the deliverance "the" which is in Christ Jesus [Whom "the" God purposed for a propitiatory shelter, through "the" FAITHing in His blood, for the display of His righteousness because of the passing over of the penalties of sins which occurred before in the forbearance of God], toward the display of His "the" righteousness in the current era, for Him  "the" to be JUST and a [just] JUSTIFIER of the one who is of the FAITHing of Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is debarred! Through what law? Of works? No! But though FAITH'S LAW. For we are reckoning a man [all mankind] to be justified by FAITHing APART FROM WORKS OF LAW..." [Rom.3:21-28]

 

 

"...Happy they whose "the" LAWLESSNESS'S were pardoned

and whose "the" sins were covered over

Happy the man to whom the Lord by no means should be reckoning sin!..." [Rom.4:7-8]

 

Brethren, do not be fooled by anyone who lacks the maturity in Christ, trying to place you back under the law from whence SIN gets it power.  Listen to Paul as he gives us more revelation of this truth to keep you free from the law of SIN and DEATH.

 

 

For what was IMPOSSIBLE TO THE LAW, [the Decalogue] in which it [the law of Sinai] was infirm through the flesh, did "the" God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sin's flesh and concerning sin, He condemns "the" sin in the flesh, that the just requirement of THE LAW may be fulfilled in us, who are not walking with flesh, [under the law of Moses] but in accord with spirit..." [under grace] see, [Rom.8:1-4]

 

Let no one, then, be judging you in food [laws] or in drink or in the particulars of a festival, or of a new moon, or of Sabbaths [a Sabbath. R.V.] which are a SHADOW of those things which are impending...[having indeed, an expression of wisdom in a willful ritual and humility and asceticism] NOT OF ANY VALUE TOWARD THE SURFEITING OF THE FLESH..." [Col.2:16-17, 23]

 

 

May God bless you real good.

David and Carol Buckman.

Down-under in the land of OZ