SATURDAY'S SOUNDNESS: REQUIREMENT...

What the Lord requires for reconciliation with wayward people is not exorbitantly expensive offerings, but repentance leading to decent behavior toward others, love of "mercy" (hesed, " [acts of] covenant-loyalty/love"), and a walk with God that affects behavior toward others ( Micah 6:6-8 ). It is not "burnt offering and sin offering" that God "requires" so much as an ear open to hear and obey God's instructions from his Book ( Psalm 40:6-8 ).

Abraham by faith fulfilled God's requirements ( Gen 26:5 ), Zecharias and Elizabeth were righteous, keeping all the Lord's commandments and requirements ( Luke 1:6 ). This does not mean sinless perfection, but godly, obedient character.

Even Gentiles without the Law do some of its moral requirements ( Romans 2:14-15 Romans 2:26 ), although this is insufficient for salvation. Apart from regeneration, we all stand condemned by the Law as sinners ( Rom 3:23 ; 7:9 ), and in the "flesh" are in bondage to sin, unable to obey God's Law ( Rom 7:17 ). 

However, God through Christ's atoning death "condemned sin in the flesh, " that is, set us free from the Law's condemnation by Christ's taking upon his own flesh the death penalty that the Law required for us sinners, in order that the "requirement (dikaioma [dikaivwma]) of the law, " that is, the ethical obligations of the Law as a whole, might be "fulfilled" not only vicariously (our sin being properly punished in Christ) but also in actual practice (the moral law being obeyed) by those regenerated and empowered by the Holy Spirit ( Rom 8:2-4 ). Thus, ironically, we are freed from the Law so that we might fulfill its requirement. 

Excerpted from Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology 

CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF said that HE did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. As it says in the last line above IRONICALLY we are freed from the Law so that might fulfill its requirement! Interesting, you might say, and many of you will resist this, however, SINCE we are OBLIGATED to fulfill the Law of LOVE, first for *GOD*, then others, it is NATURAL that we, in regeneration, in the new being, actually practice the SOUNDNESS of what comprises *GOD'S* WILL! CHRIST lived as human, and KEPT HIS focus upon the WILL of *GOD*, TO FULFILL that WILL, without deviation, without falter, without any question of it's SOUNDNESS, because IT IS TRIED, TESTED, and PROVEN, PARTLY by our inability to fulfill it, from the beginning to the present time!!!

See, the Law condemned BECAUSE of the works of inequity, the influence of the oppressor, and the deceptive rulers of this world, and SO, *GOD* IN HIS WISDOM, LOVE, GRACE, and MERCY OVER THREW the delighted pride of the evil one, who is SO assured of our failure to comply with the WILL of *GOD*, BY granting us freedom from the word of the Law, which was NOT supported by FAITH, or FAITHFULNESS, instead embraced as action, despite the lack of honest intention! Now, the HEART is what THE LORD searches, and determines, in which case, the TRUE keeper of the Law, is one who BELIEVES, who LOVES, who FEARS HIM, who REGARDS HIS WILL, who RESPECTS HIS SOUND instruction, and LIVES accordingly! The ancients relied on action void of intent, void of respect, void of anything binding, because they, in their arrogance, misunderstanding, and ignorance, performed without truth of intent, or reverence, or LOVE for *GOD*. They called upon HIM ONLY when they were in trouble, or had invoked HIS anger, generally speaking!!!

Basically, the ancients USED the Law to justify, and glorify themselves, NOT to SERVE THE LORD, or others, or for any HONEST results...

Now FAITH became the TRUTH OF INTENT, in that, we LOVE HIM without HIM appearing to us, and we RELY on HIM without the demands of signs, wonders, and other such, while we STRIVE to PLEASE HIM, BECAUSE HE has opened our eyes, and our ears, that our HEARTS become consecrated TO HIM, FOR HIS WILL, and GLORY! We don't focus on the Laws of the ancients, we focus on the LAW OF LOVE, which then, LEADS us to EXIST as HE WILLS us to, THROUGH CHRIST JESUS' example, teachings, and cross, and THE HOLY SPIRIT! We not only have FAITH, we are FAITHFUL TO HIM, which then you see, CAUSES us to align to HIS WILL, even though it is a struggle, even though it is a constant process, we have SURRENDERED to this process THROUGH more than proclamation, instead through DOING as HE requires!!!

As Paul explains in 1 CORINTHIANS 6 & 10: 
"Everything is lawful for me," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is lawful for me," but I will not let myself be dominated by anything.

Some among the Corinthians seem to have been ready to say, All things are lawful for me. This dangerous conceit Paul opposes. 

There is a liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, in which we must stand fast. 

But surely a Christian would never put himself into the power of any bodily appetite. The body is for the Lord; is to be an instrument of righteousness to holiness, therefore is never to be made an instrument of sin. It is an honour to the body, that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead; and it will be an honour to our bodies, that they will be raised. 

The hope of a resurrection to glory, should keep Christians from dishonouring their bodies by fleshly lusts. And if the soul be united to Christ by faith, the whole man is become a member of his spiritual body. 

Other vices may be conquered in fight; that here cautioned against, only by flight. And vast multitudes are cut off by this vice in its various forms and consequences. Its effects fall not only directly upon the body, but often upon the mind. Our bodies have been redeemed from deserved condemnation and hopeless slavery by the atoning sacrifice of Christ. We are to be clean, as vessels fitted for our Master's use. 

Being united to Christ as one spirit, and bought with a price of unspeakable value, the believer should consider himself as wholly the Lord's, by the strongest ties. May we make it our business, to the latest day and hour of our lives, to glorify God with our bodies, and with our spirits which are his.

See? Though we are freed from the Law, we are NOT free to take this GIFT in vain, and to use it to continue in ways against HIS WILL! In fact, LOVE OF HIM finds us busy AIMING to HONOUR HIM, and HIS WILL; to learn, to know, to utilize the lessons HE has granted us for the purpose of Sanctifying, and Consecrating us, that we ARE REFLECTING HIM, and thus, proven as HIS OWN!!!

Greatly misinterpreted is the TRUTH of SALVATION, as TOO many imagine that it is a license to continue, or increase in what they REFUSE to control! Salvation is a FREEDOM to set the spirit free from the oppression of the world, that it SHINES OF *GOD*, FOR HIS GLORY, and for the good of all, and to be worked towards perfection for the coming roles of the Royal Priesthood of THE MOST HIGH *GOD*!!!

NO ONE said it would be easy, but IF WE LOVE as we OUGHT TO, then, it ISN'T a chore, it ISN'T drudgery, instead it is a PLEASURE TO SERVE THE LORD, which will find us SHARING IN HIS GLORY FOR ALL ETERNITY! When it is difficult, HE IS NEAR, and IS ABLE; HE IS OUR STRENGTH, OUR HELP, OUR DELIVERER, OUR EVERYTHING!!!

BLESS THE LORD, PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIS HOLY NAME, REJOICE IN HIS LOVE, and CARE for us, which GAVE us FREEDOM from the pit, and from the evil one who is bent on filling that pit!!!

MATTHEW 16: 24-26...
 24/ Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 
25/ For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
26/ What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?

JOHN 14: 15...
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

REV. LWINSOR © 2014
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS