Author: Dushko of Christ (Boceski)

The Law Vindicated

God is love
The Law is love
God is the Law
The Word is truth.
The Word is God
God is truth.
The Word is God’s will
The Word fulfilled is God’s will fulfilled.
God’s will fulfilled is God’s glory.
Jesus fulfilled God’s Word,
Jesus is God’s glory.
Jesus is the character of God.
Jesus is love and truth. the Character of God is love and truth. There is no other like God. No other like Jesus. There is one way, one glory, one truth, one life, one character, one God, one glory of God, one Son of God.

Key Lines (click to toggle)

• life without meaning is death

It is pointless to live by the law once you break it.

For what use is a law if it allows for departures? If two people live in a house, and the law of the house is “do not kill,” and if one of them departs from the law for the time being, then how has this law protected the victim? What good of living by the law, which says, Do not kill, after killing the only one sharing the law? There is no one left to kill anyway. And if there is, how can this other person have peace knowing the law cannot provide him 100% security? So he would render the law of no value — useless.

The usefulness of a law is that it would leave no transgression left unpunished — the utility of any law comes from the mercilessness of its punishments for departures. The punishment might have different degrees of recompense of the damaged, or stolen, or destroyed. But if there is no recompense, the Law is a mere decoration of justice, rather than empowered justice. Every law must be like a balancing scale, where on one side there is an eye, and on the other side, also an eye — tooth for a tooth, eye for an eye.

The only exemption from a punishment must be if the victim allows it. But if the victim is dead, who will allow for the mercy? It must be the Creator of that soul, which is killed.

• Romans 3:20 — “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Does Paul here refer to the Ten Commandments (the Moral Law) — the Law of God which condemns us to death after transgressing it?

• Romans 6:32 ^{1 ⤵} — “For the wages of sin is death…

Is he saying that the Law opened his eyes to his sinfulness —made him aware he was a sinner(?) that knowing this Law only points to us as sinners, rather than making us sinless? For the Law is there to show that we have sinned, and enable us to realize the extent of our sinning — it is not there to help us sin not, nor to call us to obey it; ^{7 ⤵} for why would we obey it when we already broke it? When it already condemned us to death, what is the point and the benefit of living by it?

• Romans 7:7 — “I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”

But rather, the Law is there to show us how deep into sin we have fallen, that no obedience to ‘a Law’ can save us from the wages of the disobedience to it, except God’s grace — the mercy of the Lawgiver…

But rather, the Law is there to show us how deep into sin we have fallen: that no obedience to a Law can save us from the wages of disobedience to it, except by God’s grace… the mercy of the Lawgiver… unless it is Someone higher than the Law who takes the blame upon Himself — either by professing imperfection in His Law, saying, “My Law is imperfect; I was wrong to demand such holiness from you,” or by bearing our guilt upon His back (carrying the cross). And since the Law represents the very character of this Higher Being (everything He stands for, all that He is, the core essence of His being, the fullness of Who He is ^{2 ⤵}), any transgression of it falls on Him: casting doubt on His name, diminishing His glory, flawing His essence — questioning the very purpose of His eternal existence. And what is worse pain than to know your existence is meaningless, useless, vain, empty, of zero value?
Meaningful death is better than a meaningless life.¹

• Ecclesiastes 9:5 — “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”

But when all hope and reward of life is lost, when life has no holy purpose of eternal value:

• Job 3:16 — “Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.”

Our sin puts shadow on God’s dignity, sovereignty, integrity, wondering whether He should exist as such, and whether He is truly God, and the Creator of everything. How base and prideful sin is? Sin requires recompense of the damage we cause to God — Who can recompense damaged divinity? God alone. Surely not beings made out of the dust of the earth. We are worthy of non-existence. And if it wasn’t for the love of God, and for His eternal patience, we would be “of untimely birth who know not any thing“.

God’s character is His image and the purpose of His existence — the soul of His immortality, the face of His unseen nature. And faith in this Character is the evidence of things unseen, the purpose of His eternal existence, and the substance of things hoped for — the tangibility of His love: that God is our Father, that we bear the image of our Creator, that He has given us His essence — the essence of His Being, the essence of His existence, the essence of His purpose and will: the knowledge of His Law, which is His character — giving us a free space for choice, to be like Him — to freely choose to live by it and reflect the glory of the One Whom we have received as our only true Father, Whom we trust and honor.
The Law says, Love your neighbor — or rather, love Him who bears the same image you bear: that of God, your Father and Creator.
The Law says, Do not kill: ➔

➔ If we kill them who God made in His image and who carry the purpose God designed them for — the murder is against God; because, to destroy the one who bears God’s image and carries His purpose is to strike at our God-given essence and render God purposeless — a fool unable to discern useful from useless, good from bad; to assign him the character of the devil. If we create our own purpose, we place ourselves higher than God. And we give God a purpose rather than trust God for the purpose He gave us, that it is perfect for us throughout eternity.

• Isaiah 5:20 — “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
• Mark 3:28–30 — “Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.”
• Luke 12:10 — “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.”
• Hebrews 10:26–29 — “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”
• Hebrews 6:4–6 — “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
• 1 John 5:16 — “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.”

Every act of murder is not merely against flesh, but against the glory of the One who gave that life of Himself and assigned a meaning to it — the same meaning which God’s existence bears/carries — which is to love and be loved; to do service to others and receive service from those greater than you. If you disbelieve the Lifegiver, you commit a murder ^{3 ⤴}.

• John 11:25–26 — “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
• John 5:26 — “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself”
• “Still seeking to give a true direction to her faith, Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. “He that hath the Son hath life.” 1 John 5:12. The divinity of Christ is the believer’s assurance of eternal life. “He that believeth in Me,” said Jesus, “though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?”” The Desire of Ages, p. 530
• “In Him was life, original, unborrowed, underived. This life is not inherent in man. He can possess it only through Christ. He cannot earn it; it is given him as a free gift if he will believe in Christ as his personal Saviour.” Selected Messages, Book 1, page 296

Disbelieving God’s purpose is to count every life He gave as of no value — useless — and thus to count God Himself as of no value; for He has that life of Himself… ^{4 ⤵}

• Psalm 118:22-23 — “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”
• Matthew 21:42 — “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”
• 1 Peter 2:4 — “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious.”
• Psalm 14:1 — “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”
• Romans 1:21 — “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
• Genesis 1:27 — “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
• Ephesians 2:10 — “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
• Psalm 138:8 — “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.”
• Luke 7:30 — “But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.”
• Romans 8:28 — “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.“
• Jeremiah 29:11 — “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:8 — “He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”
• Matthew 12:31–32 — “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”

… ^{4 ⤴} and gave that life to His Son to have of Himself, and through His Son, He shared it with all of us, to have it through faith in His holy name, which He spoke to Moses, face to face: “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” — Exodus 34:6–7
This speaks that we are alive because God is love; we are alive because of God’s Law, Character, Purpose, Name, Glory, Will…: we are alive because of the meaning of God’s life — We are alive because of God’s purpose. Because of His reason to be alive..

verses

• Proverbs 8:22–23 — “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.”
• Proverbs 8:24–25 — “When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth.”
• Proverbs 8:26–27 — “While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth.”
• Proverbs 8:28–29 — “When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth.”
• Proverbs 8:30–31 — “Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.”

Without this meaning, ^{5 ⤵} God cannot exist, and His life is of no value — dead.

verses

• Revelation 1:17–18 — “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.”
• Revelation 22:13 — “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
• Luke 20:38 — “For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.”
• Romans 14:11 — “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
• Ezekiel 18:3 — “As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.”
• Hebrews 10:31 — “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
• Job 19:25 — “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.”
• Psalms 18:46 — “The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.”
• Ezekiel 33:11 — “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.”
• Ezekiel 5:11 — “Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary… therefore will I also diminish thee.”
• Numbers 14:28 — “Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you.”
• Galatians 2:20 — “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”
• 2 Samuel 22:47 — “The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.”
• Mark 12:27 — “He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.”
• Matthew 22:32 — “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
• 1 Samuel 25:34 — “For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee…”
• 1 Samuel 26:10 — “David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die…”
• 1 Samuel 28:10 — “And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.”
• 1 Samuel 29:6 — “Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright…”
• Revelation 15:7 — “And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.”

And He gave that meaning ^{5 ⤴} for us to also have, and we can only access it by faith. And whoever destroys this meaning ^{2 ⤴} and murders a brother who shares in this meaning of life—which God has imparted and appointed to him—revokes both his life and the meaning which God has given him. He refuses to accept that life without meaning is death ↑, and that, to revoke the meaning which God has assigned to him, is to revoke the life God has given him—for God’s life never coexists with the absence of its meaning.
And to give our own meanings is to create our own lives. And who among us has ever created life? Why do we believe so determinately that we have the power and the right to create a meaning to a life we did nothing to receive nor did we contribute anything to bring into existence? Its almost as if an external, devilish force, is forcing this unreasonable beliefs upon us, to render fools out of those who bear the image of the Holiest, Most Reasonable and Most Loving and Caring Being out there: the Ruler of kings and Creator of world and Father of spirits and the Exemplar of perfection, the Cornerstone of laws, the Beginning of time, the Measure of infinity, the Trainer of light, the Model of beauty and glory and the Warmth of love and care, the Firmness of truth, the Counsel of wisdom, the Essence of hope, the Straightness of righteousness, the Breath of life, the Voice of joy and salvation and purpose, the Space of infinity, the Time of eternity…
We only borrow this life; and we can only keep it when we fully accept the meaning it comes with. And that happens when we surrender our own meanings and when we die to ‘our lives we have created in our fantasy and illusion’—lives we blindly cling to with supernatural strength, gripped by deluded fear, as if our eternal salvation depended on them, committing idolatry towards our Creator and Father: the gravest sin. Murder.

Thus, either our life or His life will be required to recompense the damage caused by the transgression ^{2 ⤵}. in both cases, Divinity must bear the punishment—the full pain of the cost: if you kill those who bear God’s image, God bears the pain; if you kill the Son of God, Who is the express image of His person, the brightness of His glory, torn from God’s bosom, God bears the pain.

So when the devil killed Adam by his lies, he killed the Son of God, and caused God’s heart to bleed the blood of forgiveness shed on the cross, to recompense Adam’s sin — else, Adam, and all of us who came from him, would have been long lost in oblivion, like the memory of last year’s snow.

So, the Law is there to show us the value of our life, and thereby, to reveal the knowledge of sin: that, being made in God’s image, by our sin — breaking the Law — we have killed the Law Giver², destroying everything He stands for and upholds ^{2 ⤵}: And now, the punishment requires either our life, or His life. One is mercy, the other—strict justice. Is our God a legalist, or is He our Father? His Law is perfect, holy, and just, and death was inevitable; therefore, He took our death upon Himself, because He loves us. For the value of any sin equals death. And if 2+2=4, God cannot say “sin does not equal death,” because it does. Thus, the wages of sin is, indeed, death…

• Romans 6:32 ^{1 ⤴} — …but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.“

HERE or

God is the value of our lives. And the cost of sin is the value of God: it is the value of His life which He gave us to live in the full measure of His value.

• John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

So if God withheld nothing back when giving us life, and with that life, His full glory, He will withhold nothing back

• Revelation 14:10-13 — “He shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.
  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”

when we sin against Him—against His Law and His character—in this life He gave us; and we will be compelled either to accept the death of His Son as recompense, and never sin again, or to face our own death for holding onto the sin that destroys the life of Him who gave us life.

• John 3:36 — “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Jesus is the Life,

• John 11:25 — “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

the Truth,

• John 1:17 — “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

the Law,

• Romans 8:3-4 — “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us…”
• Matthew 5:17 — “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

the Word,

• John 14:6 — “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
  ➝ …but by faith in God’s name, glory, purpose, image, character. Jesus is the full expression of God and is God’s Will manifest.
• John 1:1 — “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
  • John 1:14 — “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
• Matthew 3:17 — “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
  • Mark 1:11 — “And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
  • Luke 3:22 — “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”
  • Matthew 17:5 — “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”
  • Luke 9:35 — “And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.”
  • 2 Peter 1:17 — “For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
• Psalm 2:7 — “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”
• Colossians 1:19 — “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.”
  • Colossians 2:9 — “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
  • John 1:16 — “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”
• John 1:18 — “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
• John 14:9 — “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”
  • John 14:10 — “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”

the Promise,

• 2 Corinthians 1:20 — “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”
• Acts 2:39 — “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off…”

the Love,

• John 15:13 — “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
• 1 John 4:9 — “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world…”

the Name by which God made Himself known to us—which means ‘God Saves‘.

• John 17:6 — “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world…”
• Philippians 2:9-11 — “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…”
• Isaiah 9:6 — “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

In other words, as God is His Glory, so is Jesus—being the brightness of His Glory—God. We knew God by witnessing His glory.

• Hebrews 1:3 — “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”
• Revelation 21:23 — “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”
• Colossians 1:15 — “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”
• Psalm 36:9 — “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.”
• 2 Corinthians 4:6 — “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
• John 17:24 — “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”

We knew God by beholding Jesus. By believing in the Son, we believe the Father.

• John 12:44 — “He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.”
• 1 John 2:23 — “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”
• 1 John 5:1 — “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God…”

• Isaiah 49:3 — “And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”

In Jesus, on Calvary, we see the death of God’s glory murdered by our sin. And In His resurrection we see the value of our lives.

• 1 Corinthians 6:20 — “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
• 1 Peter 1:18-19 — “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
• Acts 20:28 — “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
• Revelation 5:9 — “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”

The identity of God is His glory, His Law, His Character, His Image, His Will, His Name — and His Son carries God’s name in Him, executes His will, shines His glory, makes visible the spotlessness of God’s character, makes His intentions visible, gives His love tangible value,

• Exodus 23:21 — “Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.”
  • Deuteronomy 18:15 — “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.
    • 18–19 — I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
      And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearkenunto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”

• John 1:3 — “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
• John 3:34 — “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
• John 5:30 — “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
• John 17:5 — “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

---

God is calling us to repent…

• Acts 17:30 — “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.”
• 2 Peter 3:9 — “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

…through His glory…

• 2 Corinthians 4:6 — “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
• John 1:14 — “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

…through His love…

• Romans 5:8 — “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
• John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

…through the right hand of His righteousness…

• Isaiah 41:10 — “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
• Psalm 98:1 — “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.”
• Acts 5:31 — “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”

…through His patience…

• Romans 2:4 — “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
• 2 Peter 3:15 — “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation…”

…through the power of His Word…

• Hebrews 4:12 — “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword…”
• John 6:63 — “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

…Wisdom, who was made flesh…

• Proverbs 1:20–23 — “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
  She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
  ‘How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
  Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you…’”
  • 33 — …But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
• Proverbs 8:1-3 — “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? ^{6 ⤵}
  She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
  She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
• 1 Corinthians 1:24 — “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:30 — “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”

…and came to dwell upon us: the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father. ^{6 ⤵}

• John 1:14 — “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…”
• John 1:18 — “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” ➝ Wisdom has declared the value of God.
• Matthew 1:23 — “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
  • Exodus 33:18–23 — “And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.”
    • Exodus 34:5–7 — “And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

---

In other words…

• God’s character as His image and purpose — His Law is an expression of His character
  • Romans 7:12 — “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.”
• The Law is Love:
  • God is love.
• GOD is the Law -for the law is merciful, trustworthy, perfect, truth, loving.
• So to break God’s law, you kill God — or at least attempt a murder on His holy image, which is the same. To put shame on God’s name is equivalent of a murder, because His name is pure, perfect, holy, good, reliable, truthful.
• The law of God is the Law of love, because God is Love. “Love thy neighbor as thyself and love God with all you have.” Because God has created man in His image and His likeness. God is love. Who doesnt love his neighbor doesnt know that God is love. If God is love and man is created under the image of love then men is created to love and be loved). Whoever commits crime against the image of God, against His law, against Love, refuses the purpose which God created Him for, and he chooses to live a life without purpose, denying His Creator and his Father. And what is the use of a person who denies His purpose of creation? What is the use of a computer who acts not according to what it was designed for? Who eats apple to receive the taste of a strawberry? Who buys goats to get orange juice? Who trains dogs for singing? If a man loses his purpose, it is better for him never to have been born or milestone to be hung around his neck and be tossed in the midst of the ocean.
• Murder as an offense against the image of God — (Genesis 9:6 — “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”).
• God bearing the pain when His image is attacked — Isaiah 63:9 — “In all their affliction he was afflicted…”

---

To continue…

• Romans 7:12 — The law is holy and good

But the law is like a mirror — it shows the dirt, but it cannot wash it off.
It reveals sin, but cannot remove sin.
It defines what is right and wrong, but cannot give us the power to obey.

But isn’t the Law God Himself? Isn’t the Law the very Character of the Almighty? And isn’t Jesus the embodiment of God’s Character and Law and Grace and Mercy? Aren’t God and His Word One? And isn’t Jesus the Word of God? And If God is His Law, and His Word and His Law is God and His Word is God, who can make us obey God if not God Himself?

The Law cannot save us, but the Law acted upon us can save us. The Tablets of the Ten Commandments are not God, but they speak who God is—they reveal our Saviour. They promise that God is good. Jesus is the enactment of this promise, the fulfillment of its value — the Word who was made flesh and came to dwell upon us. The knowledge of God’s existence and righteousness and holiness and perfection cannot save us, but its enactment upon us gives us the faith of salvation.
Looking at the Law cannot bring us salvation, nor can it give us the power not to sin anymore than looking at the sun can give us the power to shine. But when the light of the sun, which is the light of the Son of God, comes to dwell upon us, we will be enlightened as if a lamp is shining upon us.

And this love of God, the Light of His Law, Word, Character, Name, Image, can only live in us when we witness God doing great things for us — and what greater things can we witness if not seeing God dying for our filth of sin?

• Psalm 118:23 — “This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”

undeniable realities that transform the Law from being a mere opinion to an absolute authority .

The Law of God DID save us, in that it’s real value was exposed in the death of its Giver sacrificing His own life for the benefit of ours — the Law was nailed on the cross because it was the life of the Lawgiver. And by nailing Itself on the cross, it breaks its own condemnation towards us, that the sinner must die — It does not break the weight and validity of it, but, rather declares and reminds the lowly in spirit with the same weight and validity that the sinner who repents will live.

And it further affirms that the sinner who,
—AFTER KNOWING SIN,
—and AFTER KNOWING WHAT SIN DID TO HIM WHO KNOWS NO SIN,
—and AFTER KNOWING THE VALUE OF HIS LIFE,
—and AFTER KNOWING WHAT GOOD IS,
YET CHOOSES TO LIVE IN SIN,
WILL SURELY DIE.

• John 9:39–41 — “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.”
• Matthew 12:31–32 — “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”
• Mark 3:28–29 — “Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.”
• Luke 12:10 — “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.”
• 1 John 5:16–17 — “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.”
• Hebrews 6:4–6 — “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
• Hebrews 10:26–27 — “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”
• Matthew 7:6 — “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
• Proverbs 29:1 — “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

For the wages of sin is INDEED death, HOWEVER, the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ, who did not come to destroy the law, or the word, but to fulfill its value — to make it shine, to give reality to it, to validate a theory by putting it to practice in the exact words it was hypothesized.

Thus,
—God’s Word becomes a LAW.
—God’s love becomes a LAW unto which all living must live.

Why it becomes a LAW?

Because before we had seen both the fruits of sin and the fruits of God’s grace, the Law was a mere opinion to us.

But after seeing the undeniable realities, the inevitable consequences, and the irrevocable value from transgressing the Law:

1. its irrefutable correctness
2. Unassailably irreproachable justice,
3. its eternal worth which cannot be made unknown,
4. the irreversible outcome from a free life of disobedience to it,
5. the unquestionable finality,
6. its unchangeable standard that gives life fuel,
7. the inescapable truth,
8. its unshakable authority due to its undeniable witness of its seamless perfection,
9. the witness that stamped our soul with unerasable ink,
10. the testimony which cannot be unseen…

…after seeing the undiminishable worth and witnessing its irrefutable majesty,

then, from being a mere opinion, the Law becomes a DICTATOR, a TYRANT, THE ONLY WAY, the aboslute authority: the Law becomes the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And no body would go to the Father, but by bowing down to its irrefutable majesty — glowing with love and mercy and forgiveness in the face of Jesus Christ.

• John 14:6 — “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
• 2 Corinthians 4:6 — “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

 By asserting its indelible witness of its seamless perfection, and the unchallengeable glory of its design, the Law forces us
to bow to it, engrave it to our hearts, and yield our flawed and fantasized authorities to that of God.

• Mathew 5:17 — Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

The Law itself is but a combination of words, put together: they may sound nice, harsh, true, false, overwhelming, easy to bear… in themselves, the words carry no value, for they are uphold on nothing. Jesus came to uphold the value of the Law throughout eternity, and engrave it on His eternal palms and nailed feet.

The Word is a promise, and the fulfillment of the Word is the value of that Word.

The Law doesn’t provide a recompense for sin, once it is broken. It requires the death of the sinner—not forgiveness of the sinner. It shows that he who breaks it deserves no life.

But the fulfillment of the Law provides the recompense there is but One who is sinless and who has fulfilled the requirement of the Law. He is the requirement. He is the value, much like God is love, Jesus is the Word, their character is God’s Law: and the Law is life, a life full of love and joy.

The Law teaches us what sin is, so that we can understand and value the sacrifice of God, Who paid our sins. Therefore, the Law points us to Christ, calling us to repentance.

• Galatians 3:24 — “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

To be sinless by our own effort would require that we had never sinned at all — not even once. But the law, though it reveals what sin is and shows the standard of sinlessness, it requires a state of sinlessness, of holy perfection, to start with, which we no longer have. It cannot remove the record, the stain—nor the guilt—of past sin. Thus, the law shows us how to live without sin, but it cannot restore us to that state once broken.

But rather, the indwelling of the Law—its fulfilled righteousness—can restore us. For the Law shows that “Greater love hath no man than this…”

• John 15:12–14 — “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

Since God is love and His Law is love, Greater Law hath no man than this, to lay down His life for his friends. Greater god there is none else, for God has laid His own life for His children.

And who will give his life for his friends unless the Law of God dwells in them? And how would the Law of God dwell in them if God doesn’t dwell in them? And How will God dwell in them, if God doesn’t first die for them, and thereby fulfill the requirement of His Law?

And who will better fulfill the requirements of the Law, if not He who is the value thereof?

The Lawgiver knows best how to live by it. He knows and understands every jot and title He spoke thereof, similarily like He knows every cell of our bodies, and how they work together, in perfect harmony to sustain us physically alive. Every jot and title of His law are the spiritual cells of our Spiritual Body which is Christ.

Only by being washed in the blood of Jesus Christ can we be brought back into a state of righteousness. And only then can we use the Law to REMAIN in that state ^{7 ⤴}: after the pardon of sins does the law serve its rightful purpose — not to justify us, but to guide and keep us in the way of holiness, which we have received by the grace of the One who kept every jot and title of it intact. We have received pardon by the grace of the Law which points at us as sinners and condemns us to death.

O mystery of godliness!

• 1 Timothy 3:16 — “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

Before sins, the law serves a purpose to teach us not to sin. After sinning, the law serves a purpose to pardon our sins—by Him who fulfills it and who is full of it: and, also, who is filling us with it. After pardon of sins, the law serves, once again, its initial purpose — to teach us not to sin. After it has taught us not to sin, and we sin still, the law serves a purpose to condemn us to eternal death — a place of no return, everlasting darkness and purposelessness, throwing us in the abyss of non-awareness, where we will not know we ever existed, nor that the Son of God has given us a reason to live and a life of no sin and the joy of eternity.

So how did the law reveal to us we were sinners?

By God’s grace. By transgressing against the one Who kept the Law — for the Law is grace and mercy. And when you sin against holiness, when you torture mercy, when you kill somebody who is capable to do that which you are not, it reveals within you a testimony that your reasons and excuses for doing evil are false and cunning — that you have no excuse to do sin — that you are indeed capable not to sin amidst a sinful world, however, you chose not to, because you are evil, selfish, and self-absorbed. Before Jesus, we thought we were good, that we were only defending ourselves against evil — but Jesus, who did not defend Himself against evil, showed us the true value of goodness — that it is to turn the other cheek when somebody slaps you, to give the shirt to him who steals your jacket, and to walk two miles with him who forces you to walk one. He taught us never to do evil for evil, but to overcome evil by doing good. Never to avenge, but to put our hopes on God’s justice, which will come in due time. That patience is crucial to wait on a fallen brother to turn from his evil ways. Love overcomes evil by allowing evil upon you — because love is the only way that can turn a sinner from his dark ways. That God’s vengence only steps in when a sinner refuses a self-sacrificial love. For what is his purpose of living then, if he hates love? What will he do throughout eternity? A life without self-sacrificial love is a life of self-torture, not only torture of others.

So how did the law revealed to us we were sinners?

By God’s grace. That God allowed us to put His Son to shame and death through sinning, while blinded by sin, not knowing we were sinning. And how did we find out we were sinning? There was no fulfillment of justice, after killing the One Who we thought deserved death. Rather, there was horror, an infesting eating doubt that we might have committed a murder towards the One Who gave us life and who gave us a second chance to live again (another life). And there was this silence that no sense of our own righteousness could fulfill. But this terror did not convict us — but it was rather the beginning of the testimony. The resurrection of Jesus convicted us, by giving us choice to repent. The fact the we had place to reflect, that we were not killed right away, that we did not get eye for an eye, showed us by our own eyes how big sinners we were.

It was the fact that God had us realize we killed the Life-Giver of our life and that we killed the one who is holy and just and innocent like a newborn baby.

But His Word, the Truth, remains as when it was first spoken — for the first Word was perfect, and the last Word is the same as the First: for perfect needs no change.

• Nothing New Under the Sun
  • Ecclesiastes 1:9 — “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”
  • Ecclesiastes 3:15 — “That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.”
• Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End
  • Revelation 1:8 — “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord…”
  • Revelation 21:6 — “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
  • Revelation 22:13 — “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
• He is the Truth, the Way, the Life
  • John 14:6 — “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
• He Changes Not
  • Malachi 3:6 — “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
  • Hebrews 13:8 — “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
  • James 1:17 — “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

“My way is the Only way. My Law is the only Law. My life is the only life.” And if it is the only, that means all others are flawed copies of the original, which failed to preserve its full purpose and true essence. If the first is perfect, there is no need for a second.

• Galatians 1:6–7 — “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
• Matthew 7:13–14 — “Enter ye in at the strait gate… because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
• John 10:1 — “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold… the same is a thief and a robber.”
• Isaiah 8:20 — “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
• 2 Corinthians 11:14–15 — “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness…”
• 1 John 2:4 — “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

This does not mean that what God originally made was flawed — for He made it very good. But anything that comes to challenge or replace the original perfect Word is, by definition, a flawed counterfeit.

Not that God created a bad copy — but he did create a copy, nevertheless. A copy meant to shine with His glory — which is what makes it a perfect copy. That is, when He is present in it, the copy will reflect His glory. And His presence remains when the copy, which we are, welcomes and maintains His presence through faith, trust, and obedience. This is how faith, trust, and obedience in His Word build God abode to dwell in and give His original glory the opportunity to shine through the copy which God designed for this very purpose.

But without God’s presence, without our surrender to His perfection, which is His love and truth, the copy is flawed: because in the place of His glory, our ignorance and shame is added — thus, it becomes a flaw. Wanting to put ourselves in the place of the Perfect, we become flawed— and we chase away Him who makes us perfect, the Only One who is perfect. Thus, we are second if, to us, the First, which is perfect, is not enough. And everything which is second is new and flawed, for the Original doesn’t change because He is perfect, the First and the Last. And if the First is enough to us, or perfect, we are not seconds or substitutes, but extensions; extensions of His perfection. Extensions of the First. We are kings of the King. Not rebels.

• Revelation 1:6 — “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
• Revelation 5:10 — “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
• 1 Peter 2:9 — “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
• Romans 8:17 — “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Those who are seconds put themselves in the place of the Most High:

• Isaiah 14:13-14 — “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”
• Ezekiel 28:2 —”Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God.”

And we all know that there is nothing “new” under the sun. All that is advertised for “new” is a flawed copy of the original.

• Ecclesiastes 1:9 — “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
  Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
  There is no remembrance of former things: neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Maybe that is why Jesus is God’s ONLY Begotten Son, for He was perfect, and there was no need for a second one.
We are the second ones, for we are not perfect — being made out of the dust of the earth — but we are made perfect through the First One and the Last One: for God made us in Their image, the image of the Father and of the Son, and gave us His breath of life. And we became perfect reflections of His perfection — living souls.

• Genesis 2:7 — And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
• 1 Corinthians 15:45 — And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

By faith, we see the Invisible. By seeing Him, we are changed — by seeing Him He enters in us and changes us. And by His indwelling, we reflect His glory. So by faith in Him we reflect His glory

For faith opens the door. Vision beholds His beauty. His beauty is His presence in us. His presence transforms us. And His life becomes ours.

So by seeing the invisible we become changed — by faith we see. By faith we become changed. By seeing He enters. By faith He enters. By entering, He shines and we reflect. By faith we reflect. 

• by beholding we become changed.
• We walk by faith not sight.
• Faith is our sight, we look at the invisible as if it is visible
• faith is the evidence of things hoped for… substance of things unseen
• Without faith you cannot satisfy Him
• Believe in me and I will make My abode with you.
• Here I come knock, open the doors.
• Hebrews 11:1 — “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 — “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
• 2 Corinthians 4:18 — “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
• Hebrews 11:27 — “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”
• John 20:29 — “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
• 1 Peter 1:8-9 — “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
• Romans 8:24-25 — “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
• Romans 10:17 — “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
• Matthew 5:8 — “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
• Ephesians 1:18 — “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,”
• 2 Corinthians 3:18 — “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
• John 1:14 — “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
• Psalm 34:8 — “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
• Isaiah 6:1-5 — “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings… And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory… Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips…”
• Hebrews 12:2 — “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
• John 14:23 — “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
• Revelation 3:20 — “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
• 1 Corinthians 3:16 — “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
• Galatians 2:20 — “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
• Colossians 1:27 — “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”
• Matthew 17:20 — “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
• Matthew 9:29 — “Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.”
• James 1:6 — “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
• Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
• Isaiah 43:19 — “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

Then, by sin, we became broken copies; And again, through the First and the Last, we were made perfect — like the Original.

So there is but ONE perfect and ONE perfection, and all are by Him, and through Him. He died for us all for we were all dead: “There is none righteous, no, not one,” but “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

• 2 Corinthians 5:14 — “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:”
• Psalms 14:3 — “They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
• Psalms 53:3 — “Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
• Romans 3:9-20 — “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin:
  ¹⁰ As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
  ¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
  ¹² They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
  ¹³ Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
  ¹⁴ Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
  ¹⁵ Their feet are swift to shed blood:
  ¹⁶ Destruction and misery are in their ways:
  ¹⁷ And the way of peace have they not known:
  ¹⁸ There is no fear of God before their eyes.
  ¹⁹ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
  ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
  Romans 3:21-23 — But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
  ²² Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
  ²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

We were all short of His perfection, and He took from His and gave it to us, so that we can have a part in His glory and perfection — by His mercy and love, not by our own making. That is why, “if anyone wishes to glory and boast, let them glory with God and boast with His perfection which was given to you by the blood of the Perfect Son who is according to God’s will.”

• Jeremiah 9:23-25 — “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
  But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;”

---

• Jeremiah 3:20 — “Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord”

---

We did not know such things were evil then. Because we didn’t know of anyone who doesn’t do these things. Now that we know Him, we cannot be indifferent to our sins…

• John 8:32 — “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
• Jeremiah 9:24 — “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”
• John 10:4–5 — “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”
  John 10:26–27 — “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
• Luke 6:46 — “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
• Ezekiel 34:31 — “And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.”
• Matthew 7:21–23 — “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
  ^₂₂ Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
  ^₂₃ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
• Jeremiah 23:1–2 — “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.
  ₂ Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.”

• Hebrews 3:18–19 — “And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
  19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
• 1 Samuel 15:22–23 — “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
  23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”
• Isaiah 30:9 — “That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord.”
• Zechariah 7:11–12 — “But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
  12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath ^{8 ⤵} from the Lord of hosts.”

For His innocence sheds light on them, and shows them for what they really are. His holiness whiter than snow is a contrast to our devious hearts darker than night. Without His light, we did not know our darkness was darkness, that our evil was evil, that our hearts were cunning, that our selfishness was selfish. We believed that we do evil for the greater good (link), that the end justifies the means.

---

Jesus is my glory. He is the reason why I’m living. He gives Me a purpose for my life. He is my treasure, and it is kept where immortal angels and their Father are guarding it, where no thief can steal or worm decay. Jesus is my Law, Christ is my name, the Son of God is my truth, my life, and my way. There is no body who can steal me from His love for me and from His Father’s love for me in Him. His Father is my Father — I belong in His embrace. Held tight by the might of God. Nailed to the palms of His hands. That is my hiding place, where my treasure is. My Greatest Love.

• John 1:18 — “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
• John 16:28 — “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go unto the Father.”
• John 6:38–39 — “And this is the Father’s will which sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”
• “The Eternal Father, the unchangeable one, gave His only begotten Son, tore from His bosom Him who was made in the express image of His person, and sent Him down to earth to reveal how greatly He loved mankind.” — Review & Herald, July 9, 1895, par. 13 
• Luke 22:69 — “Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.” 
• Acts 2:33 — “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”
• Acts 7:55–56 — “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”
• Hebrews 1:3 — “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person… sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” 
• “He was now to Heaven, to sit down at the right hand of God… through the prophet John He said, ‘To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.’ … So He has not yet received His kingdom, but also upon His Father’s throne, which is a throne of grace… procuring pardon and salvation for all who come unto God by Him.” — Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, August 1, 1889 
• Psalm 32:7 — “Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.”
• Psalm 119:114 — “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.”
• Isaiah 32:2 — “And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”
• Psalm 91:1 — “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

If we invite Him in, we will reflect His glory.
If we live His purpose, we will be cleansed by His righteousness.
If we make Him our treasure, we will be the richest.

So what is sin? Treasuring that which is of no value — the temporal.

“Why is the temporal of no value?”

— “Because it fades away.

“Can’t I temporarily value it then?

— “And what will you value when its time expires?

“I will value the the eternal treasure then!”

— “And why didn’t you value it before then?”

“I did, but I also value this thing. And there was no time to dedicate for both.”

— “Why didn’t you dedicate all the time for the eternal treasure then?”

“I was waiting for the temporal to pass away.”

— “Why would you, when the eternal one was at hand and ever unfolding in plain sight?”

• Isaiah 65:1 — “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that was not called by my name.
  2 I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices.”
• Psalm 16:11 — “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
• Luke 19:42 — “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”
• John 1:11 — “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.”
  Matthew 21:31 — “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.”
• John 1:11 — “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.”
• Matthew 21:31 — “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.”
• Matthew 11:12 — “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.”
• Wisdom crying calling!:
• Proverbs 1:20–21 — “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,”
• Proverbs 8:1–4 — “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.”
• Isaiah 55:1 — “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
• Matthew 11:28 — “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
• John 7:37 — “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
• Revelation 22:17 — “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

“So I do not miss the value of this which is passing! The eternal is always there! But the temporal one is gone — and I want to take advantage of it!”

— “Doesn’t that show which treasure you love more?”

• Matthew 6:24 — “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
• Matthew 13:44-46 — “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
  45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
  46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

The only true value is in the eternal, for it never fades away. If you don’t take that which you value with you in heaven, don’t value it — use it if you must, but don’t place your heart in it, because when you lose it, your heart will be broken. You cannot break your heart with that which is always there.

• Matthew 6:19–21 — “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
• Matthew 12:34–35 — “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”

---

Footnotes

1. Even Solomon wrote, ‘the living know that they shall die,’ and ‘a living dog is better than a dead lion,’ — because where there is life, there is still hope.
   But Job cried, ‘Why did I not perish from the womb? Why was I not as a stillborn infant?’ — for a life without meaning, a life of pure torment, is worse than never existing.
   Thus, we say: Meaningful death is better than meaningless life.
   For the value of life is not in breath alone, but in purpose. And without purpose, life becomes a torment.
   But in Christ, even the suffering has meaning — and the dead shall rise with hope.
   Torment is that which has no fulfillment for the soul and the spirit. Physical torture filled with spiritual purpose and justice and truth and hope of love and joy and peace is light on the soul. Thus, Jesus said,
   
   • Matthew 11:28–30 — “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ↩︎
2. Breaking the Law means disobeying God’s divine purpose, distrusting His loving Character, hating His good Will, killing life itself: because life is sustainable only by perfectly nurturing faith in that which expresses God’s value, which is His image or glory: His purpose, will, name, character… Jesus is the express image of His person. Jesus is the Word, the Law, the Truth, the Love, the Brightness of God’s glory…
   Breaking the Law is killing Jesus. Breaking the Law is killing God, because God is love, and the Law is Law of Love. We kill Him because we do not have faith in His love for us. But since God is immortal, He offers forgiveness: not accepting this forgiveness, we kill our own life instead, which is in the image of God. ↩︎

Call not common…

That which God has sanctified, let no one defile.

• Acts 10:15 — “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

I do not judge myself, for God is my judge.

• 1 Corinthians 4:4 — “For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.”

In me there is a will to do good, but no power to carry it out.

• Romans 7:18 — “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.”

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

• Romans 7:24-25 — “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Christ died for me while I was still a sinner.

• Romans 5:8 — “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

If God has forgiven me, who am I to condemn myself for my weaknesses?

• Romans 8:33-34 — “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?”

If He has promised to put a new heart in me, who am I to consider myself an evil person?

• Ezekiel 36:26 — “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.”

If He has promised to purge me from all iniquity, who am I to say I am perfect already, or that I cannot reach the perfection He calls me to?

• 2 Corinthians 7:1 — “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
• Philippians 3:12-14 — “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on… I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

But I will run as if I am the only one in the race who must win.

• 1 Corinthians 9:24 — “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”

If God is for us, who can be against us?

• Romans 8:31 — “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Stand still and know that He is God.

• Psalm 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ?

• Romans 8:35, 38-39 — “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?… For I am persuaded that neither death nor life… nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And if I say to myself, “God doesn’t love me,” I blaspheme His holy name with which He has called me His son through the death of His Son.

• 1 John 3:1 — “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!”

And if I say, “I am not worthy of His love,” I devalue His sacrifice and diminish His love.

• 1 John 4:10 — “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

And if I say, “I am an evil person,” I distrust His righteousness, which He has imparted to me.

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 — “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
• 1 Corinthians 3:16–17 — “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

⇩

• Revelation 7:14 — “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
• Zechariah 3:3-5 — “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.”
• Isaiah 1:18 — “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
• 1 Peter 1:19 — “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”
• Revelation 1:5 “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”
• Zechariah 13:1 — ” In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.”
• Ephesians 5:26-27 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Isn’t the water of the word the blood of the Lord?
• 1 Corinthians 6:11 — “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
• Mark 7:20–23 — “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

Therefore, say not with your mouth, nor think with your heart, God doesn’t love me, I am not worthy of His love, and that I am an evil person…

• John 3:16 —  “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
• Romans 4:5 — But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
  3 —  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
  2 — For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
• In the flesh evil dwells. Whatever work we do, it is by the motive of selfishness — never of self-sacrificing love resembling that of Christ. Only though Him we can be selfless, and “without Him, we can accomplish nothing”
• Romans 7:18 — “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh), dwelleth (evil) no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”
  • However much I try to accoplish good, the flesh is triumphing over me.
• The flesh knows not good. It is the enemy of God, and its heart is deceitful beyond measure, no one can reason with it, or uncover it for its underhanded nature which exclusively seeks personal pleasures at the cost of the suffering of others, and the decay of our own bodies, mind, and soul, while having us believe it is of a noble character which is exalted in the highest heavens.
• Romans 7:23 — “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
  • The works of my own effort, that is, the effort of my flesh, are evil from youth, from the core essence of my deceitful heart. I do not have knowledge of goodness within me, except the love of God in Christ Jesus.
• Romans 8:7 — “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”
  • Whoever tries to impress God by his works, rather than by faith in the works of His forgiving love, is equalling himself with God, which is blasphemy. God accepts only those who trust Him to cleanse them from pride — the humble soldiers of the cross.
• There is none that doeth good, no not one. We are all given to sin, and deadened by it. And we may live through the death of the sinless One, for it is this Holy Death alone which can make us fully whole. We should die with Jesus to live with Jesus.
• Romans 3:12 — “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
• Psalm 14:3 — “They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:14 — “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.”
  • No body will reach heaven by their own goodness (which is like filthy rags unto God — Isaiah 64:6), nor anyone is justified by their own righteousness:
    • Galatians 2:16 — “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ…”
    • Romans 3:20 — “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
  • but rather, all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
• The thoughts of men are evil from youth. There is no hope in men except the hope of the cross. And if you leave men alone, without the cross of Jesus, the result will be that of the pre-flooded world, without Noah, Abel, Seth, Enoch… and the other sons of God. And if God did not destroy them, they would have killed each other with much more suffering death that the merciful flood which God gave them.
• Genesis 8:21 — “…the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”
• Genesis 6:5 — “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
• 4 — Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
  1 — What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found (grace)?
• Was Abraham justified by his own works of his flesh? The ones like conceiving a child out of wedlock with his wife’s maid, by the wise-in-her-own-eyes counsel of his unbelieving wife? Was Ishmail the gift of God’s promise, the heir to God’s grace? Or was he the offspring of his own evil works, and Isac, the offspring of God’s righteousness, the heir of His promise, which was bestowed upon Abraham by faith in His Word?
• Ishmail was a sign that Abraham did not believe God, and Isac — a sign that he believed Him.

is to enter the rest of GOD: the rest which the Sacrifice of His Son has given us: to enter in His love: to enter in His rest. (What is His rest? ^{1 ⤵}) Moreover, end the blessing of rest: to believe that He loves us ⮕ The blessing of faith: this is the blessing of rest… to rest in His love, knowing that He is GOD, and the Father of us all — to remain still, in peace, in humility (humility is resting upon a greater power than ours), knowing that there is a Greater One than we, and that He loves us — that the Creator of heaven and earth is our Father. And what will a Father do for his children who are made in His image? Everything! He would give His life for them from the creation of the earth.

• “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” — Revelation 13:8
• “And when God finished with all His works, there was no work that was left unfinished”—He finished with His work of love: He finished with the cross,
• “And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” — Genesis 1:31
• “It is finished.” — John 19:30
• “And on the seventh day God ended his work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day ^{1 ⤴} from all his work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all his work which God created and made.” — Genesis 2:2-3
• Hebrews 4: 1-5
• Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as He said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. (Gospel was preached, those who believed in Jesus Christ entered God’s rest, although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. This obviously implies that the Sabbath was a symbol of God’s love in Jesus Christ since the foundation of the word. The Lamb was slain then! Right before God rested. Right before He established the Sabbath so that we can enter His rest in Jesus Christ, a rest of love Revelation 13:8) (who will not enter in His rest? Those who worship the dragon, who is causing them to rest on a day when God worked, and work on a day when God rested. Revelation 13 continued ) (He who has ears, let him hear…)
• On the sixed day, Jesus was crucified. Before He died, He exclaimed that all His works are now done:
• “It is finished.” — John 19:30
• “And God rested on the Seventh Day.” — Genesis 2:2-3
• The whole Sabbath Jesus rested in the grave, and the apostles also rested, according to the commandment. Luke 23:54-56 “It was the Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. “Because they loved the LORD, who was their Sabbath, who bid them, “keep My commandments if you love me.”
• Jesus laid at rest, asleep in the grave, the whole Sabbath. And on the first working day, He arose a Victor. Calling us to repentance, to die to ourselves, and lay our dead bodies along with His, in His grave, on the Sabbath day, and thus, enter in His rest, where God died for all our sins, and God resurrected Him, and everyone who died with Him, and lay with Him in His grave – all who are washed by His blood.
• When God symbolized the importance of His Sabbath with the falling mana from heaven, He let double portion to drop on the sixed day, and the additional portion that was gathered for the Seventh Day did not undergo spoilage as it did with the surplus of mana on other days. Jesus compared this mana to Himself declaring that He was the Bread of life that fell from heaven, and that unlike other people who die and get spoiled before Him, before His last work, He will die, and not undergo spoilage on the Sabbath, so that we can freely eat on that day, and live, entering the Sabbath of the Lord, entering the rest of God.
  and thus, unlike the fathers in the wilderness, who ate on the Sabbath and died, whoever eats of the Bread, which the mana was a type of, on the Sabbath, will never die and will never hunger, and will have eternal life: Here is the patience of the saint; here are those who keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus which they had received by love, and thus, are able to keep His commandments and rest on His holy Sabbath day, without any murmurings, distractions, or naggings as those who are perishing have on that day – we will call the LORD’s Sabbath a delight! For that it is to Him, as He Himself has called it so! Who are we not to? We love you LORD, on this holy Sabbath day!
• Hebrews 4:8 “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.
  9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,
  10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
  11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”
• Paul makes clear that when it is written all works, this implies that there was nothing left unfinished, accenting the cross, as the doorthrough which we enter GOD’s Sabbath rest, which was completed as God’s final act of love. “It is finished, into Thy hands I command My Spirit. And He gave up His Ghost…
  • “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:28-30
  • “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost.” Luke 23:44-46

Thus, the Sabbath is a symbol that God loves us, and that He gave His life and His Only Begotten Son for us, so that we will live by believing in His love — as His love is eternal, our life will be eternal (and that requires an eternal faith) — “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” — Revelation 2:10) Trust eternally in His eternal love, and you will receive eternal life. No matter what the situation, the suffering, the temptation, know His love, possess it, and give up your ghost in His hands. Will not GOD who is trustworthy hold your ghost tight? Will not He keep it safe until the second coming of His Son, Jesus Christ, and renew it with undelaying body, removing our old garments and clothing us with immortality?

It is the Sabbath that shows that “God is the Creator of heaven and earth” (Revelation 14:7, Exodus 20:11), but it also shows that GOD is the Father of us all, and that, through Jesus Christ, He loves us, and gave us His rest … ⤵

• “Enter into the joy of your Lord.” — Matthew 25:21

⤷ … because He gave us the Sabbath AFTER God finished with ALL HIS WORKS on the sixth day. After He finished with His ultimate work of love, the cross of His Son, God gave us the Sabbath to rest in His love. How amazing? Won’t we keep His Sabbath if we love Him because He first loved us? … ⤵

• “We love Him because He first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19
  He first loved us before the earth was created.
• “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” — Ephesians 1:4
  Won’t we keep His commandments if we love Him and His Son?
• “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” — John 14:15
• “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” — 1 John 5:3

⤷ … Who wouldn’t? Only those who don’t believe, and don’t love God, and don’t appreciate His sacrifice, His shed blood. Those who hate love will hate all symbols of love, led by their hatred of the Sabbath, and thus, receive the mark of the beast, which speaks on their foreheads, saying, WE HATE THE LORD’S SABBATH!!!

• “Speak also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.” —Exodus 31:13
• “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.” —Exodus 31:16-17
• “Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” — Ezekiel 20:12
• (How do we know tha the Lord had sanctified us? This verse says, By the Sabbath… But don’t we know that the LORD has sanctified us by the blood and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ? Doesn’t Jesus say, By Thy Word sanctify them!? Which word is this? To believe He is the Son of God slain from the foundation of the world, which is the promise of our salvation before Adam sinned. This promise is the Word that sanctifies us, And this Word was given on the sixth day, (Jesus was given us on the sixth day) and the Sabbath was given as a sign/proof to help us remember that on the sixth day, God promissed; because God’s promises are true; on the sixth day, He died to sanctify us by His blood, and called us on the Seventh Day to rest in His love. “And on the Seventh day, He rested from all His works:” Jesus waits for us in His grave each Sabbath to go to Him, all of us who are weary and heavy laden, so He can give us rest. The Sabbath rest is the rest of His death — the gift of our life, the promise of His love! His be the glory forever! Amen.)
• “And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.” — Ezekiel 20:20“
• “And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, (where do memories form?) that the Lord’s law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.” — Exodus 13:9 (The Sabbath is a sign that God’s love has brought you out of the land of sin and slavery – the sabbath is a sign of the eternal Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And it is this sign of faith that we have on our right hand and forehead, that distinguishes us from the world, declaring with our mouths who do we belong to – declaring the Law of mercy and love and justice and freedom and peace from our lips; declaring the blood of God that has sanctified our souls – And God says it is the Sabbath that sanctifies, because the Sabbath is the sign of the blood of His Son. Resting on the Sabbath we get washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Resting on the Sabbath we are leaning/resting on the Sacrifice. And if the Sacrifice is love the Sabbath rest is resting on love.)
• “And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.” — Deuteronomy 5:15 (To remember His love. To acknowledge the time He dedicated for you to enjoy His love fully, from all completed works, to rest in His love)

But “The dragon was enraged with the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” — Revelation 12:17

“And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.” — Revelation 13:16

Do you collect with Jesus or do you spoil?

• “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” — Matthew 12:30
• “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” — Matthew 6:24
• “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” — James 4:4
• “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” — Hebrews 13:8

You cannot have “two laws,” “two days” of rest, like the world has (“weekends”) because you will hate one, (Saturday) and love the other (Sunday), you will be despise to the love of GOD in the Sabbath and be faithful to the love of the world on the first day of the week, resting when God worked, and working when God rested — didn’t God say, “Be holy for I am holy?” “Be ye perfect, for I am perfect!?” “Do everything that I do!” Didn’t the Lord say, “and don’t have any friendship with the world, for the devil and I have nothing in common. He was a murderer and a thief from the beginning, in him there is no good — he is the father of all lies.” “Don’t ye know that a little yeast leavens the whole loaf?” “Don’t have any compromise with the world. You are in the world BUT NOT OF the world.” “Ye will judge angels; therefore, while in the world, seek, utilize, and employ heavenly courts to overcome conflicts, implementing and deploying divine wisdom in your actions, engaging in trials as the unseen heavenly angels do in heaven above the seen world. Be representative of the unseen world of God, so that through you, it will be seen in this world, so that people will believe in miracles, the very miracle by which God saved you and converted you and calls others to turn away from sin, saying, “As I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’ — Ezekiel 33:11 “O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: Come! Let us reason together; though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” — Isaiah 1:18”

You cannot have two Sabbaths, you cannot have two symbols of love. There is One God, the Father of us all, and One Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom all things are, and one Sabbath of the Lord, in Which Both God and His Son rested from Their work, because it was very Good! And God blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day! ☀

• “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” — Romans 8:7
• “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” — Malachi 3:6
• “But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” — Psalm 102:27
• “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” — Numbers 23:19

I want to give you a few simple things to consider tonight—about law versus beliefs.

The Reality of Life

• You were born.
• You have a life ahead of you.
• No one asked you if you wanted to be born, if you wanted to be a boy or a girl, or what kind of life you would have.
• You were placed in a specific time and place, given certain traits, and now you live.

But what is the point of this life?

• Is there a goal?
• Is there a destination?
• Is there a reason?

If there is a reason, who placed it?

• Can we choose our purpose, or was it given to us?
• How can we answer this question?

The Source of Truth

Only the Creator—the One who made us—can answer this.

• Your parents cannot answer it because they struggle with the same enigma.
• Philosophy and opinions may speculate, but they cannot create truth.

If we want to know why we are here and the right way to live, we must understand:

1. Who the Creator is.
2. What His will is for us.
3. What His purpose is for our lives.

The question is: Can we understand this?

Only if He has made it possible.

• If He has made us blind, we will never understand.
• If He has given us vision but hidden the answer, we still will not understand.

So, how can we understand?

Only if He has provided the truth for us—somewhere we can access it—and given us:

• Eyes to recognize it.
• Ears to hear it.
• A mind to discern it.
• A heart to understand it.

The Law and Its Verdict

Now, what is the LAW that exists beyond our beliefs and opinions?

• If Jesus came to give us life and had to die so that we may live, then the LAW condemns us to death.
• Why? Because we are sinners, criminals before this Law.
• Who defines this? The Lawgiver—God Himself.

Do we agree? It is irrelevant whether we agree or not.

• We do not have the power to stand against Him or change His verdict.

So, what is this unchanging Law?

1. God gave us life.
2. Sin leads to death.
3. Jesus paid for our sins, taking our death upon Himself so that we may live.

This is love.

The Question of Truth

Now, we must ask: Is this the truth?

• If it is, do we want this truth?
• If yes, then we must live according to the way God has chosen for us to live.

How do we know His way?

By reading the text He left for us to understand.

But which text?

• The Qur’an?
• The Upanishads?
• The Bhagavad Gita?
• Or is it the Bible?

This requires exploration. It takes time.

But most people do not care enough to take the time to seek and satisfy their Creator.

The Consequence of Ignoring the Law

If this Law is real, then those who ignore it will not have the blood of Jesus applied to them as a ransom for their sins.

• They will remain in their death.
• They will lose eternal life.

The Purpose of Our Lives

So, if we want to live according to the will of our Creator and find the point of our existence, then we must:

1. Seek to know Him.
2. Seek to understand His Word.
3. Make time for Him.

If we do not care enough to seek Him, then we do not truly care.

It would be like having a husband but never making time to be with him—what kind of love is that?

The Final Question

So, what is the point of our lives?

Jesus died so that we may live.

• Do we believe?
• Is this the Law?
• Are we sinners?

And if so—what will we do about it?

Will the truth move us to live by it? Will the Law cause us to obey it? Does our faith in its worth produce works in our lives?

Belief is not enough; response is required. Be reminded of what the Word says in James 1:22, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Romans 2:13 – “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”

• Righteousness is shown through obedience, not just knowledge of the law.

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

• Mere profession of faith is not enough; one must do God’s will.

Luke 6:46 – “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”

• Jesus rebukes those who claim to follow Him but do not obey.

1 John 2:3-4 – “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

• Obedience is the proof of truly knowing God.

Faith and the Law Working Together

John 14:15 – “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

• Love for Christ is shown in obedience.

James 2:17 – “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

• Faith must be active and obedient to be real.

Deuteronomy 11:1 – “Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always.”

• Love and obedience are inseparable.

Psalm 119:44 – “So shall I keep Your law continually, forever and ever.”

• God’s law is eternal and should be kept always.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 – “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.”

Obedience as Evidence of True Faith

James 2:24 – “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.”

• Many think faith alone is enough, but faith must be expressed in action. Just as Abraham showed faith through obedience (Genesis 22), believers must act on God’s commands.

Matthew 5:19 – “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

• Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). True followers of Christ respect and teach obedience to God’s commandments.

Titus 1:16 – “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.”

• Words mean nothing without obedience. Many claim to follow God but deny Him through their actions.

The Law Defines Sin and Righteousness

1 John 3:4 – “Whoever commits sin also transgresses the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.”

• Without the law, we wouldn’t even know what sin is (Romans 7:7). The law defines right and wrong.

Romans 7:12 – “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”

• Some claim the law is a burden, but Paul calls it holy, just, and good. Obeying the law is part of walking with God.

Proverbs 28:9 – “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.”

• This is serious: if we ignore God’s law, even our prayers are rejected.

Love and Obedience Are the Same

1 John 5:3 – “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

• The world teaches that obedience is restrictive, but true love is expressed through obedience.

John 1:6 – “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.”

• Love is not just emotion—it is walking in God’s truth.

Romans 13:10 – “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

• The law of love is about treating others as God commands—not just as we feel.

Jesus Taught and Kept the Law

John 15:10 – “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

• Jesus kept the law as an example. Following Him means doing the same.

Luke 16:17 – “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.”

• Some say the law was abolished, but Jesus says the law is permanent.

The Final Judgment Is Based on Obedience

Revelation 14:12 – “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

• In the last days, true believers are identified by their faith and obedience.

Revelation 22:14 – “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.”

• Eternal life is promised to those who obey.