THE TRUTH ONLY PART 2

THE TRUTH ONLY PART 2

In the part one of this series , we established what the truth is. We saw that the truth is in the person of Jesus. We also saw that everything we teach or believe must be in agreement with what Christ has done. Click HERE to read The truth only part 1 if you have not read it.
In this part , we are going to look at what really makes up sound doctrine. We will also be looking at some admonitions and instructions on doctrine. The Bible is given to us so we know what to believe, speak and teach. Many times people deceive themselves by saying what we believe doesn't matter. WHAT WE BELIEVE MATTERS A LOT. Your life will go in the direction of what you believe and say. Now having discovered that what we believe matters. How do we know what to believe?  What makes up the right doctrine or teaching to believe? The law IS APART FROM THE TRUTH ONLY WHICH IS IN CHRIST.

THE LAW IS NOT OF RIGHT DOCTRINE
The law refers to ordinances, traditions and sacrifices base on do and get. It is a system that states that one must get according to what he does. The law as refers to in the Bible was given by Moses. It was Moses that gave the Law not God.
John 1:  17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
This is why it is called the laws of Moses. Moses commanded in the law.
Matthew 19:  7  They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
John 8:5  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 
You will never see a reference to the law in the new testament where they said God gave them the law. It is only religious ignorance to believe God gave the Law. See what Jesus said after healing a leprous man.
Luke 5:14  And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
It was Moses that commanded the gifts to be offered when a leprous man is cleansed.

BUT man of God what about THE TEN COMMANDMENT? The ten commandments is different from the law. The law is Moses interpretation of the ten commandments. Notice In the ten commandments in Exodus 20 no consequences for breaking any of them. The ten commandments was given by God through angels. In the new testament, we see that that it was never called ten. It was called the commandment. Jesus will always summarise it as loving God and loving one another.
Matthew 22:
36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38  This is the first and great commandment.
39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets
The part of loving the Lord is fulfilled when a man get saved. It is only a saved and living  man that can love God. This is why in the epistles we see the law as summarised in believing in Jesus and loving one another.
1 John 3: 23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
This is the summary of all that God said. Many times we must understand that the old testament is full of shadows and mysteries. This is why the explanation is given to us in the epistles. This will be further dealt with in the next part of this series.
So we have seen who gave the laws! And the difference between the law and the ten commandments.
WHY WAS THE LAW GIVEN THEN? It was because the people of Israel  requested for the law in Exodus 19:8 when they said all that the Lord has said we will do. The essence of the law was to bring people to the end of themselves so they can look for a saviour. Many times I laugh when I hear people say they can keep the law. First how do you even keep the laws you don’t know? How many laws do you know? There are over 600 laws in Exodus to Deuteronomy. If you break one of these laws you have broken all. James 2: 10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
I  once chatted with a young man who was using the law to speak against women wearing trousers. He quoted Deuteronomy 22:5 that says a woman shall not wear. I took him to verse 11 of the same chapter that says you should not make clothes with different materials. This means that if you are wearing jeans even your pant should be Jeans material. He was shocked to see that. I later taught him the truth about the law after he has been humbled. Religious people are merely hypocrites. They choose which among the laws to obey. This is why Jesus while on earth will call them whitewashed sepulchres. Matthew 23:27. They have a form of purity but smells within just like a sepulchre, a grave. Even before The coming of Christ no man could keep the laws. See what Peter said about The law in The Jerusalem counsel of Acts 15:10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?     He calls The law an unbearable yoke. NO MAN, I MEAN NO MAN CAN KEEP THE LAW.

The law has been ended in  Christ.
  Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Galatians 3: 10  For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written,Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12  And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
We see from the above scriptures that the law has been ended in Christ. Christ paid for the full consequences of the law. The penalties of breaking the laws, the curses of the laws has been laid on Christ. This is so that any man in Christ can have the blessing of Abraham which is The Spirit of God.

Besides the law was never given to Gentiles. It was given to only the Israelites. It is the law that states that gentiles has no part in the inheritance of God. This demarcation in the law has been removed in Christ. Read Ephesians 2: 11 -19.
Many people believe they need the laws to live a righteous life. This is contrary to what we see in the scriptures. It is the teaching of the law that revives sin.
Romans 7: 9  For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
We see that it is the law that strengthens sin. So when a man says I want to start a series on the laws and its consequences, the man has just started a revival of sin. What we ought to teach is the truth only of what Christ has done and who we are because of what Christ has done.

ADMONITIONS ABOUT THE TEACHINGS OF THE LAW
1 Timothy 1
7  Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
8  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
11  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
Go over the scripture above again and Mark the  alighted places. First we see that law is good in itself if it is used lawfully. What is the lawful usage of the law? It is to bring one to the end of oneself so as to look for Christ. Romans 3:19.  The next thing you should take note of is verse 9. The law is not made for a righteous man. It is for sinners. Righteous people which we are don’t need laws to live. It is dead men that need the law.  Also notice in verse 10 that the law is contrary to sound doctrine. This means that any man preaching the law is preaching wrong doctrine or wrong teaching.
But man of God, can't we miss a little law and Grace or the gospel? No. The two cannot be missed. This mixture is what the Bible calls the leaven of the Pharisee. It is more dangerous because of its subtle nature. It is like saying your sins are forgiven by the blood, but you still have to do something to enjoy the forgiveness.
Titus 1:
10  For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11  Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
12  One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
13  This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
14  Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
Go over the above scripture again and take note of the instructions. In  Verse 10 we see that the warning is  especially against those who teach the circumcision, that is those teaching the law. Circumcision there is used as a metonym for the teachings of the law. Notice the instruction given in the next verse. We must stop their mouth. How do we do this by teaching violently the truth and calling them to order. The truth has nothing to do with age or how long a person has been in ministry. We must separate personalities from what the truth is. If an old man is teaching the law, that he is old does not make his teaching correct. In fact we should be ashamed that he can be that old in faith and still not be teaching the truth. As the knowledge of Jesus is spreading so many people that do not want to bow to the truth are loosing relevance already. Jesus alone and what he has done must be glorified.  In the scripture above, we are told to rebuke them sharply. This means we must have NO TOLERANCE FOR WRONG TEACHINGS. Any teaching that is based on the commandment of men is contrary to truth, verse 14.
In Mark 7 Jesus spoke of how people worship God in vain by teaching the commandment of men. Mark 7:  7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. note
We are not to teach our traditions but the truth only; teaching traditions like washing of cups  is contrary to sound doctrine.
We have several admonitions on doctrine. Doctrine is a major focus in the epistles. Let’s look at another one.
Titus 3
9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
10  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Notice the instruction to avoid. Avoid questions about the law. Which one should we keep? Should we wear or not wear? what and what should we eat? All these are unprofitable and vain. No profit in teaching the law. Teach the gospel and the gospel alone. In verse 10 we ‘re told to avoid a heretic after the first and second order. The first order in the chapter is that we are saved by Grace alone. Verse 4-7
Titus 3:  4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, note
5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; note
7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
The second order is that we are to show forth good works because it is profitable to men.
8  This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Through our lifestyle men will know we are saved, not God. God only get glory in our good works by men been profited. For more on this click here to read my post on GOOD WORKS beyond religion.
In summary , we must learn never to teach the law as doctrine. This is because the law is contrary to truth. We must teach only the graciousness of God in Christ which is the truth.

In the next part of this series, we will be looking at the RIGHT USAGE OF THE BIBLE? How to study and teach;Genesis to Revelation. Stay blessed.

             By OBIAZIKWOR EMEKE MODESTY
                   www.emekemodesty.com