A bit Grace + A bit Law = Ministry of Death

A bit Grace + A bit Law = Ministry of Death
Nov 24, '08 4:40 PM

Grace and works cannot mix, Christ-centered and man-centered cannot mix, Grace and Law cannot mix
Grace and works are mutually exclusive. They cannot be mixed. One cancels out the other. It is either by grace or by works.

Romans 11:6
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

The trouble with the church today is not that it preaches pure law. Indeed, you will not find a church that preaches only the law.

What you will find most of the time is a mixture of the law and the grace of God; mixture of man-centered and Christ-centered.

It goes something like this: "Yes, salvation is received by grace through faith as a gift of God, but thereafter, we need to obey this law and that law, do this work and that work, lest we lose fellowship with God, tick Him off, or worse, lose our salvation altogether."

This is sewing a new piece of cloth onto an old garment, putting new wine into old wine skins and being lukewarm (Matthew 9:16,17, Luke 5:36,37, Revelation 3:16).

2 Corinthians 3:4 - 6
4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit give life.

2 Corinthians 3:7
7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

The first time when Moses received the Law (Ten Commandment) which engraved on stones (Exodus 24:12), his face does not shine at all. However, after 40 days and 40 night in Mount Sinai and on the way down the Mount Sinai; he is the first to break all "ten" after he saw Aaron and the children of Israel was dancing around a golden calf! (Exodus 32:19-20).

The Lord in His mercy and His grace said to Moses to cut two tablets of stone like the first ones (Exodus 34:1); and Moses spend again 40 days and 40 night the second times.(Exodus 34:28). The second time, Moses face was shone with the glory of God (Exodus 34:29 - 35) when coming down from Mount Sinai.

Indeed, there is glory in the ministry of death. What is the ministry of death is actually? The ministry of death cannot be 100% Law because the first time Moses received the Law, his face does not shine at all.

The ministry of death is mixture of law and grace. It is the grace of the Lord that established the Leviticus priesthood where Aaron is the first high priest (Exodus 40:12-15). Without the Leviticus priesthood, nobody in Israel can be justified by the perfect Law of God in the Old Testament.

When the Lord give the Leviticus priesthood; the second time Moses received the Law, the mixture of Covenant of Grace and Law co-existed together. The Leviticus priesthood represent the Grace of the Lord for His people. That is why the second time when Moses take down the Law his face is shining which is however was passing away as describe by apostle Paul in Corinth.

Apostle Paul continue to describe that the ministry of death is also the ministry of condemnation. (2 Corinthians 3:9).

The Good News is after the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord, the ministry of death is passing away and the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory!

What is the ministry of righteousness? The ministry of righteousness is a gifts of God (Romans 5:17).

The ministry that 100% Christ-centered and purest of all. No more mixture at all and the glory will remain and more glorious (2 Corinthians 3:11).

Why the glory can be remain and more glorious? It is 100% Christ-centered and complete under the ministry of risen Christ Jesus Himself. The ministry that will last forever because Christ Jesus had made unto us High Priest forever according to the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16).

Grace can never mix with Law because is like water and oils. That is why for more than 1500 years the people of Israel living under the mixture of Grace and Law where when they sin, they offer a sacrificial animal as a sin offering for their atonement and given to the high priest and at the same time to try to keep the Law by human effort which is impossible.

Thanks be to God, Jesus Christ had done it on the Cross and fulfill the Law for all of us today. (Galatians 3:13). Jesus Christ is the final sacrificial Lamb of God that remove all sins once and for all (past, present and future). (Hebrews 10:10).

Today, we are in the ministry of righteousness under the Melchizedek priesthood that only blessings continually. (Hebrews 7:17). It does not depend on man-effort at all but totally 100% depend on our High Priest Christ Jesus to work in us and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.

Through Christ Jesus we can come boldly to the throne of grace and mercy and have intimacy with our Heavenly Abba Father.

It is all by grace, even good works and serving is out of His grace for His glory. It is the Lord that give us the will in us to work out His grace in action. This is the new and living ways for the glory of our Lord Christ Jesus.

Is it better and more glorious to stay completely 100% under Christ Jesus ministry and 100% Christ-centered for the glory of God?

Tags: abundance of grace