Covenants of God #7

Survey of the Ten Commandments

In the New Covenant #2

Fred R. Coulter—12/17/1988

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I'm sorry that part six of Covenants of God got cut off and I'll get to that in review. This will be the last simple, basic sermon; everything else will now start building on that and we will get into progressively more difficult Scriptures so that we can understand those very hard to understand Scriptures and get into the book of Galatians. When we do, it's going to just open up your understanding to it so clear that you will be able to read and understand the book of Galatians. You can't do it by reading it first, you must read it last, otherwise, you will become very confused.

Let's understand that the laws of God are spiritual and active and functioning all the time on all people everywhere, regardless of whether they know them or not. It does not have to be written down in order for it to be effective. The fact is they are created and they exist. We're going to understand:

• what was changed
• why it was changed
• what the change really meant

A lot of people will come immediately to Hebrews 7:12: "For since the priesthood has changed, it is obligatory that a change of the law also take place." Protestants go there and they say that it means that it changed the Law from Sabbath to Sunday. People not knowing their Bible say that that sounds reasonable. We've got to have good reason for going to Sunday—don't we? So, that sounds reasonable. But that isn't what it means.

• What was changed? The priesthood!
• What law was changed? The laws concerning the priesthood!

Instead of being the Levitical priesthood through the line of Levi and the high priesthood by Aaron, since that was changed back to Melchisedec, then all of the laws pertaining to the Levitical priesthood were changed.

All the laws pertaining to the sacrifice were then fulfilled in Christ, because that's what they pointed to. The laws concerning tithing were applied to the ministry instead of to the priesthood. The laws were not removed just changed in their application! That's a key thing to understand.

Hebrews 8 talks about the priesthood, and it talks about how that we have a High Priest Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 8:6: "But on the other hand, He has obtained a supremely more excellent ministry, as much greater as the [better] superior covenant of which He is also Mediator, which was established upon [better] superior promises." Remember the promises in the Covenant given to Israel?

• promise of inheritance in the land
• promise of long life
• promise that God would fight their enemies
• promise that God would be their Healer
• promise that they would have a good, long physical life with blessings in this physical life

No eternal salvation was offered!

If eternal salvation was offered under that, then they had the same promises as would be the Covenant with the Church. It's better promises, because now it is the promise to live forever.

Verse 7: "For if the first covenant had been faultless, then no provision for a second covenant would have been made. But since He found fault with them, He says, 'Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah; not according to the covenant…'" (vs 7-8). Most people then equate the covenant with the Law, because there are places where Paul makes the statement concerning law and covenant is almost synonymous.

I will have to admit that that is a problem. However, whenever that becomes a problem, go to here to Heb. 8 because it will help clear up the problems.

"'…not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them,' says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days,' says the Lord: "I will give My laws into their minds, and I will inscribe them upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they will be My people'" (vs 8-10).

The function of law here comes from off the written page, from off the stone tablets, into the heart and mind. Really, that's the only place that laws will really work—when you stop and think about it—because the carnal mind is going to do what it is going to do, and nobody is going to tell it nothing!

Laws written, legislated—whether by God or by man—never made anyone do anything. It only defined what sin was and the result of sin then, eventually, is death—sometimes immediately! We heard about an unfortunate accident, death is immediate! That is still some kind of sin that took place. It may not be a spiritual sin, but it's a sin that caused an accident and loss of life.

Verse 13: "In speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first covenant obsolete. Now that which has become old and obsolete… [waxes old and decays] …is about to [vanish away] disappear." What is vanishing away? The covenant! As we saw before, the administration of death, not the laws or the commandments.

Hebrews 9:11: "But Christ Himself has become High Priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by human hands (that is, not of this present physical creation [the temple that was then standing]). Not by the blood of goats and calves, but by the means of His own blood, He entered once for all into the Holiest, having by Himself secured everlasting redemption for us" (vs 11-12).

Under the Covenant with Israel the high priest went into the Holy of Holies once a year to obtain atonement, not eternal redemption. They had atonement to the temple; Christ has done it for eternal salvation and redemption.

Summarizing the rest of chapter nine: Christ has entered in to appear for us once to take away the sins forever.

Hebrews 10:7: "Then said I, 'Lo, I come (as it is written of Me in the scroll of the book) to do Your will, O God.' In the saying above, He said, 'Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin (which are offered according to the law) You did not desire nor delight in'… [Which law? Part of the law referring to the offerings and the priesthood!] …then He said, 'Lo, I come to do Your will, O God.' He takes away the first covenant… [and also priesthood] …in order that He may establish the second covenant… [That's the whole sum of these sections of the book of Hebrews.] …by Whose will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (vs 8-10).

Then it talks about every priest offering offerings continually. Then He repeats, v 16, and there's a reason for His repeating: "'This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days,' says the Lord: 'I will give My laws into their hearts, and I will inscribe them in their minds.'" Go back to Heb. 8 and Christ started out this whole section by telling them what He was going to do, that He was going to write the laws in the heart and mind, obviously, all of the laws that pertain to God and to man. That's what it's all about—isn't it? Yes, it is!

Verse 17: "'And their sins and lawlessness I will not remember ever again.' Now, where remission of these is, it is no longer necessary to offer sacrifices for sin [for animal sacrifices]" (vs 17-18). Why?

1-John 1:9: "If we confess our own sins, He is faithful and righteous, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word [the Truth] is not in us" (vs 9-10).

1-John 2:1: "And He is the propitiation for our sins…" That sacrifice of Christ covers the sins once for all sin, so therefore, there is no need of animal sacrifices. That's what Paul is talking about here in Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:19: "Therefore, brethren, having confidence to enter into the true Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He consecrated for us through the veil (that is, His flesh), and having a great High Priest over the house of God, let us approach God with a true heart… [notice the whole emphasis on which are written the laws and commandments of God] …with full conviction of faith, our hearts having been purified from a wicked conscience, and our bodies having been washed with pure water. Let us hold fast without wavering to the hope that we profess, for He Who promised is faithful; and let us be concerned about one another, and be stirring up one another unto love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, even as some are accustomed to do; but rather, encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For if we willfully go on sinning…" (vs 19-25). You cannot have sin without law in force:

• sin is the transgression of the Law
• by the Law is the knowledge of sin
• where there is no law there is no sin
• the laws are spiritual
• the laws are in force
• they are active
• they are moving
• they are applicable at all times on all people everywhere

Salvation is a matter of whether God has called them to eternal salvation and brought them into the covenant that He has with the Church.

Verse 26: "For if we willfully go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the Truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of inevitable judgment and of fierce fire, which will devour the adversaries of God" (vs 26-27).

I know of an instance where a man is supposed to be a member in God's Church who went out and committed adultery repeatedly, deceived his wife, got caught, boo-hooed, cried and said, 'I'll shape up.' But he only had it for just for just a guise so that he could finish all he needed to do and set aside all the money so that his wife would not have anything left. When the wife was asked, 'Why did you do this?' She said, 'Well, I wanted to have a Christian attitude.'

• What is a Christian attitude?
• Where does it come from?
• How do you look at malicious, willful, terrible, treacherous sin like that?
• The Christian attitude comes from God the Father!

He's going to throw him into the Lake of Fire. For your own protection, you'd better protect yourself; you'd better take care of those things that belong to you, because there's thievery on his part; lying and cheating all that sort of thing. That is the Christian attitude. God is going to throw them into the Lake of Fire.

Do not ever let anyone take advantage of your Christian attitude and say, 'You have to have a Christian attitude.' God does say that if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he's naked, clothe him.

• He didn't say join them.
• He didn't say have them in as bosom buddies.
• He didn't say go along with all of their deceits.

If they're naked and destitute, take care of that—that's all—you don't have to do any more, because they will turn on you. The sins still apply in the world today, and you ask those people who are suffering from it.

Verse 26: "For if we willfully go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the Truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of inevitable judgment and of fierce fire, which will devour the adversaries of God" (vs 26-27).

A lot of people look down on what is called the Law of Moses, which we accept to be the first five books of the Bible, the general statement the Law of Moses. A little later we will see that the Jews include every tradition that they have ever concocted as the Law of Moses. That's where a lot of confusion comes in.
Verse 28: "Consider this: anyone who rejects [despises] the Law of Moses… [I want to specially emphasize this for those who may have had preached to them in the past that the Law of Moses was done away] …dies without mercy under the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded the blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, as an unholy thing, and has scorned the Spirit of grace?" (vs 28-29). Now you know why Paul said, 'What? Shall we sin that grace may abound. May it never be! God forbid!' Because it's worse!

If anyone corners you and says, 'Look, all those old things of Moses, they don't apply. I believe in the New Testament.' Go right to Heb. 10, there it is! Do you really believe in the New Testament? Do you really believe that the laws and commandments of God are in force or act upon us?

Verse 30: "For we know Him Who has said, 'Vengeance belongs to Me. I will recompense!' says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (vs 30-31).

Hebrews 6—again, we see something important in the pattern of how this book has been written. Many times it's good to just do a survey and pull the pattern out and look at the pattern. Notice that Paul started out the one section with the priesthood and said—right when he started to get into all the details of the priesthood—that God wants the laws written in their hearts and minds, that's the New Covenant.

Then he went through and explained through Heb. 9 and half way through chapter 10 he said the same thing; that this is the covenant 'that I will make with them.' He ends chapter 10 with this fiery indignation thing of the unpardonable sin. He begins the whole dissertation of it right here:

Hebrews 6:4: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and who personally obtained the heavenly gift, and became partakers of the Holy Spirit, and who have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they have fallen away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing that they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves, and are publicly holding Him in contempt" (vs 4-6). That makes everything much more binding, much more weighty, much more meaningful.

Keep that in mind! Understand that! Don't believe good and sweet sounding words where it may be said that you have to have love. That you do, but Jesus said 'even sinners love each other.' You have to make sure what kind of love it is. You have to make sure that it's the kind of love for God, and the kind of love that is not based upon sentimentality or emotionalism or that kind of thing.

• it has to be solid
• it has to be faithful
• it has to be spiritual
• it has to be loyal
• it has to be there and be constant at all times

Tie this in with that Jesus said He did not come to destroy or do away with the Law. He came to fulfill.

Mark 2—if someone asks you which is the Lord's Day; this tells you which is the Lord's Day. Who is the Lord? Jesus Christ! A little later we'll cover everything on the first day of the week. I intend to handle that separately because I'm going to combine that with how to reckon Pentecost.

Mark 2:27: "And He said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man…" You might go through and read this several different ways—notice the emphasis:

• the Sabbath was made for man
• the Sabbath wasmade for man
• the Sabbath was made for man

What does it come out to be? By the fact that God created man, God made the Sabbath for man! Who made man? The one who became Jesus Christ! (1-John 1:1-3).

"…and not man for the Sabbath" (v 27). The Sabbath is not for man, his authority. He's saying that the Sabbath was made for man or on account of man and not man for the Sabbath. In other words, God did not create the Sabbath and then create man. He created man, then He created the Sabbath. This also tells us that man has no authority over the Sabbath.

Verse 28: "Therefore, the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath." We can also put little emphasis on this:

• Therefore (as a conclusion), the Son of man is also Lord of the Sabbath.
• Therefore, the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.
• Therefore, the Son of man is Lordalso of the Sabbath.
• The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

It's interesting that when you just read those differently and emphasize it, what does it come out to every time? That it is God's Day! Explicitly!

Next question that we ask concerning this: Did Jesus keep the Sabbath? Yes, He kept the Sabbath! Did He keep the Sabbath just because it was the Jews' Sabbath? No! He kept the Sabbath because He created it and He was Lord of it!

Incidentally, some Jews kept the Sabbath, however, about 95% of them were no more 'religious' than the people wandering around in a shopping center today. No more 'religious' than these so-called Jews in Israel today. It's only a very small percent of them who are 'religious.'

Let's see some other Scriptures concerning the Sabbath. I will just bring them to your attention.

• Acts 13:14—these tell us the actions of the apostles: What did they do? What did they keep?
• Acts 13:42, 44—watch the occasion where Paul said in this account where he told the Gentiles to come the next Sabbath.

He didn't say: 'Oh, by the way, I'm the Apostle to you Gentiles and I want to tell you a secret from the Lord. We're all going to meet on Sunday from now on, so come on down here tomorrow. Forget about these Jews over here.' And top it off, they went into the house right next to the synagogue. Imagine what kind of harangue went on. Paul, having been a former rabbi—I want us to really think about this: If Paul was the one who changed all the laws of God—which he didn't, he was wise to remove all the Pharisaical traditions from the laws of God—that's the big entanglement that he was faced with.

• Acts 16:13
• Acts 17:2
• Acts 18:4, 11
• Hebrews 4:11—there remains, therefore, a keeping ['rest' (KJV)] of the Sabbath for the people of God.

Leviticus 23 really gives the emphasis. Again, I want you to go through and emphasize each word a little differently and just see what you come up with. It's very affective when you do it that way; it makes it really stand out.

Leviticus 23:1: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, "Concerning the appointed Feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations, even these are My appointed Feasts"'" (vs 1-2). That is a broad statement—isn't it? Notice the ownership; notice the Holiness; notice who's doing the talking. Is this a Law of Moses? No! It is a law spoken by God to Moses contained in one of the first five books of the Bible, which are commonly called by people, the Law of Moses. But it is not a Law of Moses, it's the very words of God!

"…Feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations, even these are My appointed Feasts. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a Holy convocation. You shall not do any work. It is a Sabbath to [of (KJV)] the LORD in all your dwellings" (vs 2-3). Emphasize this again:

• This is a Sabbath of the Lord
• This is a Sabbath of the Lord

Verse 4: "These are the appointed Feasts of the LORD, Holy convocations which you shall proclaim in their appointed seasons."

I don't want to get into a gradation of laws, which is greater. Remember the lawyer who came to Christ and said, 'Master, which is the great law in the commandment?' Jesus said, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and being; your neighbor as yourself; and upon these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets!'

There is no such thing as saying, 'The Ten Commandments, that's paramount; that's most important!' Is it? Then someone is convinced of the Sabbath and they say, 'The Sabbath, yeah, that's most important; yes, indeed!' Is it? Are you going to willfully turn your back on what belongs to God, and walk up to God and say, 'God, I'm Yours'? Maybe that's putting it a little blunt, but you see the goodness of man, and his goodness or willingness, does not equate to the righteousness of God. It's a different story; a completely different story.

We could go out into the shopping center and see a lot of 'good,' law-abiding people out here whooping it up for Christmas time, buying 'good' things for their kids. What 'good' gift could I get for my child, because I want to make him 'feel good'?

When we were kids we've got to be dumb dodos. I happen to be in a department store and when I go to a shopping center I get shopping center narcolepsy. I just want to drop off and go to sleep. My shopping attention span is about as long as I can get in, get what I want and get out.

I started walking in the mall and here's a mom and dad with the kids: What do you think Santa Claus is going to bring you for Christmas? They're looking in the window of the store and all this sort of thing. 'I don't know, it might be nice if Santa would bring me this!' I did the same thing. Went down to these department stores full of all these presents and then believed that Santa brought them in the sleigh and came down through the chimney. But here they are trying to do 'good' after it's already based upon a lie!
It is not what we determine as right that makes it right. It's what God has declared to be that is! I know that's a little strong and dogmatic, and I know that some people can't take that. But that's just the way that it has to be, otherwise, any man's opinion is just as good as anyone else's.

Do you know who the #1 televangelist is today? Robert Shuller! You wait; they're going to get him. After reading this book: Anti-Semitism and the Babylonian Connection[transcriber's correction] it is all in the works. It is being done to destroy any vestige of any kind of Christianity—period! It's going to happen!

Honor Your Father and Your Mother—that your days on the earth may be long.

• Matt. 19:19—the account of the rich man
• Luke 18:20—another account of the rich man
• Mark 7:10
• Mark 10:19
• Matt. 15:4

I do hope you go through and study those Scriptures that I listed, and I might also encourage you, on your own, because obviously we can't study every Scripture possible on the subject because we'd be here forever. Please study through. If you don't have a concordance, please get one, then you can study on your own. You will be surprised, and I think you're going to learn a lot that you may never have suspected that you could learn.

Colossians 3:20: "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord."

Verse 18: "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as it is fitting in the Lord."

Verse 21: "Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they be discouraged."

With the rest of these commandments I'm virtually not going to get any arguments from Protestants, so I'm not going to spend a lot of time on them. However, just to prove a point, the Ten Commandments are there. We're going to prove a point that the Sabbath was there in the New Testament, and the Holy Days are there in the New Testament, too.

Ephesians 6:1: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and your mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth" (vs 1-2). That's what all kids want to do—isn't it?

You shall not kill—you shall do no murder

Any expanding of the Law by Jesus Christ made it more binding. He did not loose the Law; He made it more binding, got to the intent and purpose of it.

Matthew 5:21: "You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times, 'You shall not commit murder; but whoever commits murder shall be subject to judgment.' But I say to you, everyone who is angry with his brother without cause shall be subject to judgment. Now you have heard it said, 'Whoever shall say to his brother, "Raca," shall be subject to the judgment of the council." But I say to you, whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be subject to the fire of Gehenna" (vs 21-22). Raca and fool are the same.

Verse 23: "For this reason, if you bring your gift to the altar… [we still come to the altar of God] …and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (vs 23-24). That tells you that murder in the New Testament is a whole lot different.

(go to the next track)

You shall not commit adultery

• Luke 18:20
• 1-Cor. 10:8
• Rev. 9:21

Then there are a couple concerning spiritual adultery of the Church at Thyatira:

• Rev. 2:24

Matthew 5:27: "You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times, 'You shall not commit adultery.'" It's interesting the way that Jesus said this. It's a very broad statement—isn't it? It's not just saying that you have heard your forefathers said. He's not saying that God told Abraham, Isaac and Jacob this. He's not saying that you heard that Moses gave this to Israel. He said, "You have heard that it was said of old time…" (KJV). Do we find others besides Abraham knowing about the laws and commandments of God? Yes! Even Abimelech—king of the Philistines that Abraham had a little run-in with Sarah—knew.

Verse 28: "But I say to you, everyone who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." That's far from doing away with any law.

Think! If to love God is the most important thing, and the second commandment is like unto it—love your neighbor as yourself—if you're willing to accept that this is a binding commandment concerning adultery, and for anyone who is a New Testament Christian that is very important, I want to ask you to think: Why God would throw out the Sabbath commandment, which is a key commandment in relationship to loving and worshipping God? You need to ask that question.

Or, if you have accepted that that has been thrown out, you need to ask yourself: Has someone talked me into something that sounds good, but isn't right? You need to think about that! It's a very strong possibility that could be. Of course, each one of us has to make that judgment ourselves. No one can make it for you; you can't make if for me. Goes right on into the mind.

John 8—this is one that a lot of people and sanctimoniously proclaim many things which are not really here, but nevertheless, do. John 8:2: "And at dawn He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought to Him a woman who had been taken in adultery; and after setting her in the center, they said to Him, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. And in the law, Moses commanded us…'" (vs 2-5). That's a clever way that the Pharisees do, and they still palm this off on supposed Christians today.

'Judeao-Christian religion'—there 'ain't such an animal!' Christianity never came out of Judaism; Judaism left the Old Testament and Christianity came from Christ based upon the laws and promises of God and the grace of God.

Verse 5: "'And in the law, Moses commanded us that those who commit such a sin should be stoned. Therefore, what do You say?' Now they said this to tempt Him, so that they might have cause to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger. And as they continued to ask Him, He lifted Himself up and said to them, 'Let the sinless one among you cast the first stone at her.' And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. But after hearing this, they were convicted each by his own conscience, and went out one by one, beginning with the older ones until the last. And Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing in the center…. [of the crowd that was around] …And when Jesus lifted Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, 'Woman, where are your accusers? Did anyone condemn you?' And she said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said to her, 'Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.'" (vs 5-11).

People have read this and said that's a great example of mercy. No, it is not an example of mercy; it's an example of strictly legality. In order to have adultery you must have two. In order to be accused, you must have accusers. Were there? No, no man, no accusers. This is not an example of mercy; this is an example of dismissal, because it was not legally processed correctly. That's exactly what it is. Notice what He said, "…'Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.'" He told her that she sinned—didn't He? Yes! Jesus is saying, 'Adultery is sin!'

You shall not steal

• Matt. 19:18
• Luke 18:20
• Rev. 9:21
• 1-Cor. 6:9

You shall not bear false witness

That has to do with witnessing in law. It also has to do with lying.

• Matt. 19:18
• Luke 18:20
• Rev. 21:8
• Rev. 22:15

Do not covet

Exodus 20:17: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's."

Today we could say that you shall not covet your neighbor's house, you neighbor's wife, nor his television, VCR, appliances, furniture, automobile, boat, anything that is your neighbor's. Same principle applies.

Romans 7—the most important understanding, which is going to be a little more difficult to understand than some of these others that we have gone through.

Romans 7:7:"What then shall we say? Is the law sin? MAY IT NEVER BE! But I had not known sin, except through the Law.… [New Testament Pauline theology] …Furthermore, I would not have been conscious of lust, except that the law said, 'You shall not covet.'…. [we just read that] …But sin, having grasped… [taking occasion (KJV)] the sin is defined by the Law, is what he's saying] …an opportunity by the commandment, worked out within me every kind of lust [concupiscence (KJV)"—evil imaginations. Do people have evil imaginations? Yes!

• Have you had thoughts come into your mind that you don't want?

Don't tell me never, because I know that's not true! I have! Everybody else has!

• Why do you recognize it as an evil thought?
• Because you also know the Law of God!

If you don't know the commandments of God, you don't know what's right and wrong, so you don't know whether it's evil or not. Before you're converted or know anything about the laws of God you don't have a conscious as to what is right and wrong—only what you decide what is right and wrong. It's the same thing.

Once you understand about the laws of God, then you really see how depraved the human mind is. Did the laws given by God change the mind? No! That's why God said in Deut. 5:29, when the Israelites said that they would do all that God said, and God said, 'Oh, I would that there would be such a heart in them and keep My commandments and fear Me always.' The human mind is so self-willed it is incredible!

Paul is talking in spiritual terms, "…because apart from law, sin was dead" (v 8). This is not without the Law entirely; this means without the knowledge of the law or separated from the knowledge of the Law, sin was dead. Sin wasn't alive! Sin wasn't active! 'I was living in sin' is what he's saying.

Verse 9: "For I was once alive without law… [separated from the law] …but after the commandment came… [to my clear conscious spiritual understanding] …sin revived, and I died." We know that he's talking spiritually.

Did Paul literally die? Did we read of an account of a death and resurrection of Paul? No! We read about his calling. We read about his baptism. In that sense his a death and resurrection. When he's saying that he died, that means he died to sin. That doesn't mean that he literally, physically died. He's as good as dead. Every human being walking is as good as dead! It's only a matter of time, that's all, if time and chance doesn't take over us and we survive until tomorrow, we'll live till tomorrow. If this goes on a week, then we live another week; or another month, then it's another month; or a year, then it's another year. Sooner or later we're going to die.

Young people don't like to think of that. They don't even think about getting old. As a matter of fact, talking to old people is a pain! Until they become old and then you suffer pain the other way because young people don't want to talk to you. It happens! I'm reaching the age where you're going to hear me say, 'The longer that I live such and such!' That happens after certain things take place in your life.

That's the way to solve the economic problems of poverty is to put out a decree that every man and every woman who have children will get married! That's why God wanted a mother and father in the household, because even though they're poor, they're not poverty stricken. "…I died"—as good as dead!

Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death…" That's what he's talking about.

Romans 7:10: "And the commandment, which was meant to result in life, was found to be unto death for me." Do you know how to explain that verse? It's simply read, but it's deep in its understanding. "The commandment, which was ordained to life…" (KJV)—God said that 'If you will hearken diligently and keep My commandments and My laws, My statutes and My judgment, that you may go into the land and you may live.' What happens? People break it! When you break it, the 'wages of sin is death.' So, the commandment does not bring life! That's what we're getting into.

Judaism today still believes that if they can get everyone everywhere to keep the laws of Judaism, the Messiah must come and the Kingdom of God must be on the earth and universal salvation will be given to everyone. That, brethren, is salvation by works. That's one problem.

The commandments of God, though they were given so that you would not die and early death because of sin, you eventually would 'die in Adam' (1-Cor. 15:22). The commandments were given so that you might live in the flesh—if you obey them—a blessed and more contented life. When you break those commandments and you find your mind breaking those commandments you find your mind wrought with sin and death, and the commandments don't do anything for you to get you out of this mess. Something greater than the commandments of God must get you out of this mess.

Verse 11: "Because sin, having taken opportunity by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me…. [The 'wages of sin is death.' Sin slew him!] …Therefore, the Law is indeed Holy, and the commandment Holy and righteous and good" (vs 11-12).

• the function of law is not to give eternal life
• the function of law is not to give salvation
• the function of law is to define what sin is
• the function of law is to give a code of conduct whereby we may worship God
• the function of law whereby we may treat our neighbors with love
• the function of law does not give eternal life

Verse 13: "Now then, did that which is good become death to me? MAY IT NEVER BE! But sin, in order that it might truly be exposed as sin in me by that which is good… [the law that is good] …was working out death; so that, by means of the commandment, sin might become exceedingly sinful"—to know the whole ramification of sin.

If sin is exceedingly sinful, what about the sin of having other gods before the true God? Is that becoming exceedingly sinful? What about the commandment of not making idols of any likeness of any kind and not bowing down to worship them? If you do, does that not become exceedingly sinful?

A 48 Hours special showed the Vatican—that was something. The pope was passing out these Moroccan leather pouches with rosaries. I watched it just long enough and I had to turn away, I couldn't believe it. Notice how they always say the church. It's coming! Keep your eyes peeled. It's exceedingly sinful!

• Is it exceedingly sinful to take the name of God in vain?
• Is it exceedingly sinful for a presumptuous man to take upon himself to change the Sabbath to Sunday? Yes!

If you answer yes for the first three [commandments] you must answer yes to the fourth one.

• Is it exceedingly sinful for man to reject the Holy Days of God and keep his holidays? You have to answer 'yes'!

When we get down to it you have to answer yes to every one of those.

Verse 14: "For we know that the Law is spiritual…" That's the key important functioning thing that is true. It is spiritual by its creation and nature, and is actively functioning all the time. Upon all people, everywhere, whether they have the knowledge of it or not.

I want us to understand this clearly. John 4:21: "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. You do not know what you worship. We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews" (vs 21-22). That statement is not true today; salvation is not of the Jews. We can be absolutely assured of that. Salvation is through Jesus Christ.

Verse 23: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth… [That's what God wants it to be—in Spirit and in Truth!] …for the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in Truth" (vs 23-24).

Now, let's ask ourselves a few other basic, fundamental questions:

• If you're going to worship God in Spirit and in Truth, can you do any of this based upon a lie? NO!
• What if you believe a lie because of convincing sounding words that have been preached? Can you still worship God in Truth? NO!

Here is something that is absolutely true and you will see it come to pass before your very eyes if we live long enough to see the man of sin sit in the temple of God and say that he is God. 2-Thessalonians 2:7: "For the mystery of lawlessness is already working…"

• Does the mystery of iniquity tell you that it is evil? No!
• Does the mystery of iniquity palm itself off as righteous? Yes!

As a matter of fact, even the idolatrous man of sin that comes into the temple of God and says he is God is part of the mystery of iniquity, which is already working.

Verse 8: "And then the lawless one will be revealed (whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth, and will destroy with the brightness of His coming); even the one whose coming is according to the inner working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders" (vs 8-9).

Do you know what people are going to say? I saw it, so I believe it! Seeing is believing—isn't it? Isn't that what most people say? Yes, indeed!

Verse 10: "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in those who are perishing because they did not receive the love of the Truth, so that they might be saved." You can tie that in with John 4:23-24. If you're going to worship God, you're going to have to do it in Spirit and in Truth. You're going to have to love that Truth. You're going to have to love God's way and His Spirit. Therefore, anything that you do that is based upon a lying deception of Satan the devil, though it looks great, it's not right and will not work—just won't work!

"…because they did not receive the love of the Truth, so that they might be saved. And for this cause, God will send upon them a powerful deception that will cause them to believe the lie" (vs 10-11). And you have the same power of belief in a lie as you do the Truth, as long as you believe it, the same power of belief.

Verse 12: "So that all may be judged who did not believe the Truth, but who took pleasure in unrighteousness." Unrighteousness is going against all of God's commandments and laws. So, they had pleasure in it.

Verse 13: "Now we are duty-bound to give thanks to God always concerning you, brethren, who are beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning has called you unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth."

All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter

Scriptural References:

• Hebrews 7:12
• Hebrews 8: 6-10, 13
• Hebrews 9:11-12
• Hebrews 10:7-10, 16-18
• 1 John 1:9-10
• 1 John 2:1
• Hebrews 10:19-31
• Hebrews 6:4-6
• Mark 2:27-28
• Leviticus 23:1-4
• Colossians 3:20, 18, 21
• Ephesians 6:1-2
• Matthew 5:21-24; 27-28
• John 8:2-11
• Exodus 20-17
• Romans 7:7-9
• Romans 6:23
• Romans 7:10-14
• John 4:21-24
• 2 Thessalonians 2:7-13

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• 1 John 1:1-3
• Acts 13:14, 42, 44; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4, 11
• Hebrews 4:11
• Matthew 19:19
• Luke 18:20
• Mark 7:10; 10:19
• Matthew 15:4
• Luke 18:20
• 1 Corinthians 10:8
• Revelation 9:21; 2:24
• Matthew 19:18
• Luke 18:20
• Revelation 9:21
• 1 Corinthians 6:9
  • Matthew 19:18
  • Luke 18:20
  • Revelation 21:8; 22:15
• Deuteronomy 5:29
• 1 Corinthians 15:22
• John 4:23-24

Also referenced: Book:
Anti-Semitism and the Babylonian
Connection by Des Griffin

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 12-20-12