Laws of Men

It's been a while, but I finally had another "Britney" moment...that "oops...I did it again" kind. I goofed up the html within my post and when I tried to "save as draft, " the entire post was deleted! I didn't back up my work, so all was lost in just one press of a key! Hate when that happens.

Now, I don't have time to re-type it all, so I went searching for something similar to my post within the archives I have at my message board.

I found a really good post written by a member of my original message board (years ago) who had the screen name of "Prather." Unfortunately, I have since lost touch with him. However, this post that he had written several years ago is certainly still applicable to today's culture and definitely worth sharing with my blogging friends!

Enjoy!

Christine

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Laws of Men

God gave His laws that man might know His righteousness and our own iniquities. He gave penalty that we might know due recompense and teach our hearts mercy to those we've harmed. Man took this law and perverted it to his own devices that he might measure his own end. Then, God knowing not righteousness alone, but also true justice and unbounded mercy, put the law into its intended place yielding to all of mankind grace and mercy in His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In doing so, God has made it plain to even the simple heart, He is a God of love and righteousness, full of mercy and judgment. All one needs do is look upon the Cross of His Son and believe - nothing more. Yet, the depth of our iniquity blinds us to such love - we do not seek it because it is not ours in our own eyes. We seek self love, we seek self gratification, we seek self edification, we seek self reward, we seek self defense, we seek self.

The Lord had an overriding principle that so many have missed. He came not to serve Himself, He came not to do His own will, He came not to magnify Himself, He came to do the will of the Father, the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob - our Heavenly Father and Creator. If there be a victim ever known to this world it would be the one sacrificed for the sins of others. We see this in the ram, the bull, the doves, the grain, in the martyrs . . . so many things burned up to settle the debt of our sins. Yet, we continue because there are plenty to burn.

Psa 51:16-17 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

God has had His fill, not in the numbers, but in the perfection of the One Sacrifice that was able to set aside all sin - Jesus Christ, His Own Son. There is no more to burn not because of supply, but because of demand - the price has been paid in full. God has filled the cup of sacrifice through His Son and concluded in perfection the payment required for our sins. Let our hearts know this one thing:

John 3:14-21 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Christ did not come to condemn the world, He came to bring eternal life. He took into Himself the law and bound it forever fulfilled at His feet and brought for all mankind grace. This is the message - He came to bring eternal life. Since the beginning, it has always been a choice for man - God or death. Oh that we would learn to die to self and live to God!

A sacrifice given to God in death to ourselves is the right to not be a victim anymore. We see this in the life Christ lived, the life of Stephen, the life of all the prophets and the saints, the life of the martyrs, the life of the apostles. When we suffer, we can suffer at our own hand because we repent not, but we can also suffer to the hand of God that His judgment upon the wicked be just! We must needs suffer patiently because our suffering is only for a little while and our reward be great before the Father. We must also needs suffer the iniquities of others as without which, how shall God be just in their condemnation? We must suffer this patiently, showing Christ in our ways, that they may see His glory and know that it is He that fills our hearts to His purpose. Not all suffering in our lives has to do with chastisement, but ALL things work together for good to His glory and His purpose. How shallow of us to think that this is only for here on this earth!!

Heb 4:9-13 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Isa 57:1-2 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

How shall the righteous be judged righteous if they be not tried? How shall the wicked be judged wicked if they be not tried? The righteous have no fear of the judgment as they are already justified in Him by His righteousness. The wicked have no hope in their wickedness and it be the righteous that show the way they chose not. This is the way of the Cross. He was righteous, without fault, yet condemned to die by the wicked. They were measured in their own actions, the line was set according to their own works. When we bear His Cross, such will be the way for us as for so many before us.

I've heard the words, "I'm sorry is no defense." We must realize that if we hold these words true, then there is no salvation, no hope; for how shall one repent before the Lord?

Eze 33:11-20 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: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

I pray we all learn to examine our own hearts diligently and mind our own salvation with great fear and trembling. When tried by fire, I pray we be found as gold, silver, and precious stones lest we be surely found wood, hay, and stubble. Be it the laws of men or the laws of God, we are all most certainly convicted.

1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1Pe 5:8-11 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jam 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Contributed by Prather