I recently began to wonder what the actual meaning of the phrase, Al-Qaeda is so I looked it up to find its literal definition. The meaning of the phrase is "the base." Of course, it's the place from which terrorists plan and carry out their attacks against innocent people across the world.As soon as I discovered the literal meaning of the phrase, my thoughts turned to the passage in Romans 7 that I have taught so many times over the past two decades. It's where the Apostle Paul talked about the law and how the power of indwelling sin uses the law to defeat us in our walk. In verse eleven, he said: "For sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me."
If you look at the word "opportunity" in a Greek Lexicon (a book that provides the literal meaning of Greek words), you'll discover that the Greek word used in this verse is aphorme. The literal definition of the word as it's used in Romans 7:11 is "a place from which a movement or attack is made, a base of operations."
What an interesting fact. The power of indwelling sin that resides in our body uses the Law of God against us to set up a base of operations to terrorize and defeat us. Indwelling sin in our bodies is the Bin Laden against our souls and the flesh is Al-Qaeda.
Remember that there is nothing wrong with the Law of God. God's Law was given to open the eyes of the self-righteous to their own unrighteousness. The fact is, though, that you and I have been released from the Law (See Romans 7:6) through our death with Christ on the cross. By His grace, we saw our own unrighteousness and, by His grace, we repented of the folly of our sin and turned to Him in faith. At that moment, we were born again and now have no connection to the Law whatsoever. (Read Romans 7:1-6 for the biblical explanation.)
If we don't realize that we have moved out of the bondage of Babylonian captivity, we will still live under the terroristic threats of legalism. But you have been delivered from Babylon. You aren't under the Law anymore. The religious Al-Qaeda have no rights or authority over you anymore. Your Liberator has set you free and "He whom the Son sets free is free indeed."
On this Martin Luther King day, maybe the best way to describe your condition might be to use His words. You are indeed, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, free at last!"
Posts
Steve:
ReplyDeleteI need someone to explain to me how to rest in Christ. I'm so legalistic I'm not sure if I'm resting or looking to Christ the right way or if I'm doing it at all. Do I say Christ I'm resting in you and go about my day trusting that all the things that happen in my life are his doing? What is your definition of each. I'm so ready to make a change and live resting in Christ but how?
Very interesting! Always refreshing to be reminded about a basic truth from a new angle. Well done! The article is translated and published in Norwegian.
ReplyDeleteThanks again Steve for reminding us that striving after law as a believer is actually "the power of sin." It's not the law's fault, but sin in us.
ReplyDeleteI especially was affected in my past grace walk by the beginning of Romans 7 where is uses the analogy of marriage to teach us that the law has no jurisdiction over us, because we are not under law but under the law-giver. Not under a code but under the Lord.
Thank you Lord for the freedom in your gospel.
gracethatworks.com
I didn't know very much about radical Islam until I did a little bit of research for a class that I took last year. I read the book called "Unveiling Islam" by Caner and Caner. It was very eye opening. It made me more aware of the spiritual battle that is taking place.
ReplyDeletedavebowron - I recommend that you read my first book, Grace Walk. I believe it will answer the questions you have. It's not possible to give you a complete answer in a short space like this. God is working in you, so pursue an understanding of this subject. It's worth it!
ReplyDeleteIsn't the law God-breathed and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness? To say we have no relationship to the law whatsoever seems to overstate the case!
ReplyDeleteDave:
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord for bringing you to the place of wanting rest :D The answer to How? is found by answering Who? The answer to Who? is Jesus.
The prayer to pray is, "God show me the truth of your Grace." And then trust that He will answer that prayer.
I will agree with Steve that his book Grace Walk is a great tool for God to use to answer your prayer, as it tells the truth and nothing but the truth.
I will be praying for you.
Do get Steve's book, Grace Walk and pray that
Hi. I'd like to call out Joseph Prince's book 'Destined to Reign'...Another thought,for what it's worth. I don't think Jesus has ever been a law-giver. The Law was given by Moses ,from God,but was only part of a covenant where man was a cooperative party to make it work. (As man was unrighteous,it failed). Unlike the Abrahamic Covenant, and the New which fulfills it, Jesus was not a covenant party in the Old. And the Law was not the Father's ultimate intent for man. It was just supposed to point him to grace as the ultimate intent. So in the New, Jesus substitutes for man and cuts the covenant between the Father and man on our behalf. But it's done,finished! We are free beneficiaries of something we had nothing to do with. And it frees us from all demands, so that in Christ, we produce fruit by the Spirit of Grace. Our new husband is not like Mr Law, to whom we've died to, and he to us. And the love that results from this grace fulfills all righteousness,from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of Grace.
ReplyDeletePhil, you said "The Law was given by Moses ,from God,but was only part of a covenant where man was a cooperative party to make it work. (As man was unrighteous,it failed). Unlike the Abrahamic Covenant, and the New which fulfills it, Jesus was not a covenant party in the Old." But the law was given by Moses, from God (The Father Son and Holy Spirit). Almost every scholar I know considers by God to be God the Trinity.
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess I'd say that the LORD God in the OT refers to I AM. I AM is God as considered in His essential 'God-ness'(which of course is made up of three Persons who are all fully God). But the thing is, the Father/Son/Holy Spirit relationship is not revealed to us that way pre-New Covenant, when Jesus is presented as the uniquely begotten Son in human flesh. And he comes only with grace and the form of truth found in the gospel,in a unilateral covenant on man's behalf. The covenant which fulfils the Abrahamic Covenant which itself perhaps had symbolism representing it's being cut between First and Second Persons of the Trinity...and while Abraham was asleep! Again, grace- promise, where Abraham just benefited freely. But the Old Covenant given on Sinai, by contrast, was a works covenant between God and Israel, with an imperfect human mediator which could not make the covenant work for those he represented...I guess my point is,as Paul says in Gal3,the promised Seed was Christ, the Sinai Covenant was not of promise,was ordained by angels in the hand of Moses,not Christ, and didn't have God satisfying both sides of the covenant so man could freely benefit. There was no God-Mediator in the Old Covenant(Gal3v20). And Christ has only ever been presented to us as a Mediator and Reconciler between God and man,who has finished his work...just thinking aloud,folks. I think it's very important for us to realize that Sinai and Zion do not mix (Gal4). They are based on different Priesthoods. The first just points to the need of the second, who is Christ our new Covenant! Christ our new Covenant law in the form of resurrection life! Free from the letter that kills, by the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,who has made us slaves to righteousness in perfect freedom from the law of sin and death!
ReplyDelete