Some people in the
early church shortly after the resurrection were going from the freedom
of the spirit into bondage.
Paul
had to remind them about the truth about law, that all the Old Testament
law was fulfilled and that a person now is led of the spirit, not having
to rely upon a bunch of do's and don'ts, as the spirit would now be their
guide:.Galatians
5:14,18 "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this:
Love thy neighbour as youself...But if you be led
of the Spirit, you are not under the law." Romans
13:10 "Love works no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling
of the law."
Paul also talks about this
to Christians in Rome:.Romans
8:15 "For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear,
but you have received the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba,
Father.".And
why
would you have this kind of confidence?
All through
the
book of Romans, Paul talks of the law and how much greater the righteousness
of faith is than the law. Some Christians today, in error, continue
to believe that we should be keeping parts of the Mosaic Law to be right
with their Creator.
Paul calls those who espoused
this perverted
gospel, false brethren:.Galatians
2:4 "And that because of false brethren unawares brought in.(infilrated
by design no doubt), who came in privily
to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Emmanuel, that they might
bring us into bondage.".False
brethren have been taught by false
ministers. Do you know what gospel
you are believing? Make certain to yourself that it's not a
mix of Old Testament law with New Testament faith. See Mosaic
Law to see why this is a deadly combination.
Paul says: Are you nuts,
wanting to be in bondage:.Galatians
4:9-11 "But now, after that you have known God or
rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly
elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage? You
observe days and months
and times and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon
you labour in vain." Galatians 5:1
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free
and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
2Peter
2:1-3 "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as
there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves
swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious
ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through
covetousness
shall they with feigned.(well
formed and planned to produce a specific purpose).words
make merchandise of you.(original
'keep you there for the money', 'to use you for their gain':.Jude
1:16); whose judgment now of a
long time lingers not and their damnation slumbers not."
Paul was also concerned
about the corrupting of minds of Christians in the city of Corinth:.2Corinthians
11:2-4 "For I am jealous over you with Godly jealousy. For I have espoused
you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled.Eve
through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity
that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Emmanuel, whom
we have not preached or if you receive another spirit, which you have not
received or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well
bear with him."
The way to change people
over to another gospel is first to present the alternative; that is, present
a choice between two seeming positives.(no
one would go for something they believed was negative and no good for them).and
show why one is best through presenting
seemingly.efficacious
information. This way, doubt is created and implicated
to the other choice presented as the poorer one. And of course falsies
want you to accept their 'better' choice. What they don't tell you is that
it's the better choice for them.
Paul says these other teachers
appear as the apostles.(original
Greek, 'messengers').of
Christ. It also says here, that Satan
has his ministers who appear as the ministers of righteousness.
This just means that these people are not of higher consciousness and act
from an ego level of low
consciousness, which includes deceit, greed and glory:.2Corinthians
11:13-15 "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if
his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose
end shall be according to their works.(John
12:48)."
Acts
20:29,30 "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves
enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall
men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."
1John
4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether
they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
Now remember, these 'falsies'
were
perverting
the message that
righteousness is a free gift
from our Creator and they taught things which led one into
bondage to parts of the Mosaic Law.
How to ensure that you don't
become alienated:.Proverbs
3:3; Proverbs
7:3.
Think on these:.Hebrews
8:10 and Hebrews 10:16
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel.(today
it's a spiritual
Israel).after
those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind and write
them in their hearts. And I will be to them a God and they shall be to
me a people.".What
works for me.
Also to ensure that you don't
become alienated, be sure to.study.
Philippians
3:14-17 "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Emmanuel. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be
thus minded and if in anything you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal
even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let
us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers
together of me and mark them which walk so as you have us for an ensample."
Philippians
4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things
are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any
virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things."
