Classic Christianity Radio (03-13-19) – Created Anew Part 3
Bob George shares from scripture on being made anew in the Spirit of God by spiritual new birth.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
We are now a child of God when by faith we trusted in what God accomplished for us in Jesus Christ, by his death, burial and resurrection. My heritage as a Jew or a Gentile is not important anymore. I am proud to be a child of God. My citizenship is in heaven. As a child of God, we are created for good works, that he produces in us and through us as we trust in him. Bob also shared from the parable Jesus told his disciples in John 15 concerning the vine and the branches.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Bob had a conversation with a lady who said the more you do the more rewards you get. That is not in accordance with truth. God is pleased when we live by faith, in accordance with what he has asked of us. Christ tells one person that as he abides in Him, he would bear one grape. He does so. Another person Christ tells him he will bear 100 fruit. He abides and bears 100 grapes. Both are rewarded the same amount. To both, He says, “Well done, good and faithful servant”.
Bob shared what living by faith is. Faith is trusting God, discerning what He would have you do, not in the energy of the flesh but in the strength and energy that God provides. All that is done by the strength and energy of the Spirit is so that God may be praised through Jesus Christ. If you are looking for rewards then your motives are not in line with the Spirit of God.
1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 2:11-13
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Paul is talking to the Gentiles, reminding them of their former life. There was a time when you, Gentile, were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel, and foreigners, with no knowledge of the Old Covenant and no knowledge of the New Covenant. The Law was never given to the Gentiles. We grabbed that law given to the Jews and dragged it into so-called Christianity. God never gave it to you. When using something God never gave you, then you are misusing something. Law that was given to Israel was to Israel only. It was the Old Covenant. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel.
Jeremiah the prophet prophesied concerning a New Covenant God would make with his people.
Jeremiah 31:31-34
31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, declares the Lord.
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
This new covenant prophesied would also include the Gentiles too.
But the Old Covenant God had made with the Jews was a covenant of law. The law had standards so high no man could keep.
Galatians 3:10
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
In Exodus 19:3-5 one reads how God makes a proposal of an Old Covenant with Israel, to bless them above all nations of the world but with the condition of their obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1-2). The Israelites agreed to the covenant (Exodus 24:4-8). The Old Covenant had blessings and curses associated with it (Deuteronomy 28:2-15). They were physical in nature and only applied to the Jews who were under it. Such Law also had a spiritual application to it, letting all men know of their state of spiritual death so that they may seek a Savior in a coming Messiah.
Galatians 3:19
What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed [Jesus Christ] to whom the promise referred had come
And this promise was given to Abraham long before the Law was ever given.
Galatians 3:8
Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
Galatians 3:14
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Yet Jesus first had to come to fulfill the law in order to establish a New Covenant with man, a covenant of grace.
Under law, the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). So unless someone could take away the cause of death, which is sin, both Jew and Gentile, are condemned already. Recall that sin was in the world before the Law was ever given.
Romans 5:12,13
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned — for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account where there is no law
The Law was added so sin might be recognized as utterly sinful. In other words, the law is like a mirror. It can show you that you have dirt on your face but it cannot wipe it off. Through the law no man will be justified.
Romans 3:19-20
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and whole world held accountable to God. Therefore, not one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin
The Law was never ever given to the Gentile. The Jew had to take off the old clothing of the Law in order to put on the New Covenant. They were under an Old Covenant, with this temporary covering for sin until Christ should arrive and fulfill all the requirements of the Law that no natural man could ever meet, being dead in sin already. The Gentile was not under the Law. Those who sin under the Law and those who sin apart from the Law are both doomed to death for sin was already in the world before the Law was ever given.
Romans 2:12
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
The Gentile, not being under the Law, just had to put on the new clothes of the New Covenant. The Gentile was just standing there naked. There was nothing to take off, only something to put on. When the Jew put off the old and put on the new he became a member of the New Covenant. The Gentile just had to put on new clothes of the New Covenant. So both of them became members of one body under a common New Covenant.
The problem is the Jews thought by obedience to the Law, they could make themselves right before God. And because of that, they also looked down on the dirty Gentile. So there was hostility between the two.
Ephesians 2:14-17
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
The two groups Paul addressed are the Jew and the Gentile. The one group Paul now is proclaiming a new group. This new group was formed out of the two and made into one body called the Ecclesia, the called out ones, or the church, made of all those born anew by the Spirit of God. This new group is called the children of God.
By making one new group from the two, this is what he also did. By doing so, he destroyed the barrier, the wall of hostility, by destroying in his flesh, the law with its commands and regulations. If the law was not abolished, the two could not be one. The law was the dividing wall of hostility. As long as law is active, the two of us could never be made one. The Orthodox Jew is hanging onto law and traditions. The legalistic “Christian” world is hanging onto their law. Their law is not even the same as the Jews. We do not like the Jewish laws, although we agree on the ten, so we can pick and choose which ones we like. With each group pursuing their own law, will they ever become one? When you have a law you have to have an interpretation of it. You have the Jewish interpretation and a Gentile interpretation. Gentile under law does not go into Israel and push a button on the Sabbath. Not the Jew. He has Shabbat elevator that has to start and stop automatically. Gentile “believer” can spit on the ground but the Jew cannot spit on a rock on the Sabbath. As long as law is there, and has to be interpreted, the two groups will never become one. There will always be a wall of hostility as long as under the law.
There is so much more to it when talking about being dead to the law than just a theological deal. To be one under grace, the law must be set aside. Absolutely it is God’s desire for that to occur. Jesus never entered the Holy of Holies and he is God. Because under law, only the Levitical high priest could go in. Jesus was not a Levite but he is a priest of a different order.
Hebrews 7:14-15
14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life
So what happened. The curtain was torn in two, top to bottom, (Mark 15:38) enabling all to go in, calling God as Abba Father.
Galatians 4:6
Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
Hebrews 9 provides a summary of this Levitical system and sacrifices they offered, the Holy of Holies, and the entering of the Holy of Holies once a year only by only the high priest of the order of Levite. Then Hebrews explains the new order that came that solved the problem of sin and did away with the old order of things that never could. So the real Most Holy place is heaven and only Jesus entered that once for all by his shed blood. The real curtain is the body of Jesus. Everything in the Old is a pattern, shadow box, or picture of the reality in Christ.
Hebrews 9:7-10
7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
Hebrews 10:19-20
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body
Hebrews 9:11-12
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
Jesus did not go into the holy of holiness made by man. He went into heaven itself, not to present blood over and over again as the high priests did. He did it once and for all.
The Holy of Holies, the earthly tabernacle, representing the law, must be torn apart to make the two groups into one. And the real body of Jesus was sacrificed to make one body at peace with God. By abolishing in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations, he destroyed that barrier and made peace by making two of us one. He fulfilled the law with its commandments. Now, he abolished the law.
Ephesians 2:14-16
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
Why did he do this? What was His purpose? The purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two. There was the old Jew and the old Gentile. Jesus came to make a new man out of the two thus making peace in one body. In one body, his own, he reconciled both to God through the cross. No man could ever be reconciled to God through obedience to the law. Both Jew and Gentile will come to Christ the same way through the cross by which he put to death their hostility. Through the cross there is no more Jew or Gentile. You do not sit down and say to born again Christians among you, and say something different to those who were Jewish and those who were Gentiles. You do not say to all the Jewish Christians to sit down together over here and to all the Gentile Christians to stay over there. No! Some churches say we keep certain holidays and hostility is created because of such laws. Jesus canceled, abolished the law, so the two can worship through the grace of Christ Jesus and not through the law. When you have a law, you do not have peace. You are always adding to it. “You better not dance”, says one group, and another says, “you better not have pork”. And each group is in essence competing, or in conflict, as if saying to each other, “I can do better than that”. Some boast that they only worship on Saturday. And what does that create? Hostility. As long as there is law there in no peace and no unity. With law there is also something to add to it, along with some interpretation of it. It creates a proud heart that says you can only do it this way or condemnation on those who fail to or who are unable to comply to your law. It involves comparing yourself by yourself.
2 Corinthians 10:12
12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.
The bible says when you do that you are a fool. Jesus was put to death and death is what brought this about. And there are those who do not care about what Jesus and will continue to do things their own way.
Ephesians 2:17
17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
He came and preached peace to those far away, the Gentile, and peace to those who were near, the Jew. Both have access to God by the same Spirit. You, Gentiles, are no longer foreigners and aliens but fellow citizens with God’s people. Where is our citizenship? In Israel? In America? No. In heaven. We are now citizens with God’s people. Our citizenship is in heaven. That is why we are called ambassadors on earth.
2 Corinthians 5:20
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Ephesians 2:19-20
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
We are both members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. We are new citizens built on something new. Christianity is not an extension of anything. That is why the apostles and prophets could now be called a new foundation, with Jesus as the new cornerstone. We started over with Jesus and Jesus alone. Jesus is the new foundation. You are starting over with a new priest, a new covenant, with a new message.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Everything is new.
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Who is the holy temple? All of us, who are in Jesus Christ. Who is the head? Jesus Christ is the head. What are we? We are parts of this marvelous body.
People are so preoccupied with the temple in Israel not realizing God has already been building his temple in us. We are more interested in physical things we can see than the spiritual aspect of it.