Christians Today Would Consider Paul to be a Legalist

Today’s Christians would accuse Paul of, “Lacking Grace,” and being ‘Counterfeit,’ by THEIR Definition.

BY Brother Michel Lankford

• 

Today’s Question:

Why Do You Believe that Paul the Apostle was NOT Teaching AGAINST Obeying the Old Testament Law? It seems pretty clear that Paul was teaching that.

Lesson 7: Today’s Christians Would Call Paul a Legalist, Who Was Not Walking in the Grace of God

I fully understand that what I’m saying is a serious accusation, but it is UNDENIABLY TRUE. All one needs to do is to compare the modern definition that most Christians use to define grace today. Then you compare that with some specific things that Paul said, taught and wrote. When you compare the modern understanding of grace with specific things that Paul clearly said, (it’s not even ambiguous or open to interpretation), then IF the modern Christian doctrine of grace WAS true, then by Paul’s own words and writings, the modern and postmodern Christians would have to conclude by necessity that Paul the apostle was trapped in legalism. He was a counterfeit Christian according to THEIR judgment, and he allegedly was NOT walking in the Grace of Almighty God.

Of course, modern and postmodern Christians will never admit that this is the inevitable conclusion caused by their free Grace/ultra Grace/hyper Grace/Grace only type doctrines that are so popular today; because they need to confuse people about Paul’s writings, in order to make disobeying God seem legitimate, but the undeniable fact is that if you hold up THEIR Grace standards to Paul’s own words, by THEIR definition, they would accuse Paul of being a legalist was lacking the Grace of God in his life. It’s a doctrine that is so obviously perverted, that it is actually scary.

The 7^th reason that we can KNOW for CERTAIN that Paul was NOT teaching AGAINST obeying the Commandments of God in written Scripture is that when we compare what Christians today THINK that Grace means, and then you compare with specific things that Paul wrote, then you quickly discover by using THEIR own modern understanding of Grace, this would also require us to conclude that Paul himself was supposedly not being Grace filled by some of the things he said.  This is one of many indicators that the modern Christian doctrine is FALSE teaching, by any stretch of the imagination.  Today, I challenge you to look at the modern definition of grace that Christians have grown accustomed to using, and then compare it to specific things that Paul wrote.  You will see that using the modern definition of grace, and comparing it to Paul’s writings, you too would have to conclude that Paul was not under Grace, according to the modern standard, and comparing it to some of the warnings that he gave to Christian believers.  That’s important.

My Testing Method is NOT New

I am using the EXACT SAME method that Jesus used to expose the counterfeit doctrines of the Pharisees

Please understand, that what I am doing is NOT a NEW approach at all.  What I am doing is using the EXACT SAME approach that Jesus the Messiah used, when He tried to correct the Pharisees for their false teaching.  Let’s review what Messiah said.

As It Is Written: ““Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. “But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:45–47 NASB95)

• The clear reason that Jesus the Messiah said this to the false teaching Pharisees in His day, is because they were teaching and practicing things using the name and the authority of Moses, and at the same time they were teaching and practicing things that were in fact the direct OPPOSITE of what Moses actually taught and required, while claiming Mosaic authority to promote ILLEGAL things.  I will not go into many of the details of that right now, because that could make a complete podcast episode all on its own.  However, for now, suffice it to say, that Jesus said, on the Day of Judgment, it will not be Me that accuses you before the Heavenly Father.  The one who will accuse you will be Moses himself, because you are doing ILLEGAL things, but you are CLAIMING the legal authority of Moses to do things that even Moses said not to do.

• Using the exact SAME Biblical precedent that Jesus established in John 5:45-47, I could EASILY and CORRECTLY say the SAME thing about today’s modern Christians.  Many modern Christians will look at the previous 6 podcasts I have done in this series so far, and they will falsely accuse me of judging Christians or, ‘bad mouthing the church.’  I answer modern Christians EXACTLY the way that Jesus answered the Pharisees in His day.  On the Day of Judgment, it will NOT be ME who accuses you before the Heavenly Father.  The one who will accuse you, will be Paul the apostle himself, in whom you have placed your hope, and in whose name, you have claimed authority to teach the false doctrines that you are teaching, and I can EASILY prove it.  It’s not even close to difficult to prove.

Remembering What Modern Christians THINK Grace Means:

Today’s modern Christian ASSUMES that Grace means we are free from obeying God’s Law, because of what Jesus did through His death, to make atonement for sin.

Today’s modern Christian ASSUMES that Grace means that we can ignore and disregard God’s Laws, Commandments, and Instructions, since we are saved by Grace through Christ, and since obeying God is not what causes our salvation anyway.

Today’s modern Christian ASSUMES that Grace means that we are now free to BREAK God’s Laws, Commandments and Instructions, because Messiah fulfilled the Law for us. So, under Grace, we are now supposedly free to do the OPPOSITE of what God’s Laws, Commandments and Instructions tells people to do.

Today’s modern Christian ASSUMES that trying to obey God and trying to do what God says, is now supposedly a sign that you do not have enough Grace. Trying to obey ANY biblical commandment is supposedly a lack of Grace because it supposedly means that you are still trying to gain or earn righteousness by works of obeying what God says.

Today, many modern Christians assume that going out of your way NOT to obey a Biblical Instruction is now supposedly proof that you are walking in the Grace of God, because it supposedly shows that you are putting faith in what Christ did, and you are not trusting in your own works of obeying God to save you.

Today, many modern Christians assume that people are saved solely by claiming and professing Jesus Christ.  To require anything beyond this is now called legalism, and a lack of grace.  It is considered unchristian by many, to require ANY obedience at all.

Today, if you bring up ANY kind of Biblical Standard, and you suggest that people need to CHANGE and need to GROW in order to meet that clear Biblical Standard, the very 1^st thing you will usually hear in a defensive response is usually something like, “Well, we are not saved by our works.”  “We are not saved by our obedience anyway.”  The implication there is, “Don’t you know that I’m saved by Grace?”  How DARE you even suggest that I need to CHANGE or DO ANYTHING after professing Christ?  You, ungracious legalist you.”  If you are honest, that is the approach to grace that many modern Christians take today.

Modern Christians often defend this extremely poor definition of Grace, and they defend this false doctrine because they misread, they misunderstand, and they directly misapply some of their favorite passages in Paul’s writings.  They often use Paul’s name to defend a doctrine that even Paul SAID he was NOT teaching.

This is what MANY Christians THINK that Grace means today.  It is often being used by preachers and teachers who call themselves members of the ultra-Grace/hyper- Grace/Grace ONLY movements.  They often use selective bits of Paul’s writings to defend this incredibly FALSE doctrine.  The scary thing is that if you compare THEIR Grace standard with things that Paul said, they would consider Paul to be a false Christian.  They would accuse him of being a legalist who is lacking Grace, according to their definition.  Just like the Pharisees in Messiah’s Day were using the legal authority of Moses to push false ideas that Moses was not teaching, so too, today’s modern Christians are claiming Paul’s authority to push false conclusions, and false teachings that are the direct OPPOSITE of what Paul said. This is EASILY provable.  As I said, on the Day of Judgment I, Brother R. Michel Lankford, WILL NOT be the one accusing and testifying against these people.  The chief accuser who will testify against these people, would be Paul the apostle himself; in whom they place their hope, and through whom they claim their authority; because they are teaching things in Paul’s name, which are the direct OPPOSITE of standards that Paul actually taught.  They are claiming Paul’s authority, at the same time, they are teaching AGAINST what Paul actually taught.  They are acting like modern Pharisees, without realizing it.  The modern Christian understanding of grace CANNOT be the truth, because even the apostle of Grace whose authority they claim, did NOT teach THEIR definition of grace.  It’s NOT even CLOSE.

Here is how far this false teaching can go if you let it. This is just one of many examples out there. I will not name names, but this is part of a sermon given by one of the most popular false teachers in America today:

(Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 13:41-42; John 8:34-35; John 12:49-50). If you truly believe what Jesus SAID, then this guy is teaching some seriously DANGEROUS crap. There’s no doubt about it.

Now, that approach SOUNDS Biblical. It SOUNDS like you’re preaching from Paul’s point of view, ONLY IF you do not know and do not understand your Bible at all, and IF you willfully IGNORE and overtly CONTRADICT many of the things that Paul specifically SAID. According to the FALSE definition of grace that this preacher is using in Paul’s name, then Paul himself would not be under grace, according to the modern definition of grace, and I can easily prove it. Up to this point, we have given no less than 6 clear reasons, how we can KNOW for CERTAIN that Paul WAS NOT teaching AGAINST obeying the Commandments of God in written Scripture. So far in this study series, we have given no less than 47 clear biblical verifications which confirm those 6 reasons, and we are not even done yet. There is NO WAY that Paul was preaching what this preacher suggests that Paul’s preaching. On the Day of Judgment, it will not be me, it will not be Jesus who calls this false preacher into account. It will be Paul himself who accuses him, because it is in Paul’s name, and using Paul’s authority as an apostle that this false teacher is teaching the lies that he is teaching.

Example: Paul Warns the Galatians

As It Is Written: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19–21 NASB95)

• Paul made a specific list of many things that PAUL SAID will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.  Don’t forget that this was written circa A.D. 52
• In this passage, Paul the apostle of grace specifically says that those who live in immorality will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.  The same thing is stated in Leviticus 20).  So, if you follow the Christian theory that would mean that for 19 years, the Law against immorality was nailed to the cross.  God’s Law was supposedly no longer in effect, since 33 A.D. right?  Then Paul comes along some 19 years A.D. 52 AFTER the Law of God has been nailed to the cross, and immorality once again becomes a sin that can condemn you, because Paul wrote about it?!

• In the passage, the apostle of grace specifically says that those who practice sensuality, will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.  So, for 19 years people have supposedly been free from the Law.  For 19 years sensuality, can no longer be considered a sin, because you are saved by Grace, so for 19 years it supposedly doesn’t matter if you live in sensuality or not.  But then, sensuality becomes a sin AGAIN 19 years later when Paul warns against it?

• In the passage, Paul the apostle of grace clearly says that those who practice idolatry WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.  Now, either the worship of false gods or worshiping the true God falsely, has been a sin since (Exodus 20:4-6).  In 33 A.D. God’s Law has supposedly been completed.  Ergo, by definition, the laws against idolatry should no longer be a concern if the Christian doctrine were true, but then 19 years AFTER we have entered the ‘Age of Grace, Paul resurrects the Commandment against idolatry, and idolatry becomes a sin again, because PAUL said so in Galatians 5, but supposedly not because of what YHWH said in the Old Testament?!,’  Are you serious?!  And you all think that it is wise and safe to think that way?!

• Immorality
• Impurity
• Sensuality
• Idolatry
• Sorcery, (stubbornness, rebellion, witchcraft, practicing magic arts, or poisoning).
• Enmities, (to carry hatred or to cause hatred between people).
• Strife, (to fuel arguments or divisions between people).
• Jealousies, (rivalry or wishing to defeat someone by unrighteous means).
• Outbursts of Rage, (letting one’s anger carry them away without self-control).
• Disputes, (literally using underhanded means to win an argument or position).
• Dissensions, (Undermining righteous authority by underhanded means or violence).
• Factions, (being overly devoted to an opinion or to a group to the point where you are willing to subvert the truth or to pervert justice to achieve the goals of your group).
• Envying, (being angry to the point of jealousy over someone else’s blessings, advantages and benefits to the point of coveting and resentment).
• Drunkenness, (To lose control of oneself by means of any intoxicating substance).
• Carousing, (being so involved in partying were celebrations that you act without self-control, or without concern for righteousness and truth).

The fact is, whether we like it or not, Paul the apostle is the one who specifically SAID that anyone who lives in any of these 14 lifestyles, (or anything like these), without repenting and overcoming these things, WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God. Paul the apostle of grace is the one who said it loud and clear. Paul statements here exposes 3 important facts

Fact 1: The modern grace teaching that today’s Christians preach in Paul’s name is completely bogus. It doesn’t even come close. Did Paul preach that as long as you proclaim faith in Jesus Christ, you are free from obeying God and overcoming what God considers to be sin? No he did not. He didn’t even come close to saying that. He said just the opposite of that doctrine right here.

Fact 2: If you do any research at all, you will find that EVERY single ONE of the 14 things that Paul said will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God, was FIRST written as being a sin, or it was condemned as an abomination against God, in the Torah and in the prophets of the Old Testament. IF God’s Law was nailed to the cross, and God doesn’t care whether you obey Him or not, as long as you claim faith in Jesus Christ His Son, then WHY is violating these 14 clear Torah Standards, STILL enough to CONDEMN you, and keep you out of the Kingdom of Heaven, even according to Paul the apostle of grace himself?

Fact 3: When Paul gave his warnings against violating these clear Torah standards; when he said that violating these Commandments and Standards will keep folks out of heaven, it was already more than 2 decades after Jesus supposedly nailed the Law to the cross! Moreover, Paul gave these warnings to people who had already accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Paul wrote these warnings to Christians, who were in active congregations as believers. He wasn’t writing these warnings to heathens or to unbelievers. Paul clearly said that if you don’t overcome these 14 violations, then you are not going to heaven. According to today’s understanding of grace, Paul would not be grace filled. He would be requiring additional, “works” beyond accepting Christ, which means that Paul would be lacking Grace according to THEIR definition.

Today’s Christians have some serious problems. They teach grace in Paul’s name, and using Paul’s authority, but then they despise and contradict many of Paul’s own clear warnings and instructions.

According to Paul, we must use the Grace that God provides, to turn AWAY from these sort of things and NOT DO these things ANYMORE.  Otherwise, we will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.  Paul was clearly telling Christians that if they do not overcome these characteristics, they will not be going to Heaven.  We just read it.  Does that even come close to the modern definition of grace people often use today in Paul’s name?  No, it clearly does not.  Does Paul even come close to suggesting that as long as you claim Christ as your Savior, you can think how you want, you can speak however you want, you can do whatever seems right in your own eyes, and anyone who brings a biblical standard to you is lacking Grace?  Does Paul even come close to saying that to the Galatians?  No, he most certainly does not.  What people often forget is that every single one of the characteristics that Paul SAID will not inherit the Kingdom of God was FIRST stated in God’s Law and in the prophets, as being a sin or being abominable in God’s sight.  Paul was not giving any new instructions here.  Paul was CONFIRMING Old Testament Standards in EVERY respect.

Paul Warns the Corinthians

As It Is Written: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–10 NASB95)

• Unrighteousness
• Fornicators
• Idolaters
• Adulterers
• Effeminate
• Homosexuals
• Thieves
• People who Covet
• Drunkards
• Revilers
• Swindlers

Once again, according to Paul, the apostle of grace himself, people who live a lifestyle where they fulfill these 11 characteristics, if they do not repent; if they do not turn away from these and overcome these things, then they will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.  Once again, these are PAUL’S WORDS.  It’s not my own made-up notion.  Once again, if you do the research and the word studies for yourself, you will find that each one of these 11 characteristics and behaviors were FIRST condemned as sins or abominations in the Law and in the prophets of the Old Testament.  Once again, we have the same problem emerging.  God’s Laws and Standards were supposedly abolished in 33 A.D. when Messiah died on the cross.  If God’s Law has truly been done away with, then by definition these things should no longer be considered sin as of 33 A.D. However, in 54 A.D. when Paul writes 1^st Corinthians, these 11 characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors become sin AGAIN; supposedly not because God said so in the Law and the prophets, but because Paul said so in the letter to the Corinthians?!

IF the modern Christian theology WERE true, then Paul the apostle would be in a lot of trouble.  Think about it.  Supposedly, Jesus does away with God’s Commandments at the cost of HIS OWN life, and the shedding of HIS OWN Blood, then a couple decades after God’s Law has supposedly been completed, put away and abolished, Paul then turns right around and REESTABLISHES the SAME Legal Standards that Christ shed His own blood to abolish?!  Paul even goes so far as to declare that if we break these Standards and we do not repent, it will cost us our salvation, we don’t go to heaven.  So, this is a salvation issue, even by Paul’s standards.  IF God’s Law has truly been done away with, as Christians commonly claim, then HOW does Paul get the legal right to reestablish God’s Laws, that Jesus shed His Own Blood to eliminate?  When theologians make up their erroneous assertions, they don’t follow their own logic to its rational conclusion.  The implications of the counterfeit Pauline theology becomes overwhelmingly staggering if you manage to think beyond the surface.

Paul Warns the Ephesians

Paul writes the same general idea to the Ephesians, (circa A.D. 62) almost 30 years after we enter the so-called age of Grace.  Keep the same questions in mind that we have been posing thus far.

As It Is Written: “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with Them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (Ephesians 5:5–8 NASB95)

• The Immoral Person
• The Impure Person
• The covetous person
• The idolater (person honoring false gods).
• Being a child of disobedience

Once again, every one of these standards that Paul says will be condemned and will keep people from inheriting the Kingdom of God, is a biblical standard that was 1^st established in God’s Law and in the prophets of the Old Testament.  You can look it up yourselves.  These are NOT NEW Standards.  They are all Old Testament Laws and Commandments.  Paul clearly says that if we live outside of these Standards, then we do not inherit the Kingdom of God, but we inherit His WRATH, as a child of disobedience.  Paul clearly makes this a salvation issue.  There is no getting around that fact.  If God’s Law has nailed to the cross, so that these Legal Standards are done away with, then WHY do these Standards even matter at all to people who’ve already accepted Christ?

Paul Warns the Colossians

As It Is Written: “Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, (Colossians 3:1–6 NASB95)

• Immorality
• impurity
• Passions
• Evil Desires
• Greed
• Idolatry
• Disobedience

According to Christians Today, Paul Would be a Legalist

(Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:5-8; Colossians 3:1-6).

If you use the modern definition of grace that Christians apply today, then Christians would assume that Paul was a legalist who is not walking in the Grace of God, according to them.  Paul clearly taught that disobeying certain facets of God’s Law could still keep you out of heaven.  He clearly did NOT teach that all you needed to do was accept and proclaim Christ, and you would be saved no matter what; the way that modern Christians assume today.  According to many Christians today, Paul would be a judgmental legalist, who was not walking in the Grace of God.

• Paul Warned Roman Christians, (Romans 1:18-32) to repent so that they could avoid the wrath of God that comes upon all unrighteousness.
• Paul warned Galatian Christians to repent and to overcome the works of the flesh that will not inherit the kingdom of God, (Galatians 5:19-21).
• Paul warned the Ephesian Christians to avoid and to overcome things that do NOT inherit the Kingdom of God, but that would bring the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience, (Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 5:5-8).
• Paul clearly warned the Colossians to avoid the characteristics that will bring about the wrath of God that is to come upon all the sons of disobedience, (Colossians 3:1-6).
• You can search it out for yourself.  EVERYTHING that Paul said will not inherit the Kingdom of God; absolutely EVERYTHING that Paul listed as a characteristic that produces the wrath of God, can first be found to be listed as a violation of an Old Testament Commandment.  Each one of these things that Paul mentions is FIRST listed as being a sin, a transgression, a violation or an abomination in God’s Law or in the prophets of the Old Testament.  EVERYTHING that Paul mentions that Christians need to avoid and to overcome in order to avoid God’s wrathful judgment was FIRST listed in the Law and in the prophets of the Old Testament.  There is NOT ONE ORIGINAL Standard in that entire list.
• If walking in the Grace of God REALLY means that you don’t have to obey God anymore, (as Christians assume it means), then WHY does Paul warn Christians under Grace to turn away from certain attitudes and behaviors that he SAYS will bring about the wrath of God that is to come upon the sons of disobedience?  If being a Christian under grace truly means you don’t need to worry about obeying God, then why are these warnings even necessary in Christian congregations?!
• The fact is that every one of the warnings we just mentioned, were written to Christian congregations.  They were all written to people who were already believers in Christ, and saved by the Grace of God.  IF Grace truly means that God doesn’t care anymore whether or not you obey anything, so long as you believe and profess Jesus Christ, then why is Paul warning Christians to turn away and to overcome certain things so that they can avoid the wrath of God that is to come upon the sons of disobedience?!  If God’s Grace REALLY means what YOU SAY it does, then why does Paul the apostle of grace write these warnings to Christians?  Why are these warnings even necessary, if your definition of Grace is accurate?
• There are at least 1050 IMPERATIVE Commands in the so-called New Testament.  Virtually all of them are a direct repetition of things that were written in the Law and in the prophets of the Old Testament.  IF obeying Biblical Commandments is truly a lack of Grace, as Christians commonly claim today, then WHY are there MORE Commandments in the New Testament, then there are in the Law?  The Law contains 613 imperatives that are applicable to different people depending on situation.  The New Testament contains 1050 imperatives, the majority of which are applicable to EVERY believer.  If obeying God is a lack of grace, as so many Christians claim, then why are there ANY imperative Commandments for Christians to obey, let alone 1050 of them?!  Do give it some thought.

Many times, Paul the apostle of grace gave clear indications that certain attitudes, and certain “works” and actions will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.  Each time, Paul wrote these warnings to CHRISTIAN churches.  These were people who had already accepted Christ.  Please don’t forget that.  Five times, Paul warns Christian congregations about God’s wrath and punishment coming upon people who disobey God, (Romans 1:18-32; Romans 8:5-8; Ephesians 2:2-3; Ephesians 5:5-6; Colossians 3:5-6; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).

Today’s Christians commonly ASSUME and loudly proclaim that grace supposedly means all a person ever needs to do in order to be saved is to have faith in Jesus Christ the Messiah and make a public confession that Jesus Christ the Messiah is their Lord and their Savior, and that they accept His sacrifice on the cross to apply to them.  If they do this, they are supposedly GUARANTEED to go to heaven, regardless of how they think, what they say, regardless of what they do, or how they live their lives; they are going to heaven, because they professed Christ.  According to the modern Christian view, anybody who requires any kind of shifting attitude or behavior beyond accepting Christ as Lord and Savior is lacking Grace.  Anybody who requires any type of obedience beyond believing, accepting and declaring Christ, is a legalist who is lacking Grace, and they use the fact that Paul said that people are not justified by obeying Commandments, or (not justified by obeying the Law Galatians 2 & 3).  The modern Christian theology is full of holes.  They use Paul to rationalize this twisted theology, but if you compare THEIR definition of a legalist, with Paul’s own writings, then Paul the apostle who wrote all about grace, would himself be a legalist, by THEIR standards!  The irony is beyond belief.  Modern Christian theology simply does not hold up under its own standards.  That’s because it is COUNTERFEIT.  You just saw by clear example that Paul openly said to Christians who had accepted Christ that certain attitudes, works and behaviors WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.  According to the modern Christian understanding, even Paul the apostle of grace, would allegedly be a legalist who is lacking Grace, because he has put additional requirements beyond accepting Christ to ensuring that Christians will be going to heaven.  We just saw it.

The Answer:

It was NOT God’s Law itself that was nailed to the cross.  God’s Law, and God’s Standards WERE NOT nailed to the cross.  It was our SIN that was nailed to the cross.  It was the RECORD of our VIOLATIONS of God’s Law that was nailed to the cross.  God’s Law & God’s Standards STILL remain FULLY INTACT, just as it always has.  Jesus took the penalty and the punishment on our behalf that our past violations of the Law required.  The penalties required against us have been removed through Christ, but God’s Law and God’s Standards still remain fully in force as they always have.  Even Paul the apostle of grace reaffirms this clear distinction in His Letters.

If you’ve been keeping careful count, in our teaching series will have now outlined 7 clear reasons how we can KNOW for CERTAIN that the apostle Paul was NOT teaching AGAINST obeying God’s Commandments in the written Old Testament. Within these 7 lessons we also included no less than 52 biblical verifications that confirm these 7 reasons that we have studied so far. There is more to come. As we continue this study series going forward, we will begin to look at the various places where it DOES LOOK and APPEAR like Paul is teaching against obeying the commandments, even though he is truly not what he seems to be teaching. Do keep checking in, won’t you?

Brother R. Michel Lankford

Whole Testament Discipleship Success