Possess The Land

Man is a spiritual being and because modern philosophy has sought to ignore this fact, most of today’s approach to solving man’s problems is inadequate or temporary. I believe there are spiritual answers for a spiritual man, and God’s Spirit can reach down inside of man and bring forth an integration of his being when there has been a continual disintegration.

There are spiritual concepts which deal with basic problems that trouble people. Being a Christian does not automatically solve these problems, but most certainly places one in the position to receive help. That help comes through a proper understanding of Satan and his works, and understanding of one’s self and an understanding of God and His provision to meet every need of man.

Salvation is our entrance into the family of God. It is also our deliverance from sin and the penalty of sin. It is our deliverance from “Egypt” and God desires to bring us into a “good land”. The Lord does not just want us to be satisfied with Salvation. He has a land that He wants to bring us into and this land must be taken. Along with delivering us from the penalty of sin, He desires to also heal us from the effects of sin and bring us into a land of blessing and fruitfulness. God’s Word instructs us that what God has given to His Church, His Church must reach out and appropriate/take by faith.

Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. (Deu 1:8)

Too many today are delivered from Egypt but are “suffering and dying in the wilderness” without possessing that which has been given to them.

It is the Lord’s desire to bring healing to His people, to break severe bondages, release people to live in acceptance and love and bring people to self-acceptance and identity releasing them from the hurts of the past.

In short, it is God’s desire for man to be a total man — free to relate to others and free to relate to God. This is the land that God wants to bring us into.

And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. (Isa 58:12)

The Church has occupied a rather passive role as if it has a defeated attitude in the face of the enemy that rules in the world. I believe God is saying to His Church, “Rise up and rule in the midst of your enemies!” The god of this world has established his strongholds and authorities in the land. I believe the word that came to Israel through Moses is the word for the Church today,
“Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land…” (Deut. 1:8)

A passive attitude will not conquer and possess. Consequently, the enemy remains in the land and God’s people suffer. It is never God’s will for His people to suffer from the oppression of the enemy. God wants His people to be a victorious people: a strong people that can determine the will of God and take direction rather than being directed by a turn of events. He wants a people that will magnify the Name of the Lord–who has made Him their strong Tower, their Refuge, their Shield, their Covering and their Conqueror.

In God’s Word we can find encouragement to do battle with the enemy and to arise to enter into all of God’s provisions promised to His people. There are areas of the mind that that keep God’s people from rising up in the Lord and entering in. Deception and Passivity are two major areas in which the enemy works.

God wants a free people that will possess ALL the land.  

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; (2Co 10:4)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1Pe 5:8)

Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1Pe 5:9)

OLD TESTAMENT VERSES REFERRING TO ISRAEL WHICH ARE QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS REFERRING TO THE CHRISTIANS – Part 2

Here are more scriptures that dispensational Christians ignore. Let the Bible speak!

OLD TESTAMENT VERSES REFERRING TO ISRAEL WHICH ARE QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS REFERRING TO THE CHRISTIANS

Who are the people of God?
– Lev. 26:11,12, Eze. 37:27, 2 Cor. 6:16

The Word is nigh thee. The choice between life and death.
– Deut. 30:12-14, Rom. 10:6-8

I will never leave you nor forsake you.
– Deut. 31:6, Heb. 13:5

The Lord shall judge His people
– Deut. 32:36, Psa. 135:14, Heb. 10:30

I will declare Thy name unto my brethren.
– Psa. 22:22, Heb. 2:12

For Thy sake we are killed all the day long
– Psa. 44:22, Rom. 8:36

Harden not your hearts, else ye shall not enter into My rest.
– Psa. 95:7-11, Heb. 3:7-11

He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities, purify for himself a peculiar people (Church)
– Psa. 130:8, Tit. 2:14

Behold, I lay in Zion a tried stone, whosoever believeth shall not be ashamed
– Isa. 28:16, Rom. 10:11, Eph. 2:20, 1 Pet. 2:6

Today, is the acceptable Day of Salvation
– Isa. 49:8, 2 Cor. 6:2

The GOSPEL! How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him…bringeth good tidiings
– Isa. 52:7, Rom. 10:15

Rejoice thou barren that barest not…
– Isa. 54:1, Gal. 4:27

I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel…and house of Judah
– Jer. 31:31-34, Heb. 8:8-12

Which were once not my people are now my people.
– Hos. 1:10; 2:23, Rom. 9:25-26, 1 Pet. 2:10

I will ransom them from death, O death where is thy sting?
– Hos. 13:14, 1 Cor. 15:55

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.
– Joel. 2:32, Rom. 10:13

On the Plains of Shinar

A long time ago there were some people who were wanderers on the earth. They had a dream and a vision to find a place and establish themselves as a people who worshipped God and who experienced unity amongst themselves. So, they found a beautiful land and with much hard work and self-sacrifice they began to realize their dream as it unfolded day by day.

It would be hard to deny that these people did not know something of the heart and purpose of God. In the last book of the Bible we see that God is ultimately after a city. Abraham knew this and he spent his life searching for that city.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Heb 11:8-11

I think it would be difficult to fault these people whose motives seemed so noble. However, they had one shortcoming. God had neither commanded nor requested them to build a city for Himself. Therefore, it is not surprising that when these people built, they built with man-made bricks instead of God-made stone. When God, the MasterBuilder wants something built, He equips and instructs His people as to how He builds. His methods and His materials. Man’s work always looks like man and is detestable in the sight of God. “…for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” Luke 16:15b

God eventually stopped the construction of the “holy” city on the plain of Shinar. The place later became known as Babel. Most people forget that it did not start out as Babel. It began as a city with a tower that would reach into the heavens – to God. It is easy to sit back and judge them as a people with some evil imagination in their hearts. Afterall, when people think of Babel they usually think of the worst when it comes to the people that were involved. Pagan, evil, sinister, etc. The fact is, they were people like you and me with ideas, plans and designs for doing something for God. Isn’t it amazing that almost every church building today has a tower reaching to the heavens.

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Psalm 127:1a.

by John Saunders

Out of the Firepan and into the Fire

About 3,500 years ago there were two Israelites that were very special men. What made them special? Their experience and their lineage.
 
This was their experience:
 
They had witnessed the Lord bring 10 plagues down on the Egyptians and deliver His people out of Egypt with His mighty hand. They had stood and seen the Red Sea part so that Israel could walk across on dry land. They witnessed the Red Sea come back together and swallow up the pursuing armies. Everyday they ate bread out of heaven and drank pure water that came from a rock – supernatural provision by God to meet their daily needs. These two very special men followed the physical presence of God – a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They stood with the nation at Mt. Sinai and received the law. They were selected by God to come into His presence along with Moses and Aaron and seventy of the elders of Israel. They beheld God with their eyes and ate and drank in His presence. That was the experience of these two special men.
 
This was their lineage:
 
They were descendants of Abraham of the tribe of Levi and the two oldest sons of Aaron, the high priest of Israel. Out of the loins of the oldest should have descended all of the high priests for the next 1,500 years. These two men were consecrated and ordained unto the Lord in the presence of the whole nation. They were part of a perpetual priesthood to God.
 
These two special men, Nadab and Abihu, with all their great experience and lineage, had what seemed to them to be a great idea. They would do something for God. They would serve him in a novel way. They took their respective firepans and after putting fire in them, placed incense on them and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded of them. And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them and they died before the Lord. That’s right. God killed them for their great idea and wanting to serve Him in their own way. Even with their great lineage and experience, God snuffed them out.
 
  • Did God not know who these men were? Did He not know that they were Aaron’s sons. Yes, He knew all of that but it did not matter to Him. God is not a respecter of persons and will have things done in His way, and His time and is not interested in “My Ministry”. He is interested in transformation, in the inner man. He is not interested in your ministry, at least not nearly as much as He is interested in you. Before there can ever be a proper ministry, there must be a proper vessel. There are many “vessels” today doing “God’s work”, who have have never let Him do His most important work, in THEM.

 

by John Saunders

Highly Esteemed by Man

 

Once there was a very hard working and industrious man who had a heart to seek God. We know that he could “hear” the Lord God’s voice because the Scriptures reveal that he was greatly encouraged and counseled by God. He had a desire to please God so he brought to God part of all that God had blessed him with.

So far, according to popular religious standards this fellow has all the qualifications of a leader of the people of God — very hard working, a heart to seek God, a desire to give unto the Lord and experience of fellowship with God. This is the type of person that the church is actively seeking, a spiritual mover and shaker. The problem is, “that the things that are highly esteemed among men are an abomination in the sight of God”. “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” Luke 16:15

The Lord was not pleased with this fellow’s offering. We can only expect our offering to be received by God when we come to Him according to His terms and not in a way that seems “good to us”.

The man, whose name was Cain, had a brother named Abel. Somehow, Abel had an understanding of what was accept able to God. In order for fallen man to be acceptable before God, there must be an atoning death. This is not really pertinent to the story, nor is the fact that Cain went on to be a murderer and a liar. But rather, the fact that man is constantly leaning upon his own understanding to come up with ideas, plans and schemes to do something for God is a principle that has brought more ruin to the people of God than all of our enemies without.

There is the man who has the reputation, the one who is highly esteemed by men, and loves it to be so, although almost always feigning humility, and there is simply the man who has been transformed by God on the inside whose only claim is such. God raises up men, but it is typically a long arduous narrow path littered with failure and brokenness. Not so with the man who is highly esteemed by men, who has natural talents mistaken as gifts from God.

Give some thought about this while waiting for the next story.

by John Saunders

“Lest I Be a Castaway”

1 Samuel 8:8 is a very sobering statement by God. He reveals that the children of Israel have never pleased Him “since the day He brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day.”

1Sa 8:8 According to all the works which they have done SINCE THE DAY THAT I BROUGHT THEM UP OUT OF EGYPT EVEN UNTO THIS DAY, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

Playing the religious fellow does not fool the Lord who sees men’s hearts. He is able to discern between the “bone and the marrow”.

What exactly is He talking about? How is it that Israel’s works since the day they were brought up out of Egypt, only prove that they have forsaken the Lord?

In 1 Sam 8:1 we see two groups of people. When Samuel was old he made his sons judges over Israel. Obviously, they knew about and followed the ceremonial law and “graduated” to a place of being chosen as judges over Israel. But, how could Samuel who had such keen spiritual eyesight do that? Is it a weakness of men to be blind to those who are closest to them? Possibly so, because his sons did not walk in his ways. We know that Samuel’s ways pleased the Lord. The Elders of Israel came to Samuel and told him what they knew about Samuel’s sons. They basically accused Samuel’s sons of worshipping the god of mammon and they take bribes and because of taking bribes their judgment is clouded and biased. They show favor to those who bribe them.

1Sa 8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
1Sa 8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
1Sa 8:3 AND HIS SONS WALKED NOT IN HIS WAYS, but turned aside after LUCRE, and took BRIBES, and PERVERTED JUDGMENT.

Earlier, I said there were two groups of people showcased in this chapter. We have religious people using godliness for gain and “elders” enamored with position and ruling over others wanting to be ruled over themselves by a man with great “credentials”. These two groups had abdicated to men.

1Sa 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
1Sa 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

This is not something you would expect from elders that are supposed to know the Lord. Elders who could discern that Samuel was a man of God and his sons were not. But, like Samuel’s sons and even Samuel himself, they had their own blind spots.

1Sa 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
1Sa 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

What did the Lord know? That, not only had the elders rejected God, but this rejection had been going on since they were delivered out of Egypt. Is it any wonder that Samuel’s sons and the elders rejected God? Religion and feigning love for God had actually become part of their culture.

May the Lord have mercy on us, reveal our blind spots and keep us from rote religion and self-deception.

One thing I like about Paul is that he wanted men to observe his walk and follow his example as “he followed Christ”. Just like Jesus who said “learn of me”, Paul could say essentially the same. “Follow me as I follow Christ”. 

With men, more is caught than taught. We observe much more than the words that a man speaks. Paul had the walk to back up his talk. 

People are more apt to listen to you if they know you have the walk. Paul was greatly concerned about being a castaway (no one listening to him). Our words will have no impact if our life does not match them. A teacher and preacher without an audience is most miserable and Paul knew this. 

1Co_9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Today, there are many that preach and teach but are only “castaways”, because they don’t have the example. 

Lord, help us not only to be “hearers of your word” but “doers”, also. 

OLD TESTAMENT VERSES REFERRING TO ISRAEL WHICH ARE QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS REFERRING TO CHRISTIANS -Part 1

Everyone agrees that the resurrection depicted in Ezekiel 37 is a “national” resurrection. In other words Israel experienced national and covenantal “death” when she was scattered from her land and experiences a “resurrection” when she is restored back into the land. Again, like chapter 36, this prophecy was partially fulfilled through typology when the two houses of Israel came back into the land under the restoration and leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. However, both chapters contain elements of Messiah’s work of salvation (the anti-type) with the coming Messianic New Covenant.

Ezekiel 37:22-28 discusses the coming New Covenant King/Shepherd who would cause: 

1) His people to possess the land, 

2) establish an everlasting covenant of peace with them, 

3) multiply them, and 

4) “sanctify” them by establishing His “sanctuary” and “tabernacle” in their midst forever. 

Oddly in seeking to idolatrize the Dispensational Zionist system, this group actually believes that promises made to OT Israel (such as these NT promises) cannot be fulfilled in and through the NT Church. These are amazing claims and anyone reading the NT can know without a shadow of doubt that they are false.  Here are some of these claims from leading Dispensationalist theologians:

Lewis Sperry Chafer. “That the Christian now inherits the distinctive Jewish promises is not taught in Scripture.”

Dwight Pentecost. “…it would be impossible for the church to fulfill God’s promises made to Israel.”

Charles C. Ryrie. “The church is not fulfilling in any sense the promises to Israel.”       

                                                                                                                                                                      Let’s see if the Scriptures back up these claims:

“OLD TESTAMENT TITLES AND ATTRIBUTES OF ISRAEL WHICH ARE, IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, REFERRED TO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (This section is taken from The Church Is Israel Now, By Charles D. Provan

THE BELOVED OF GOD

A) Israel Is Beloved Of God:

– Ex. 15:13, Deut. 33:3, Ezra 3:11

B) Disobedient Israel Is Not Beloved Of God:

– Lev. 3:16, Jer. 12:8, Jer. 16:5, Hos. 9:15

C) Christians Are Beloved Of God:

– Rom. 9:25, Eph. 5:1, Col. 3:12, 1 John 3:1

THE CHILDREN OF GOD

A) Israel Are The Children Of God:

– Ex. 4:22, Deut. 14:1, Isa. 1:2,4, Isa. 1:2,4, Isa. 63:8, Hos. 11:1

B) Disobedient Israel Are Not The Children Of God:

– Deut. 32:5, John 8:39, 42, 44

C) Christians Are The Children Of God:

– John 1:12, John 11:52, Rom. 8:14,16, 2 Cor. 6:18, Gal. 3:26, Gal. 4:5,6,7, Phil. 2:15, 1 John 3:1

THE FIELD OF GOD

A) Israel Is The Field Of God:

– Jer. 12:10

B) Christians Are The Field Of God:

– 1 Cor. 3:9

THE FLOCK OF GOD AND OF THE MESSIAH

A) Israel Is The Flock Of God And Of The Messiah:

– Psa. 78:52, Psa. 80:1, Isa. 40:11, Jer. 23:1,2,3, Jer. 31:10, Eze. 34:12,15,16, Mic. 5:4, Zec. 10:3

B) Christians Are The Flock Of God And Of The Messiah:

– John 10:14,16, Heb. 13:20, 1 Pet. 2:25, 1 Pet. 5:2,3

THE HOUSE OF GOD

A) Israel Is The House Of God:

– Num. 12:7

B) Christians Are The House Of God:

– 1 Tim. 3:15, Heb. 3:2,5,6, Heb. 10:21, 1 Pet. 4:17

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

A) Israel Is The Kingdom Of God:

– Ex. 19:6, 1 Chr. 17:14, 1 Chr. 28:5

B) Disobedient Israel Is Not The Kingdom Of God:

– Matt. 8:11,12, Matt. 21:43

C) Christians Are The Kingdom Of God:

– Rom. 14:17, 1 Cor. 4:20, Col. 1:13, Col. 4:11, Rev. 1:6

THE PEOPLE OF GOD

A) The Israelites Are The People Of God:

– Ex. 6:7, Deut. 27:9, 2 Sam. 7:23, Jer. 11:4

B) Disobedient Israelites Are Not The People Of God:

– Hos. 1:9, Jer. 5:10

C) The Christians Are The People Of God:

– Rom. 9:25, 2 Cor. 6:16, Eph. 4:12, Eph. 5:3, 2 Th. 1:10, Tit. 2:14

THE PRIESTS OF GOD

A) The Israelites Are The Priests Of God:

– Ex. 19:6

B) Disobedient Israelites Are Not The Priests Of God:

– 1 Sam. 2:28,30, Lam. 4:13,16, Eze. 44:10,13, Hos. 4:6, Mal. 2:2,4,8,9

C) The Christians Are The Priests Of God:

– 1 Pet. 2:5,9, Rev. 1:6, Rev. 5:10       

                                                                                                                                                                        
THE WIFE (OR BRIDE) OF GOD

A) Israel Is The Wife (Or Bride) Of God:

– Isa. 54:5,6, Jer. 2:2, Eze. 16:32, Hos. 1:2

B) Disobedient Israelites Is Not The Wife (Or Bride) Of God:

– Jer. 3:8, Hos. 2:2

C) The Christians Are The Wife (Or Bride) Of God:

– 2 Cor. 11:2, Eph. 5:31,32

THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM

A) The Israelites Are The Children Of Abraham:

– 2 Chr. 20:7, Psa. 105:6, Isa. 41:8

B) Disobedient Israelites Are Not The Children Of Abraham:

– John 8:39, Rom. 9:6,7, Gal. 4:25,30

C) The Christians Are The Children Of Abraham:

– Rom. 4:11,16, Gal. 3:7,29, Gal. 4:23,28,31

THE CHOSEN PEOPLE

A) The Israelites Are The Chosen People:

– Deut. 7:7, Deut. 10:15, Deut. 14:2, Isa. 43:20,21

B) Disobedient Israelites Are Not The Chosen People:

– Deut. 31:17, 2 Ki. 17:20, 2 Chr. 25:7, Psa. 78:59, Jer. 6:30, Jer. 7:29, Jer. 14:10

C) The Christians Are The Chosen People:

– Col. 3:12, 1 Pet. 2:9

THE CIRCUMCISED

A) The Israelites Are The Circumcised:

– Gen. 17:10, Jud. 15:18

B) Disobedient Israelites Are Not The Circumcised:

– Jer. 9:25,26, Rom. 2:25,28, Phil. 3:2

C) The Christians Are The Circumcised:

– Rom. 2:29, Phil. 3:3, Col. 2:11

ISRAEL

A) Israel is Israel

B) Disobedient Israelites Are Not Israelites:

– Num. 15:30,31, Deut. 18:19, Acts 3:23, Rom. 9:6

C) The Christians Are Israel:

– John 11:50,51,52, 1 Cor. 10:1, Gal. 6:15,16, Eph. 2:12,19

JERUSALEM

A) Jerusalem Is the City And Mother Of Israel:

– Psa. 149:2, Isa. 12:6, Isa. 49:18,20,22, Isa. 51:18, Lam. 4:2

B) Jerusalem Is The City And Mother Of Christians:

– Gal. 4:26, Heb. 12:22

THE JEWS

A) Israelites Are Jews

– Ezr. 5:1, Jer. 34:8,9, Zech. 8:22,23

B) Disobedient Israelites Are Not Jews:

– Rom. 2:28, Rev. 2:9, Rev. 3:9

C) The Christians Are Jews:

– Rom. 2:29

THE NEW COVENANT

A) The New Covenant Is With Israel:

– Jer. 31:31,33

B) The New Covenant Is With The Christians:

– Luke 22:20, 1 Cor. 11:25, 2 Cor. 3:6, Heb. 8:6,8,10

AN OLIVE TREE

A) Israel Is An Olive Tree:

– Jer. 11:16, Hos. 14:6

B) The Christians Are An Olive Tree:

– Rom. 11:24

The Elephant in the Room

The “Elephant in the room” with Protestants is that they deny the Subjective Experience of Christ. 

Protestants have adamantly denied that a Christian is “made” or “becomes” righteous – or changed in any way. 

Andreas Osiander (1498-1552) was an early ally of Martin Luther in the Protestant Reformation, but differed from Luther on the subject of “justification.” Osiander believed that the righteousness of a believer was accomplished, not just by objective imputation, but by the subjective indwelling of the living Christ – that the meaning of the Greek dikaiosune could legitimately mean “to make righteous.” Osiander was eventually repudiated by both Martin Luther and John Calvin, and relegated to the blacklist of Protestant heretics. To this day Protestants are extremely afraid of his concept of an indwelling participation in the life of Christ.

Martin Luther – “The Christian is simultaneously both (extrinsically) righteous and (intrinsically) sinner.” 
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones – “Justification makes no actual change in us; it is a declaration. The Christian is not a good man; he is a vile wretch saved by the grace of God.”
Alister McGrath – “Protestant justification involves the alien righteousness of Christ imputed to the believer, external to him, not located in him, or in any way belonging to him.”

How is a Protestant Christian to live? The objective benefits have no affect on who we are, or how we live. The best he can do is to “reckon” that God has “reckoned” him “righteous” via a “positive thinking” process.

Post-reformation Catholic theologians chided the Protestants: 

“If a Protestant Christian were ever to act righteously, the Protestants would have to attribute such to ‘works,’ for his theology makes no provision for any subjective resource of divine dynamic (Christ dwelling in the Christian and making them righteous, experientially).

And because of Protestant theology, this is precisely why it is so difficult to get through to them that God wants us to be righteous, and not just by objective imputation but by the subjective indwelling of Christ. 

Faith Without Works is Dead


Jas 2:20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 

Jas 2:21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 

Jas 2:23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 

Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 

At first glance this verse seems directly opposed to Romans 3:28; “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” 

However, we realize that Paul is speaking of legal works that precede salvation, and they cannot be made a ground and basis for salvation.
James is always thinking of works produced by one trusting and obeying Christ—being born again … a necessary consequence and outworking of REAL faith.
 
 
Abraham’s faith made him willing to offer his son on the altar.
Rahab’s faith, as we read in the next verse, made her willing to hide the spies—forsaking her own land and people.
 
“Ye see then how …” James is saying, as it were, “Does not this illustration of Abraham’s faith producing works prove to you that a man is justified by works and not by faith only?”  
He is appealing to man’s own reasoning powers.
 
Declared righteous
Young’s Literal Translation of this verse: “Ye see then, that out of works is a man declared righteous, and not out of faith only.” You will notice it says “declared righteous,” not “made righteous.” A man is righteous in God’s sight when he trusts in and obeys the Lord, and is born again. God does not need to see the fruit of faith to know there is faith (like the thief on the cross), but we do and you do too!   That is why the Scriptures tell us the following:
 
2Cor 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
 
We cannot declare one righteous until we see the fruit of his faith. (Just like you declare Abraham is righteous. You see the fruit of his faith). We can only tell one is a Christian by what he does. So James is not contradicting Paul, but complementing him.
 
Paul is fearful of dead works without a living faith.
James is fearful of a dead faith that produces no good works.
 
 
If no works are produced, faith is a mere dead thing, good for nothing. One who produces no good works proves he has not received the Lord Jesus and obeyed Him, and should not be declared righteous by man.
 
 
This is the position of some today who assent mentally to certain doctrinal creeds, but manifest no spiritual life or fruit from a New Heart.

Sabbath Keeping – Part II – The New Testament

Today we are going to look at Jesus’ treatment of the Sabbath.

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; (Matthew 12:1a)

We already have a problem here, don’t we? He is travelling on the Sabbath.

and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. (Matthew 12:1b )

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. (Matthew 12:2 )

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; (Matthew 12:3)

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? (Matthew 12:4)

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? (Matthew 12:5)

What does Jesus mean, “They are vblameless?”

They kindle a fire, they carry firewood in, they cut the throats of animals, they do things that are a violation of the Sabbath, and are blameless.

Jesus’ argument is that there were exceptions to the Sabbath Keeping in the Old Testament to and God permitted the exceptions. There were exceptions to the laws and God permitted the exceptions. The Pharisees would have to agree with Jesus since they knew what about those exceptions.

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? (Matthew 12:5)

But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. (Matthew 12:6)

So, He is arguing from authority here. Something that is in more authority than the law and the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. (Matthew 12:7-8)

That is pretty bold. His disciples are breaking the Sabbath and He tells them there are exceptions to the Sabbath and there is something greater than the Sabbath and He is standing here right in front of you. “I am Lord, even of the Sabbath Day”.

That was pretty much blasphemy to the Pharisees. People have been put to death for many centuries for violating the Sabbath and He is standing in front of them and saying that they (his disciples) can violate it because I am Lord of it (the sabbath).

That was a terrible shock to the Pharisees and this was the kind of thing that ultimately got Jesus put to death.

In Mark 2:27, Jesus adds to this when He says, “The sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath, therefore the Son of Man is also, Lord of the Sabbath.”

In John 5:8, He commands a man to take up his bed and walk in violation of the Sabbath. There was a prohibition against the law of carrying any kind of burden and they get upset and angry at Him because he commanded a man to get up and carry his bed on the Sabbath.

Jesus never preached a sermon and made any big deal over the Sabbath. And Jesus never kept the Sabbath day the way it was supposed to be kept. So then, in the strictest sense, according to the law, He never kept the Sabbath Day. He would have been stoned if He was living in Old Testament times. Actually, until His death, He was living in OT times and they did want to stone Him. Even though Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are part of the New Testament in the Bible (our book), it is really still the Old Testament era. The New Testament did not start until Jesus died and was resurrected and the Church was born.

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? (John 10:32)

You will notice when you read the Scriptures that every occurrence in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, where Jesus healed on the Sabbath, the Pharisees sought to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath. Even the witnesses of Jesus’ time say that He did not keep the Sabbath. Take a look in John 9:16a.

John 9:16a Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day.

There are those who will tell you that He kept the Sabbath and so should we, but the Scriptures reveal that when it came to the Laws of the Sabbath, He constantly broke them. The fact that He went up to the synagogue on the Sabbath does not mean that He kept the Sabbath, it just means He knew where the Jews would be and it would be a good opportunity to preach to them.

Let’s close with this verse, again.

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Not only is He Lord of the sabbath day, but He is our Sabbath Day…everyday. He is our Sabbath-Rest, wherein we have ceased from our own labors (works of righteousness). We will cover this more, later.

Part III we will cover what the Apostle’s treatment of the Sabbath was.