TEACHINGS BELOW:

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL
JESUS IS GREATER THAN THE LAW
THE PROUD AND THE HUMBLE

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL

In Mark 16:15 Jesus told the eleven disciples: "Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned". So the next question is: What is the Gospel that we are supposed to go preach? When you ask most Christians this question, their response is that the Gospel is "good news". Well the Gospel is good news, but the Bible definition of the Gospel is found in I Corinthians 15:1-4 and states that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

Why is the Gospel important? Well Romans 10:9 says that if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. Being saved is the same as being born again. Jesus said in John chapter 3: "You must be born again." Believing the Gospel is part of your salvation. Believing that Jesus died, he was buried, and that he rose again will get you to heaven. But salvation is more than just going to heaven.

Salvation also includes:

* being born again

* forgiveness of sins

* justification

* sanctification

* righteousness

* healing

* prosperity

* kingship

* being a king and priest unto your God

* reigning and ruling in this life through Christ Jesus

All these things do not automatically happen when you received Christ in your heart. It takes the power of God to change you. Romans 1:16 says that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. In other words believing the Gospel or mixing faith with the Gospel will activate God's power in you life and produce healing, prosperity and such like.

Jesus said: If ye continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed: and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son therefore make you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:31-32, 36).

Believe the Gospel!

If you have never been Born Again, then do it now! It says in Romans 10:9 that if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. Saved is being born again. Speak it now that: "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. That is the first step to salvation. When you do this you will receive the Spirit of Christ in your heart. That will begin your walk with the Lord.

JESUS IS GREATER THAN THE LAW

When Jesus started ministering (after 40 days of prayer and fasting), he began preaching saying: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel". Who was he talking to? Jesus was sent to the children of Israel, the Jews, who were taught to believe and live by the Law of Moses, including the ten commandments. He was talking to the Jews.

What does the word repent mean? Repent means to change your mind or change your way of believing. What was Jesus telling the Jews when he said the time was fulfilled? He was telling them that the time of living under the Law of Moses was over for the righteous. He was telling them that now they needed to start believing the gospel.

The gospel is defined in I Corinthians 15:1-4: That Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures, he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Jesus was telling the Jews that living by the ten commandments was over and that living by faith in the gospel was beginning. This was pretty radical thinking for the Jews, who were taught to live by the Law of Moses all their life.

What was the purpose of the law?

Romans 7:12 says that the law is holy, and the commandments holy, and just, and good. Does not this prove that we need the ten commandments? No. Romans 7:13 says that sin, that it might appear sin, works death in me by that which is good (the law); that sin by the commandment might be exceeding sinful. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. The purpose of the law was to show us that we were sinners and we needed a Savoir --> that's Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8:2-4).

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man (one that believes the Gospel), but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God (I Timothy 1:9-11). The law was given to the rebellious and disobediant, etc. not for a righteous man. Which camp are you in; Are you righteous or are you listed in I Timothy 1:9-10? Do you want to live by the ten commandments or by the gospel: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Galatians 3:19 says: "the law was added because of transgression, til the seed (that's Jesus) should come to whom the promise was made. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster". When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savoir and believe that God raised him from the dead; this is the point at which you go from death unto life. You go from being under the law of sin and death (the ten commandments) unto life and faith in Christ Jesus (The Gospel). The law has a purpose: it is to bring us to Jesus. After accepting Jesus, we walk by faith and are led by the Spirit, not by the ten commandments. Romans 8:1 says: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (the law), but after the Spirit (The Gospel)".

Did Jesus teach the ten commandments?

I have had people tell me that Jesus taught the law. They use the scipture found in Matthew 5:17-18 where Jesus said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you: till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled". (A jot and a tittle are usually thought of as dotting the i's and crossing the t's.) Within a few years of saying this, Jesus fulfilled the law when he died, he was buried, and he rose again. What was the last thing Jesus said before he died on the cross: "It is finished" (John 19:30). What was finished? The law was finished for the righteous. Jesus fulfilled it on the cross. Galatians 3:13 says: "Christ has redeemed us from the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangs on a tree". Disobedience to the law (including the ten commandments) brings a curse (Deut. 28).

When the rich young man came up to Jesus in Matthew 19:16-22 and asked what he should do to have eternal life; Jesus told him to keep the commandments. The young man said which commandments? Jesus told him, basically, the ten commandments. Some would say: See, Jesus taught the ten commandments. But let's look on: The rich young man said in v. 20: I've kept the ten commandments from my youth; what lack I yet? (The young man knew there was still a lack even though he had kept the ten commandments.) Jesus told him: "If you would be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come follow me". If he had followed Jesus, he would have experienced the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What was lacking with ten commandments? The ten commandments did not perfect this young man, but they did bring him to Christ (which is their purpose). If he had followed Jesus, he would have been perfected through the gospel: the death, burial and ressurection of Jesus Christ.

Why did Jesus say: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets" to the Jews? Was it not because his teaching might lead one to believe that the law had no more effect? The law of Moses is still around; it is for the lawless and disobedient (see I Tim. 1:9-10 for a more complete list of who the law is for). When we receive Jesus as our Lord we come out from under the law and come under grace. Galatians 2:21 says: "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ died in vain". With Jesus there is grace and forgiveness for transgressions. I John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". Under the law, a curse came for transgression.

What does the word FULFILL mean?

In Matthew 5:17 Jesus said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill". What does fulfill mean? Fulfill in the Greek is also translated complete or finish according to Strongs' Concordance. Webster's dictionary defines fulfill as to fill the requirements of, satisfy, to complete or to bring to an end. So if Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses (including the ten commandments), then he finished it, he completed it or he brought it to an end. That is what he was talking about on the cross before he died when he said: "It is finished"! The law was finished for them that believe the gospel: That Jesus died, he was buried, and he rose again the third day. The law still works in the life of those who do not believe the gospel. Disobedience to the law brings a curse. Why would you want to be under the law? There is grace with the Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:17: For the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

How did Jesus fulfill the law?

The obvious answer is that Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses when he died, he was buried, and he rose again (the Gospel). He did this in love. John 15:13: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". Jesus certainly did that on the cross. Romans 3:11 says: "Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law". Galatians 5:14: "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shall love your neighbor as thyself, you do well". John said further in I John 3:16: "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren". That is what Jesus did for us on the cross: He died for our sins according to the scriptures, he was buried, and he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. He paid the price for us we could not pay (that is grace). Jesus fulfilled the law of Moses on the cross in obedience to God the Father. That is Love!

THE PROUD AND THE HUMBLE

I was reading in Luke chapter 18 the parable Jesus was teaching about two men, one prideful and the other humble, when the Spirit showed me how they acted. Let's look at that parable: 

Luke 18:9-14 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: v.9

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. v.10

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. v.11

 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. v.12

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. v.13

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. v.14

Notice that the Pharisee started giving God a list of all his accomplishments; that's called Self -Righteousness or trusting in your works rather than trusting that Jesus was raised from the dead for our sins. This attitude may get you some attention from God --> abasement.

I remember one time when I felt God wanted me to share the Gospel with a co-worker some years back. I went to this person and shared what was in my heart and then went back to my work station. I remember that I was pleased with myself that I had obeyed God! Then God spoke to my heart and said: "After you have done the will of God, you are still an unprofitable servanrt" (Luke 17:10). Wow, was that a lesson in humility.

Notice how the Publican acted: he, looking down, asked God to have mercy on him. Forget the sinner part, we all need God's mercy. God obviously considers asking for mercy as an act of humility. After I saw this, I was walking and thanking God over and over for mercy. I know that while I was praying thus, I overcame in some areas of my life.

My Prayer: "I thank you Father for Mercy, in Jesus Name, Amen".