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RESOLVING A BIBLICAL PARADOX: God's Working and Man's Responsibility To Obey

March 16, 2003

OBEYING COMMANDMENTS IS NOT LEGALISM

Matthew 28:19-20

19 Go ye therefore, and teach [disciple] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

John 14:15

If ye love [present,active,subjunctive] me, keep [aorist,active,imperative] my commandments.

Luke 1:6

And they were both righteous before God [practically], walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

1 John 2:3

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Revelation 22:14

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

COMMANDMENTS AND DOCTRINES OF MEN IS LEGALISM

Matthew 15:9

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Colossians 2:8

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Colossians 2:21-22

21(Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Mark 7:9

And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

PUTTING CHRISTIANS UNDER CEREMONIAL LAWS IS LEGALISM

Acts 15:5

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them [Christian Gentiles], and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

WHEN YOU WORK OUT AND GOD WORKS IN YOU

Philippians 2:12-14

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13 For [a connecting conjunction] it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

PAUL AND BARNABUS WORKED AND GOD WORKED

Acts 14:26-27

26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

GOD’S POWER KEEPS YOU AS LONG AS YOU KEEP FAITH

1 Peter 1:4-5

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God [for the reward of the inheritance] through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time

PAUL KEPT THE FAITH

2 Timothy 4:7

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

WE CAN DEPART FROM FAITH

1 Timothy 4:1

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

WE CAN ERR FROM THE FAITH

1 Timothy 6:10

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

WE CAN DRAW BACK FROM FAITH

Hebrews 10:38

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back [from living by faith], my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

WE CAN SHIPWRECK FAITH

1 Timothy 1:19

19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

KEEP YOURSELVES AND GOD WILL KEEP YOU

Jude 21,24

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto ~~eternal~~ [Gk. aionios – singular adjective – better translated as “life in the age to come”] life.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling [away from faith], and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy [at the bema seat],

THE EXAMPLE OF DAVID

1 Samuel 17:32-37

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

1 Samuel 17:46

46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee .

1 Samuel 17:47

47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S [how will this be accomplished? Thru the means or agency of David’s willful obedience], and he will give you into our hands.

THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL

1 Corinthians 15:10

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all [who labored?]: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me [who did Paul say labored?].

Colossians 1:29

Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

GOD PURIFIES THE SOUL THROUGH OUR OBEYING THE TRUTH

1 Peter 1:22

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: