Whatsoever Things Are True
by Dan Coburn
Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church
pastordan@mtida.net
“I got a rock".   Remember Charlie Brown trick or treating?  Everyone else got goodies, but our hero lamented the fact that he just kept getting rocks.  
In Revelation 2:17, we read that to him who overcomes, who strives to live a Godly life in the midst of overwhelming temptation and yes persecution, when we finally cross those celebratory Pearly Gates, we will receive from Jesus Himself, --- wait for it, --- a rock. I had to study this one out for myself to see what Spiritual Nuggets I might glean.  If you were on trial for whatever transgression (sin) in Jesus' time, you would likely be brought up before the religious leaders known as the Sanhedrin. After hearing the case, they would determine your guilt or innocence by casting either a black stone (guilty) or a white stone (innocent). So, in heaven, I will have a white stone with a name on it only me and my Savior know, which declares to anyone that I have been declared innocent by the Righteous Judge. This will be one of my favorite possessions. Disclosure:  
I wasn't going to write about this, but some beautiful children by the name of Halligan gave me a white stone with my name and the above verse on it for my birthday. It is and will remain on my mantel. 
Now, back to last week and the Danger of placing our faith in the wrong thing.  About 20 years after Pentecost, some legalistic Jewish leaders were teaching that the new converts (non Jewish) had to be circumcised, and both learn and adhere to the old Jewish law (over 600 laws) in order to be saved.  They were Wolves in Sheep's clothing who wanted to rob the new believers of what Paul describes this way in Gal. 3:1-2. "O FOOLISH Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" Peter sarcastically addresses the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:10 by saying: "Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" 
Question:  If all they were doing is trying to get the new believers to adhere to the law, what's the problem?  Isn't that a good thing?  In short, No. They were (and this goes on daily around us): 1)   Attempting to mix Law and Grace which are mutually exclusive.  In other words, they were trying to poor "new wine" (New Covenant) into "Old Skins" - Luke 5:36-39    2)  Stitching up the Rent Veil - Luke 23:45.   3)   Blocking the living way to God -- Heb. 10:19-25.   4)   Rebuilding the division between the Jews and Gentiles - Eph. 2:14-16.   5)   Moving the Church from "Sonlight" back into the shadows - Colo. 2:16-17.  In short, if we "live by the law, we die by the law", and "by the deeds (keeping) of the law shall no flesh be justified"  Romans 3:20. 
Remember, It is by Grace alone through Faith alone in Jesus alone.  All these other things are bi-products of faith in Him. Why do we keep trusting in vain traditions of man when Jesus paid it all.  
God bless. 

Cottonwood, Idaho 83522
 

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