Another Gospel by Marietjie Chase
A study of Galatians will show a clear contrast between those who live by the law ( O.T principles) and those who live by faith. (N.T. principles).
In the Old Testament we often read the words: "and they shall know that I am Jehovah." It usually refers to some action whereby God reveals Himself to nations and people. In the New Testament God moves inside of us by His Holy Spirit.
The Old Testament is all about distant learning. Only Moses, Abraham and David and maybe a few of the prophets had an intimate, vibrant relationship with God. But after Jesus came we all have access to the Father through Jesus Christ. Now we all, each and everyone of us, can come boldly before the throne of grace. We are our own Moses. We do not need another human to be our "authority". We are to submit to one another as equals. Even husbands and wives must submit to one another. Eph 5:21.
The O.T. is an exclusive system where the N.T. is an inclusive system. The O.T. has an us-and-them attitude but the N.T. has an all-is-welcome attitude. According to Romans3 and Galatians3, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All means everyone. Those who are good and those who are bad. Those who kept the law and those who failed the law. All are guilty! Even if you are justified by the law .... even if you are very good and do all the do's and don't's... you are deprived of all the affect of Christ. Gal 5. The only way out of eternal damnation is faith in Christ Jesus; believe in your heart, confess with your mouth, be baptized as an outward declaration of an inward reality and become a disciple of Jesus Christ, being rooted and grounded in love, the word, prayer and worship with the saints to help us in our journey to maturity. This is the way for ALL!
The O.T law dictated and punished. In the N.T. we are adjured, encouraged, reminded and provoked to jealousy so that we would choose the best. We are warned, persuaded, called, begged and then also receive revelation and have God working in us to will and to do according to His good purposes. There is no big stick or punishment(consequences, yes). Our will has truly been set free. O.T. slavery, condemnation, -Ro 8- and fear. N.T. freedom. - Gal 5:13.
The law carries a curse. When we try to live by the law-Ro 2:16...-we carry the curse. The only way to live is by grace through faith. Faith brings the fulfillment of promises. None of it is deserved. It is not wages but a gift. Living by a law earns you wages, rights, status and entitlements.
There is no happy legalists. The first sign of slipping from grace into legalism is that we start to point the finger and judge others. There is way to determine if our own actions are guided by self or the Holy Spirit. Just ask what the motivation is. What do we want to get from this? Is there any self-interest in this action?
O.T. subject the flesh to control by law. N.T. walk in the Spirit and kill the flesh (self). Walk in love; walk in the Spirit and so we fulfill the purpose of God in our generation. Think! The mind is the seedbed. Think on Purpose. Ro 12 :1-3 If we are still in the fog as to our thinking and actions, whether it is in the flesh or in the Spirit, judge it by the fruit. (only judge your own thoughts and actions- the rest is not your responsibility) Gal 6:8, Gal5:19-23. Do good. Goodness is a natural outflow of walking in love and in the Spirit. It will NOT be work.
The O.T system of law were motivated by self-preservation and fear. When my motivation is self-preservation, self-saving, anything of self, then I am no longer living in love but in the flesh and law. Now my thinking is: If I... then He..... My entire motivation brings me in bondage. There is no freedom here since it is a constant trade-of. There is no service or pleasing one another for at the root, I am serving at the altar of self. Lucifer's sin was rooted in self. Adam and Eve's sin were rooted in self. Every sin has at the root self(flesh).
In a love relationship the motivation is not selfish. I want to please the one I love. My aim and goal is to know Him better so that I can serve - please Him better. My focus is totally not on me but on Him. Jesus came to redeem us from fear. Ro 8, Heb. I Jhn 4... There is no fear in love. God so loved that He gave.... Himself. Self-giving, self- sacrifice is the opposite of sin. Love is God and God is love... perfect love. It can be said then that there is no knowledge of perfect, true love outside of a relationship with God.
