I Still Love The Counsel of God!
I wrote the following post awhile back but thought it was appropriate to revisit it at this time. Just because I feel no need to support the false teachings of organized religion does not mean God’s counsel is included in that. I constantly feel God’s presense in my life now more then ever.
You might find it difficult to accept that I love the counsel of God found in the bible and also believe it can be of great benefit to all of mankind. I have been accused of not believing in anything because of my stand on the Grace of God but unfortunately when people (conservative Christians) disagree with me they often attack without really trying to understand what I do teach.
You see, I still teach that following the laws of God can and will be of great benefit IF a person is doing it for the right reasons. If one is following the laws of God to be righteous before him, that person will be left with nothing but guilt, condemnation, and fear. As a matter of fact, if you are following ANY set of moral standards thinking that it will make you right with God you will be left wanting.
But when you understand the beauty of what Christ did at the cross it will absolutely change your whole passion toward God. He accomplished for us (all of us) what we could never do and that was to fulfill all the laws of God for us. He did it by HIS faith and he did it to set us free from a burden that we could never carry. Let’s listen to Paul who says it much better then I can.
Rom 3:20-31
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Let me say that one of the biggest mistakes the organized church makes today is trying to somehow capture the glory themselves by pointing to their own faith as required for redemption. Verse 22 does mention the faith that makes our righteousness possible but it’s not our faith, it’s the FAITH OF JESUS that is responsible for every good gift we have received.
But let’s get back to this whole thing about following the counsel of God. You will notice in verse 31 after Paul has clearly shown that every one is guilty before God and not even one person will be justified in his sight by following the deeds of the law that the next point he makes is showing us how the law was not made void because of the faith of Christ, but instead it was established.
Now think about that for a minute. If I can’t keep the law to be right with God, then why should I even try to follow it now? Because I’m FREE to!!!!! Now I’m free to explore all of God’s counsel without any fear whatsoever of being condemned. I no longer want or need to prove anything with God. He’s not keeping score. He wants each of us to have the very best life possible on this earth and he’s given us each the freedom to choose our way. I am free to choose, but I like Paul will not choose foolishly. Listen to what he said about his free choices.
1 Cor 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Every choice we make can have a positive impact or a negative one and since I want my life and all those around me to have the most positive experience possible then I want to make the very best choices. That’s why I am so grateful for Jesus Christ who has established the law in my heart that is no longer based on fear but instead it is established solely on HIS LOVE.
Yes, I truly believe I can shun God’s counsel and He will still love me, but why would I not want to listen to my very loving Father who has no agenda but my best interest at heart? I don’t stay faithful to my wife because I am in fear of God, I stay faithful to her because I love her and I know that being otherwise would hurt her as well as me. I, like Paul understand all things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient.
Don’t forget… the counsel of God can come from the most unusual places!
Cliff this truly spoke to my heart today.Many times when we read something over again we it see in a new light.
I believe that the Father spoke to my heart and was truly encourage today,
Love you brother Dan
Bruce, What you said I fully understand and in fact I hear his voice more and more without ever opening up a book.
Dan, Our hearts is where God always speaks to but religion tries to block his voice.
Cliff-
It seems to me that the whole counsel of God can be summed up quite well in the two precepts that Jesus left us with:
1.) Love the Lord, your God out of your whole heart, soul, comprehension, and strength.
And the second is like the first:
2.) You shall be loving your associate as you love yourself.
Looking at the first precept: How could we truly not love the one who gave us life; the one who inhabits our very spirit; the one who created all that is? How could we not love him? By not truly knowing who he is and knowing his true character, not the character often proffered to us from the pulpit.
And the second precept: We ALL came from the same Source, God. We are ALL made up of the same “stuff”(our chemical makeup/DNA). We ALL have the spirit of God within. So, how could we not “love our neighbor”? By not understanding, not fully comprehending (as the first precept says) who our associate (neighbor) is ; By seeing our “neighbor” with eyes of flesh and not with the heart (the spirit, which is of God and is God). In loving your associate, you are truly loving the Source.
Sometimes it is easy look at these two precepts and only see the words at the surface and not plumb the depths of them. There is a wealth of wisdom in these short verses.
No other precepts are greater than these. I believe the whole counsel of God is here contained.
Thanks for sharing this Cliff. This is awesome!! Once I realized that the “law” or commandments is simply there for my own personal benefit, not to keep me from having fun or enjoying life but rather so that my life may be more abundant because the One who made me knows what is best for me and that’s the reason I want to be obedient to my Father today. It really has nothing to do with salvation for me anymore. I know I am saved because of what Jesus did for me. Praise His Name!!!!!!!!!
Well said Don R. The counsel to “LOVE” is both our greatest treasure and our greatest challenge here on earth.
Lisa, I no longer even it look at it as “obeying”, but rather “Listening to the advice of a Very Good Friend”, and a good friend always loves you weather you accept their advice or not.
This was an amazing post. Thank you soo much.
I am free
As always, great posts! And I didn’t know how I could ask for help with this question, other than post on the comments.
I posted the question below from the Ifs of Og blogspot(with due credit) on a yahoo group:
If sinners were really going to exist in Hell forever, wouldn’t that
necessitate the eternal toleration of sin on God’s part?
An ET believer replied with this answer:
Is Hell really hell because of the flames or the total absence of God’s presence? If it is the latter, He has nothing to tolerate.
I need a comeback for him, but I don’t know what to say…. Somebody help!
Please!!
Shalom and thanks, Nancy
I have a comeback for him.
Ask him which “hell” he’s talking about: Sheol/Hades/Tartarus (which all mean “the grave”) or Gehenna (which used to be a landfill near Jerusalem but is now a garden)? If he’s still adamant about eternal torment, quote John 10:10 and suggest that if ET is true, then God is no better than ‘the thief’ himself.
Nancy,
The following verses make it very clear that where ever we find ourselves to be HE is there.
Ps 139:7-12
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
KJV
Thank you, thank you, Cliff & Shelly… I will definitely use both of your comments, and if anybody else has something to say, bring it on! I appreciate it…..
Shalom, Nancy