Do you abide in the roots, or in the Vine?
God and His relationship with His people today may not be completely understood until the New Covenant believer knows and understands about God's dealings with natural Israel. This is best accomplished by reading, studying and knowing God's ways through His first Covenant promise to Israel - the Old Covenant. Being acquainted specifically with the feasts of Old Covenant Israel can certainly be of benefit to the New Covenant believer also, and we encourage that. However, there are those who are Judaizers, insisting that such feasts be kept by the New Covenant believer, and that the New Covenant believer's life should be guided and lived out through the Old Covenant Mosaic law. This is highly condemned throughout the New Testament for obvious reasons. Those who seek to take New Covenant believers back to live out the Old Covenant Mosaic Law have either misunderstood the purpose of the New Covenant altogether, or they simply disregard it. These Judaizers refuse to let the Old Covenant "glory" fade away so that the New Covenant glory may be revealed through Christ (the Messiah) in us. They claim to be master-teachers of the Word of God, using their knowledge of the Hebrew or Greek languages to impress the average listener - always explaining away the New Covenant truths by their own reasoning, just as they did in Paul's day (I Cor. 1). Jesus Christ highly condemns them and their persistence to explain away God's plan through Him, saying that they are "blind leaders of the blind!" Paul wrote that they are ever learning, never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (II Tim. 3:7). Jesus said that He is the Cornerstone that the builders rejected (that is the Hebrew experts in Mosaic law); and Paul wrote that Jesus Christ is a "stumbling stone" to them (Matt. 21:42, I Corinthians 1:23). Some Judaizers of Paul's day twisted his letters then, just as they do now (II Peter 3:14-18).
Study the Old Covenant thoroughly and draw on the Spirit's application to your life today; but beware of those who would take you back to live in "types and shadows of the True." Some in the church of Galatia had also gone back to adhere to Mosaic law, and Paul said those who did were "fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:4). All types and shadows are fulfilled through the One Messiah, Jesus Christ. "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:9-10). Be certain that you really want to go back under law, since those who live by Mosaic law will be judged by that law. Those who live by faith in Jesus Christ will be counted righteous. "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2).
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches" (Rev. 2-3). This is what the Messiah said.
The Mosaic law will not help with justification, sanctification, or glorification. Those are gifts of grace (His power working in us), and they are found in surrender to Jesus Christ and His Spirit. It is the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses from all sin and justifies us, and it is the Spirit's power that continues the work of sanctification (Romans 8:13-14). It is the Father who glorifies (John 17). It is the Spirit of God the Father and the Son who mortifies (kills) the deeds of the flesh, and it is by His Spirit that we also live His life. True enough, Mosaic law is a reminder of some of the things that we should live up to since we are in Christ, but trying to live His life by obeying the "writings on stone" is impossible. Now His "law is written in our hearts" by His Spirit within (Ezekiel 36, Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 8)! Hallelujah! The continual repeating of the Mosaic law only makes us sin-conscious, since it does not have the power to help us obey.
Truths to consider as you wrestle with the teaching of Judaizers:
Jesus said that we should abide in "the Vine." By doing so, we would bear much fruit, and the Father would be glorified. He is the Vine. His Father is the Keeper of the Vine. If you are not abiding in the Vine, you cannot bear fruit, and the Father will cut you off (John 15). You cannot bear fruit by abiding in the roots, but by abiding in the Vine. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4).
further reading on this subject
Study the Old Covenant thoroughly and draw on the Spirit's application to your life today; but beware of those who would take you back to live in "types and shadows of the True." Some in the church of Galatia had also gone back to adhere to Mosaic law, and Paul said those who did were "fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:4). All types and shadows are fulfilled through the One Messiah, Jesus Christ. "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:9-10). Be certain that you really want to go back under law, since those who live by Mosaic law will be judged by that law. Those who live by faith in Jesus Christ will be counted righteous. "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2).
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches" (Rev. 2-3). This is what the Messiah said.
The Mosaic law will not help with justification, sanctification, or glorification. Those are gifts of grace (His power working in us), and they are found in surrender to Jesus Christ and His Spirit. It is the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses from all sin and justifies us, and it is the Spirit's power that continues the work of sanctification (Romans 8:13-14). It is the Father who glorifies (John 17). It is the Spirit of God the Father and the Son who mortifies (kills) the deeds of the flesh, and it is by His Spirit that we also live His life. True enough, Mosaic law is a reminder of some of the things that we should live up to since we are in Christ, but trying to live His life by obeying the "writings on stone" is impossible. Now His "law is written in our hearts" by His Spirit within (Ezekiel 36, Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 8)! Hallelujah! The continual repeating of the Mosaic law only makes us sin-conscious, since it does not have the power to help us obey.
Truths to consider as you wrestle with the teaching of Judaizers:
Jesus said that we should abide in "the Vine." By doing so, we would bear much fruit, and the Father would be glorified. He is the Vine. His Father is the Keeper of the Vine. If you are not abiding in the Vine, you cannot bear fruit, and the Father will cut you off (John 15). You cannot bear fruit by abiding in the roots, but by abiding in the Vine. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4).
further reading on this subject