"Navigating the straight and narrow"
Navigating the straight and narrow way...
Torah = first five books of the Bible.
The writings = Psalms, Proverbs, Job and so on.
The Prophets = Isaiah, Daniel, Jeremiah and so on.
Decalogue = the Ten Commandments.
Tanakh = the Scriptures i.e. everything north of Matthew.
When the Bible says, “We are no longer under the law, but under grace” it’s referring to the “Decalogue”.
Romans 6:14-15 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!
The “Decalogue” is where we find God’s imposed punishment for sin i.e. stoning to death. For example, prior to the “Decalogue” the Sabbath was a holy day, but no one was stoned to death for profaning it. The words, “You shall surely be put to death” is part of the “Decalogue”.
Exodus 31:15 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Prior to the “Decalogue” sin was still sin, there was just no stoning to death for sin.
Romans 5:13-14 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did.
The Decalogue, with its imposed punishment, didn’t come on the scene until 430 years after YAH promised to bless Abraham’s Seed.
Galatians 3:16-17 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
Every violation of the Decalogue is sin, but it was also sin before the Decalogue, people just didn’t get stoned for it.
The word “Grace” is what removes the “stoning” it does not change the definition of sin, nor does it mean the Sabbath is no longer a holy and blessed Day for YAH’s people. Grace is the withholding of the words “You shall surely be put to death” i.e. “stoning” but that does not mean we can sin i.e. forget the Sabbath, commit adultery, murder and so on. Grace just means you won’t be stoned for these behaviors.
So, why grace?
Grace is supposed to teach us, and move us, to live a holy and righteous life.
Titus 2:11-14 The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Grace is supposed to work like the warning you get for speeding from the police officer. He could have given you a $500 ticket for speeding, but he didn’t. What does the officer’s grace do to your behavior? It causes you to be grateful, and appreciative, which moves you to be more careful to follow the laws of driving. Well, you and I know how how gratefulness can wear off, to where people end up going right back to their lawless driving habits.
Now, let me ask you a question? If you go back to lawless driving, and the officer sees you speeding, does he allow you to continue because you’re under grace? No, way! You will get stopped, and you will face the consequence of your actions, unless the officer is God, then what you will need to do is confess, and repent.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we don’t confess, and stop our lawless behavior, that lawless behavior will have its own consequence, just like sin had before the “Decalogue” was given.
Romans 5:13-14 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did.
Grace only withholds God’s imposed punishment for sin, it does nothing to protect us from sin’s natural consequence.
James 1:13-16 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
When a person confesses their sin to God, they are actually acknowledging the fact that what they just did was wrong, and will do better next time. Unconfessed sin produces spiritual death, and a spiritually dead person is no longer being saved.
Hebrews 3:12-14 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.
The protection that God has put in place to keep us from spiritual death is 1 John 1:9.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Confession keeps us connect to Yeshua, and His righteousness, and salvation.
Hebrews 5:8-9 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.
1 John 2:1-4 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Under the “Decalogue” people were put to death for sin, under grace, sin puts people to death, and destroys the way of life that is eternal. Grace does not protect us from willful, unrepented sin.
Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Romans 6:22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.
Sin kills the desire to do things that lead to holy living, and eternal life.
Romans 8:5-8 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
The love of sin, not God, produces the hard heart of Hebrews 6:4-6.
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
The danger of sin is not so much the sin itself, because people still struggle with sin. The danger of sin is that it can harden the heart to where sin no longer bothers you. A hard heart is a hearth that is no longer allowing God to save them.
Hebrews 3:12-14 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.