What Does God Require of Us?

    It was just before dawn when we all got up, and it seems that we all started talking at the same time about the same scriptures, as we all had the same thoughts during the night. So we dug out our notes and Bibles to be armed for action....we gathered around the fire as it was still a bit chilly in the early morning air. We started just before where we had left off and here is what we all came up with during the night:

Here we have the wiles or cunning of the Devil. Here's where they come from so listen closely.

2Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioned himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. 

2Corinthians 11:3-4 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

2Corinthian 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his

devices.

From here on is what was added during the nights sleep:

Matthew 4:1-11a Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward a hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, if you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Then the devil takes him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, If you be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, it is written again, Thou shall not tempt the Lord your God. Again, the devil takes him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And said to him, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me. Then said Jesus to him, get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him.

Galatians 1:3-10 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

      I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ (this is not found in the Old Testament of Genesis through Acts 11 and James, 1 &2 Peter, 1, 2 &3 John, Jude and Revelation). But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel (the Old Testament of Genesis through Acts 11 and James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1,2 &3 John, Jude and Revelation) to you than that which we have preached to you (Acts 11 through Philemon), let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (See Revelation 12:9)

     Acts is a letter of transition from the Old Testament of God's dispensational dealings with Israel on their time line into the New dispensation of God’s dealing with Humanity during this Church Age or the Age of God's Grace. The letter to the  Hebrews we found out is a letter of persuasion for the Jews who changed from a works and a separatist theology to a faith plus nothing theology. It exposes the New Covenant of God's grace as found in the face of Jesus Christ the risen LORD and King of Israel. Not to mention their spiritual idolatry or whoredom with the gods of the nations and their economy. 

    Now Peter has some very interesting and powerful things to say in 2 Peter 3:15, which gives us some more understanding though his letter was written to the scattered Jewish believers that were waiting for the Jewish tribulation to start at any time, and he said:  

2Peter 3:15-18 "And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you (the letter to the Hebrews) according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, (the letters to the Romans through Philemon) which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
     But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

Romans 10:3-4 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believe. 

   

    These were the scriptures that were running through our thoughts all night, but what to do with them, that was our question. We were hoping that the old guy would be at his work later this morning, maybe he could help us understand these things. As none of us fully understood them as we were taught the Old Covenant was for us and that all that we had to believe was John 3:16 and in that Jesus had died and risen. That this is our salvation and we were told to stay away from Paul's letters as we were not meant to understand them and they would only led us to err and confusion.

    Now we had more questions to ask, such as, what is the gospel of grace, what is the new covenant of grace, how do we receive the promises of God and under what conditions. Boy the guys just through more questions that I could make note of, hope the old guy is back to work, we need help and answers.