Romans 3:20a
"Therefore by the deeds of the law
(trying to live the good life according to the format of the Ten
Commandments or any of the statues and ordinances, under it as a tutor
or within its desired corral) there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:..."
They
may be good enough in man's sight, but they'll never cut it when they
come under the scrutinizing eyes of the Lord Jesus. And so no flesh is
justified in His sight, why?
Romans 3:20b
"...for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
All
the Law can show mankind is their sinfulness, not their redemption or
salvation. Isn't it amazing how Satan can totally counterfeit the issue?
Now today, Satan has convinced millions, probably billions, that if
they do the best they can, if they keep the Law, at least as much as
possible, somehow they'll make it. They've got that idea and it's just
stuck in their craw and they refuse to see or listen to what the Book
says. The Book says they're never going to make it. Because by the keeping of the Law, is no flesh justified.
But we have to experience that price of redemption, which is by having
our faith in that shed Blood of Calvary and the finished work of the
cross.
Now let's move on to verse 6 of
Galatians 4. Now then, since it's established that the Law could not
save, but that the work of the Cross has redeemed us and as soon as we
are redeemed we are placed by the right of adoption into that place of
full maturity in the Body of Christ. Is that so or true any many have
been lead to believe? We mentioned that there are two concepts in
Scripture. One is that when we come in as a new believer, how do we
begin? Babes in Christ, and we desire the sincere milk of the Word, the
simpler things. We like a young child want to play with our new found
freedom and its toys, right!
But as we grow and as we come through the beginnings of our
Christian experience, we finally reach the place where we are ready for
the strong meat of the Word. That is what is to happen but sadly it does
not for many, they remain as a child for what ever reason and are in
effect held back, stunted from growth. Now in Hebrews Paul has five
warnings, one of which says that we're not to become slothful or
standing still because when we do we'll become apostasy, this is found
in chapter 5 verses 10-12. Not just the simple things but also the
strong meat. Let's go to Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 5 for the other
concept. And that concept is that the moment that we're saved God puts
us right up in that place of learning unto full responsibility like the
tutored son. Like that little lad, for years, was constantly being
taught and encouraged and reprimanded by his tutor, for us he's the
Holy Spirit. But when the day came, he was presented as a full partner
in our case a steward of the mysteries, with the Father. Now remember
the two concepts. We come into the Body of Christ as babes in Christ, no
matter whether we're six or sixty and we're to grow in Grace and
Knowledge of God. Not in actuality but positionally, and that's what the
great book of Ephesians is all about - our position in the Body of
Christ. We're required to study to show that we mean business until the
day star is formed in our heart, the illumination which is the Spirit of
Christ then formed within us for up to then we're not His (Romans 8: 9
and 2 Peter 1:19).
Ephesians 1:5a
"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto Himself,..."
That
does not mean that we're legally transformed from one family to
another. But the word "adoption" coming out of the Greek and the Roman
practice was like we've just seen and that was the placing of that son
as a full partner and heir with the father or in family business. That's
what adoption means. Now God has predestined us. He has kept that place
open for every person who would be willing to become a true believer,
that the moment he is saved, there he is, right where God intended him
to be from eternity past. And so that's what the predestination is about
and is the position.
Ephesians 1:5b
"...according to the good pleasure of his will."
Now,
we've got to take you back to Acts chapter 2 again. We use some of
these verses over and over because we know they are so fundamental to
understanding everything. Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost and he's preaching to the Nation of Israel, still under the Law. And look what he says-
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