Friday, September 2, 2011


Question 31 - God's Law in the Grace Age
We have a quick request for you, Pastor, and all of our Readers. Before beginning, please take a moment to seek the Holy Spirit to Guide you as you proceed. Pretty much all of Christianity needs to Ponder the "Law and Grace" Question. Does "Under Grace," mean we have permission to disregard the Law? Presently we have a huge debate in America. Evangelicals are angry that the 10 Commandments are being removed from government buildings and School Books, yet these same Preachers tell their congregations that, "Grace Frees us from the Law!"  Have these Ministers taken Paul's "Grace" statements well beyond Paul's intent? We have a Blogsite exploring this problem. See, "Dear Pastor! What About God's Law?" Throughout the Bible there are prophesies declaring that false prophets and false teachers will attempt to teach that God actually wants His people disregarding and annulling His Law. This was Satan's first lie to Eve. The Pondered  Question here for Dispensationalism is, have they brought this Law/Grace debate to a new level?  Dispensationalism divides the entire existence of humanity into 7 time segments called "Dispensations."  Law versus Grace is the heart of Dispensationalism. Let's look at the Dispensation they say we are in now, and compare it to the prior Dispensation, and the Dispensation that follows us. The Point to Ponder is why the people in the Dispensations on either side of us were and will be required to obey God's 10 Commandments, yet we are actually required NOT to obey those same Commandments! The notion that God is pleased with us if we disobey Him simply defies all logic.
Moses until Jesus - Dispensationalism calls this segment of time, "The Law Age," saying the 10 Commandment Law did not exist until God gave them to Moses.
Jesus until Rapture - Dispensationalism calls this, "The Grace Age." They say that during this time God has given permission to disregard His Law. Some even say God requires us to disregard the Law  because keeping the Law would be an attempt to deny Grace.
Rapture until Second Coming, and then Millennium - Dispensationalism says this is the Great Tribulation, and they include what they call the Millennial Kingdom here on earth, thus they call this the "Kingdom Dispensation." 
If the Reader is a Pre-Trib Pastor, you know Dispensationalism says God reverses His expectations concerning the Law in each of the above Dispensations.  Now let's look at seven huge Points to Ponder concerning this:
1. God Flip Flops
Would God change His mind back and forth about His Law and His Grace? Did anyone in Old Testament times acquire salvation by keeping the Law? Will anyone during the Tribulation obtain salvation by keeping the Law? Of course not! So why would God flip flop on this? 
2. Pleasing to God 
The very notion that God gives permission to disobey Him is contrary to everything in Scripture. The idea that God goes a step further and insists we disobey Him and is pleased when we do so, sounds very similar to what Satan told Even in the Garden. The present day lie that obeying God's Law is a sin because it is denying Grace is nothing short of Blasphemy!   
3. Purpose of the Law
Pastor, you have heard, and possibly preached, that the only reason God gave the 10 Commandments to the Jews was to show us, in this Grace Age, that it is impossible to obey the Law. This is continually proclaimed throughout Evangelical Churches. On any given day you can tune in to a TV or radio program and hear this repeated over and again. A former President of the largest Evangelical Denomination in America has a saying he repeats in almost every sermon. He says, "The 10 Commandments were NEVER made to be kept!"  He then goes on to say the Law was only given to show us how weak and sinful we are; to show how "The 10 Commandments are impossible to obey." If this is true, would God really require those from Moses till Christ's death, and those during the Tribulation to obey His Law? A Point to Ponder to say the least!
4. Israel Punished for Disobeying 10 Commandments
Would God punish Israel over a period of 1500 years specifically for disregarding His 10 Commandments if those Commandments were impossible to obey? What would we do with a father today if he was caught on camera punishing his son because the son was physically unable to do a task the father gave him. Of course we would insist the father be imprisoned and the son be taken away from him! Would Satan be delighted if we proclaimed that God was exactly like that evil father? 
5. Gnostics
Paul wrote much about the relationship between the Law and Grace. His whole point was usually focused in two directions, and often at the same time. Satan's Implants, both Jews and Gnostics, created two extremes within the Early Churches. The Jews tried to imply that Jesus was good, but that obeying the Law, the 10 Commandments, would also bring salvation. The Gnostics created the other extreme by claiming the 10 Commandments were actually bad and were given to the Jews by a bad god! Gnostics said that Jesus came for the specific purpose of freeing the World from it's evil Creator. They said to be a true follower of Jesus, we must disregard that bad old Law, the 10 Commandments.

 If the Reader is a Pre-Trib Minister, obviously you, and all Evangelical Ministers, are repulsed by the Gnostics. However, like it or not, today's "Grace Frees Us From God's Law" portrays Gnostic notions. For a detailed study into how the Gnostics are the original Sabbath Abolishers within Christianity, see "The Gnostics."

6. Antichrist Changes God's Commandments
 Dear Reader, let's Ponder this Question: Is it possible that Antichrist's Mark of the Beast will be based on Daniel's Vision? Daniel saw Antichrist blaspheme God and persecute God's people by tampering with God's Law. "And he (Antichrist) shall think to change the Times and the Laws" (Dan.7:25). John prophesied, that "All the world wondered after (and worshiped) the Beast (Antichrist)" (Rev.13: 3-4)! Just before John prophesied his most comprehensive description of Antichrist, he was shown the following vision. "And the Dragon (Satan) was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev.12:17)! Immediately after his Revelation 13 description of Antichrist, and his prophecy of how God's people will deliver the messages of the, "three angels flying in the midst of heaven" (see Rev.14:6-11), John wrote the following: "Here is the patience of the saints, here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and have the Faith of Jesus" (vs.12)! Is it possible Satan and Antichrist could use this doctrine of, "Grace Frees us to Disobey God's Law," to set up his Mark of the Beast!!  The final Pondered Question here is, what if Grace frees us from the penalty of the Law, but does not annul God's 10 Commandments? If we hold to this position, instead of the popular view, all of the Bible verses pertaing to God's Law will fit together perfectly.

 7. Accusing Jesus of Doing Antichrist's Work
This seventh point may need attention more than the rest. All Bible Prophecy about Antichrist points to his attempts to "Change God's Law." Jesus began with His Sermon on the Mount, continued through His ministry, and ended with a last warning to His Disciples by exposing Satan's delusions throughout the Church Age. The name of that Satanic delusion was, and will continue to be, "Attempting to Annul or Change God's 10 Commandments."  Mathew records these warnings and reveals that Jesus used the word, "Anomia." Strong's Concordance defines, "Anomia" as the negative of the Law God gave Moses. For documentation from Strong's Concordance, see our Blogsite, "Anomia Anomos Nomos."

The Point to Ponder here is, almost the entire Christian World says Jesus Changed the Sabbath Commandment from Sabbath to Sunday. The Sabbath Commandment is the only Commandment of the 10 having to do with Time. So, according to Daniel, Antichrist will "Think to Change the Times and the Laws" (Dan.7:25). But the reality is, our popular Preachers tell us that Jesus Changed that "Time Law." We can make excuses for these Preachers; we can claim that is not what they meant, but, when all is said and done, almost the whole of Christianity is accusing Jesus of doing Antichrist's work, in spite of the fact that, throughout His ministry, Jesus proclaimed the exact opposite. 
 
Thanks SO much, Dear Reader, for your time and interest. The subject of Grace needs a lot of Prayer and study. If Satan is using it to deceive us, we need only pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and we can know the Truth! Let's do it!!
Your Brother in Christ!
Walter C. Martin Jr.
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Check Our Other Websites:

Pre-Tribulation Rapture

Post-Tribulation Second Coming of Jesus

Will We Eat Pigs During the Millennium?

Planet Earth WILL be Destroyed After the 1000 Years!
New Jerusalem - How BIG is It?
Great White Throne Judgment Seat - When and Where
Christ's Kingdom - Millennial or EVERLASTING?

 Hell Fire
Is God Torturing People Now
Did Jesus Suffer ALL of Your Hell?
The Rich Man and Lazarus?
Death
The Dead - Dead or Alive - What is Death?
Did Jesus Die YOUR Death for You?
Will Satan Ever Die - Bible Says "YES!"
Testing Our Doctrine About Death
The Dead Stand Before Great White Throne Judgment Seat

 The Gnostics Attack the Sabbath
Were Gnostics Really Christian?
Were Gnostics Satan's Implants into the Church?
Is Gnosticism Alive and Well in Today's Churches
Church is Israel - Israel is Church
Is the Church Israel and Israel the Church?
Is the Bride of Jesus the 144 Thousand?
Did Jesus Offer the Jews a Millennial Kingdom in His Ministry?
Will New Jerusalem Sit in Israel? How Big is It?
Christ's REAL EVERLASTING Kingdom is for ALL Believers!

The Sabbath
Is it a Sin to Observe the Sabbath?
Is There a Connection Between the Rapture and the Sabbath?
Will the Sabbath Be Observed By God's People During the Tribulation?
Who REALLY Changed the Sabbath in Early Christianity?
Un-Answered and Un-Answerable Sabbath Questions For Popular Preachers
How to Test Your Doctrine Concerning the Sabbath

Heaven
Marriage in Heaven - Millennial Kingdom?
Strange Animal/Demons the Millennium?
Why Jesus Hasn't Come to Take Us To Heaven?
Teachers of Anomia (Law Annulling)
Good Ministers Teaching Against God's 10 Commandments?
Teaching of Anomia - The Reason Jesus Hasn't Come Yet?
Pre-Trib Rapture and Sabbath
Pre-Trib Rapture and the Sabbath?

Walter C. Martin Jr.
Everlasting Gospel Ministries

These are just a few of the questions we examine in our Websites.
Thank you, Dear Reader,  for checking them. Please feel free to give us your comments and feedback if you look at our Sites.  If you send us your questions or comments, we will try to answer and add your question to these Websites. We will Not give your name or E-Mail address to ANY ONE or ANY Church Group or Denomination! Nor will we send you ANY annoying E-Mails!! It is NOT our purpose to get you to withdraw from your present Church, but to invite you to present things you learn here to your Pastor and Friends.
Let's pray that God will continue sending His Holy Spirit to guide as we prepare for Jesus to come. Thank You!
Your Brother in Christ!
Walter C. Martin Jr
 
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