Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Jesus Christ, Deity Of » Saints live to him as God
And that he died for all, so that the living should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose for them.
So let it be with you-regard yourselves as dead to sin, but as living for God, through union with Christ Jesus.
I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God.
Justification » Justification coming by jesus Christ
Do not you know that wrong-doers will have no share in God's Kingdom? Do not be deceived. No one who is immoral, or an idolater, or an adulterer, or licentious, or a sodomite, Or a thief, or covetous, or a drunkard, or abusive, or grasping, will have any share in God's Kingdom. Such some of you used to be; but you washed yourselves clean. You became Christ's People! you were pronounced righteous through the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the Spirit of our God!
There was, you remember, a time when we ourselves were foolish, disobedient, misled, slaves to all kinds of passions and vices, living in a spirit of malice and envy, detested ourselves and hating one another. But, when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for man were revealed, he saved us, not as the result of any righteous actions that we had done, but in fulfillment of his merciful purposes. He saved us by that Washing which was a New Birth to us, and by the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, read more.
which he poured out upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that, having been pronounced righteous through his loving-kindness, we might enter on our inheritance with the hope of Immortal Life.
which he poured out upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that, having been pronounced righteous through his loving-kindness, we might enter on our inheritance with the hope of Immortal Life.
That our children have had this promise completely fulfilled to them by God, by his raising Jesus. That is just what is said in the second Psalm--'Thou art my Son; this day I have become thy Father.' As to his raising Jesus from the dead, never again to return to corruption, this is what is said--'I will give to you the sacred promises made to David;' And, therefore, in another Psalm it is said--'Thou wilt not give up the Holy One to undergo corruption.' read more.
David, after obediently doing God's will in his own time, 'fell asleep and was laid by the side of his ancestors, and did undergo corruption; But Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption. I would, therefore, have you know, brothers, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, And that, in union with him, every one who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved.
David, after obediently doing God's will in his own time, 'fell asleep and was laid by the side of his ancestors, and did undergo corruption; But Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption. I would, therefore, have you know, brothers, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, And that, in union with him, every one who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved.
For all have sinned, and all fall short of God's glorious ideal, But, in his loving-kindness, are being freely pronounced righteous through the deliverance found in Christ Jesus.
Seeing that, while we were still powerless, Christ, in God's good time, died on behalf of the godless. Even for an upright man scarcely any one will die. For a really good man perhaps some one might even dare to die. But God puts his love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners. read more.
Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God. For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, much more, now that we have become reconciled, shall we be saved by virtue of Christ's Life. And not only that, but we exult in God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have now obtained this reconciliation. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and through sin came death; so, also, death spread to all mankind, because all men had sinned. Even before the time of the Law there was sin in the world; but sin cannot be charged against a man where no Law exists. Yet, from Adam to Moses, Death reigned even over those whose sin was not a breach of a law, as Adam's was. And Adam foreshadows the One to come. But there is a contrast between Adam's Offence and God's gracious Gift. For, if by reason of the offence of the one man the whole race died, far more were the loving-kindness of God, and the gift given in the loving-kindness of the one man, Jesus Christ, lavished upon the whole race. There is a contrast, too, between the gift and the results of the one man's sin. The judgment, which followed upon the one man's sin, resulted in condemnation, but God's gracious Gift, which followed upon many offences, resulted in a decree of righteousness. For if, by reason of the offence of the one man, Death reigned through that one man, far more will those, upon whom God's loving- kindness and his gift of righteousness are lavished, find Life, and reign through the one man, Jesus Christ. Briefly then, just as a single offence resulted for all mankind in condemnation, so, too, a single decree of righteousness resulted for all mankind in that declaration of righteousness which brings Life. For, as through the disobedience of the one man the whole race was rendered sinful, so, too, through the obedience of the one, the whole race will be rendered righteous.
Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God. For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, much more, now that we have become reconciled, shall we be saved by virtue of Christ's Life. And not only that, but we exult in God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have now obtained this reconciliation. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and through sin came death; so, also, death spread to all mankind, because all men had sinned. Even before the time of the Law there was sin in the world; but sin cannot be charged against a man where no Law exists. Yet, from Adam to Moses, Death reigned even over those whose sin was not a breach of a law, as Adam's was. And Adam foreshadows the One to come. But there is a contrast between Adam's Offence and God's gracious Gift. For, if by reason of the offence of the one man the whole race died, far more were the loving-kindness of God, and the gift given in the loving-kindness of the one man, Jesus Christ, lavished upon the whole race. There is a contrast, too, between the gift and the results of the one man's sin. The judgment, which followed upon the one man's sin, resulted in condemnation, but God's gracious Gift, which followed upon many offences, resulted in a decree of righteousness. For if, by reason of the offence of the one man, Death reigned through that one man, far more will those, upon whom God's loving- kindness and his gift of righteousness are lavished, find Life, and reign through the one man, Jesus Christ. Briefly then, just as a single offence resulted for all mankind in condemnation, so, too, a single decree of righteousness resulted for all mankind in that declaration of righteousness which brings Life. For, as through the disobedience of the one man the whole race was rendered sinful, so, too, through the obedience of the one, the whole race will be rendered righteous.
So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience 'will not result in even one soul's being pronounced righteous.' If, while seeking to be pronounced righteous through union with Christ, we were ourselves seen to be outcasts, would that make Christ an agent of sin? Heaven forbid! For, if I rebuild the very things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong. read more.
I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter. And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ. Every other priest stands day after day at his ministrations, and offers the same sacrifices over and over again--sacrifices that can never take sins away. read more.
But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,' and has since then been waiting 'for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.' By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified.
But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,' and has since then been waiting 'for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.' By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified.
Justification before God » Under the gospel » Is not of faith and works united
You have severed yourselves from Christ--you who are seeking to be pronounced righteous through Law; you have fallen away from love.
But certain persons came down from Judea, and began to teach the Brethren that, unless they were circumcised, in accordance with the custom enjoined by Moses, they could not be saved. This gave rise to a serious dispute, and much discussion, between Paul and Barnabas and these men, and it was therefore settled that Paul and Barnabas and others of their number should go up to Jerusalem, to consult the Apostles and Officers of the Church about the matter under discussion. The Church, therefore, sent them on their journey, and they made their way through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling the story of the conversion of the Gentiles, to the great joy of all the Brethren. read more.
On their arrival at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, as well as by the Apostles and the Officers, and gave an account of all that God had helped them to do. Some of the Pharisees' party, however, who had become believers in Christ, came forward and declared that they were bound to circumcise converts and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses. The Apostles and the Officers of the Church held a meeting to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter rose and said: "You, my Brothers, know well that long ago God singled me out--that through my lips the Gentiles should hear the Message of the Good News, and become believers in Christ. Now God, who reads all hearts, declared his acceptance of the Gentiles, by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between them and us, when he purified their hearts by their faith. Why, then, do you now provoke God, by putting on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our ancestors nor we were able to bear? No, it is through the loving-kindness of the Lord Jesus that we, just as they do, believe that we have been saved." Every voice in the assembly was hushed, as they listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they gave an account of all the signs and wonders which God had shown among the Gentiles through them. After they had finished speaking, James addressed the Council. "Brothers," he began, "hear what I have to say. Simon has described the manner in which God first visited the Gentiles, in order to take from among them a people to bear his Name. And that is in harmony with the words of the Prophets, where they say-- '"After this I will return; and I will rebuild the House of David which has fallen--its very ruins I will rebuild, and will set it up once more; That so the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--even all the Gentiles on whom my Name has been bestowed." Says the Lord, as he does these things, foreknown from of old.' In my judgment, therefore, we should not add to the difficulties of those Gentiles who are turning to God, But we should write to them to abstain from food that has been polluted by being sacrificed to idols, from impurity, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood. For in every town, for generations past, there have been those who preach Moses, read as he is in the Synagogues every Sabbath." It was then decided by the Apostles and the Officers, with the assent of the whole Church, to choose some of their number, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. Those chosen were Judas (called Barsabas) and Silas, who were leading men among the Brethren. They were bearers of the following letter--'The Apostles, and the Brothers who are the Officers of the Church, send their greetings to the Brethren of Gentile birth in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. As we had heard that some of our number had upset you by their assertions, and unsettled your minds--without instructions from us-- We met and decided to choose certain men and send them to you with our dear brothers Barnabas and Paul, Who have sacrificed themselves for the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We are accordingly sending Judas and Silas, and they will tell you by word of mouth what we are now writing. We have, therefore, decided, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to lay no further burden upon you beyond these necessary conditions-- That you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from impurity. If you guard yourselves against such things, it will be well with you. Farewell.'
On their arrival at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, as well as by the Apostles and the Officers, and gave an account of all that God had helped them to do. Some of the Pharisees' party, however, who had become believers in Christ, came forward and declared that they were bound to circumcise converts and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses. The Apostles and the Officers of the Church held a meeting to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter rose and said: "You, my Brothers, know well that long ago God singled me out--that through my lips the Gentiles should hear the Message of the Good News, and become believers in Christ. Now God, who reads all hearts, declared his acceptance of the Gentiles, by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between them and us, when he purified their hearts by their faith. Why, then, do you now provoke God, by putting on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our ancestors nor we were able to bear? No, it is through the loving-kindness of the Lord Jesus that we, just as they do, believe that we have been saved." Every voice in the assembly was hushed, as they listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they gave an account of all the signs and wonders which God had shown among the Gentiles through them. After they had finished speaking, James addressed the Council. "Brothers," he began, "hear what I have to say. Simon has described the manner in which God first visited the Gentiles, in order to take from among them a people to bear his Name. And that is in harmony with the words of the Prophets, where they say-- '"After this I will return; and I will rebuild the House of David which has fallen--its very ruins I will rebuild, and will set it up once more; That so the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--even all the Gentiles on whom my Name has been bestowed." Says the Lord, as he does these things, foreknown from of old.' In my judgment, therefore, we should not add to the difficulties of those Gentiles who are turning to God, But we should write to them to abstain from food that has been polluted by being sacrificed to idols, from impurity, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood. For in every town, for generations past, there have been those who preach Moses, read as he is in the Synagogues every Sabbath." It was then decided by the Apostles and the Officers, with the assent of the whole Church, to choose some of their number, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. Those chosen were Judas (called Barsabas) and Silas, who were leading men among the Brethren. They were bearers of the following letter--'The Apostles, and the Brothers who are the Officers of the Church, send their greetings to the Brethren of Gentile birth in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. As we had heard that some of our number had upset you by their assertions, and unsettled your minds--without instructions from us-- We met and decided to choose certain men and send them to you with our dear brothers Barnabas and Paul, Who have sacrificed themselves for the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We are accordingly sending Judas and Silas, and they will tell you by word of mouth what we are now writing. We have, therefore, decided, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to lay no further burden upon you beyond these necessary conditions-- That you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from impurity. If you guard yourselves against such things, it will be well with you. Farewell.'
For we conclude that a man is pronounced righteous on the ground of faith, quite apart from obedience to Law.
But if in love, then no longer as a result of obedience. Otherwise love would cease to be love.
But, when I saw that they were not dealing straightforwardly with the Truth of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, who were born a Jew, adopt Gentile customs, instead of Jewish, why are you trying to compel the Gentile converts to adopt Jewish customs?" We, though we are Jews by birth and not outcasts of Gentile origin, know that no one is pronounced righteous as the result of obedience to Law, but only through faith in Christ Jesus. So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience 'will not result in even one soul's being pronounced righteous.' read more.
If, while seeking to be pronounced righteous through union with Christ, we were ourselves seen to be outcasts, would that make Christ an agent of sin? Heaven forbid! For, if I rebuild the very things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong. I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not reject the love of God. If righteousness comes through Law, then there was no need for Christ to die!
If, while seeking to be pronounced righteous through union with Christ, we were ourselves seen to be outcasts, would that make Christ an agent of sin? Heaven forbid! For, if I rebuild the very things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong. I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not reject the love of God. If righteousness comes through Law, then there was no need for Christ to die!
Law » Christ being the end of the law
But their minds were slow to learn. Indeed, to this very day, at the public reading of the Old Covenant, the same veil remains unlifted; only for those who are in union with Christ does it pass away. But, even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts. 'Yet, whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.'
For Christ has brought Law to an end, so that righteousness may be obtained by every one who believes in him.
There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in union with Christ Jesus; For through your union with Christ Jesus, the Law of the life- giving Spirit has set you free from the Law of Sin and Death. What Law could not do, in so far as our earthly nature weakened its action, God did, by sending his own Son, with a nature resembling our sinful nature, to atone for sin. He condemned sin in that earthly nature, read more.
So that the requirements of the Law might be satisfied in us who live now in obedience, not to our earthly nature, but to the Spirit.
So that the requirements of the Law might be satisfied in us who live now in obedience, not to our earthly nature, but to the Spirit.
Surely, Brothers, you know (for I am speaking to men who know what Law means) that Law has power over a man only as long as he lives. For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband while he is living; but, if her husband dies, she is set free from the law that bound her to him. If, then, during her husband's lifetime, she unites herself to another man, she will be called an adulteress; but, if her husband dies, the law has no further hold on her, nor, if she unites herself to another man, is she an adulteress. read more.
And so with you, my Brothers; as far as the Law was concerned, you underwent death in the crucified body of the Christ, so that you might be united to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that our lives might bear fruit for God. When we were living merely earthly lives, our sinful passions, aroused by the Law, were active in every part of our bodies, with the result that our lives bore fruit for Death. But now we are set free from the Law, because we are dead to that which once kept us under restraint; and so we serve under new, spiritual conditions, and not under old, written regulations. What are we to say, then? That Law and sin are the same thing? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, I should not have learned what sin is, had not it been for Law. If the Law did not say 'Thou shalt not covet,' I should not know what it is to covet. But sin took advantage of the Commandment to arouse in me every form of covetousness, for where there is no consciousness of Law sin shows no sign of life. There was a time when I myself, unconscious of Law, was alive; but when the Commandment was brought home to me, sin sprang into life, while I died! The very Commandment that should have meant Life I found to result in Death! Sin took advantage of the Commandment to deceive me, and used it to bring about my Death. And so the Law is holy, and each Commandment is also holy, and just, and good. Did, then, a thing, which in itself was good, involve Death in my case? Heaven forbid! It was sin that involved Death; so that, by its use of what I regarded as good to bring about my Death, its true nature might appear; and in this way the Commandment showed how intensely sinful sin is. We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am earthly-sold into slavery to Sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I am so far from habitually doing what I want to do, that I find myself doing the very thing that I hate. But when I do what I want not to do, I am admitting that the Law is right. This being so, the action is no longer my own, but that of Sin which is within me. I know that there is nothing good in me-I mean in my earthly nature. For, although it is easy for me to want to do right, to act rightly is not easy. I fail to do the good thing that I want to do, but the bad thing that I want not to do-that I habitually do. But, when I do the very thing that I want not to do, the action is no longer my own, but that of Sin which is within me. This, then, is the law that I find-When I want to do right, wrong presents itself! At heart I delight in the Law of God; But throughout my body I see a different law, one which is in conflict with the law accepted by my reason, and which endeavors to make me a prisoner to that law of Sin which exists throughout my body. Miserable man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body that is bringing me to this Death? Thank God, there is deliverance through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Well then, for myself, with my reason I serve the Law of God, but with my earthly nature the Law of Sin.
And so with you, my Brothers; as far as the Law was concerned, you underwent death in the crucified body of the Christ, so that you might be united to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that our lives might bear fruit for God. When we were living merely earthly lives, our sinful passions, aroused by the Law, were active in every part of our bodies, with the result that our lives bore fruit for Death. But now we are set free from the Law, because we are dead to that which once kept us under restraint; and so we serve under new, spiritual conditions, and not under old, written regulations. What are we to say, then? That Law and sin are the same thing? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, I should not have learned what sin is, had not it been for Law. If the Law did not say 'Thou shalt not covet,' I should not know what it is to covet. But sin took advantage of the Commandment to arouse in me every form of covetousness, for where there is no consciousness of Law sin shows no sign of life. There was a time when I myself, unconscious of Law, was alive; but when the Commandment was brought home to me, sin sprang into life, while I died! The very Commandment that should have meant Life I found to result in Death! Sin took advantage of the Commandment to deceive me, and used it to bring about my Death. And so the Law is holy, and each Commandment is also holy, and just, and good. Did, then, a thing, which in itself was good, involve Death in my case? Heaven forbid! It was sin that involved Death; so that, by its use of what I regarded as good to bring about my Death, its true nature might appear; and in this way the Commandment showed how intensely sinful sin is. We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am earthly-sold into slavery to Sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I am so far from habitually doing what I want to do, that I find myself doing the very thing that I hate. But when I do what I want not to do, I am admitting that the Law is right. This being so, the action is no longer my own, but that of Sin which is within me. I know that there is nothing good in me-I mean in my earthly nature. For, although it is easy for me to want to do right, to act rightly is not easy. I fail to do the good thing that I want to do, but the bad thing that I want not to do-that I habitually do. But, when I do the very thing that I want not to do, the action is no longer my own, but that of Sin which is within me. This, then, is the law that I find-When I want to do right, wrong presents itself! At heart I delight in the Law of God; But throughout my body I see a different law, one which is in conflict with the law accepted by my reason, and which endeavors to make me a prisoner to that law of Sin which exists throughout my body. Miserable man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body that is bringing me to this Death? Thank God, there is deliverance through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Well then, for myself, with my reason I serve the Law of God, but with my earthly nature the Law of Sin.
So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience 'will not result in even one soul's being pronounced righteous.' If, while seeking to be pronounced righteous through union with Christ, we were ourselves seen to be outcasts, would that make Christ an agent of sin? Heaven forbid! For, if I rebuild the very things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong. read more.
I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not reject the love of God. If righteousness comes through Law, then there was no need for Christ to die!
I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not reject the love of God. If righteousness comes through Law, then there was no need for Christ to die!
All who rely upon obedience to Law are under a curse, for Scripture says--'Cursed is every one who does not abide by all that is written in the Book of the Law, and do it.' Again, it is evident that no one is pronounced righteous before God through Law, for we read--'Through faith the righteous man shall find Life.' But the Law is not based on faith; no, its words are--'Those who practice these precepts will find Life through them.' read more.
Christ ransomed us from the curse pronounced in the Law, by taking the curse on himself for us, for Scripture says--'Cursed is any one who is hanged on a tree.' And this he did that the blessing given to Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through their union with Jesus Christ; that so, through our faith, we also might receive the promised gift of the Spirit.
Christ ransomed us from the curse pronounced in the Law, by taking the curse on himself for us, for Scripture says--'Cursed is any one who is hanged on a tree.' And this he did that the blessing given to Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through their union with Jesus Christ; that so, through our faith, we also might receive the promised gift of the Spirit.
And so is it with us; when we were under age, as it were, we were slaves to the puerile teaching of this world; But, when the full time came, God sent his Son--born a woman's child, born subject to Law-- To ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons. read more.
And it is because you are sons that God sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, with the cry--'Abba, our Father.' You, therefore, are no longer a slave, but a son; and, if a son, then an heir also, by God's appointment. Yet formerly, in your ignorance of God, you became slaves to 'gods' which were no gods. But now that you have found God--or, rather, have been found by him--how is it that you are turning back to that poor and feeble puerile teaching, to which yet once again you are wanting to become slaves? You are scrupulous in keeping Days and Months and Seasons and Years! You make me fear that the labor which I have spent on you may have been wasted.
And it is because you are sons that God sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, with the cry--'Abba, our Father.' You, therefore, are no longer a slave, but a son; and, if a son, then an heir also, by God's appointment. Yet formerly, in your ignorance of God, you became slaves to 'gods' which were no gods. But now that you have found God--or, rather, have been found by him--how is it that you are turning back to that poor and feeble puerile teaching, to which yet once again you are wanting to become slaves? You are scrupulous in keeping Days and Months and Seasons and Years! You make me fear that the labor which I have spent on you may have been wasted.
But now, through your union with Christ Jesus, you who once were 'far off' have, by the shedding of the blood of the Christ, been brought 'near.' He it is who is our Peace. He made the two divisions of mankind one, broke down the barrier that separated them, And in his human nature put an end to the cause of enmity between them--the Law with its injunctions and ordinances--in order to create, through union with himself, from Jew and Gentile, one New Man and thus make peace.
Law » Bondage of » Insufficient
(for the Law never brought anything to perfection); and, on the other hand, we have the introduction of a better hope, which enables us to draw near to God.
What Law could not do, in so far as our earthly nature weakened its action, God did, by sending his own Son, with a nature resembling our sinful nature, to atone for sin. He condemned sin in that earthly nature,
And in his human nature put an end to the cause of enmity between them--the Law with its injunctions and ordinances--in order to create, through union with himself, from Jew and Gentile, one New Man and thus make peace.
I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God.
Now we know that everything said in the Law is addressed to those who are under its authority, in order that every mouth may be closed, and the whole world become liable to the judgment of God.
Spiritual life » Described as » A life unto God
So let it be with you-regard yourselves as dead to sin, but as living for God, through union with Christ Jesus.
I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God.