"You also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God."4
Paul writes that we are to stand on a strong foundation, firm footing, in preparation, a gospel of peace. It is not the peace of this world that is of the kingdom of God. This word for peace properly means wholeness, (from eirō, "to join, tie together into a whole") – properly, wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace (God's gift of wholeness). Jesus came to bring this type of wholeness on the earth.2 I was recently reminded of such wholeness in a time of such material lack, I am blessed with the spiritual blessings from above, that God has promised to those who love Him, such that passes all understanding, until you have experienced it. It is by Grace I have come to this understanding, it is by Grace I will stand, though the gates of hell come against it.
The new covenant is founded in Grace. Judah had left covenant, left the wife given by God for companionship.3 It was not only adultery but a divorce. It is a leaving of your first love but an abuse of authority, the one you were to protect you have abandoned. Like a father who abandons his family, a husband his wife, or a minister who abuses a child. It is a breaking of covenant relationship with God, a divorce. It is turning from God's love and is reflective in deeds; injustice, partial teachings, tainted sacrifices, tempting God, and blaspheming the name of God. Instead of being a light to the world, Judah had become like a whitewashed tomb, pretty on the outside but full of dead people. A false pretense of piety.
According to the Law a married woman is bound to her husband while he lives, if her husband dies she can remarry and doesn't commit adultery. Judah married another but is the wife dead? no, so what is the solution by Law? the Law has been broken the penalty for adultery is death. So someone must die? the husband could return to the wife, but does this satisfy the law? is not the marriage covenant defiled? Now should a man kill his wife to cover adultery? no, certainly not.
Judah is still married to the wife but the wife is not dead, "a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband"3 Judah divorced the wife and married a foreigner. So what must the father do? you judge, would he not be righteous in his judgement against Judah? to remove the riches he had so lavished upon Judah? since Judah broke covenant is the father committed to fulfill anything? if this were your son-in-law, would you allow for him to receive inheritance? The father would have been just to remove Judah from the will.
It is amazing this Grace, the Father chooses to give, hidden in God from the beginning that He would give such a prized gift for the love of Judah, through His Son. Now for Grace to work, there must be a dispensation of new requirements, a new covenant, and there must be a price, someone must die. There must be life, blood, for such a payment, this is the Law. A will is a guarantee of a promise and is only good when someone dies. Now Judah is married, so for the Law to be righteous and holy should not someone be required to die?
"You also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another..." Yes, there is a new covenant, a dispensation of Grace.5 In Christ we die and in Christ we stand, "Through whom we also have access by faith in this Grace in which we stand and we boast in hope of the glory of God."1 Released from the old, married to another, we are made whole in Christ. And we stand firm in grace, this is the gospel of peace, of wholeness. Through this new covenant and dependency on the other, the Spirit of Life, we can fulfill the righteous requirements of the law.
Paul writes that we are to stand on a strong foundation, firm footing, in preparation, a gospel of peace. It is not the peace of this world that is of the kingdom of God. This word for peace properly means wholeness, (from eirō, "to join, tie together into a whole") – properly, wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace (God's gift of wholeness). Jesus came to bring this type of wholeness on the earth.2 I was recently reminded of such wholeness in a time of such material lack, I am blessed with the spiritual blessings from above, that God has promised to those who love Him, such that passes all understanding, until you have experienced it. It is by Grace I have come to this understanding, it is by Grace I will stand, though the gates of hell come against it.The new covenant is founded in Grace. Judah had left covenant, left the wife given by God for companionship.3 It was not only adultery but a divorce. It is a leaving of your first love but an abuse of authority, the one you were to protect you have abandoned. Like a father who abandons his family, a husband his wife, or a minister who abuses a child. It is a breaking of covenant relationship with God, a divorce. It is turning from God's love and is reflective in deeds; injustice, partial teachings, tainted sacrifices, tempting God, and blaspheming the name of God. Instead of being a light to the world, Judah had become like a whitewashed tomb, pretty on the outside but full of dead people. A false pretense of piety.
Judah is still married to the wife but the wife is not dead, "a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband"3 Judah divorced the wife and married a foreigner. So what must the father do? you judge, would he not be righteous in his judgement against Judah? to remove the riches he had so lavished upon Judah? since Judah broke covenant is the father committed to fulfill anything? if this were your son-in-law, would you allow for him to receive inheritance? The father would have been just to remove Judah from the will.
It is amazing this Grace, the Father chooses to give, hidden in God from the beginning that He would give such a prized gift for the love of Judah, through His Son. Now for Grace to work, there must be a dispensation of new requirements, a new covenant, and there must be a price, someone must die. There must be life, blood, for such a payment, this is the Law. A will is a guarantee of a promise and is only good when someone dies. Now Judah is married, so for the Law to be righteous and holy should not someone be required to die?
"You also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another..." Yes, there is a new covenant, a dispensation of Grace.5 In Christ we die and in Christ we stand, "Through whom we also have access by faith in this Grace in which we stand and we boast in hope of the glory of God."1 Released from the old, married to another, we are made whole in Christ. And we stand firm in grace, this is the gospel of peace, of wholeness. Through this new covenant and dependency on the other, the Spirit of Life, we can fulfill the righteous requirements of the law.