liberty

[Snooky]

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Here we see several biblical facts brought to the Galatians by Paul. Galatians is often refered to as the epistle on what the christian should look like.
Paul declares that Christ hath brought liberty and has set us free from the yoke of bondage. We are then warned against becoming entangled AGAIN, after we have have liberty, (or freedom from) that yoke. We are commanded to stand fast in liberty.
Paul ask the question, "Who" (not what) hath bewitched you. used witchcraft, cast a spell uopn you, ect. and has caused you not to obey the truth? Who is this false teacher? This instrument of satan which recruited you into his rebellion against your maker?
We are then told how to live in liberty. How to stand fast, to overcome the temptations of evil. It doesn't rest in your strength, nor ability. It is centered around Christ who has been evedintly set forth, crucified among you. Christ is our all, and in all. How does that relate to victorious, sinfree living? Does it meen that one cannot sin? No! But if one heeds Pauls admonition and walks in the Spirit, he will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Are you a believer?? Is the scripture right and correct?? is the bible truth, and the word of God?? Then why don't we except it, embrace it, live it, stand upon it, and let God be true?
Here is what the true word of God hath said. Walk in The Spirit. God isn't telling us how to use the limbs given for natural locomotion, but is saying Live, abide in, don't wander away from, abide under the wings of The Almighty. We are being told to surrender our ways unto the Lordship of Our Creator. It is talking about Letting God Have total control of our hearts. Letting Gods word direct our steps, establish our goings, abide in Him, and he abiding in us. We don't have to stop sinning, there isn't time for sinning until we stop walking in the Spirit.
Please explain how one can become a sinner as long as he continues to walk in The Spirit? How can one become entangled again if he doesn't stop walking in The Spirit?

[SFC Retired]

Tell us what this "yoke of bondage" is that Paul is referring to.

[biscuit eater]

Hi folks, I was watching John Mcarthur and he taught on this. He said, that judizers had come behind Paul and told them they had to be circumsised for gospel of Jesus to be in effect. Thus putting them under the bondage of the law. SFC I believe the yoke your talking about is the law.

[Snooky]

The yoke of bondage is anything that places salvation on the works of men, and not on the Grace of God. Paul was dealing with a spiritual principle and used the Law as an example.
Obedience isn't works unto salvation, but rather proof of the grace of God in ones life. Grace is the ability, given to the believers, to overcome. To him that overcometh is the promise of life given. The promise isn't to him that faileth to overcome. Putting confidence in ones self and the life he lives, to suffice is returning again unto the yoke of bondage.
Look closely at the posts of some on here and you will see what I am talking about. How much I pray, how much I fast, How much I do, and do, and do, and do!!!
Do it to be saved, and you will likely be lost.
Do it because you love God and all that he has done for you, asking and expecting nothing in return, and you might be saved.

[LBR]

I see it like you do BE, but I also agree that "works" don't save you or make you better than anyone else.

It boils down to what one considers a "work". Personally, if God said "do this to be saved", I don't consider it a work, but rather an act of obedience.

[Snooky]

It boils down to what one considers a "work". Personally, if God said "do this to be saved", I don't consider it a work, but rather an act of obedience.

Chad, IMO, obedience is also a work, however the difference is obedience isn't a work unto salvation, but rather a work proceeding from salvation. It isn't done to be saved, but because one is already saved.
Obedience is the result of a love relationship between saved man and his God. If you love me, keep my commandments.
IMO when the commandments of God get hard to bear, something has been stealing the love of God from the heart.
Wherefore lay aside every weight and the sin that doeth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race set before us.

[IL_ray_phillips]

When we are born of God we actually become a new creation. When we have been made that new creation which is in Christ we are obligated to do good works that have been prepared for us to do by God.

Eph 2:10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

These described below are doing Gods good works prepared for them. They are not doing their own will but the will of the father which leads them in many directions doing good works.

Jhn 3:8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

[LBR]

I have to disagree. Some acts of obedience come before salvation, not because of it.

Acts 2:38 Repent, be baptized, then recieve remission of sins. One cannot be saved before their sins are remitted.

I Peter 3:21 Baptism also saves us. Not first saved, then baptized.

Mark 16:16 Believe, be baptized, then you shall be saved--future tense.

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone that calls on the Lord will be saved, but rather those that do the will of the Father. Action is required to recieve salvation.

Matthew 7:7 First knock--then the door will be opened. First seek--then you will find. First ask--then it will be given unto you. You have to obey first, then you recieve the reward.

James 2:14-26 James is crystal clear. Faith without works is dead, and dead faith avails nothing.

God is consistent here. The Israelites didn't overtake Jericho, then after that do what God told them. Naaman wasn't cleansed of his leprosy first, and afterward go and dip. Obedience always preceedes the gift.

Chad

[Snooky]

I have to disagree. Some acts of obedience come before salvation, not because of it.

Chad, I know where you are coming from, and every scripture that you qouted, is used to prove my view. Chad, you know the scriptures, so I want quote every chapter and verse, you will know if I leave the book.
When one comes to God, what is the first step after hearing? One must believe. Repent and believe. How shall the believe on one in whom they have not heard? Does baptism come before hearing? Does remission come before hearing? Does baptism and remission become excepted when done in unbelief? NO! One must hear the Gospel, believe the Gospel, and then obey the Gospel.
Now lets fellow a new convert. Convert being one who was an unbeliever, but heard the Gospel and his heart was pricked. (No man can come except the Spirit of he Father draw him). He now believes in God, and knows that he is lost and must do something to excape his pitiful condition. He that believeth on the Lord shall be saved, thats what is written. Because he now believes he asks, "what shall we do". Than is still bible. He is told to repent, which he gladly does. When is this man going to be saved?? He has been obedient in every stage. He must be baptized! He replys, here is water, what doeth hinder me? He is again told that if he believeth, he may, and he is obedient. Whew!! Now he can stop and rest!! But no!! He is told that he must endure unto the end to be saved.No rest for the weary here. You must study to show thyself approved unto God. You must partake of the Lords Table. He must give as the Lord has prospered him. He must not forsake the assembling together with the body of Christ. The more he studys, the more he learns about Gods commandments. There are new revelations continually. He is continually growing in Christ. He is given meat and not milk. He must be set for the defense of the Gospel. He must give an account of the Hope that layeth with in to whosoever asketh. (No hiding behind false love, but declaring the whole council of God).
Isn't every step the result of believing, or having faith in what he has heard? Isn't it scriptural to say that continually follow his Lord where ever he will lead? So when is a man saved?? Is it not when he knows the will of his master and does it? Is he saved at the first act of obedience, or at the last act of obedience? If he stops along the way and rebells at some new instruction from the Lord, is he then still saved? When did he cease to be saved?
Isn't it true that one is saved at any time he is found to be in obedience to his God? What is sin except disobedience unto God??
The Lord is my shepard. The lord isn't a drover, (as with driving cattle) he is a leader of the willing followers.
Just as we can't isolate one scripture and say that scripture is the Gospel. The gospel contains all the scripture, working together. Salvation also isn't an isolates act, or function, it is a combination of the sum total of Gods teaching that is given By The Grace Of God to bring about Gods salvation.
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Does any mortal every come to a 100%, total, complete, knowledge of the mind of God? So when is a man saved? Isn't it when one agrees with God in his heart to do all that God will ask of him. Isn't the man saved at that time by Grace through Faith, as he awaits the instruction from his God?
Does he have to commit a set number of good works to be saved? Or is he saved by the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary?
I'm not dismissing good works, but lets not become intangled again with the idea that his Grace isn't suffient.

[LBR]

So when is a man saved? Isn't it when one agrees with God in his heart to do all that God will ask of him. Isn't the man saved at that time by Grace through Faith, as he awaits the instruction from his God?

No, at least not according to the Bible as I read it. Naaman wasn't cleansed of his leprosy when he believed. He wasn't cleansed when he decided to obey. He wasn't cleasned when he reached the water's edge. He wasn't cleansed on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth time he dipped. Only when he had fully obeyed--ONLY then, was he cleansed. Was God's grace not sufficient without Naaman dipping in that water? Of course it was. Was a Centurion dipping in water some sort of great feat or good work? Again, no. The simple fact of the matter is the same thing I said before. God is consistent. He commands, you obey, and then you recieve the gift. There are no examples to the contrary. The walls of Jericho. The Israelites led from bondage. Issac being saved from being sacrificed. Naaman's cleansing. Saul/Paul recieving his sight back. The list could go on and on and on.

Back to James chapter 2. James is one of my favorites, because he uses sarcasm to make a point. He said if you believe, you do well. The devils believe also, and tremble. What was his point? That belief saves? Are the devils saved?

I have to stick with the straightforward verses and examples we are given.

Almost forgot--believing "on" Christ is not the same as believing "in" Christ. Like John 3:16--whosoever believes in Him SHOULD not perish--not "will not", or "can not", or "shall not". Big difference.

Chad