Everything Old is New Again - Part Five

To understand this post, you really need to begin by reading the other posts of this series in order:
Everything Old is New Again - Part One
Everything Old is New Again - Part Two
Everything Old is New Again - Part Three
Everything Old is New Again - Part Four

I entitled this series "Everything Old is New Again," because there is such a drive, such momentum within the Hebrew roots movement at this time. But, this "movement" as I keep calling it is nothing new! As I have shown through the previous posts, the Apostle Paul has been addressing this issue since his own conversion. It is part of our human nature to try to be righteous through our own good works - rather than faith in The Work of Jesus Christ. The Father of Lies, Satan, is at work too. He is laboring to deceive as many people as he can, to convince them that they cannot have assurance of their salvation unless they are fulfilling the Law correctly.

But, as we read in the previous posts, salvation cannot be acquired through the keeping of the Law. If it could, we would not need Jesus' death on the cross. If the Law could justify, then the death of Jesus would be useless (see Gal 2:21).

Some of you might object to this whole series, saying "I do not believe the Law saves me, I believe that Jesus saves me." But, where is your emphasis in your law keeping? Is it in loving Christ and His people?

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.(Gal 5:6)

Faith working through love is of the utmost importance. Circumcision (which is the keeping of the Law) accomplishes nothing.

If you have been boasting in your own works and deeds, or hoping in a righteousness that comes from the work you have done, then you need to repent. You need to change your heart and re-center yourself on what really matters - Jesus, His death on the cross and His resurrection. The best way to get re-acquainted with the True Gospel is by reading the Bible... a lot. The Bible will become a joy again. You will enjoy reading it, because it is a consolation to you - much like those gentiles who rejoiced when hearing the reading of the decision of the Jerusalem Council (see Acts 15:30-31). And, you will find that the joy of your salvation is renewed, because you have a small idea of the bondage you have been saved from.

You do not have to remain in bondage to the Law. Christ Jesus came to fulfill the Law. As hard as we might try, we can never be made righteous through keeping the Law.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1 emphasis added)

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (Phil 3:7-11 emphasis added)

For more information on how to be saved, or how a person is made righteous, I will refer you to another series I wrote, beginning with Justification Part One.