Worship On the Lord's Day Origins In Scripture

The Lord's Day Worship (Sunday) Origins

By Robert Clanton
robert4211@tx.rr.com

Jeremiah the fourth chapter tells us how the earth was plunged back into darkness and being void and without form again after the sin of Adam and Eve. Jer.4: 22 For my people [the Jews to whom he gave the Sabbath] is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. 23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. In Christ, Paul writes, " 2Cor.5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.". And Isa.65, Isaiah preaches to us that when the new creation comes the old should not be remembered or called to mind anymore as he says, Isaiah 65: "17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. ¹⁸But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. This is spiritual Jerusalem, the Church. Earthly Jerusalem and the Israel after the flesh became the Harlot that rejected the Lord and crucified him in the city spiritually called Sodom and Egypt. Rev.11:8

And Isa.65, Isaiah warns us that when the new creation comes the old should not be remembered or called to mind anymore as he says, Isaiah 65: "17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." Therefore, we should observe the new day when Christ finished his redemptive work on earth and rested in the heavens. So New is this NEW Creation that at Christ's coming the keeping of time is changed from BC to AD, the "year of our Lord" . All History before Christ is of a completely different age and creation called, "B.C." and all that happens in history after Christ's coming is of the new creation called "The Year of Our Lord" (A.D. )

The Lord's Day foretold in scripture

The Psalmist writes of a day that Christ is resurrected as the Lord's day that shall be established of celebration to be glad in it and rejoicing in it. Because it is The Lord's doing and shall be marvelllous in our eyes, where the gates righteousness will be open and all will go in and praise.

Psalm 118: ¹⁹Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: ²⁰This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. ²¹I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. ²²The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. ²³This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. ²⁴THIS is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Thus the day of Christ resurrection is properly called, “the Lord’s Day” .

The stone which the builders refused is Christ. The culmination of the refusing is the death by crucifixion of Christ by the Jews. But Christ is declared to be the chief cornerstone on the day of his Resurrection, a day which the Lord commands us to “rejoice and be glad in IT.” Because it is a marvellous work “in our eyes”. Christ is exalted above all creation. On the day which this great labor of the second creation is completed it is commanded to be a day of rejoicing by the brethren of the church. The church rightly called the day of Christ’s resurrection “the Lord’s day” because it is the day, which the Lord himself has made to declare himself as Lord. of all things. In Romans 1 Paul speaks of the gospel, “³Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; ⁴And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” When we worship and rejoice and marvel at the resurrection of Christ “upon the first day of the week” , That is the day “the Lord himself” has made for us, we openly declare and witness the resurrection of Christ. Again in Ps.2: The scripture says, ⁷I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” The Lord’s day was commanded by God to be a day of rejoicing and worship in which we believers declare Christ is the Lord.

When the Lord himself, has made this day, a day of rejoicing and commands us both to "rejoice and be glad in it" .

Mt.9: ¹⁵And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they mourn.” When the Sabbath came at our Lord’s crucifixion, the disciples mourned. But what a difference a day makes. Upon the first day of the week, The Sun of Righteousness arose with healing in his wings (Mal.4:2-3 )

A new exodus is proclaimed not from an earthly kingdom but from the kingdom of sin and darkness. The Passover lamb, has accomplished the new exodus far more exceedingly greater than the Israelite from physical slavery but all mankind from the slavery of sin, darkness and death.

1Peter 1: ³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Therefore, we should observe the new day when Christ finished his redemptive work on earth and rested in the heavens as commanded in the scripture.

The Lord connected the creation rest in Genesis 1-2 with the Israel exodus from Egypt a redemption of physical slavery. Yet, they were still enslaved to sin and death. But in this place, the Lord’s rest is connected to a far greater work than redeeming from physical slavery! When the Lord rested from his works in the second creation, the redemption work of all mankind is completed.

Psalm 2: ⁷I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (the Lord’s day, his resurrection) ⁸Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. ⁹Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Paul in Acts 13: quotes from Psalm. 2, Acts 13: ³²And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, ³³God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”

The declaration of Jesus as Lord, as “The Son of God” is done on “this day” when the God raised up Jesus again from the dead”. Now what do we see? God is giving Christ the Gentiles (heathen) from the uttermost parts of the earth as an inheritance as promised in Ps.2.

Psalm 118: ¹⁹Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: ²⁰This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. ²¹I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

The Psalm opens the verses of our Lord’s death and resurrection, asking God to open the gate of righteousness. This is the righteousness of faith by which our belief in the Lord gives all men the righteousness to those that believe. The Lord is that gate (verse 20) And the righteous enter in and will praise him because he “has become my salvation” . But first the Stone must be rejected and declared the chief corner stone.

²²The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. ²³This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. ²⁴This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ²⁵Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. ²⁶Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD, (his church) ²⁷God is the LORD, which hath shewed us LIGHT (Mt.4:16, John 1:5-10), bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

Together from every nation all of the peoples gather on the Lord’s day and declare the remaining verse of scripture from Psalm 118 concerning Christ, “²⁸Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. ²⁹O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

How strange it is, that some will keep the Sabbath which is a reminder of the first creation now in darkness, void and without form and the day of the redemption of physical Israel from slavery (Deut.5:15) but will refuse to worship on the Lord's day which is the celebration of their redemption of all mankind from darkness, sin and death and the new creation of us in Christ. Every Christian must be a witness to Christ's resurrection, he does so by declaring the stone which the builders rejected, the chief corner stone. The Sabbath day of the Old creation connected Israel with the declaration of the Creator of the Old Creation, by observing the day of the resurrection of Christ, Christians are declaring Christ as the Creator new creation in Christ, to whom every knee must bow and every tongue confess, Phil.2:10-11.

The day of Christ's resurrection became a memorial observed weekly as disciples of Christ would gather to celebrate Christ's resurrection. Because, it was the day that Jesus Christ was declared to be "Lord" and the Son of God. Rom.1: ¹Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, ²(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) ³Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; ⁴And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: The resurrection of Christ is first and primary, the golden center and core of the gospel, of which all other facets of the gospel are built around and founded on it.

The truths of transition Sabbath to Sunday

1) None of the Old Testament Prophets commanded Gentile nations to keep the Sabbath, Holy days or meat restrictions.

2) A Gentile was only commanded to observe these laws when after he had been circumcised of the flesh and had taken the vow to keep all laws of Moses. The Jewish Christians continued to observe the Jewish Law and also celebrated the Lord's Day and the Lord's Supper, "upon the first day of the week" . But, they were commanded not to "trouble" or "subvert" the faith of the uncircumcised Gentiles with circumcision or the law of Moses.

3) When the Sect of Pharisees attempted to enforce circumcision and the law of Moses (Acts15:5) upon the Gentile believers, the unanimous consent of the Apostles and Elders is absolutely, No. This is further detailed by written decree of the Apostles (Acts 16:4) handed to the Churches.

4) The fellowship and communion of the saints in Christ upon the first day of the week originated in the celebration of Christ's resurrection and becoming the chief cornerstone, which the builder's rejected, Ps.118. They celebrated the Lord's Supper together, where they became "witnesses" to the resurrection of Christ.

5) In time, the celebration of the Lord's Supper upon "the Lord's Day" or "upon the first day of the week" was made a rest for the Gentile Christians as Sabbath was for the Jews. It had nothing to do with paganism but everything to do with being witnesses to the resurrection of Christ upon the Lord's own day of his resurrection.

Why Did Paul Choose Abraham?

By Robert W. Clanton
robert4211@tx.rr.com

It is commonly held among scholars that the Epistle to the church of Rome, from the Apostle Paul titled "Romans" , is sent to believers in Christ from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds. The sure evidence of this is contained within the context of the Epistle. The damage done by the Judaizers in Galatia may of prompted portions of the letter in order to head off at the pass the Judaizers who had started in Galatia. As in nearly all of Paul's epistles, the Judaizing problem presents itself because Moses has them which preach Moses in every city (Acts 15:21) and were condemned of the apostles.

The first two chapters of Romans present a condemnation of both Gentiles and Jews. The Gentiles are first to be shown their sins of rebellion in Chapter one. But, the Jews who have the law are then shown to be no better off than the Gentiles, conclusively in Rom.3:9 ⁹What then? are we (Jews) better than they (Gentiles)? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. Again the Paul confirms "all of have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom.3:23). Repeatedly, throughout Romans chapter 2 and 3 we see the contrast between the Gentiles, who did not have the circumcision and the law and the Jews, who did possess the covenants of both circumcision of the flesh and the Law of Moses (Mal.4:4).

In this light we can begin to see that by "the law" , refers to the law of Moses at Mt. Sinai that God had given to the children of Israel, Mal.4: ⁴Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. This point is key for understanding why Paul would choose Abraham as the example of righteousness of faith which saves. The term "the law" occurs 69 times and circumcision 15 times in the epistle of Romans. The words "Jew" occurs 8 times, "Jews" 3 times and "Israel", 12 times. The contrast between the Jews who have the law of Moses and circumcision and the Gentiles races who do not and did not have any such covenant becomes magnified throughout the Epistle. It is perfectly correct to see that the term "the law" the Epistle of Romans, means all the covenant law of Moses. Once this is established it becomes abundantly clear why Paul choose Abraham in Romans 4 as the Model of Christian faith.

After Paul convincingly demonstrates that both Jews, who had circumcision and the law of Moses and the Gentiles, who did not, "in no wise" better the Gentiles (Rom.3:9,23). The Jews which had taught "Moses in every city" often had spoken of the covenant of law of Moses and circumcision of the flesh as a means of obtaining further Grace from God and a way of increasing the righteous standing before God over the Gentile. Paul is busily refuting that teaching, throughout Romans 2-3. These verses have become most popular among the evangelist, "²⁰Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:20 Salvation by law keeping would require perfect obedience. If we offend in a single point, we become guilty of the whole (lev.18:5, James 2:10). Therefore, by the law-keeping alone, one cannot be justified. The many laws under the covenant with Moses arouses the knowledge of sin (7:7-11).

²¹But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; ²²Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Paul must from here on out, illustrate for the Jews, that righteousness which God has ordained is "apart from the law" of Moses manifested in the books of the law for both Jew and Gentile, "there is NO difference" having previously proved, "²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; "

²⁴Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; ²⁶To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. ²⁷Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. ²⁸Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. ²⁹Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: ³⁰Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Rom.3:³¹Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." The covenant of the Law of Moses had established the law as a means of showing that "none could be justified by his works of the law". It was not empty, void, or without purpose. It prepared the Jew and the Gentile, the whole world for the coming of Christ so that they might accept Him. That "… that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ", Jew and Gentile alike. The Judaizer's often lift verse 31 out the context to imply that the Law of Moses is binding upon Jew and Gentile. So far from Paul's mind is that. The context demonstrates that law of Moses was the means used by God to condemn both Jew and the Gentile, "that every mouth may be stopped and that the whole world may become guilty before God" (3:19). So, that they might seek the salvation by the righteousness of faith, "apart from the law" by faith in Christ Jesus.

Becoming righteous by obedience without faith, keeping God's laws, natural or Mosaic, as a legal instrument fails. Becoming righteous is possible through faith that works, apart from the law (vs 21). Faith has always been accessible,. But only now, in Christ is it revealed fully, through faith in Christ (vs 22) which we receive as the gift Eph.2:18. Now we are prepared to understand Abraham as the model of Christian faith.

Abraham as Model of the Faith.

Abraham lived 500 years before the covenant laws of the Jewish Sabbaths, Holy Days and meat distinctions for food were given to "the Children of Israel" in the covenant of Mount Sinai. There were no Jews or Israelites on the earth during Abraham's time. Abraham is one of the nations, he is a Gentile from which the Jewish race and the Israelites will come. He may therefore be said to be a Gentile and yet father of the Jewish and Israelite race. As descendant from Noah, to live righteously before God, he is required to keep the laws of the covenant with Noah. Gen.9:3 " ⁹And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you. ". That is all the nations, races and all people everywhere on earth after the flood of Noah, (See my article on Acts 15 and the Gospel to the Jews and Gentiles). Abraham knew nothing of weekly Sabbath, the Jewish Passover and other Jewish Feasts that were yet to be revealed in the covenant with the children of Israel, so many centuries after him. Abram never heard of the Ten Commandments written in stone. Yet, because Abraham is a man of faith and righteousness as was Noah, God chose this Gentile to become father of the Jews or Israelites. For this reason, Abraham becomes the model of faith, not only for the Gentiles, because he was a Gentile, but also for the Jew, because he is the father of the Jews or Israelites. Both, Jew and Gentile are able to learn from the example of Abraham's faith.

Rom.4: ^{1 "}What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? ²For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. "

First, Paul declares that Abraham was not able to glory before God, either by works or by he the deeds none in the flesh. He places Abraham on the footing of the Gentile and the Jew in the same condition being unable to boast. Paul, then proceeds to write: ³For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. " This often debated scripture between Protestant and Catholic, Jew and Christian becomes the pivotal focus of first century gospel of the Church. We shall see that Abram's faith and walk with God is incomplete until he believes in the promised seed, Christ. We must first look at the life of Abraham.

Abram's Personal Relationship With God.

Beginning at Gen.12:1, we find the Lord speaking to Abram (later changed to Abraham) commanding him to leave his country, his kindred and his father's house. Abraham keeps the commandments and charge of the Lord along with the covenant laws of Noah (Gen.26:5) and leaves taking Sarah, his wife and Lot his nephew and all their belongings based upon the promise from God, that God would make him a great nation from which all nations of the world would be blessed. He is at age 75 years old. Chronologically in scripture, we follow Abraham, who has victory over Lot's enemies and redeems Lot and his family. Abraham then pays a tithe of the spoils of war to the High Priest of God, " Melchizedek ". Abraham is exercising faith in God as when he first did when he left his own country. Without stating when, but long before Gen.15, we are already introduced to Abrams "personal relationship to God".

In Genesis 15:1, Again after so many years Abram having left his country, kindred and family, the Lord appears to him. The Lord reassures him, that He will defend and shield him and the Lord will be his exceedingly great reward. From all that has gone before, we see Abraham as acting and living in faith. Long before it is said to him, "his faith is accounted as righteousness" in Genesis 15:6.

We come to that pivotal scripture, the foundation to the faith of Christianity. Abram has not doubted God but complains that he is yet barren. " ²And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless," thou he has a personal relationship with God for so many years, he is yet barren and childless. Then the Lord makes this promise; " ⁵And he (the Lord) brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. "

Abraham is shown the stars, unable to number them, so shall he bring forth as many as be because of "thy seed" . When Abram believes fully in his heart in the promised "seed" that shall come and produce as many as the stars in the heavens, it is then "accounted to him for righteousness". ⁶And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Though, Abram had a personal relationship with the Lord for the many years, it is not until he is thoroughly convinced in his heart that the promise of "His Seed" is the means of the furnishing of so many innumerable children. We see that Abram's faith and walk with God is incomplete until he believes in the promised seed, Christ. So will those who refuse to believe be incomplete in the walk with God, until they believe in the promised, "seed" . The promise of the seed, was not through the covenant of the law of Moses, but through the action of faith in the promise, 500 years before Moses and the law. Romans 4: ¹³For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: ". The coming of the covenant law of Moses, the ten commandments and the feasts of the Jews is another 500 years later and would not contribute to the promise of the fruit of faith in Christ because the promise was 500 years before the covenant. The law would only show both Jew and Gentile the need for Christ.

From the epistle of Galatians we read:3: " ¹⁶Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. " Paul interprets, "thy seed" to mean Christ. And the inheritors obtain not a piece of land in the middle east but "the world" (Rom.4:13). Again, Paul continues to show that the Mosaic covenant with its laws for Israel or the Jews, 430 years later, has no part one way or the other in the fulfillment of the promise of salvation to the Christian whether, Jew or Gentile. Gal.4:¹⁷And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. ¹⁸For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. " .

The belief in the promised seed, is the means by which all men are justified and accounted righteous, whether Jew or Gentile, under the law or without the law. Even though, Abram had a personal relationship with God for so many years before, Genesis 15, it was not until he fully believed in his heart in the promised seed, Christ that his faith was "accounted for righteousness" .

Returning to Romans 4, Paul begins to show that those who are laboring under the law to attain righteousness, shall not receive it until they receive it by the grace promised through Christ. Rom. 4:⁴Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. ⁵But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Because, the law has shown that all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, it was not through the covenant of law, that men would be saved, but through the promised seed, Christ. That through belief in him, Grace and mercy would abound. Rom.4: ⁶Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, ⁷Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. ⁸Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

Paul uses the King David, who reigned over Israel, indeed a man after God's own heart, yet one whom had sinned and fallen short as going outside the covenant of Moses to seek the promise of the forgiveness of sin, by which all men would be justified in Christ Jesus. After seeking forgiveness for sin in the promised seed himself, King David expresses the righteousness which is found in Christ as "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" .

This faith not only predated the Mosaic Law (Rom4:1-5) it was active during the time of the law. King David made the same discovery that Abraham had, that being forgiven of sins comes from God by repentance and faith (Ps.32:5, 10), and the resulting righteousness (v.6) is as real as the forgiveness of sin. And so it is that everyone, Jewish or Gentile must come to believe in everlasting life and forgiveness of sin in Christ, the promised seed of Abram, before his faith can be accounted as righteousness. ¹⁶Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Returning to Romans. 4: ⁹Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. ¹⁰How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. ¹¹And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: ¹²And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised."

Rom.4:11, 12 Abraham was living by faith when he was 75 but not circumcised until he was 99 (Gen.12:4, 17:24). Abraham was the father of the Gentiles who without circumcision and the law of Moses, and the ten commandments cast in stone, lived by faith before he became the father of the Jews. Circumcision was the sign and seal for Israel and the Jewish Sabbaths the sign of the covenant with Israel through Moses (Exodus 31:12-19). But Abraham was saved by faith without circumcision of the flesh and without keeping the Jewish Sabbaths. Yes, 500 years before a Jewish Sabbath had been ever introduced to the Jewish people.

Romans 4:13-18, Righteousness is not through physical descent. For if one has to be come Jew or Jewish to inherit the world (God's Kingdom v.13) Abraham's salvation, based on his faith and God's promise is made void (v.14). The covenant of law which requires physical descent or circumcision of the flesh and the vow to keep all the commandments brings wrath (v.15); only grace has the power to satisfy the law, so there is "no transgression". The righteous, then are those of faith, not those of the law (v.14) that is those given the law under Moses, physical descendants of Abraham. Abraham's true offspring are spiritual, he is the father of ALL who believe, Jew and Gentile like, with or without the law of Moses.

Thus, Paul chose Abraham to be the model of faith both for the Jew and for the Gentile. Abraham was a Gentile, one the righteous among the nations, that became father of the Jews, who first believed in Christ the promised seed, 500 years before the laws of the covenant of Moses, the ten commandments and the Jewish Sabbaths, New Moons, and meat distinctions were ever given. Before, I leave this subject, I think it right to also to say, that Paul as with Abraham, by no means thinks that a Christian then has a right to live lawlessly under grace. The natural laws given orally by God to Noah (Gen.9:10) and passed down to Abraham to keep were there to prevent any idea of man being able to walk according to the lusts of the flesh and claim the promise of inheritance through Christ. Repeatedly, throughout the Epistle of Romans and Galatians, the Apostle Paul warns men not to live according to the lusts of the flesh. Rom.6: ¹¹Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹²Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. To the Apostle Paul, sin consists of "obeying the lusts of the flesh".

Paul writes further, "¹³Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. ¹⁵What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. ¹⁶Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ¹⁷But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ¹⁸Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ¹⁹I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ²⁰For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. ²¹What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²²But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. ²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. "

The yielding of the members unto uncleanness and unto iniquity, isn't speaking of breaking of Jewish Sabbaths or meat restrictions, but it is speaking of the immoral uses of the lusts of the flesh and the actual members of our body. Sin is not to reign in "our mortal body". That is where sin actually resides and may reign if we so let it. It comes out of the heart of man, Mk. 7:19 " That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. ²¹For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, ²²Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: ²³All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." With the promise of the salvation through Christ was also the promise of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is to be used to overcome the fleshly heart of man and its wickedness that truly defiles him which leads to death. Gal.5:²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. ²⁴And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. ²⁵If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. " Abraham who had no Ten Commandments cast in stone, nor Jewish Feasts days, walked by righteousness of faith trusting in the promised seed, Christ. He lived a righteous life, through the Spirit and faith, apart from the law of Moses which was yet five hundred years a far off. Thus, he became the model of both Jew and Gentile, circumcised and uncircumcised that looked for the blessed hope in the promised seed, Christ and walked by faith and not by sight. Abraham did indeed, become the father of the true spiritual Israel, the nation called, the church consisting of both Jews and Gentiles all one in the promised seed of Christ.

The Gospel Preached Unto Abraham

By Robert Clanton
robert4211@tx.rr.com

There is a very specific reason why Paul quoted the scripture concerning Abraham in Romans 3 and 4. Not taking scripture out of its context to proof-text in this article I will show why Paul choose Genesis 15 to use as the gospel being preached unto Abraham. Not only Paul uses that way but so do the other Apostles.

In my article "Abraham Model of Faith" or otherwise titled, "Why Did Paul Choose Abraham" , I illustrated how that Paul manifested both Jew and Gentile under sin, leading up to the quotation of Gen.15. I was following the context of Paul’s writings. Paul like most Catholic Scholars and others knew well that Abraham already had faith and was living by faith. The same can be said for so many of the Jews of Christ day. The practice of keeping the law of Moses was an act of faith in keeping with their covenant. Still, because of them falling short of the glory of God and because all had been found guilty of sin by the law, they were in need of a righteousness that was from God through faith, not from the law. Likewise, the Gentiles were all found sinners. And the same was true for them so that both Jew and Gentile were under the same condemnation.

All of this strictly follows the context of Romans 3. What is true for them is also true for Abraham. Though he walked by faith in a personal relationship with God, he had still sinned and found himself in need of a justification that he could not deliver himself. But God could deliver this justification from sin, through His Son Christ Jesus. In Gen.15:1-5 there is a shadowy preaching of the Gospel of Christ’s first advent, death and resurrection to Abraham, in the promise of coming of his “seed” which shall bring forth as many children as there are stars in the heavens. When Abraham then states that he “believed in the Lord” Gen.15:6 it is the exactly the same act as when the Jews repented in believed in Christ as the seed, that they might be saved.

The accounting of Abraham's faith as righteousness in the context of the epistle of Romans is the moment when Abraham believes and trusts on the promised seed, Christ. I would have others note the immediate relationship between Abraham's belief in the promised seed as being accounted as righteousness and the next verses that speak of David's forgiveness of sin. "³For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. ⁴Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. ⁵But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. ⁶Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, ⁷Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. ⁸Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. In both cases, Abraham and David, it speaks of the justification of the ungodly through the forgiveness of sin. When Abraham believed in the Lord, as it written in Gen.15:6, Paul interprets the scripture to mean, Abraham believed in the coming of Christ as savior. So is the case with King David after he sinned, in looked to the time when his sins would be forgiven and covered by Christ, and justify his ungodliness through Christ's sacrifice.

None of this takes away from the fact that both had walked by the righteousness of faith, it only underscores that both sinned and only Christ could restore their relationship to God after their sin and bring them to righteousness again.

When Paul preaches the righteousness of faith that is attained by belief in Christ, he is preaching the gospel. The right standing before God was and is only capable through the sacrifice of Christ. This is the gospel. This is the essence of the Catholic Mass. Rom.4: ⁴Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. ⁵But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

The Epistle of Galatians says the same thing, Gal.3: ⁶Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. ⁷Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. ⁸And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. " Note that Paul says Abraham had the preaching of the gospel of Christ to him, when it is said, "In you all the shall all nations be blessed" . Paul interprets this scripture as the gospel of how the Gentiles would be justified through belief in Christ or through faith in Christ, the seed of Abraham. Paul's point in both cases is that our right standing before God is entirely based on the grace that is given us through faith in Christ. Paul emphases that whether Jew or Gentile no matter, our right standing before God is purely attainable only through faith in Christ. When Abraham believed on the Lord, in Gen.15:6 he found grace through Christ's sacrifice and forgiveness of sin, likewise David and all who are saved. Paul's whole emphasis is to show the Jew that no matter how righteous Abraham was he still only able to be found in the grace, through the gospel of Christ. And David also, who loved God's law under the old covenant, a man after God's own heart, still spoke of the blessedness that would come through the forgiveness of sin, through Christ the promised seed. The points are so salient to the Jewish Christian among the churches. If Abraham and David found grace only through Christ so should all the others.

The tendency to over react to a once saved, always saved causes some to deny what is plainly there in scripture. There is or can be a moment when one believes in the gospel and is saved or brought to a state of Grace in Christ. And it is the beginning of salvation. His obedience to the other facets of the gospel are then made incumbent, to be baptized and follow the church. But, let's not deny what is clearly there in scripture. Gal.5: ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

This right standing, the forgiveness of sin comes when one believes the gospel even as Abraham. It is that which changes the heart and from the heart creates a desire for righteousness and right standing before God. The scripture is replete with countless stories and examples of the first conversions of the hearts of men at the belief in Christ's sufferings, death and resurrection.

We all know of the story of the thief on the cross, who believed in his heart and spoke it with his mouth and then went with the Lord into paradise. On the day of Pentecost, Peter did nothing other than to preach the gospel of Christ, him crucified and resurrected to the Jews and to the baptize those that received Christ and trusted in him, wherein 3,000 souls were added to the church, Acts 2:5-41. The scripture culminates Peter's gospel message, "³⁷Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? ³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Out from among whom are these converts to Christ? Luke records, in the same chapter " ⁵And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven." These devout Jews are men, women and families of faith living devoutly according to the laws of Moses under the Old Covenant. Their faith was yet incomplete though they be as devout as Abraham or David. They must believe in Christ as the promised seed that would bring them salvation and repent and be baptized everyone of them in the name of Jesus Christ "for the remission of sins" and receive the Holy Spirit.

Again in chapter three of Acts, Peter preaches repentance both accepting and learning to trust in Christ for their salvation of these Jews, saying, " ²⁵Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. ²⁶Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. This particular story ending in Chapter 4 says, " ⁴Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. "

Or consider Acts 8, to whom Phillip preaches. " ³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. ³⁶And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? ³⁷And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Time would fail me to mention all those examples of the devout Jews and Gentiles whose salvation began as all of ours in the act of believing the gospel. Whether it be the devout Jews in Jerusalem or Cornelius and his family, the devout Gentiles, whose faith was incomplete until he converted to Christianity at the preaching of Christ from Peter and received the Holy Spirit while Peter was preaching Christ before he was baptized.. We cannot and must not deny the beginnings of those whose hearts and minds are changed when they hear and believe in the salvation through Christ.

Further, in Romans we are told exactly what we see occurring in the book of Acts. Rom.10: ⁴For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. ⁵For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. ⁶But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) ⁷Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) ⁸But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; ⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

¹²For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ¹³For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." We cannot discount the truths of the changes in hearts of men at the hearing and believing of the gospel. Though, it is not all the gospel, it is the beginning of the conversion process. Though, it is not all that there is to salvation, it is the beginning of salvation.

Further, what Paul adds next is the church's responsibility to preach. ¹⁴How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Indeed, often are the conversions of sinners both among the Protestants and the Catholics at this message. While, that is not all the truth of faith and some faiths may be not be full, yet we should not deny the beginnings of salvation upon their hearts and their conversions when they, like the devout Jews and the others believed on Christ at the hearing of the message of salvation through Christ Jesus.

In closing I would have look at the very foundational scripture from which stands all of your confidence in the church in Mt. 16. It is at the very moment when Peter confesses with his mouth what he believed in his heart that Christ is the Messiah the Son of the Living God, that Christ pronounced how blessed he was of the Father and made him, the rock upon whom the Church was built, giving him the keys of the kingdom of heaven and the promise of the gates hell that would never prevail over the church.

¹³When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? ¹⁴And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. ¹⁵He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? ¹⁶And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. ¹⁷And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. ¹⁸And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ¹⁹And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The foundation of the gospel and that of Christ, him crucified and raised for our salvation. I do not think that Salvation begins and ends at one moment, though I don't leave out the possibility that it can, as it did with the thief on the cross, who believed and confessed. But, it is a fact that it begins in the expression of faith in Christ and that is where it is God's will to end. Both Jews and Gentiles devout and sinner are promised to stand in the grace that is promised through the promised seed and believing on him.

The Influence of the Noahide Laws in the Gospels

The Influence of the Noahide Laws in the Gospels
The Gospel to Both the Jew and the Gentile

By Robert W. Clanton
robert4211@tx.rr.com

Throughout the Old Testament and into the New, there is a consistent teaching of righteousness. Before Moses, that righteousness is the exercise of faith in God in covenant with the associated laws. True faith exhibits itself in true righteousness, not only in outward form but inward righteousness by his relationship with his Creator. The practice of the Jews to accept the righteous Gentile incorporated in the worship of God is the fulfilling of the purpose of God. For the Jew or Israelite, faith consisted of the keeping of the laws of Moses in the covenant with Israel but only those laws which are common to both the covenant with Noah and the covenant with Israel. Whether Jew or Gentile God desires and commands us to live a life of righteousness. This is taught throughout the Old Testament and is the gateway into the New Testament.

Beginning with John the Baptist “preparing the way” for Christ, the scriptures lead us to him in the wilderness outside of Jerusalem. Preaching first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. In a very dire warning, John the Baptist scolds the Jews who had only an outward show of righteousness and in the same practice had come to be baptized because that made them appear repentant, while their hearts were far from it. He condemns them for their unrighteousness. Mt. 3: ⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:”

Luke 3 gives the most insightful account “¹⁰And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? ¹¹He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. ¹²Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? ¹³And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. ¹⁴And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.” The people asked what should they do to be accepted with God. John the baptist answers, be charitable and give to the poor, do not take what is not yours. Gentile soldiers is standing there with them and asks what they are to do. John gives them one of the Noahide commandments, not to do any violence to their neighbor and in the same spirit of the law, not to falsely accuse them, the extension of the commandment. And lastly, not to be greedy but to be content with their wages. Here we find the inward righteousness of what God expected of both Jew and Gentile, exhibited in outward manifestations of love toward their fellow man.

It is generally accepted that the gospel of Matthew was written to the Jews or specifically for the Jewish audience. At the beginning of Christ’s ministry from His sermon on the Mount, Christ begins with the beatitudes. Each one of them which can only flow from a truly converted and righteous person inwardly. We learn to be truly poor in spirit, humbling ourselves to make peace and bring peace, to turn the other cheek and to be “pure in heart” . All which flow out of a person. Christ’s emphasis is nothing less than that of the intent of the law and the prophets. That is, to bring men to true inward righteousness by faith. Immediately following the beatitudes Christ has these words regarding the law and the prophets: Mt. 5:¹⁷Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Christ had not come to destroy the law and make the law of no purpose but to bring about all that the law and the prophets had taught. Christ had come to fill to the fullest the intent of the law by his perfect example of love for his fellow man and God.

¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Now at the Sermon on the Mount, Christ is preaching the law of inward righteousness. Moses gave commandments from the Mount of Sinai and wrote them on tablets of stone, Christ was now giving us His own commandments of inward righteousness entire unattainable by outward show. They are the words of righteousness that are to be written on the “tables of our hearts (2Cor.3). If some one teaches these commandments and also keeps them, they will be called “great” in the kingdom of Heaven. The next verse is rarely ever quoted but clinches the whole context of the gospel for both Jew and the Gentile: “ ²⁰For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” The mere observance of outward circumcision of the flesh and keeping Jewish Sabbaths, meats and other ceremonial laws is not what God had or intended for either Jew or Gentile to become.

Christ commands and true righteousness from the heart, not the mere outward practice of holy days and meat restrictions or the cutting of the flesh. The prophet Isaiah in Chapter 1 “⁹Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. ¹⁰Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. ¹¹To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. ¹²When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? ¹³Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. ¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. ¹⁵And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. ¹⁶Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; ¹⁷Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” Israel often forgot fundamental purpose of the law, which was to bring about a change of heart that was devoted to God in every purpose and thought.

The Gospel to the Jews, Matthew records how Christ viewed the purpose for the Law and the Prophets, Mt. 7“¹²Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Also in Mt. 22: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Throughout the gospels, we find very little emphasis upon the keeping of the outward ceremonial parts of the law because Christ and the Apostles are preparing the way for the teachings of the church, whose purpose it is to shine the bright light of truths taught by Christ and the Holy Spirit. By the time the four gospels are written, the Apostles are fully aware of the great number of uncircumcised Gentiles who have converted to Christianity. The gospel of the justification by Grace through faith in Christ was placed the religious Jew in the same condition as the state of the Gentiles, [Acts 13: ³⁸Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: ³⁹And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” and Rom.3: ⁹What then? are we (Jews) better than they(Gentiles)? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;”] All mankind Jew and Gentile alike are dire need of the forgiveness of sin and justification in Christ. Both Jew and Gentile were forced to look outside of the law of Moses for this justification and righteousness to find it in the promise seed of Abraham hundreds of years before the covenant at Mount Sinai.

This left the Apostles and Elders of the Church with the responsibility to then explain the purpose for the covenant of law with Israel. The gospels are written in light of that responsibility, to show forth the heart of the meaning of the law and the prophets two fold purpose. One, to show the intent of the law to prepare everyone of Israel to the Messiah, Jesus by showing them their own sinfulness. And two, to bring about through the exercise of religious acts, a heart that would fulfill the two great commandments and the summation of the moral purity taught in the law abounding in love for God and one another. The Sermon on the Mount from Christ details the inward righteousness of the heart that God desired for the Jew who possessed the law and oracles of God to be.

For the Apostles sin as it relates to the Gentiles would not consist in breaking the commandments of the Jewish Sabbath, Annual Holy Days, Circumcision of flesh or the neglect of tithes to the Levites commanded in the Law of Moses. Sin consists of the surrendering of the flesh to its inordinate affections. Throughout all of the Epistles of Paul who labored most among the Gentiles, sin is an “infirmity of the flesh” and the “motions of sin working in the members of the flesh” Rom.7:7. ⁵For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. ⁶But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” Because a Christian is not under the Law of Moses, he is not free to live according to the lusts of the flesh. He is to serve God, not by the letter of the law as prescribed in Moses but by the spirit and intent of the law, that is to overcome the temptation to do evil which the flesh tempts us. And by doing so to fulfill the laws intent by walking in the newness of the Spirit which they had received by faith.

Sin consists of “yielding the members (of the body) unto unrighteousness” Rom.6: ¹²Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. ¹⁵What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. ¹⁶Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Paul’s accentuation is sin as it refers to the body and the lusts of the flesh and its members.

This overcoming of the flesh is done by living and drawing in and from the Holy Spirit. Rom.8: ^{10 “}And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. ¹²Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. ¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” By living in such a manner of overcoming the flesh through faith and the Holy Spirit, the Gentile fulfills the intent of the righteousness of the law of Moses. Rom.2: ²⁶Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? ²⁷And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? ²⁸For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: ²⁹But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

When the conversion of the Gentiles to Christ was brought to light through the Holy Spirit, by the working of the Apostles Peter, these uncircumcised Gentiles received the Holy Spirit and salvation even as the Jews who had come to Christ (Acts 10:44-48, 15:6-10). Peter’s words in Acts 10:34, declare the mind of God, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: ³⁵But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”

When “certain of the Sect of Pharisees which believed” attempted to limit the salvation of Gentiles to only those who would come under the Law of Moses by circumcision (Acts 15:1,5), they were defeated by the Apostles own decree which declared the Gentiles free from law of Moses save only those things which were common to the covenant of Noah. By doing these outward things, they would be “doing well” in the sight of God and the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28-29). The rest, was a matter not of outward observances of the law of Moses, in Sabbaths, Holy Days, and meat restrictions but the inward working of the Holy Spirit which would assist them in through Grace in the overcoming the flesh and fulfilling two great commandments with all the moral purity intended in the covenant of both Noah and Israel.

Throughout the rest of the Epistles and within the gospels we find the extensive and detailed emphasis of moral purity, while addressing some of the important questions of the time such as “meats offered to idols” in 1Corinthians 10 repeated warnings against idolatry and fornication.

In 1Thessalonians 4:2-5 Paul warns against fornication or pronea the sin of using the members of our bodies for immoral use. Paul reminds them of the commandments which were given the Gentiles to keep through them as from the Lord Jesus. “:²For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. ³For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: ⁴That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; ⁵Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:” For the Gentile the proof of their knowing of God is their abstaining from idolatry, fornication and the possessing of their vessel in purity.

In all the epistles left for us as a record of the teaching of the Apostles handed down to the Church, the commandments of God for the Gentiles to keep are always founded upon the teachings of Christ’s commandments to the Church regarding moral purity, Christian conduct and the unity of love and bond of charity towards the both the Jew and Gentile. The Gentile Christian was not to be “troubled” (the often used word) or judged by the Jewish Christian regarding circumcision of the flesh, the Sabbaths, New Moon or Holy Days or in regard to foods (Col.2:16-17) However, immediately following these words are Paul’s strong words in Chapter 3: “⁵Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: ⁶For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: ⁷In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. ⁸But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. ⁹Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; ¹⁰And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: ¹¹Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”

In the very epistle of Paul where, he condemns the Judaizers because they had corrupted the gospel by adding trying to add circumcision of the flesh and the rest of law of Moses to the Gentile believers, Paul sternly warns the Gentiles that because they are not under the law of Moses, they are not free to live after the flesh. Gal.5: ¹⁶This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. ¹⁸But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, ²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, ²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. ²⁴And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. ²⁵If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

By living “according to the Spirit” and “walking by the Spirit” the Gentile would be fulfilling the law not in the keeping of the letter but in the spirit of its intent. That is to bring all men to Christ and glorify God by faith, squelching and overcoming the lusts of the flesh and being the example of fullness of God’s love toward man and God and the intent of the spirit of the teachings of the law of Moses. Both circumcised Jew, who by tradition may keep the Law of Moses and uncircumcised Gentile keeping the covenant laws of Noah would come together in one united body that would demonstrate God’s love for the Jew and God’s love for the other nations of the world. In the one visible body of the church Jew and Gentile from every nation would not only be an expression of God’s love for men and men for each other but the fullness of the expression of God’s love for Christ, “the that world may know” God, the Father “loved him and sent him” as spoken in John 17:20-23. Both Jew and Gentile (the sheep not of the Jewish fold, John 10:16) were all to keep the commandments to love one another because to love one another is the fulfilling of the law. To harm one another is to transgress the intent of the law. John 13:35 “by this sign” says Christ, “all men will know you are my disciples” .

The body of believers would then be “witnesses” to the sending of Christ from the Father, the Father’s love for Christ and the power of Christ’s own death and resurrection. As witnesses, the Holy Spirit would unite Jew and Gentile in holiness, moral purity and brotherly love to become a living visible holy body on earth for all men to see as a visible demonstration of resurrected Christ living and holy body united on earth in the church in love throughout all nations (Mt.28:19, Rom.1:5, 16:26). The whole volume of scripture and law and the prophets are a fulfilled coming of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, uniting in love both Jew and Gentile in the body of Christ to the glory of God.