Scrip, That was an excellent exposition on how the seventh day Sabbath was delivered to Israel exclusively. This is why there is no command by Christ, nor especially His Apostles to the new Gentile Christians to keep the Hebrew Sabbath. Zilch, Nada, None…

In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul clearly addresses the relationship between the Mosaic law received by the Hebrews at Sinai (righteousness by works) and gift of grace (righteousness by faith in Christ):

Romans 11:1-10 (NIV) 1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that could not see
and ears that could not hear,
to this very day.”

9 And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.”

Works in the form of “law keeping” are antithetical to the idea of a salvation that is born of God’s free grace alone. There is NOTHING (no thing) that we possess that we can add to God’s free gift without contaminating and thus transforming that same gift into an obscene and terrible burden Acts 15:10 (NIV) & Galatians 5:1 (NIV). Our Father in Heaven freely offers His perfect graceful gift to us with the sole expectation that we fall on our faces in soulful worship and extreme gratitude! Instead, we sneer and put our rusty iron coin [our filthy rags: Isaiah 64:6 (NIV)] next to His perfect golden gift of grace and we (in effect) say: “Now will you love me?” The rage of our Heavenly Father is great as He proclaims: “So you think that in some way you can add to or earn your own righteousness?” My only begotten Son gave His very life for you on the Cross of Calvary; and you think you can add to His gift—His sacrifice? Because of your lack of faith, your sins are not covered by His righteousness! Be gone from me you wretched sinner! I cannot look upon you!!!

Those who do not believe in God’s Sovereign free grace and His choosing (or election) of the elect should look again and not ignore the bolded elements of Paul’s epistles (above and below). The underlined verbiage in Paul’s message directly and distinctly rejects and rebukes human effort as a source of or aid to our salvation. All our good works should be done in gratitude not in servitude (as if to earn something). What is it that we of the flesh possess, that God is in need of?!?!? How does a corrupt , deceitful sinner put God under even the slightest obligation!?!?!

Romans 4:1-3 (NIV) 1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

The truth of scripture is the Truth of God’s Word. As Christ prayed to His Holy Father:

John 17:17 (NIV) 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

The flesh is simply that, flesh! Only the spirit gives life. We may find this offensive, but no amount of fleshly grumbling or re-definition is going to change the unchangeable Truth of God!

John 6:61-65 (NIV) 61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

In Christ,

Well thank you for the kind words, Dan.

Mr. Brito has often stated that he is not advocating the keeping of the Law as the means of salvation. However, it is apparent that he feels that such keeping of the Law is an aid to sanctification. Paul utterly destroys this position and Peter underscores Paul’s theology on this matter. Peter does that by accepting Paul’s rebuke when he (Peter) wavered on the clear teaching of grace alone for ALL of salvation. Then Peter called the Law a “yoke that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear.”

Speaking of destruction, I wonder how Mr. Britto deals with Galatians 2:18: If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

As you may know from my posts, I understand election differently from you and am opposed to Calvinism. The enablng Christ was speaking of, I believe, was the scripture given through the OT Prophets to teach the Jewish nation about Christ. If they had not rejected God’s teaching, they would have believed in Christ. Later on, Christ Himself becomes the enabler as He teaches us to come to Him.

Everyone who has been taught of God (accepted the Gospel) comes to Christ whether they simply heard Christ word’s or they heard the truth via the OT Scriptures.

God bless, Scrip

Scrip - 13 April 2011 08:16 AM

Well thank you for the kind words, Dan.

You’re quite welcome. Your exposition was excellent…

Scrip - 13 April 2011 08:16 AM

Mr. Brito has often stated that he is not advocating the keeping of the Law as the means of salvation. However, it is apparent that he feels that such keeping of the Law is an aid to sanctification. Paul utterly destroys this position and Peter underscores Paul’s theology on this matter. Peter does that by accepting Paul’s rebuke when he (Peter) wavered on the clear teaching of grace alone for ALL of salvation. Then Peter called the Law a “yoke that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear.”

I’ve read all of Mr. Brito’s statements regarding his interpretation of how law keeping does not win his salvation and I’m glad to hear it. However, the official SDA position of bearing the “mark” if you worship on Sunday is difficult to ignore. I have a beloved relative who’s SDA and the slavish yoke found in the pursuit of perfection, the condemnation of the IJ, the dietetic rules, and the necessity of Sabbath keeping are all very troubling and simply and starkly un-scriptural. In fact I would go so far as to say these beliefs and practices are anti-scriptural.

Scrip - 13 April 2011 08:16 AM

Speaking of destruction, I wonder how Mr. Britto deals with Galatians 2:18: If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

The Galatians text you reference above comes from the passages where Paul confronts Peter concerning the double life he is leading. Behaving as a Gentile when among Gentiles and then behaving like a Jew when likewise he is among Jews. I believe that Paul is saying in (2:18) that, up to this point he has been tearing down the Mosaic Law as a means of salvation, and that if he were to go backward and “rebuild what I destroyed” he would then be in direct violation of the Law of Christ. The Law of Moses and the Law of Christ are not interchangeable and yet they are not in anyway opposed to each other. In fact it is the impossibility of perfectly keeping the Mosaic law that highlights how desperately we need Christ and His perfect “law keeping” to save us! The O/T law motivates us to flee to Christ as one would flee to the very last lifeboat! Or perhaps better said, the ONLY lifeboat that ever was or ever will be available to rabid sinners like me!!

Paul seals this concept in the next few verses:

Galatians 2:19-20 (NIV) 19“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Then Paul nails the coffin shut on Mosaic “Law keeping” being a salvation source by clearly setting Grace against Law and the very dear price we would pay should it, in reality, be otherwise:

Galatians 2:21 (NIV) 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Scrip - 13 April 2011 08:16 AM

As you may know from my posts, I understand election differently from you and am opposed to Calvinism. The enabling Christ was speaking of, I believe, was the scripture given through the OT Prophets to teach the Jewish nation about Christ. If they had not rejected God’s teaching, they would have believed in Christ. Later on, Christ Himself becomes the enabler as He teaches us to come to Him.

Everyone who has been taught of God (accepted the Gospel) comes to Christ whether they simply heard Christ word’s or they heard the truth via the OT Scriptures.

I’m not a student of John Calvin. That doesn’t mean I disagree with his writings, but I find that there’s such a plethora of pervasive presuppositions that arise when his name is used that it seems to close doors prematurely. I am not a lettered man in theology or philosophy. I’ve studied the writings of Sproul, Piper, Edwards, and many others. If there is a common thread running through the teachers I’ve had, and the biblical consistency I’ve seen in all of them; it’s this: Sola Scriptura , Sola Gratia, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria! Now for many here this sounds Calvinistic; but for me it heralds and proclaims the very heart and soul of Christianity! A Christianity that was clearly proclaimed by the Apostles, and early church fathers: Clement of Rome, Augustine and many others. These were the men who authored the letters that Luther, Calvin, Edwards, et al… read and preached from!

God’s blessings to you and to yours my dear Scrip!

I’ve run out of time for further exposition on your last paragraph concerning the question of “election”. Perhaps another time, Lord willing…

May the Holy Spirit build us up and continue to enlighten us through the very Word of our perfect and loving Father in Heaven.

In the Name of Jesus Christ.  I pray,

Amen!

Scrip - 13 April 2011 08:16 AM

Everyone who has been taught of God (accepted the Gospel) comes to Christ whether they simply heard Christ word’s or they heard the truth via the OT Scriptures.

Been taught of God, eh?

Did your god teach you to add to Revelation?

Are you coming to the Christ of Revelation, or a phony Christ addressed by 2 Cor 11?

Scrip - 13 April 2011 08:16 AM

If they had not rejected God’s teaching, they would have believed in Christ. Later on, Christ Himself becomes the enabler as He teaches us to come to Him.

Could they have believed in Christ if they had just made up their minds to do so?

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24