I hope You will find these ideas Worthy of Your Consideration! I found This article good, but I have not checked out the rest of the site.

Blessings All!



An Excerpt: (full article link at the end)

Galatians 4:21-31 and Remnant Theology

But what does the scripture say? "Cast out the slave and her son; for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman."

(Galatians 4:30 RSV)



REMNANT THEOLOGY

We now come to the focal point of this Bible Study. How does the Scripture text Galatians 4:21-31 relate to Remnant Theology? Well it is simple. Isaac replaced Ishmael when he came, because Isaac is what God promised all along. Ishmael was only a temporary arrangement, a parenthesis if you will, that was only to be in the picture until Isaac, the promise, came on the scene. Once Isaac came, then Ishmael would have to go away. The two could not inherit together because God’s promise was Isaac, not Ishmael.

It is the same with the two Covenants. Once Sarah’s womb conceived with the fulfillment of God’s promise, then Hagar’s days were numbered. Once Isaac was born, the promise was realized. Sarah was the mother of this promised seed, which was Isaac the true heir. In like manner, once Jesus came and established the New Covenant, the Old would vanish away.

19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made;

(Galatians 3:19 KJV Abridged)

9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

(Hebrews 10:9-10 KJV)

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

(Hebrews 8:13 KJV)

These three passages are proofs which reinforce the Truths taught in Galatians 4:21-31. The Scripture in Galatians 3:19 is plain that the law was added, until the seed should come to whom the promise was made.

This means that the law had a definite beginning, and a definite ending! Galatians 3:16 states that this seed, to which the promises of Abraham were made to, is Jesus Christ. Therefore when Christ came, the end of the law was upon us. On Mount Calvary, at the crucifixion, Jesus took the law away so that he could establish the New Covenant of God’s grace and Truth.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

(John 1:17 KJV)

The law began at Mount Sinai and ended at Mount Calvary! The New Covenant replaced the old covenant, and in allegory this is Hagar being replaced by Sarah. Thus it follows that Isaac also replaces Ishmael. That which was born by promise replaced that which was born after the flesh!

The Scripture says that the bondmaid and her son were cast out! So not only was the law (the old covenant) cast out, but those who attempt to keep the law for righteousness were cast out also, being her children in bondage.

The reason given was because the son of the bondmaid could not inherit and be heir with the son of the free woman. The son of the bondmaid was not the heir. The Apostle Paul saw this clearly and wrote in Romans 4:14.

14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

They who are of the law cannot be heirs. This is because the law covenant is not the covenant that was promised. The New Covenant is the Covenant which was promised, from before the foundation of the world.

Now Remnant Theology comes into play. Of old time, though the number of the children of Israel would be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved. Isaiah prophesied this and the Apostle Paul quoted it in Romans 9:27. Our Apostle then picks up the same thought in Romans 11:5, letting it be known that this remnant of the children of Israel is ‘according to the election of grace.’ Not of the works of the law, but by grace! Not by the law, but by promise! Promise is the fulfillment of the temporary jurisdiction of the law!

Those who saw this truth among national Israel, are the remnant who shall be saved. Those among national Israel who reject this truth, are forever damned. For those antichrists, there is no hope, neither in this world or the next. Only the remnant of Israel would be saved by Christ’s grace and leave the bondage of the temporary old testament law and old Jerusalem for the liberty of the promised New Covenant and the New Jerusalem.

CONCLUSION

The Scriptures are clear. The New Covenant forever replaced the old covenant, represented in allegory by Sarah replacing Hagar. The children of the New Covenant forever replaced the children of the Old Covenant, represented in allegory by Isaac replacing Ishmael. The remnant of Israel, according to the election of grace, is all that would be saved from the bondage of the temporary old and move on into the liberty of the everlasting New. The rejecting, nay saying, persecuting, unbelieving natural Jews are cast out with the old covenant and the old Jerusalem.

How then can the dispensationalists teach that law keeping national Israel, in unbelief and denial of Jesus as the Christ and in rejection of the New Covenant, are still ‘God’s Elect’ or ‘God’s chosen people?

In God’s eyes, these unbelievers and antichrists are Ishmael, cast out with their mother Hagar who in the allegory represents the Old Covenant. Now was Ishmael ‘God’s Elect’ or ‘God’s chosen?’ No, because he was not by promise, but instead was after the flesh.

In God’s eyes, we are Isaac, the true children of Abraham and heirs according to the promise. We are they who were born by promise, by the Spirit. We were not born after the flesh.

We are God’s Elect! We are God’s Chosen People, chosen in Him even from before the very foundation of the world! Will you embrace these treasures of the Bride? Will you shed unscriptural traditions, buy the Bible truth and sell it not? Will you accept the fullness of the New Covenant?

May the New Covenant Church of Jesus Christ rise up and claim the fullness of her identity in God. We are the chosen generation and holy nation, which in times past were not a people, but are now the people of God (1 Peter 2:9).

Let us therefore show forth the praises of Him who called us out of darkness.

Presented with all this Light, how can any Christian ever go to take up the Law of Moses for righteousness as these Galatians were bewitched into doing? How can any Christian be a Sabbath day keeper, or a keeper of any part of a cast out and vanished away covenant?

How can any Christian teach and believe that those of the law, Ishmael, are ‘God’s Elect’ or ‘God’s Chosen People?’ How can any Christian be dispensationalist and believe that these cast out unbelieving antichrists are ‘God’s Elect’ and ‘God’s Chosen People?’ Such Christians are deceived.

Believe the Remnant Theology Truth about the Covenants. He took away the first, so that He may establish the second! All 613 precepts of the Law, the Old Covenant, were taken out of the way and nailed to His cross!

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

(Colossians 2:14 KJV)

Full Article here:

http://www.apostolicolivetree.com/gal4.html

basic ‘Remnant Theology in a Nutshell’

*******
The concept of remnant can be Biblically defined as that Continuous portion, be it large or small, of the community of Israel, which has been supernaturally preserved and redeemed Through various divine judgments throughout the ages. This Community is made up of both ethnic Israel as well as the Gentiles who are grafted in to Israel.

Although one is Hard-pressed to even find the word “remnant” in the index of many Fine theologies, the theology of remnant is crucial to a proper Understanding of the relationship between Jewish and Gentile Believers.

The Bible is filled with remnant principles from Noah to Elijah, from Judah to Ezekiel there is always someone who holds to the principles of God, who does not cave into the world around them. The remnant however is not exclusive in that the opportunity is open: some will chose God many will never, the remnant are those who as Joshua says, “choose life”.

As Chip Brogden wrote: “Anyone can, everyone won’t (in fact, a large majority will not) but SOMEBODY will. That group of “sombody’s” who will, is the Remnant.”

Remnant in the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament, finds Specific reference within the New Testament. There are three Different Greek words used in the New Testament, ‘kataleimma,’ ‘loipoy’ and ‘leimma,’ all of which are translated remnant.

The concept of the remnant of Israel first surfaces Prominently within the teaching of John the Baptist where he Indicates that simply being the physical seed of Abraham, ethnic Israel, is insufficient for personal salvation. Faith and Repentance are also necessary ingredients. This theme is further Developed by Paul.

“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; Neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But 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.” (Romans 2:28,29).

Israel and the Church – Understanding Some Theological Options -(This is an excellent study from Hebrew for Christians, which explains all three positions:

When studying the Jewish roots of Christianity, certain questions often arise regarding the nature of the “Church,” the nature of “Israel,” and the relationship between them. Do Gentile Christians become “Jewish” on account of their relationship to Jesus? Does the “Church” somehow replace the Jewish people in God’s plan as the “new Israel”? Exactly how should we understand the relationship between the Church and Israel today?

In general, Christian theology has developed three different interpretative systems that attempt to answer such questions:
-Replacement Theology -The Church and Israel refer to the same group of people.
-Separation Theology-The Church and Israel refer to different groups of people.
-Remnant Theology -The Church and Israel overlap in some manner.

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articl ... srael.html

There is a distinction to be made between the secular state of Israel and she’arit yisrael, the chosen remnant (including those yet to be chosen in the future). This implies, among other things, that the secular state is not to be identified with any form of theocracy and does not itself hold any sacred status.

*I would highly recommend taking the time to read through the above study completely.

So what is Remnant Theology’s Position?

From LeadershipU: Remnant Theology by John Gay
http://www.leaderu.com/theology/remnanttheo.html

Historically, there has been two main theories regarding the Church’s relationship to Israel. In replacement theology, the Church replaces Israel such that Israel has no redemptive future. In separation theology (an aspect of dispensationalism), while God has a future for Israel, there is a distinction between Israel and the Church that is preserved throughout all time, with no overlap of the two.

Is it possible that both of these popular positions have been wrong? Is there a middle ground of truth?

Proper and Improper Distinctions

In discussing the Church and Israel, the first thing to realize is that the Bible rarely makes a parallel distinction between national Israel and the Church (possible exceptions being Matthew 23:39 and Romans 11:26). Biblically, Israel is a nation, not a spiritual entity. As a nation of people (like any other nation of people), it contains both saved and unsaved. When the Bible speaks of Israel as a spiritual entity (the saved of Israel), it is referring to remnant Israel (which forces us to ask, “Is there a distinction between remnant Israel and the Church?”–a question we will address shortly).

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God–even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:32-33; italics added)

This passage is often used to justify a parallel distinction between Israel and the Church, but that is not what the passage is doing or saying. The immediate context shows that “Jews” refers to unsaved Jews, “Greeks” to unsaved Greeks, and the “church of God” to the saved (whether Jew or Greek). Therefore, the passage is consistent with the rest of the Bible in that it makes a parallel distinction between (1) Jew and Gentile, and between (2) the saved and the unsaved. Also consistent with the rest of Scripture, it does not make a parallel distinction between national Israel and the Church–which would be a category error.

Why then do people want to replace national Israel with the Church or separate Israel and the Church?

The problem is threefold. First, people usually equate “Church” with Gentiles, even though both Jews and Gentiles make up the Church (Ephesians 3:6). The second problem is that people often equate “Israel” with Jews. That, too, is against the Scriptures. Gentile believers become citizens of Israel (Ephesians 2:12, 19). The third problem is that people usually do not bother to make the necessary distinction between national Israel and remnant Israel, even though the Bible clearly makes that distinction (Romans 9:6-8, 11:1-7).

The situation is not as black and white as people have made it. There are gray areas that need to be explored and understood. “Church” does not mean Gentiles only. “Israel” does not always mean Jews only. And there is a significant theological difference between national Israel and remnant Israel.

What is the Church?

The Church is the assembly of people, whether Jew or Gentile, who have been called out of the world to form the spiritual Body of Christ (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Those in the Church come together by the Spirit and through the Messiah. They are said to be “in Christ” (Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:13).

What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory–even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:23-24; italics added)

The Church is Jews who have been physically called out of the nations, but also spiritually called out from unbelieving Israel, and Gentiles who have been spiritually called out of the nations to worship the God of Israel.

Both spiritually called-out peoples form one called-out people known as the Church. These called-out ones are saved by faith in the pattern of their spiritual father, Abraham (Romans 4:11). Thus, while only some in the Church are physically Jewish, all in the Church are spiritually Jewish. They are circumcised of the heart (Romans 2:29), the offspring of Abraham (Romans 4:16) and citizens of Israel (Ephesians 2:12, 19).

What is Israel?

Israel can mean several things. First, it often denotes national Israel–the nation whose citizens are physical descendants of Jacob/Israel. Second, it can mean those physical descendants of Jacob who have not responded to the call of God (Romans 9:31, 11:7). Third, it can mean those Jews (the remnant) who have trusted in the promises of God.

It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. (Romans 9:6-7; italics added)

Being a physical descendant of Abraham, while it does bring an advantage (Romans 3:1-2), does not mean one is automatically a spiritual descendant of Abraham (Romans 2:28-29; John 8:39; Matthew 3:9). “Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.” A person can be part of national Israel, and yet not be part of remnant Israel. There is an Israel within Israel, a subset of physical-and-spiritual Jewish people (remnant Israel) among the group of physically Jewish people (national Israel).

When Gentiles become spiritual descendants of Abraham through faith in Jesus Christ, they become part of this subset also, part of remnant Israel. That believing Gentiles are placed within remnant Israel is clearly shown by Paul’s illustration of the olive tree.

If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! (Romans 11:16-24; italics added)

The Olive Tree

To understand this complex passage, it will be helpful to analyze its terms.

(1) Holy Firstfruits/Root. While some consider Abraham the holy firstfruits/root that makes the whole batch and the branches holy, it is more likely that Jesus holds this position. In Pauline theology and throughout God’s Word, the Messiah is the only person who can make others holy (Isaiah 53:2-6; Romans 5:18-19, 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 5:26; Philippians 3:9; esp. Hebrews 2:11, 11:39-40).

Further evidence is found in Romans 9:3-4. “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.” Paul likens separation from Christ as being “cut off” from Him, language consistent with the olive tree metaphor and Christ as its root.

(2) Wild Olive Shoot. This is a reference to an individual Gentile. A shoot is a young, tender sprout, an undeveloped branch.

(3) Natural Branches. This is a reference to Jewish believers. A Jewish believer is a natural branch, whereas a Gentile believer is a wild olive shoot.

(4) Olive Tree. Non-believing Jews are not part of the olive tree. They have been broken off. Therefore, national Israel must not be in view as the olive tree. But the olive tree must represent some aspect of Israel, because, for Jewish believers, it is their own olive tree.

The olive tree represents remnant Israel. This idea is highly supported by the context of the passage. Previously, Paul has mentioned true Israel (9:6), the remnant of Israel (9:27, 11:5), the elect of Israel (11:7).

Remnant Israel = the Church

The olive tree represents remnant Israel, but does it also represent the Church? The olive tree is a group of Jews and Gentiles made holy by the Messiah. That is also an accurate description of the Church (Ephesians 3:6). With the olive tree metaphor, Paul was writing to Gentile believers (Romans 11:13), members of the Church. And yet, the context of the olive tree metaphor was not the Church per se. In Romans, Paul’s first use of ekklesia comes in Chapter 16 (vv. 1, 5, 23), where it refers to local assemblies, not the entire body of believers. The context of the olive tree metaphor is remnant Israel (Romans 11:5, 7)–“their [Jewish people's] own olive tree” (11:24).

If Paul had confined his olive tree illustration to include Jewish people only, remnant Israel might have been something separate from the Church, or something placed within the Church. Since Gentile believers are grafted into the olive tree, however, it is clear that remnant Israel is not confined to physical Jews only, but rather, contains the same redeemed peoples who are members of the Church.

Paul’s olive tree metaphor is similar to his human body metaphor (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12ff). The fact that he uses the two metaphors so close to one another (Romans 11 and 12) shows he is speaking about the same group of people in both. In the body metaphor, the Messiah is the head that gives direction to the rest of the body. Similarly, in the olive tree metaphor, the tree gets its sustenance and origin from the Messiah. In both metaphors, the membership is both Jew and Gentile. For the one: Jewish and Gentile body parts; for the other: Jewish branches and Gentile shoots.

A third metaphor is the spiritual temple spoken of by both Paul and Peter (Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-6). Here, the Messiah is the chief cornerstone and the redeemed peoples (Jew and Gentile) are living stones who form a spiritual building. All three metaphors–olive tree, human body, spiritual temple–speak of one and the same group of redeemed Jews and Gentiles. This group can be referred to as the Church, the Assembly, the Congregation, the Body of Messiah, the Body of Christ, God’s household–which Gentile believers are no longer alien to (1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 2:19), or remnant Israel–which Gentile believers are grafted into (Romans 11:17).

The Church: New and Not New

The Church is new. In the New Covenant Scriptures, the first mention of the Church is found in Matthew 16:18, where Jesus spoke of building His Church. Thus, the Church is a new undertaking, specifically because it is the Messiah’s congregation that He would build on the basis of His atoning death and resurrection. Like Moses who brought the ekklesia (the Israelites) out of Egypt physically, the Messiah would bring His ekklesia out of the world spiritually, to form a spiritual assembly that included both Jews and Gentiles.

The Church is also new regarding the New Covenant’s promise of the indwelling Spirit (Ezekiel 36:24-26; Jeremiah 31:31-33). The mystery aspect of the Church was that non-Jews would also receive the Spirit and be placed within the same body (with believing Jews) through the Spirit (Acts 10:45, 15:8; Ephesians 2:19-3:6). This was a mystery because the New Covenant and the advent of the Spirit had been promised only for the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jeremiah 31:31), not for Gentiles. Thus, it was hidden in the Old Testament, sparingly, such as in the covenant given to Abraham, whose seed (Messiah) would be a blessing to all nations.

But the Church is not new. The Church is not new because it is simply remnant Israel. Some people claim that Paul’s olive tree is the Church, others claim it is Israel. Seeing it as remnant Israel solves the dilemma. The olive tree is remnant Israel and it is the Church, because the Church is remnant Israel. Further support for this comes from Peter’s speech in Acts 3. While speaking to Jewish non-believers, he stated that Jesus was a fulfillment of Mosaic prophecy:

For Moses said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.” (Acts 3:22-23; italics added)

When a Jewish person believed in Jesus and was born of the Spirit, he became a member of the Church, the Body of Christ. However, if a Jewish person did not believe in Jesus, he would be “cut off” (the same language used in Paul’s olive tree illustration) from among the Jewish people. This shows that not only Paul, but Peter also, saw the Church as being equivalent to remnant Israel.

The fact that the Church is remnant Israel is evidenced by the name of the eternal home of believers (the New Jerusalem), by the gates of that home (the names of the twelve tribes of Israel), by the pillars of that home (the twelve Israelite apostles of Jesus), and by the Person seated on the throne of that home (Jesus, the King of Israel, Himself an Israelite).

Because the Church is remnant Israel, Paul–certainly a member of the Church–could say that since he was a believer in Jesus, he was part of remnant Israel (Romans 11:1-5). Because the Church is remnant Israel, Paul could say that Gentile believers in Jesus have been grafted into remnant Israel (Romans 11:17). Because the Church is remnant Israel, both Paul and Peter could say that Jews who didn’t accept Jesus would be cut off from Israel (Romans 11:17; Acts 3:23). Because the Church is remnant Israel, Paul could say that Gentile believers are no longer “excluded from citizenship in Israel” and no longer “foreigners to the covenants of the promise” (Ephesians 2:12). Because the Church is remnant Israel, Paul could say that Gentile believers “are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19).

These truths would make no sense if the Church were a totally new enterprise, completely separate from or replacing remnant Israel.

Conclusion

For a long time there has been an improper distinction between Israel and the Church. This error has been happened for two reasons: (1) People have rightly noticed the Bible’s distinction between Jew and Gentile, but then they erred in thinking that Israel equals Jew and Church equals Gentile. Both Israel and the Church contain both Jews and Gentiles, and the distinction between Jew and Gentile is not equivalent to a distinction between Israel and the Church.

(2) When speaking of the distinction between the Church and Israel, people have failed to make the necessary distinction between national Israel and remnant Israel. Remnant Israel is a spiritual body, national Israel is not.

Gentile believers are grafted into remnant Israel, whose holy root is the Messiah. Gentile believers have taken the place of Jews who have not believed, but Gentiles as a whole have not replaced Jews as a whole. Only part of Israel has been hardened (Romans 11:25). And God is able to graft Jews back into remnant Israel/the Church when they believe (Romans 11:23).

The proper understanding of Israel and the Church is not replacement theology nor separation theology.

The Church has not replaced national Israel. National Israel never was a spiritual body of people, but merely a nation of saved and unsaved, like others nations. And God has a future program of prophecy to fulfill for that nation. Neither has the Church replaced remnant Israel. Paul considered himself part of remnant Israel (Romans 11:1-5), part of Christ (Romans 9:3), and part of the Church (Ephesians 5:29-30). This shows that the Church, the Body of Christ and remnant Israel are synonymous.

Therefore, the Church is not separate from remnant Israel. The Church is remnant Israel. Through faith in Christ, Gentile believers are no longer excluded from citizenship in Israel, nor from the covenants of the promise (Ephesians 2:12). They have been grafted into the Church, an olive tree natural to Jewish people but unnatural to Gentiles. It is for this reason that Paul exhorts his Gentile readership not to be arrogant about their membership within the Church (Romans 11:20).

~~

Unrestrained Liberty Part 1
Michael Boldea


A dangerous wind is blowing through churches of America, one that
threatens to further destroy what little remains. This wind is both
insidious and destructive, with far reaching and eternal
consequences. It is not a new doctrine, it is not a new teaching, it
is old, and notwithstanding a few minor alterations has been racking
up a hefty body count since the time of Israels exodus from
Egypt.

It's not that the enemy isn't inventive, but why fiddle
with what works? If its not broken, don't attempt to
fix it. Although the enemy is well aware of this old adage, it seems
the modern day churches haven't gotten the memo yet.
I am speaking of course, of the doctrine of unrestrained liberty, of
experience absent of prudence, of the mentality that once we come to
Jesus we can do what we want, when we want how we want, and He still
has to save us. Be different? Act different? Speak different? Feel
different? Why when we can have the best of both worlds?

The enemy is more than happy to do his part and fuel the fires of
unrestrained liberty, by approaching those who still cling to
righteousness, who still believe in the standard of God, and
pointing to those who claim to be saved and sanctified yet adrift in
the sea of this world by having given in to their cravings and
saying, see, if they can do it why can't you?

When the fox stands outside the chicken coop and proceeds to tell
the chickens how sorry it is because they're stuck in that
enclosed space, behind a fence, how horrible their master is for
fencing them in from the outside, it's not because the fox
feels empathy for the chickens, but because it knows that it
can't get to the chickens unless it can somehow get them
beyond the protection of the fenced in area.

This is how the enemy approaches the children of God many times,
pointing out the fact that they can't enjoy the things the
world enjoys, that they can't participate in the revelry, and
frivolity, but it's not because he feels that we have been
shortchanged. On the contrary, the reason the tempter tempts, is
that the children of God might be beguiled to come out from under
God's protection and covering by willful sin, and as such be
fair game.

When sin is present in the life of the believer, he no longer
possesses the armor which repels and quenches the fiery darts of the
wicked one. He is in essence defenseless, and becomes easy prey.

Why shouldn't you enjoy the trappings of this life?
Surely you're strong enough to keep from forming an addiction,
surely you're strong enough to keep from getting hooked, and
surely you're strong enough to keep from falling! Remember
now, you have liberty!

This is perhaps the enemy's vilest and most effective form of
attack. He convinces us that we can flirt with sin, that we can
flirt with the world, but that we won't give in, and we
won't succumb. He lulls us into a false sense of
self-reliance, wherein we lean on our strength, and consider
ourselves invincible. Long forgotten is the admonition "let
him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall", long
forgotten is sovereign warning to flee even the appearance of evil.
We gravitate toward the fire, telling ourselves "we're not
really getting burned."
"Sure other men, some who were superstars of Christendom succumbed,
sure other men who were well versed in both theology and doctrine fell into sin,
but I'm stronger than them,
I'm smarter than them,
and my will is more steadfast than theirs."

As previously stated, this is not a new doctrine, this is not a new
snare the enemy recently happened upon, it is one he has
successfully refined over the centuries, and although it goes by
different names, it remains equally dangerous for believers. At a
certain point in his ministry Paul the Apostle had to confront it,
and attempt to open the eyes of the Corinthian church to the reality
that privileges do not guarantee success, nor does a good beginning
ensure a good end.

Paul begins his teaching with a history lesson. When we fail to
learn from the mistakes of those who came before us, we are doomed
to repeat the same mistakes, and worse.

1 Corinthians 10:1-6, "Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to
be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed
through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in
the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and drank the same
spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed
them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not
well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now
these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not
lust after evil things as they also lusted."

There are many worthwhile lessons for the children of God within
this six verse block. Paul is writing to the church of Corinth, a
church plagued by sin and vice, a church that has been fractured by
division, wherein some claimed to be of Paul, others of Apollos,
others still of Cephas, and some of Christ. It was also a church
that was chasing after the spectacular, more concerned about
satisfying their curiosity, and feigning religiosity, than following
after Christ.

The news had traveled of Corinth's many flaws, and as Paul
wrote his letter of rebuke and correction, he also focuses on the
topic of unrestrained liberty.

The first thing that Paul did, for anyone attempting to rewrite
history, was remind the church of Corinth of some key truths. Men
have a tendency to forget, or at least minimize the uncomfortable
episodes in their nation's history, their family lineage, or
their own personal lives. From the beginning, Paul wanted to make it
crystal clear that he was not about to sugar coat the truth, no
matter how much the church of Corinth would have liked for him to do
just that.

Paul was a Jew; in fact a Jew who was taught according to the
perfect manner of the law of the fathers, but his patriotism and
lineage did not keep him from speaking the truth.

The first thing that Paul points out is that all of Israel saw the
providence, power, and protection of God. They had traveled under
the cloud that led them, they had walked through the sea that God
parted for them, and they had all been baptized into Moses in the
cloud and in the sea.

Now why would Paul begin his rebuke here? Because many within the
church of Corinth had come to believe that the act of baptism in and
of itself was some supernatural experience that ensured their
salvation. What Paul was trying to teach them was that baptism,
absent of repentance, absent of a new mind and a new heart, was
nothing more than taking a dip in a river or a lake. When we are
immersed in water baptism, we are immersed into Christ, and there we
must remain! It is not the act of being immersed in water that is
the beauty of baptism, it is being baptized in Christ, and putting
on Christ every day of our journey here on earth.

Romans 6:3-4, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were
baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore
we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as
Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life."

Galatians 3:27, "For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ."

Paul was pointing to the history of Israel and saying to the church
of Corinth, your forefathers were all baptized into Moses in the
cloud and in the sea, yet they all died in the desert, and their
bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Any symbol, ceremony, or religious formality that does not have a
deep spiritual reality as its foundation, is worthless. Of what
value is it to a man to dip himself in a body of water, only to
continue being a slave to the sins and vices of this present world?
The practice of religiosity absent the nature of Christ in us is as
sinful as denying God outright.

Paul continues and reminds the church of Corinth that not only had
they been baptized, but their ancestors had all eaten the same
spiritual food, and drank the same spiritual drink.

The purpose of a spiritual life is not merely to eat the food and
drink the drink of God's Word, but to live in the holiness and
righteousness that the truth produces in us. We are to be fruitful
and live in the light; we are to be ready for every good work at any
given time; we are to be obedient to the leading of the Spirit; we
are to walk humbly with our Lord; we are to bring our lives in their
entirety as a sacrifice on the altar of love and truth!

God does not desire for us to merely eat and drink of His Word, but
also to produce fruit in accordance with that which we've
consumed. God takes no pleasure in our reading His Word with
regularity, in our singing in the church choir, in our attending
service regularly, if after having done these things a new, holy,
and fruitful life is not evident in us.
It is in the following sentence, after informing the church of
Corinth that all of Israel had eaten and drank the same spiritual
food and drink, that Paul makes an astounding declaration: 1
Corinthians 10:4, "For they drank of that spiritual Rock that
followed them, and that Rock was Christ."

It is no small thing to drink from the Rock! It is no small thing
for the Rock to follow you that you might never thirst!

As the Rock followed Israel through the desert after their exodus
from Egypt, so too does the Rock follow us today after our exodus
from the bondage of sin. If you are thirsty, drink! If you are
hungry eat! He is our provision, He is our nourishment!

So taking into account that Israel drank of the spiritual Rock that
was Christ, why is it that they died in the desert? What was it that
displeased God so?

Although they had partaken of Christ, they did not remain in Christ.
A relationship is reciprocal. One cannot have a relationship with a
fellow human being or Christ for that matter without implementing
the concept of reciprocity. A relationship is a two way street!

John 15:4, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you,
unless you abide in Me."

A singular experience, no matter how profound, is not enough. We must
abide in Christ, that we might bear fruit just as the branch must
abide in the vine in order to bear fruit.

Israel of old did not return the love that God had shown them, they
did not abide in Him, they did not remain obedient, and so became
rebellious and unthankful for all the things that He had done for
them.

If ever there was a nation of privilege it is the nation of Israel.
The Bible repeatedly tells us that they are God's chosen
people. Yet having been His people, having enjoyed all the
privileges of being called the sons and daughters of God, they still
strayed, rebelled and disobeyed, and as consequence to their actions
suffered much hardship. No, privilege does not guarantee success.
"I was born in a Christian family, I was brought up in the
church, I've even memorized some key verses, surely this
entitles me to receive my inheritance, and be welcomed into
heaven." No it does not! Nothing entitles us to anything, it is all grace, it
is all love, and the only means by which we will traverse the desert
of this world, and enter God's eternal Canaan, is to abide in
Him.

I think it is necessary for us to also study one of the root causes of
Israel’s rebellion, because it will shed some light on why the
modern day churches are in the spiritual condition they are in today.
To be continued....

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.

Unrestrained Liberty Part 2
Michael Boldea


Numbers 11:4-6, “Now the mixed multitude who were among them
yielded to intense cravings; so the children of Israel also wept
again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the
fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the
leeks the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried
up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

What many fail to understand concerning this particular time in
human history is that Egypt was the most powerful nation on the face
of the earth. Egypt’s slaves were not exclusively Jewish, but
an amalgam, or a mixed multitude from all the nations they had
conquered and overtaken.

When Pharaoh finally relented and released Israel from its captivity
and bondage, there were some from other nations and peoples that saw
their opportunity to flee the shackles of slavery. As the great
exodus took place, there were some not of the people of Israel, who
fled with them.

These selfsame individuals that the Bible classifies as them mixed
multitudes that were among them, yielded to intense cravings, so
much so that they conveniently forgot the shackles and the whips,
the labors and the degradation, and only remembered the leeks, the
onions the meat, and the cucumbers they had access to while under
bondage.

As never having known the God of Israel, they did not understand the
miracle that was taking place before their very eyes every morning,
as God provided manna for their sustenance.
Rather than rebuking them and showing them how wondrous the manna
that appeared for them before they awoke every morning truly was,
the children of Israel also began to murmur, as they too gave in to
their cravings. They became as nothing more than spoiled children,
dissatisfied with what their Father gave them, rejecting their
provision and lamenting their fate.

Today there are those within the house of God, that are not of God!
Today, a mixed multitude has invaded what ought to be the fellowship
of the brethren, and giving in to their intense cravings attempt to
pervert the gospel, and minimize God’s providence toward His
children. Such men are dissatisfied with God’s standard, such
men are dissatisfied with God’s Word, and rather than being
confronted and rebuked, those who ought to know better begin to act
accordingly and murmur against God. Rather than seeing God in the
beauty of His holiness, and acknowledging all the wondrous blessings
He bestows upon His children every day, the mixed multitude has
convinced God’s children that He is indeed a cruel taskmaster,
and as though the kingdom of God were some great democracy, if
enough believers disagree with Him, God will change His mind and
bend the rules, lower the standard, and be more tolerant.

Call me old fashioned, call me a stickler for reason and common
sense, but before one can call themselves a Christian, there are
certain truths they must confess and adhere to. If you cannot
unequivocally say that Jesus is Savior and Lord, if you cannot
unequivocally say that He is the only way to the kingdom of God, the
only truth that sets us free, and the only life that is eternal,
then perhaps you shouldn’t call yourself a Christian.

It takes a spark to start a forest fire, and today this destructive
fire is spreading throughout the houses of worship in America.
Biblical relativism is spiritual death!
“We don’t like this manna, it’s too bland,
there’s no kick. Remember the robust flavors of Egypt?
Remember the melons, and the onions, and the garlic? If God really
did love us, he’d make this supernatural provision taste
better, maybe even throw in some meat. Remember the fish in Egypt?
Those were the days!”

Remember also that you were slaves! Remember also that you were
subject to the whims of those who kept you in shackles and made you
labor until you passed out, and whipped you mercilessly to within an
inch of your life!
Why is it that so many look back to their lives in the mire with
such fondness? Why is it that they only remember a romanticized
version of the bitter fruit that sin produced in their lives?
Today men are attempting to offer the “spiritual
experience” without all those pesky requirements like
repentance and righteousness. As such they have erected idols, just
as Israel erected the golden calf, and they have an experience. They
dance around their idols, they bark, they cluck, they feel euphoric,
but in the end it’s just a dead thing with no permanent or
lasting effects. The only thing that an idol can offer is a passing
feeling of elation and excitement that wanes and dissipates
altogether with the passage of time. Even so, men still flock to
idols, because idols permit them to manifest their lusts, desires
and cravings, without being convicted of their wrongdoing.
One of the greatest fallacies being taught by the proponents of
unrestrained liberty is that there are no consequences to rebellion,
there are no consequences to sin, and there are no consequences to
disobedience.
One thing we must keep in mind is that God had already established
how He was going to provide for the children of Israel throughout
their journey through the desert. When the dew fell on the camp in
the night, the manna fell on it as well, and the manna was to betheir provision.
This will become an important aspect of this teaching shortly.

After Israel’s incessant complaining, sparked by the mixed
multitudes that were among them, and after Moses's complaints
about the people before God, God tells Moses to inform the people
that they would have meat to eat for a whole month, until it comes
out of their nostrils, and becomes loathsome to them, because they
have despised the Lord who is among them.
Now Israel should have had a clue that this wasn’t going to
end well by the words which God spoke through Moses, but all they
heard is that they were going to be eating meat for a month. Nothing
registered after that initial declaration, not even the harsh rebuke
by God that they had despised the Lord.
We could go into Moses doubting God’s ability to provide meat
for six hundred thousand people, even after seeing all that God had
done, but it would make this teaching far too long. In the end,
after God opened Moses” eyes by saying, “has the
Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether My word
will before you or not” Moses went out and did as instructed,
declaring to the people that they would have meat to eat for an
entire month.
Numbers 11:31-32, “Now a wind went out from the Lord, and it
brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp
about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s
journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits
above the surface of the ground. And the people stayed up all that
day, all that night, and all the next day and gathered the quail (he
who gathered least gathered ten homers); and they spread them out
for themselves all around the camp.”
Just to get an idea how much quail there really was, they extended
for about twenty miles in every direction from where the Israelites
camped, and were about three feet high. It takes a man much wiser
than I to extrapolate and crunch the numbers, but needless to say,
that was allot of quail.Although there is no specific unit of measurement concerning the
homer, the most widely accepted definition is the amount a donkey
could carry. So the person who gathered the least quail among the
people gathered enough for ten donkeys to carry. Taking a
conservative estimate of one hundred pounds per donkey, the least
among the people gathered roughly one thousand pounds of quail.
It is painfully obvious that even a large family couldn’t
devour one thousand pounds of quail within a thirty day period, but
such is human nature, that when that which it craves is placed
before it, common sense takes a holiday.
At this point some of you may be wondering what the point of all
this is, and why I would go into such a lengthy discussion about
quail. The short answer is because of what happened next, and the
spiritual implications and lessons we must glean from this chapter
in Israel’s history.
Numbers 11:33-34, “But while the meat was still between their
teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused
against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great
plague. So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah,
because there they buried the people who had yielded to
craving.”
Translated from the Hebrew, Kibroth Hattaavah means the graves of
lust, or the graves of the longing. Seeing as all those who yielded
to craving were buried there, Moses picked an apt name.
The first thing that struck me about this passage should be obvious
to us all, and that is, not all of Israel yielded to their cravings.
There were those among the people of Israel who were satisfied with
the manna from heaven, who were satisfied with the sustenance their
God provided, and so did not go about gathering quail. As such,
there were those who survived, whom God did not strike with a plague.
The second thing that must be pointed out is that what the flesh
desires, is contrary to the will of God, and if we give in to the
desires and the cravings of the old nature, they will lead to our
death.Third, God will not force you into obedience. He has made it
abundantly clear in His Word what is acceptable unto Him, and what
is not, what is right in His sight and what is evil. He is faithful,
and has therefore made provision for His children throughout their
journey through the desert, and the wise among His children are
satisfied with His provision, desiring no other.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses
today against you, that I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your
descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you
may obey His voice, that you may cling to Him, for He is your life
and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land
which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
to give them.”
If God has led you out of Egypt by the power of His might, look back
on it with the disgust that it should rightly provoke in your heart.
Do not glamorize your time of ignorance, but rather remember that
you were a slave, born into slavery, and destined to die a slave if
not for the grace and mercy of God. You were bought with a price,
and you belong to another now.

Do not lend your ear to the mixed multitudes in the camp who insist
that unrestrained liberty is an acceptable practice in the eyes of
God, for you know full well that you cannot serve two masters.
Heaven and earth stand as witnesses against mankind, and testify
that truly God is good; truly He has set before us life and death;
truly He continues to nourish those who follow after Him, and
blesses those who do not murmur, but are thankful for all that He
does in them, through them and for them.
You were dead in your trespasses and Jesus gave you life! You were
imprisoned by your sin, and Jesus set you free! Wonder of wonders,
the Son of God came in the flesh and hung on a cross for a wretched
soul such as yours and mine! Be satisfied in Him!
1 Corinthians 10:12-13, “Therefore let him who things hestands take heed lest he fall.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;
but God is faithful, who will not
allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the
temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to
bear it.”
No man can flirt with sin indefinitely and not be adversely
affected. No man can trust in his own strength, and not be proven
impotent.
If we run the race keeping our eyes firmly affixed on the finish
line, we will not run the risk of tripping over our own feet, or
running into an obstacle. Always look at the path that is before
you! Do not look to the left or the right of you, do not look behind
you, always look ahead, for Jesus is there lighting the way.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man.
Whatever it may be, know that others have gone through the same, if
not worse, yet overcame.

But brother you don’;t know what I’ve been going
through.

What part of “common to man” didn’t we understand?
No man is unique when it comes to temptation, no man is tempted
beyond what he is able to endure, and the Word tells us this. With
every temptation, the way of escape has already been prepared, that
we may be able to bear it. It is when we allow seeds of doubt
concerning God’s standard, or His ability to make a way of
escape, to worm their way into our hearts, that we become
indifferent, or stop resisting the enemy altogether.

James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he
will flee from you.”

With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.