Like a chestnut tree

A single witness shall not rise up against a person regarding any wrongdoing or any sin that he commits; on the testimony of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. (v.15)

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6)

This chapter talks about the cities of refuge and the laws of landmarks and testimony. All the laws that God gave to the Israelites were for them to love others as themselves. We are naturally inclined to covet and steal from others. The laws warn us not to harm others.

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” (Galatians 5:14)

All God’s laws are summed up in two commandments: love God and our neighbors.

And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40)

When God judges, we are judged according to these two commandments. God has given the churches on the earth the right to judge. The Israel nation in the OT was a church. So God gave the priests and the judges the authority to judge (v.17).

The difference between God and the church authorities on the earth is that we judge according to what we see while God sees one’s heart when He judges. Love comes from God. Only God can love and make His people love by His Spirit. This is bad news for evil leaders in churches because whatever they do, even though they did everything right in their eyes according to their church orders or laws, they will be condemned to eternal death on the day of God’s judgment. This is the result of not being one with God through the Holy Spirit. They cannot love.

Evil leaders help false Christians within their churches. They help them cover up their sins and accuse true Christians. They sometimes make the right judgments because God intervenes for His people under their authority. But they always do the things that God hates and harm the saints. We can see the pattern in the case of Balaam Son of Beor (Numbers 22-25, 31). We must remember that false leaders in churches do speak God’s words and sometimes truth. But they are not under the grace of God. In fact, they hate God and everything He did for His people.

Looking at how many churches have become – leading people to sin, encouraging them to continue to sin and supporting false doctrines, we know that there are many false leaders within churches around the world.

But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2 Peter 2:1)

We judge people by what we see. So our judgments are not like God’s. Knowing this makes us humble and eagerly seek God’s wisdom.

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:20-21)

For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to stand to serve in the name of the Lord always. (v.5)

I will raise up for them a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them everything that I command him. And it shall come about that whoever does not listen to My words which he speaks in My name, I Myself will require it of him. (vv. 18-19)

Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel. (Exodus 19:5-6)

But you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1Peter 2:9)

The three important groups of people in the Israel nation in the OT were prophets, priests, and kings. The nation was built on the Levitical system. And these groups of people differentiated the Israel nation from other nations. The Israel in the OT was a shadow of God’s kingdom, which is coming. Israel had a direct and intimate relationship with God. And these three groups of people played a vital role in maintaining the relationship. Throughout the Book of the prophets in the OT, God rebuked prophets, priests, and kings for misleading the Israelites. We all know that Jesus Christ, the Son of God who became a man, holds the three offices. Therefore, we conclude that the Israel nation after Jesus Christ is no longer the Israel that God loved and cared because the nation existed for Jesus Christ and until the churches were established. The current Israel nation is no different from a nation that serves a pagan god. We treat all people with respect and fairness. There is no reason why Christians should treat the Israelites with favoritism as if they are still God’s people.

Christ holding the three offices is truth shared by different Christian denominations including the Roman Catholic church and the Protestant churches. Therefore, knowing Christ is the first step to understanding the purpose and character of the kingdom of God and why we were made.

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5)

For many years, churches have been trying to make people understand their sinfulness through the law. But the law doesn’t make us understand our sinfulness as we read the OT. We learn from the OT that the lack of knowledge of God is the beginning of all sins. Without knowing God, there is no faith. We know and understand God only when He reveals Himself to us and makes us know Him. Reading out the law every day does not change a person because we naturally love darkness. Unless God changes our hearts and pours out His Spirit, we remain in that darkness.

The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. (Isaiah 9:2)

It may appear that Israel’s failure to keep the law has opened the opportunity to the Gentiles to become God’s children. But Israel’s failure happened so that we could learn from their history. There is no one righteous under the law. No one is saved by keeping the law. We are not different from the Israelites in the OT if we rely on our works of the law. Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. And salvation is a free gift.

I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? Far from it! But by their wrongdoing salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their wrongdoing proves to be riches for the world, and their failure, riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Therefore insofar as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry if somehow I may move my own people to jealousy and save some of them. For if their rejection proves to be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are as well. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. (Romans 11:11-21)

Now it shall come about, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this Law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he will learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully following all the words of this Law and these statutes, so that his heart will not be haughty toward his countrymen, and that he will not turn away from the commandment to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may live long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel. (vv. 18-20)

Under the old covenant, obedience to the law was the lifeline of the Israelites. Despite many warnings and signs in the wilderness, the Israelites quickly turned away from their pledge as we find in the Book of Judges. We understand that punishment, warnings, or signs from God did not make the Israelites obey the law.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for the wrath of the Lord that burns against us is great, because our fathers did not listen to the words of this book, to act in accordance with everything that is written regarding us.” (2 Kings 22:11-13)

The reason why the Israelites did not obey the law and did everything God hated was because they did not know Him. Miracles, signs, and teachings did not make them understand God.

The OT and the history of the Israelites exist for us to understand the role of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in the NT era and the coming kingdom of God. The three persons of the Trinity are not divided. They are one. In the kingdom, everyone understands and knows God. Consequently, we do what God pleases. We are God’s children because of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Adam and Eve did not obey God because they did not either know or understand Him. Anyone who does not know God will eventually disobey and hate Him. The Israelites hated God and His law and hid the Book of the Law. But we must understand that it is not the law that God is concerned. The Israelites were not more evil than other humans. They were the representatives of all people. Everyone sins and deserves to be punished eternally.

The law of God is useful when it is used appropriately. It contains the essence of God’s love. However, it was not given for us to keep it and gain righteousness. Christ came to break us free from this bondage of the old covenant. The old covenant was given only to the Israelites but it is applied to every single human being. It is fitting for the creatures to obey the Creator. In a nutshell, everyone was born to be eternally punished, even Adam and Eve. Even before they disobeyed God, Adam and Eve could not change their future because the knowledge of God was not given to them. They had some knowledge of God and wisdom. However, their lack of knowledge led to disobedience. In all these events written in the Bible, we learn that our future does not depend on our obedience to the law but on God’s absolute grace. We uphold the law not because of its power but because of God’s love. This grace is understood only through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. God gives us knowledge, understanding and wisdom.

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)

No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him. (John 1:18)

For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festive assembly to the Lord your God; you shall do no work on it. (v.8)

You shall also remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful and comply with these statutes. (v.12)

Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths; and they are not to appear before the Lord empty-handed. (v.16)

When we read the law concerning the three different Feasts, we understand that God gave the law to the Israelites to educate them about the coming Messiah. Christ explained to us the meaning of the leaven and why God hates it. Christ freed us from slavery. And God required something from His people as we read v.16 and it was fulfilled when Christ gave Himself for us. In fact, all the law is for our education. We all know God did not give the law concerning the feasts and sacrifices because He needed something.

This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne and the earth is the footstool for My feet. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, So all these things came into being,” declares the LORD. “But I will look to this one, At one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word. (Isaiah 66:1-2)

If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and everything it contains. (Psalm 50:12)

God does not judge people as we judge others with our eyes. God looks at the heart. Therefore, we conclude that the law was not given for us to judge ourselves and others by what we do. Our works reflect what is in our heart but only God can truly judge. However, God allowed the civil governments to make their own law for order and stability.

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person. (Matthew 15:18)

Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. (Romans 13:1)

Theologians and ministers preach that Christ came because Adam had failed. It is a wrong understanding. From the start, only the Son could save His people and make them the children of God. And the new covenant promises the change of the heart. God has sanctified everything by Christ’s blood. Those who receive the Holy Spirit have a new heart that knows and understands God. We have become one with God through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” (Acts 10:14-15)

There are still people who try to observe various laws concerning the feasts and sacrifices written in the OT. They call themselves Christians but they are not. They are still under slavery.

Christians try to keep the moral laws not because they give righteousness but because it is fitting for us to keep them as children of God. However, we must remember that all good works come from the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

So you too, when you do all the things which were commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ (Luke 17:10)

At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. And this is the regulation for the release of debts: every creditor is to forgive what he has loaned to his neighbor; he shall not require it of his neighbor and his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed. From a foreigner you may require it, but your hand shall forgive whatever of yours is with your brother. (vv. 1-3)

And all the officials and all the people obeyed who had entered into the covenant that each person was to set his male servant free and each his female servant, so that no one would keep them in bondage any longer; they obeyed, and set them free. But afterward they turned around and took back the male servants and the female servants whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male servants and as female servants. (Jeremiah 23:10-11)

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:12)

This chapter is about the Sabbatic year. At the end of every seven years, all the Israelites were required to release what they had loaned to their neighbors. People often interpret the law literally. Most people do not understand that the essence of the law is love. The law is about what Christ has done. Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath. But most of the Israelites, especially the teachers of the law, did not understand what it meant when Christ taught them.

Without understanding the purpose and the meaning of the law, there is no keeping of the law as we see in Jeremiah 23. Everyone without the Holy Spirit cares only about the earthly life. They go after wealth and prosperity. People envy Job because of his wealth and their beautiful children. Christians think that they will get more wealth if they endure their suffering and be obedient to church authorities.

In my opinion, true Christians go through much suffering in the world and stay in a humble position. God knows what wealth can do to a person. In Job’s case, Job believed he deserved and earned the earthly blessings because of his obedience. I am not saying that he should have disobeyed God. What I am saying is that it is wrong to believe that one’s obedience can bring God’s blessings.

But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, since otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened (Romans 11:6-7)

It is very absurd to say that the Apostle Paul preached salvation by works of the law. But theologians and ministers preach that Christ had to keep the law perfectly to gain righteousness. And they insist that Paul believed it.

Christ came to the earth to free His people from the bondage of sin and death. He did it by dying on the cross. Through this one act of righteousness that came out of God’s love, the law became perfected. We no longer obey the law as the written code that brings death. We now obey God through faith. Those who are truly reborn do not follow false doctrines.

For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4)

And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding as well? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thereby He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, “That which comes out of the person, that is what defiles the person. For from within, out of the hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the person.” (Mark 7:18-23)

Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food and drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon, or a Sabbath day— (Colossians 2:16)

This chapter explains what is clean or unclean food. Theologians insist that perfect keeping of the law could earn righteousness and eternal life. But we get a very different understanding of the law from Jesus Christ. We true Christians do not distinguish what is clean or unclean food because Jesus gave us the true interpretation of the law. The law was given to teach the Israelites about God’s plan and will.

We all know that God did not give the Israelites the law concerning sacrifices because He was hungry.

If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and everything it contains. Shall I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of male goats? (Psalm 50:12-13)

Clean and unclean food explains what will happen at the end. Christians will be separated from idolaters. Eating what is described as clean food does not make one clean before God.

And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32)

The conditional covenant was not given for the Israelites to gain righteousness through the works of the law. It is not because Adam had failed and everyone became sinful that they could not earn righteousness by works. Even Adam failed. So what does this teach us? Many misinterpret the doctrine of Total Depravity.

Adam was never given a condition to fulfill to gain eternal life. However, that is what theologians teach people. We must understand that Christ’s teaching is the only orthodox teaching of the law. There was no such thing as the Covenant of Works. Christ or Adam did not need to keep the law perfectly to gain eternal life or become righteous. We must focus on the new covenant and what it promises. Then we can understand the Old Testament.

Offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High (Psalm 50:14)

How can we thank God if we do not know Him or what He has done and will do? Only Christ (Word) opens our eyes and ears and makes us know and understand the Father through the Holy Spirit. That is why reading the Bible is essential in Christians’ everyday life.

No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him. (John 1:18)

No human including Adam deserves rewards from God for their works. Everything described in the Bible has happened for us to love and wait for God and His kingdom.

Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken falsely against the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to drive you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall eliminate the evil from among you. (v. 5)

There are numerous people in the world who claim that they are Christian theologians, priests, ministers, teachers, and/or prophets. It is difficult to judge who is right or wrong. False prophets have one thing in common. That is they deny the teachings of Christ.

As verse 5 shows, God is “God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery”. All false Christians deny absolute grace. They believe that they are saved because of their good works and obedience to the law of God. The reason why I strongly object to the Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ (AOC) is because they deny absolute grace. They lead us back to Egypt.

Interestingly, those who rely on the works of the law do evil things and live an immoral life. The AOC promotes both legalism and antinomianism and it has been criticized by many Christians. Legalism and antinomianism may seem different but their root is the same. They oppose Christ.

The Roman Catholic church rejected the Protestants in the 16th century claiming that they were libertines and law-breakers. But we know from many history books that the Roman Catholic church was extremely corrupt at that time and even now. By denying the absolute grace of God, false teachers and prophets think they uphold the law and bring order to a society. And that was what happened in 17th century England when the Protestant ministers gave the AOC a new face to rule the nation with the law of God.

All true Christians uphold the law not because we fear that we will lose our salvation by disobeying God. We love the law because its foundation is God’s self-sacrificing love. We all know that we cannot save anyone by making them keep the law. We do not harm or kill anyone for not keeping the law of God because keeping it is from the change of the heart. Chapter 13 tells us what will happen to those who try to take Christians back to slavery in the end. God will punish them eternally.

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

In this evil age, we must remember what grace of God truly means.

“See, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known. (vv. 26-28)

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:31-32)

For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the violations that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:15)

Most Christians have never heard of the doctrine called the Active Obedience of Christ. For those who do not know what it is, you can have a look at this: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/simply-put/active-and-passive-obedience-of-christ. Or you can simply look up on the internet.

For over a year, I have been trying to explain why this doctrine is dangerous and misleading. I believe everyone who studies Theology professionally learns about this theology. If anyone denies this doctrine, the person is deemed unorthodox and an apostate.

This doctrine is originally from Anselm of Canterbury who believed that men had free will. If we accept his idea, we end up denying God’s grace upon the elect. The doctrine leads us to salvation based on obedience to the law of God. Those who believe that this doctrine is orthodox emphasize obedience to the law. All saints uphold the law. but theologians make their own interpretations of the law. When the written code was alive, the Israelites were subject to death because of the old covenant. However, the new covenant is different. The saints will never be subject to death not because Jesus kept the law perfectly but because He changed our status from slaves to children by buying us with His blood.

The blessing we receive does not depend on our works of the law. Instead, it is tied to the one and only Son of God. The Father gave the Son the task of making us His children. And the Son accomplished this on the cross. The church united with Christ died and resurrected with Him. We are reborn. It is wrong to say that the cross is only about payment for our sins.

God gave the Israelites the law. However, He was not pleased with the sacrifices of animals. On the outside, it appeared that a blessing was promised if the Israelites did what the law said. However, God was not satisfied with the sacrifices of animals.

For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offering. (Psalm 51:16)

Then we must wonder why God gave the law in the first place. Based on the old covenant, theologians concluded that obedience was the source of God’s blessing. However, they misunderstood the meaning of obedience. The obedience God wants is based on love, which exists only in the relationship between the Father and the Son.

Samuel said, “Does the LORD have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice, and to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)

You have not desired sacrifice and meal offering; You have opened my ears; You have not required burnt offering and sin offering. Then I said, “Behold, I have come; It is written of me in the scroll of the book. “I delight to do Your will, my God; Your Law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8)

The law required the Israelites to give God burnt offerings and sacrifices. But the verses above tell us that God is not pleased with them. How should we interpret this?

God delights in only one person who is the exact representation of Himself, His Son. It is not the obedience that God cares but the person who obeys truly, the Son of God. Therefore, the law was given to guide us to the Son who makes His people true children of God. Therefore, the Son makes us righteous by making us reborn. Without the Son’s death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit could not come. Our righteousness is the work of the Son and the Spirit.

Therefore, it is wrong to say that the Son made us righteous by perfect keeping of the law. It is from the wrong understanding of the old covenant. The Bible denies this theory because God never promised sonship or eternal life to Adam. The Covenant Theology which includes the Active Obedience of Christ is based on men’s fantasy of a human savior because it asserts that Adam could have been the head of the church had he kept God’s command perfectly. All pagan religions, novels, and movies praise men-made saviors who do not exist. We do not believe that our righteousness is from the law. Our righteousness is God. And this righteousness became ours through the blood of Christ.

In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will live securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD Our Righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 23:6)

So then, as through one offense the result was condemnation to all mankind, so also through one act of righteousness the result was justification of life to all mankind. (Romans 5:18)

So circumcise your heart, and do not stiffen your neck any longer. (v.16)

But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God. (Romans 2:29)

Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised— (Jeremiah 9:25)

From my youth, I heard many sermons on how to live a life that is pleasing to God. I spent my youth trying to be a good person respected by others. I remember that I swore to God that I would never say anything bad and would obey God’s words. But I failed numerous times. I gave up and slowly became used to the immoralities happening around me and accepted them. I even encouraged others to do the same. I now know that I did not do a single good thing out of my will and effort.

For I know my wrongdoings, And my sin is constantly before me. (Psalm 51:3)

We often think that we are better than King David who committed adultery and murder. But we are as great sinners as him. David, who received the Holy Spirit, still fell into temptation and committed horrible sins.

Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51:10-11)

God let David fall into temptation. His failure is not for us to feel better about ourselves. We are no better than David.

What the law requires is self-sacrificing love. The Ten Commandments are summarized into one word: love. However, God made the stones breakable. And they broke when Moses threw them out of anger. The written codes are made to be destroyed. True obedience comes from the Holy Spirit. Only by becoming God’s children through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, we can truly call God, our Father.

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? (vv. 12-13)

Fear may sound contradictory to love. But fear and love exist together in the mind of children towards his/her father. From the beginning, God intended to create His children through His only begotten Son. The saints become God’s eternal priests and children.

Anyone who emphasizes God’ law and punishment does not understand God’s will in creation. Many Christians live a life of slavery because they do not know what God wants. They live out of fear that something they do might trigger God’s anger. Yet, they live a sinful life because sin is from not knowing God. Can anyone seek God and find Him? The answer is no. No matter whether you live a secluded life or pray all day, God is not something that you can grasp. He is like the wind.

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, The Lord GOD says this: “Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, so that they come to life.” (Ezekiel 37:9)

However, the words of admonitions in the Bible do benefit the saints. “Circumcise your heart”. We know that we cannot circumcise our hearts. We know that we did not choose to believe in God. God made us believe in Him and become His children. These words “Circumcise your heart” remind us that we are now children of God and that we must live according to our new status. We are no longer slaves but children of God.

For the reprobate, these words become a snare because they do not know God. They think they can circumcise their heart by their will and effort. They preach that God’s grace is partial and incomplete. God knows that their heart is not circumcised. They will be condemned at the end. We must remember that God’s grace is absolute, complete, and total.

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:25-26)