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To: Grig
But what about the ending of the Law of Moses, one day it's taboo to eat pork, the next day God says it's OK. We take the view that there are some things that are eternal principles (ie: being clean before God) and there are the ways those principles are put into practice (don't eat pork). Practices can change at God's command according to His wisdom, so being too rigid about the past can mislead a person.

Paul dealt with the Law of Moses in the New Testament.

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

And, having so dealt with the Law, Paul clearly declares that we come into the family of God by our faith in the accomplished work of JESUS, the Christ. There is no more to it than that. This is the Good News, the Gospel, ... that God has saved us through His Son.

And it is this that Paul refers to in the following quotation ... the subverting of the gospel. He, in effect, says ... Let no one, be it man, or angel, ... even myself, come before you and persuade you that there is more to it than this. God has done it. We need only accept that. Anything else is subversion.

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.


35 posted on 10/04/2002 3:04:04 PM PDT by Quester
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To: Quester
I agree with you that Paul is talking both about the Law of Moses and about the Law of the Gospel (as presented by Jesus) when he says the by the law alone no man is saved - it only serves to help us know what is sinful. However, faith in Christ is like a seed. If you have it, you are saved. but how can you reap the fruits of that seed without the works that Christ commanded us to do? James discusses that in James 2:

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

One must ask one's self, based on these scriptures - is it better to merely be saved in Christ, with faith only, or to be alive in Christ, by exercising that faith?


Beware the same trap that the Jews fell in, by citing Galatians (or Revelations) - there is a similar passage in Deuteronomy.
36 posted on 10/04/2002 3:33:17 PM PDT by Technocrat
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To: Quester
Point was, if God can change a practice in the past, who is man to say He can't do the same today? You admit it was done after all.

As for Galatians 1:8, that goes with what I said about principles being eternal. For the record, it is the LDS position that our teachings are the gospel as Christ taught it, and that orthodox chrisitanity has lost and altered those teachings over the ages. If your intent is to use those verses to show that LDS doctrine is 'another gospel' you have a lot more work to do than to just quote those verses. There is much in the writings of first century christians that indicates their teachings were the same as our teachings. The current orthodoxy did not really emerge untill centuries later.

This is one reason why we feel prophets are important in every age, so that the principles are still adhered to and so that the practice of them can continue in according to how God's wisdom wishes it.
37 posted on 10/04/2002 3:47:35 PM PDT by Grig
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