Christians and OT Law

[Emily]

The thousand year time is on earth, thus time is relevant.

My take on when we die is that in the blink of an eye we are at the last judgment. That could be, let's assume for argument purpose, 10,000 years from now. If you and I passed away at this very moment, in the next moment, for us, would be 10,000 years from now, but we have no sense of that as we passed into eternity upon our physical death. No time and scripture says the dead know nothing. Don't have to know anything as knowing implies time and we are outside of time.

I often wondered about the "sleeping with fathers" that we see mentioned in scripture. When speaking to mortals, we have a sense of time, so that would make sense...in time we are asleep to those alive.

Just a thought.

I agree with you about the time issue. Time is measured by light. Jesus is the light. When leave this body, we leave the dimensions created for us in the flesh and enter into things as they really are - eternity, void of time (which was created in Genesis 1 but God existed before the institution/dimension of time)

However, the way I understand our salvation during this age of grace, the time of the gentiles, regarding being born again (a time unique to all of human history) is that we have already been judged. We have already died to self (taken up our cross and followed Him) and been judged (through HIS righteousness, not our own) and are a NEW CREATION, co-heirs with Christ. He is the second and last Adam of which those who are born again are children of God and no longer children of men.

The only judgment left for Christians is the Bema seat where we are judged for our works (or lack of them) regarding rewards and crowns. (1 Cor 3) 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Jesus made it clear that salvation is impossible for any human being based on their works.
(Matthew 19) (Isaiah 64)

John 3:3
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."


Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Romans 8:1
[ Life Through the Spirit ] Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

Romans 8:2
because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 6
3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.


Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Hebrews 8:13
By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

2 Cor 3
7 [The Greater Glory of the New Covenant ] Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was.

2 Cor 3
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.


That is why there are no liars or adulterers and such in heaven. It isn't because anyone ever accomplished living in this life void of these sins, even those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but because everyone in heaven is a new creation and covered by the righteousness of Christ, through faith.

This whole journey from Adam and Eve to the New heaven and New Earth is about loving and trusting God above self.

From the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane it has always been about loving and trusting God above self. And each human being who reaches the age of accountability with the mental capacity to know right from wrong is given the same choice Adam and Eve were given - trust God or trust self. If we trust God and seek His will be done as Jesus did, than our debts are paid and we are redeemed. If we trust self and love self above Him, then we will pay our own debt and receive our OWN will be done in our eternal state.

If we look at the lives / fruit of those who are born again and rest their faith in Christ alone, by faith alone, by grace alone we should see a light of peace and joy radiating from them. A love that goes the extra mile, often. A continuing growth of their faith and walk in becoming more like Him. 1 John is an excellent book for personal inspection on knowing if we are or are not 'in the faith.'

If someone who claims to be a Christian but is content in continuous sin such as anger, hate, alcohol abuse, lying, etc, then I would be concerned that they do not walk with the Holy Spirit (not saved) because He makes those things very uncomfortable and we find that they don't have the same attraction as they once did and no longer something to be tolerated. We will fail, often, but each time He lovingly corrects us and reminds of His way and we learn and grow in our walk with Him.

We will know one another by the fruit of the Holy Spirit that is obvious in our lives. If it is not there, I don't care how much someone stomps their feet and tells you they are too a Christian, the evidence is in the fruit. (Gal 5)

I apologize for the rambling.