NetChaplain
Active Member
It is presently my strong suspicion that God’s people, Israel (those who love God but reject His Son the Lord Jesus) will inherit the New Earth—their final “Canaan.” John wrote, “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father,” hence they will not be able to call God their Father but they can call Him their God; and I also believe that He has and always will love His people, always bringing them back to Himself, even in spite of their rejection of Christ. The Jews will finally see Christ in His glory but will be too late to become Christians, all of which He foreknew would be the situation. Only those who receive the Lord Jesus can call God their Father; and one must be able to call God, “Father,” to enter the New Heaven.
-NC
It will be found that the teachings of the Messianic kingdom presented in Matthew 5-7 are in exact accord with OT predictions regarding that kingdom, and are wholly in disagreement with the teachings of grace (the Law always involved “good works” from the Jews who believe in God for salvation . Christians don’t rely on good works but on faith in the Lord Jesus for salvation; and good works will always follow Christians—NC).
In Luke 16:16 it is written: “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it” (all were interested to hear the Word—NC). The message of John the Baptist was something new. It was in no sense the preaching of “the law and the prophets” as a direct application of the Mosaic system. Nevertheless, his preaching was purely legal in character.
An important exception to this is found in the Gospel of John. In that Gospel, the characterizing words selected from all the sayings of John the Baptist are “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). The Gospel of John is distinctly of salvation and grace through believing, and the selection of this one message from John the Baptist beautifully illustrates the mind and purpose of the Spirit in the choice of material for the construction of the Gospel of divine grace.
The exceptional word from John the Baptist, fitted to the message of grace in the Gospel of John, should not be confused with his legalistic preaching as recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, where his real ministry as the forerunner is set forth.
What he preached is clearly stated in Luke 3:8-14: “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance . . . and the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise (teaching to share—NC). Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, what shall we do? And he said unto them, exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, and what shall we do? And he said unto them, do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages” (this entire discourse is law and good works—NC).
The intense emphasis on the covenant of meritorious works is obvious in this message; but John the Baptist did not preach Moses and the prophets. The law and the prophets were until John the Baptist. It is to be concluded that the preaching of John the Baptist was wholly new, and was according to his message as herald of the King; but that message is legalistic and not gracious. It is still a covenant of works and not a covenant of faith (see notes below on Gal 3:12—NC).
Added light is also given in Luke 16:16 relative to the kingdom character of John’s preaching. The divine rule in the earth which Matthew terms “the kingdom of heaven” (which phrase only Matthew uses—NC) is by Luke termed “kingdom of God.” This is justified since the kingdom of God includes the kingdom of heaven, or the earth-rule of the King.
Since Matthew and Luke are so evidently referring to the same divine rule in the earth, and often reporting the same message when employing these two phrases, it is conclusive that Luke’s use of the term “the kingdom of God,” here and elsewhere, is with reference to the limited divine rule in the earth (the millennium on the old earth, then eternity on the New Earth—NC). Into that kingdom, men who enter are said to be “pressing in” (Luk 16:16 – men were eager to hear the Gospel and forced their way in, it being something new, but most resulted in rejecting it - Jhn 6:66—NC). “To crowd oneself in” is the literal meaning, and the word suggests intense human effort, and implies the need of merit which is required for entrance into the millennial kingdom (during the millennial kingdom Christians will already be raised and will rule with the Lord Jesus from the New Heaven - Rev 20:4—NC).
—L S Chafer (1871-1952)
Notes on Gal 3:12: “Though the law is not of faith, yet not of man, but of God; the law does not consist of faith in Christ, nor does it require it, and that a man should live by it upon His righteousness; it is the Gospel that reveals the righteousness of Christ, and directs and encourages men to believe in Him and be saved; nor does the law take any notice of a man's faith; nor has it anything to do with a man as a believer, but as a doer, in the point of justification” -John Gill (1697-1771)
“The Law is not a matter of faith; it does not relate to faith; it does not require faith; it deals in other matters, and it pertains to another system than to faith.” -Albert Barnes (1798-1870)
MJS daily devotional for March 3
The only true, consistent, and Christ-honoring experience is that which emerges from clear-cut faith in the explicit facts of the Word. Sound doctrine is the one basis for a mature walk and effective service. “Thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:6).
“We must remember that our death to sin was once for all accomplished at the Cross. There the believer shared the death of the Lord Jesus; for when he became a believer, the life he received was life in Christ, that is, life out of death, resurrection life, ‘newness of life’; and the relation to sin and the law which Christ had, became those of the believer! Our experience of it all is simply the entering by faith into what has already happened at the Cross.
“God now commands each of us to reckon ourselves as having died with Christ to sin—and therefore as now dead unto sin; and as having risen with Christ, and therefore now alive to God (Rom. 6:11). Now it is always on the basis of what God has done that He asks us to reckon, to appropriate. God makes the facts and tells us to take the attitude that befits these facts; and when we obey, He increasingly works our experiential victory in and through us.” -W.R.N.
-NC
It will be found that the teachings of the Messianic kingdom presented in Matthew 5-7 are in exact accord with OT predictions regarding that kingdom, and are wholly in disagreement with the teachings of grace (the Law always involved “good works” from the Jews who believe in God for salvation . Christians don’t rely on good works but on faith in the Lord Jesus for salvation; and good works will always follow Christians—NC).
In Luke 16:16 it is written: “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it” (all were interested to hear the Word—NC). The message of John the Baptist was something new. It was in no sense the preaching of “the law and the prophets” as a direct application of the Mosaic system. Nevertheless, his preaching was purely legal in character.
An important exception to this is found in the Gospel of John. In that Gospel, the characterizing words selected from all the sayings of John the Baptist are “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). The Gospel of John is distinctly of salvation and grace through believing, and the selection of this one message from John the Baptist beautifully illustrates the mind and purpose of the Spirit in the choice of material for the construction of the Gospel of divine grace.
The exceptional word from John the Baptist, fitted to the message of grace in the Gospel of John, should not be confused with his legalistic preaching as recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, where his real ministry as the forerunner is set forth.
What he preached is clearly stated in Luke 3:8-14: “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance . . . and the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise (teaching to share—NC). Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, what shall we do? And he said unto them, exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, and what shall we do? And he said unto them, do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages” (this entire discourse is law and good works—NC).
The intense emphasis on the covenant of meritorious works is obvious in this message; but John the Baptist did not preach Moses and the prophets. The law and the prophets were until John the Baptist. It is to be concluded that the preaching of John the Baptist was wholly new, and was according to his message as herald of the King; but that message is legalistic and not gracious. It is still a covenant of works and not a covenant of faith (see notes below on Gal 3:12—NC).
Added light is also given in Luke 16:16 relative to the kingdom character of John’s preaching. The divine rule in the earth which Matthew terms “the kingdom of heaven” (which phrase only Matthew uses—NC) is by Luke termed “kingdom of God.” This is justified since the kingdom of God includes the kingdom of heaven, or the earth-rule of the King.
Since Matthew and Luke are so evidently referring to the same divine rule in the earth, and often reporting the same message when employing these two phrases, it is conclusive that Luke’s use of the term “the kingdom of God,” here and elsewhere, is with reference to the limited divine rule in the earth (the millennium on the old earth, then eternity on the New Earth—NC). Into that kingdom, men who enter are said to be “pressing in” (Luk 16:16 – men were eager to hear the Gospel and forced their way in, it being something new, but most resulted in rejecting it - Jhn 6:66—NC). “To crowd oneself in” is the literal meaning, and the word suggests intense human effort, and implies the need of merit which is required for entrance into the millennial kingdom (during the millennial kingdom Christians will already be raised and will rule with the Lord Jesus from the New Heaven - Rev 20:4—NC).
—L S Chafer (1871-1952)
Notes on Gal 3:12: “Though the law is not of faith, yet not of man, but of God; the law does not consist of faith in Christ, nor does it require it, and that a man should live by it upon His righteousness; it is the Gospel that reveals the righteousness of Christ, and directs and encourages men to believe in Him and be saved; nor does the law take any notice of a man's faith; nor has it anything to do with a man as a believer, but as a doer, in the point of justification” -John Gill (1697-1771)
“The Law is not a matter of faith; it does not relate to faith; it does not require faith; it deals in other matters, and it pertains to another system than to faith.” -Albert Barnes (1798-1870)
MJS daily devotional for March 3
The only true, consistent, and Christ-honoring experience is that which emerges from clear-cut faith in the explicit facts of the Word. Sound doctrine is the one basis for a mature walk and effective service. “Thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:6).
“We must remember that our death to sin was once for all accomplished at the Cross. There the believer shared the death of the Lord Jesus; for when he became a believer, the life he received was life in Christ, that is, life out of death, resurrection life, ‘newness of life’; and the relation to sin and the law which Christ had, became those of the believer! Our experience of it all is simply the entering by faith into what has already happened at the Cross.
“God now commands each of us to reckon ourselves as having died with Christ to sin—and therefore as now dead unto sin; and as having risen with Christ, and therefore now alive to God (Rom. 6:11). Now it is always on the basis of what God has done that He asks us to reckon, to appropriate. God makes the facts and tells us to take the attitude that befits these facts; and when we obey, He increasingly works our experiential victory in and through us.” -W.R.N.