The Law of Moses

What about the Law of Moses and Colossians 2:14?

Well, I say that Jesus came to nail the Law of Moses to the cross because of Colossians 2:14.  In vs. 8 of that chapter, Paul tells the church to beware of the traditions of men, which Jesus had to deal with from the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 15:8-9).  Vs. 11 speaks of the circumcision without hands which also points to something different than the Old Law.  In vs. 14, it mentions wiping out the handwritten laws.  Well, the New Testament was not written yet and the only law that was like this, “Handwritten,” during the first century, was the Law of Moses.

We further see proof of this in vs. 15-16 where Paul states that these people’s powers were stopped and that there would be no more laws concerning meat, drinks, holy days, new moons or Sabbaths.  All of these laws were under the Law of Moses.  So in Colossians 2:14, it does not apply to all demands that God has ever made for mankind.  Now, it is true that the verse does not specifically, by name, identify the Mosaic Law as the “handwriting of ordinances” but it is undeniable that it is the law meant and, if the Law of Moses is not meant, then what law is meant that deals with holy days, Sabbaths and suchlike?  In addition, this verse is parallel with Ephesians 2:14-15 which speaks of the law of commandments in ordinances being abolished. The statement in Ephesians two is clearly in reference to the Mosaic Law.  And, Paul specifically called attention to the fact that the Ephesians were Gentiles, and had no part in the commonwealth of Israel and were strangers from the covenants of promise (vs. 12).  Paul also said in the Ephesian passage that the Jews and Gentiles had now been brought together as one new spiritual man, since the “middle wall of partition” that separated the two peoples had been broken down by Christ when he died on the cross (Ephesians 2:12-13).  Since the parallel passage has clear reference to the Mosaic Law, our text (Colossians 2:14) likewise has reference to this same law.

Now, as to the Law of Moses, it applied to all Jews before Jesus died (Exodus 6:4).  Even Jesus was born under the Law of Moses (Galatians 4:4) as well as the thief on the cross, the Pharisees and scribes, the apostles and many others.  Now, the question was given, “Why didn’t Jesus come to nail also then the works or conditions taught in the Gospel of God to the cross?  Very simply, they did not exist.  Take for instance the book of Colossians, it was not even written until 60-61AD and many other books were not written then either.  Thus, if Jesus nailed the New Law to the cross, he was nailing a covenant that was not even written yet.  The Scriptures teach us that, “For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth” (Hebrews 9:17).  So, it would make no sense to end a covenant that never began.  Besides, it is in that New Covenant where one finds salvation.

Also, we need to understand that the whole Bible both Old and New Testaments is not called the Gospel or “good news.”  Now I know that the word “glad tidings” is mentioned in  Isa. 40:9; 41:27 and 52:7.  But, these are prophecies referring to Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost, when the “Good News” went forth from Jerusalem.  It was not given back in Isaiah’s day.  Thus, the Gospel only refers to the New Testament.  And, we know that Jesus made a new Covenant or Testament (Romans 11:27) where all can be baptized into the one body regardless if they are Jew or Gentile, bond or free (1 Corinthians 12:13).  Thus, when Jesus died, he closed the Old Law, He ushered in the New and He died so that men could set themselves free from the bondage of sin through the blood of the precious Christ.  Paul said in Romans 6:1-4, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

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Why I Will No Longer Support the Olympics

This past Summer 2012 Olympics was the very last that I will support with my viewing. Make no mistake—my family and I tried to watch as much as we could, and we generally have supported the Olympics throughout the years. I have even written articles addressing the positive qualities that we are able to make from such (need for preparation, playing within the rules, striving for a common goal and such like). Nevertheless, the more I learn about what truly takes place “behind the scenes,” the more I see as a viewer and the older (and I hope more mature) I get, the more disgusted I have become—so much so, that I will no longer support them with my viewing. Please do not get me wrong or misunderstand the nature of this article—I simply want to share some things for you, the reader, to think and consider as I provide reasons why I, personally, have made this decision. Before I proceed, this is not a blanket condemnation of everyone who participates or enjoys such, as I realize that with most everything, there are always exceptions. Yet, from what I have gathered, I believe they are quite rare. I will no longer support the Olympic Games because they are primarily about the following three things.

First, the Olympics are primarily about sports. If you are relatively young, you are probably thinking, “Duh!” but allow me to expand. The older I get, the more I see sports becoming a god to many people, especially right here in our own nation—the United States of America. We are proud when we are able to attain more gold medals (or more medals cumulatively) than any other nation, and as the end of the games drew near, we watched the medal count even closer. It ought to be no surprise that we are among the top countries every year, because the concept of sports plays quite a large role in the lives of Americans. From the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and even to the role that college sports plays across the fruited plains, for far too many Americans, sports has become their god. It is that for which they eat, drink and breathe. Moreover, reports often come from other countries (such as China) as to the emphasis they also give to sports. It gets to the point where we may easily talk to strangers about such sporting events, but we rarely ever talk to them about Jesus Christ. We do everything we can to teach our children how to throw a baseball, but we rarely ever teach them the word of God. We are sure to get them to practice on time, but struggle to encourage them to memorize Bible verses. Yes, I admit that I am a sports fan, but I do not want it to consume my life, and when we watched it every single evening for over two weeks, it is too much. God must be first in my life, and such types of games are constantly trying to push God out of the lives of more and more people every year. Make no mistake, the Greeks were among the first to elevate the athlete upon the golden pedestal of society, and we are following in their footsteps. Modern-day “coliseums” are becoming more popular than church buildings, which only shows the role that sports is playing as a modern false god in our world.

Second, the Olympics are primarily about money. Being a part of the sports world (as I discussed previously), it is all about the financial gain. Olympics are televised in such a way that viewers will watch the commercials and support the respective network broadcasting them. Olympic athletes (as well as others) will make more money from endorsements than they will the games themselves. When it comes to sports, money rules; I believe I read in some good book that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). The American athlete may not earn very much for their medal placements, but again, when coupled with the exposure that media provides, it often leads to a lifestyle of debauchery funded by millions of dollars of revenue gained. From the earliest of Olympics, the winners would obtain a lifetime of financial ease, but with such also came bribery and cheating—we see such attempts even today among the modern athlete. Why? It is because of an unhealthy thirst for money, along with the power and prestige that it provides.

Third, the Olympics are primarily about sex. Not only was it difficult for the Christian viewer to watch ANY sport without seeing over-exposed, athletic bodies, but to read what actually takes place within the secluded Olympic Village (temporary home for the athletes competing in the games) was nauseating. One ESPN writer wrote an article entitled, “Will You Still Medal in the Morning?” In this exposé, he described in great detail the hedonistic atmosphere that reigns during this time among the athletes. Couple this with the number of condoms that the Olympic Federation makes available (more than 100,000, which has increased over the years), and it ought to make all parents seriously reconsider whether or not they want their child to strive for such mastery.

Therefore, it is because it sadly seems, in my humble opinion, that the Olympics have become less about friendly athletic competition between countries and general good-will between nations and more about the god of sports, the love of money and the lifestyle of hedonism that I have personally put my foot down and will no longer support the Olympic Games in the future. All I ask for you is to think about it.

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Study: Becoming a Serious Bible Student

It is remarkable how little time and effort many are putting into the study of the Bible. Far too many preachers, teachers and church leaders think that if they read a book or commentary such makes them Bible scholars. They are wrong. Preachers from the past spent many hours each day in study. Our brother, Gus Nichols, devoted five hours every day for more than fifty years inside the Bible. I remember, as a young preacher, hearing him say that there were 10,000 sermons he had which he would never be able to preach. He was truly a student of the Bible and his life reflected this.

Franklin Camp probably had the greatest impact on me of any preacher I have ever known. I was a student at Lipscomb in 1961 when I heard him say, “If brother Nichols needed to study the Bible five hours each day,  then I need to spend more than that.” So every day he went to the his study at 4:00 A.M. to begin his time of study—six hours every day! Those of us who were able to be around him know the depth of study he presented in every one of his classes or sermons.

These men may be exceptional in the time they devoted to study, but the decision remains for each of us to make as to how much time we devote to study. I am not just speaking of preachers, but of every member of the church. How much time do you devote to reading and meditating on His revelation? Have you ever read the complete Bible? How many of the fifteen judges can you name? Can you name fourteen apostles? What well know character in the Bible is Nathan associated with? What about Shem? Achan? Uriah? Abimelech? Balak? Caleb? Sheba? Naboth? Gehazi? Sennacherib? Jochebed? Orpah? Dorcas? Eutychus? Matthias? Og? Antipas?

What about Bible places? What event happened at Gethsemane? Carmel? Horeb? Troas? Kadesh-Barnea? Jericho? Moriah? Cana? Ono? Lystra? Damascus?

What about the location of important verses? Can you show someone the plan of salvation? What verses show the difference between the two covenants? Can you use your Bible to discuss the day we must partake of the Lord’s supper? What verses reveal God’s attitude toward abortion? Toward homosexuality? The works of the flesh? What verses show the permanence of marriage and the sinfulness of divorce?

Brethren, let’s study the Bible. Some of the people and places above may have little importance, but they serve as a challenge to each of us to study more. Be truthful—when was the last time you spent five hours in a week in study!

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All Good Things Come From God

Today, many people are placing the blame for bad things in their life on God. Many people are blaming God when they really do not understand that God cannot do evil things, God is the source of every good thing that occurs in our lives. Perhaps the reason some people blame God for their problems is that they do not believe in God in the first place and any opportunity to degrade God in the eyes of others is considered by them a way to get even.

As we stated, God is the source of all good things that we receive in life –

James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” NKJV.

James 3:17, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” NKJV.

1 Peter 2:20-22, “20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth” NKJV.

On the other hand, the Bible tells us that the cause of all misery, sickness, death, and every evil thing that happens to man is from the Devil and his agents, and a consequence of sin –

Matthew 13:38-39, “38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels” 

John 8:44, “44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” NKJV.

Acts 10:38, “38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” NKJV.

Acts 13:10, “10 and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord” NKJV?

Ephesians 6:11, 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil“

Hebrews 2:14, “14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, NKJV

Even though the Devil (i.e., Satan, the evil one, etc.) is the source of all wickedness the Christian can resist him and he will flee (i.e., cannot overcome the Christian) – cf.,

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

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Christian Ethics

According to Dictionary.com, ethics is, “1. A system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture. 2. The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.: medical ethics; Christian ethics. 3. Moral principles, as of an individual: His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence. 4. That branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.” As we can see from the above definition, one’s ethic is the method by which one determines how one is to conduct himself. It is the decision making process by which we determine if an action would be moral or right. When faced with a dilemma, our code of ethics is what helps us to make the distinction between right and wrong.

Our ethics are determined by our world view. How we view the world will determine our course of action in life. The atheist believes that there is no God, thus no afterlife and no soul. They believe that the “here and now” is all there is and that there are no absolute values with regard to right and wrong. When they look at a situation where they are forced to make a choice between one thing and another, most simply choose the path of least resistance. Others, who are more “thoughtful” atheists, may make a choice based on what they think serves the “greater good.” However, since they do not believe there is such a thing as an absolute moral standard, what they consider the “greater good” may vary from circumstance to circumstance. In the name of the “greater good” many “good” things have been done along with many atrocities. For instance, Adolph Hitler thought killing all the Jews served the greater good while the Allied Nations thought that killing Adolph Hitler served the greater good!

The Christian, on the other hand, views the world from a biblical standpoint. The Bible teaches that there is a God who created man and who endowed him with an immortal soul. It teaches us that there is an absolute standard by which we will be judged; that there is a place called hell for those that do evil and a place called heaven for the faithful child of God and that all people will spend eternity in one or the other. This world view colors our actions and gives us our ethics. When faced with a choice, the Christian looks to the scriptures to guide him. Even things that are not addressed directly, (e.g. smoking marijuana or viewing internet pornography) are covered at least in principle by the Scriptures. With a ready knowledge of God’s word, the child of God is fully equipped for “all good works” (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17) and has access to “all things that pertain unto life and godliness…” (2 Peter 1:3) and can thereby be able to “discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:14).

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