Dear Mike,

Thank you very much for your well presented and uplifting message. The word of God flows and harmonizes when seen in the light of God’s purpose and will. God is indeed sovereign in all things.

It took me many days to go through your message, and I took many notes for myself. I was blessed by it, and it opened my eyes to many things. I have been looking through the website, and my whole view of God’s will and the bible has expanded.

I have some questions that I hope you don’t mind answering.

1. Do you know of any other bible references of God allowing divorce for abusive reasons besides 1Co 7:15? You had another one from the old testament, but I couldn’t quite see it.
2. I still don’t see the difference between fornication and adultery. Wouldn’t a woman (a wife) be stoned if she played the harlot according to the old testament law?
3. Are you talking about two different things when you talk about the law and when you talk about the old covenant. I understand it as the old covenant is the 10 commandments and the law is the 10 commandments plus all the other ordinances. Is this correct?
4. How do you know that “he [ Adam] would have died if he had never eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” I thought it was eating from that fruit that produced death.
5. What does Heb 5:7 mean when it is translated as “through death?” It would say “to him [ God] who was able to save him [ Jesus] through death…” Why would Jesus need to be saved through death?
6. How does one know he/ she has God’s new spiritual law written on their heart and mind? There are so many things in this world that go against us. I feel that I am carnal in my reactions and feelings toward those that do nasty things to me. I don’t feel very loving to the guy who cuts me off on the highway, believe me. There are circumstances in my life I hate, people I would gladly do without. I get angry with my husband when I don’t get my way or if others do things against me. So is it a progressive thing? Do we just get better and better? More and more loving? How do you love people you don’t even like? I know you’re supposed to but it doesn’t come easily.

Anyway, thank you again. I would mention that I really liked the way you equated the tree of the knowledge of good and evil with the law, and the tree of life with Christ. It’s like a puzzle that fits together. You obviously did a lot of research and spent a lot of time on this message, and I for one appreciate it.

Yours truly in Christ,

U_____

Hi U_____,

Thank you for your kind words and your questions. I truly believe that a proper understanding of the law of God is the single most difficult thing for Christians to grasp. Mat 5:17 is one of the most misunderstood scriptures in all of the Bible.

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Every one seems to understand that Christ fulfilled the prophecies about Himself, but no one seems to be able to get a handle on the fact that He is also our sabbath, and through the death in His flesh he has also fulfilled the ‘law which is made for an unrighteous man.’

1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

Christ was a ‘righteous man of course.’ And yet He came in human flesh which ‘cannot inherit the kingdom of God.’

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Knowing and understanding this should answer both your questions #4 and #5: first #4:

4. How do you know that “he [ Adam] would have died if he had never eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” I thought it was eating from that fruit that produced death.”

Adam was from the creator’s hand made flesh. Now what is it that we are told about flesh?:

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

According to this and all of scripture, flesh and blood are corruptible. That is why Eve lusted after the fruit on that tree before she ever touched the tree. Eating of the fruit was not the first sin committed by Eve. Eating of that fruit was the result of the sin that Eve committed because she was mere corruptible flesh and blood. Eve committed the sin of covetousness and lust before she ever touched the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve had no real hope of doing otherwise under the circumstances. She was operating under an unrelenting “law” as we all are.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

That is why David could say of his mother, of whom we have no record of immorality:

Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Adam could say this same thing of his shaping and conception. What we fail to understand is that flesh, being corruptible, in scriptural terms IS sin. That is what is meant by…:

Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Being “made of a woman” is what made Christ to be “made to be sin for us.”

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [ to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The words “to be” are not in the original Greek. Christ was simply “made sin” by virtue of being “born of a woman.” That part was accomplished at His conception, long before He was put on the cross.

Be sure to read The Law of The Offerings, by Andrew Jukes if you can find it for a much deeper understanding of the difference between a ‘sin offering,’ and a ‘transgression offering.’ The sin offering was for what we ARE – sinful flesh. The transgression offering was for what we DO. I personally consider these offerings to be the view of Christ as God wants us to view Him. It is therefore one of the best books I have ever read. Again, be sure to read this book.

What does Heb 5:7 mean when it is translated as “through death?” It would say “to him [ God] who was able to save him [ Jesus] through death…” Why would Jesus need to be saved through death?”

Christ’s “flesh and blood can no more inherit the kingdom of God than our flesh and blood” can. That is one reason why we are told:

2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more [ after the flesh].
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The flesh was created, like the ugly scaffolding of a beautiful building, to be taken down and never seen again.

Your first question is:

1. Do you know of any other bible references of God allowing divorce for abusive reasons besides 1Co 7:15? You had another one from the old testament, but I couldn’t quite see it.

The old covenant is full of instruction to put away your wife” if you find some uncleanness in her” (Deu 24:1).

Deu 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give [ it] in her hand, and send her out of his house.
Deu 24:2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s [ wife].

This “some uncleanness” was neither fornication nor adultery. The penalty for either of those offenses was death. This is simply more of the ‘you find no delight in her’ of Deu 21:14:

Deu 21:14 And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.

That same thought is contained in the words “she find no favor in his eyes.” The “some uncleanness” could have been as simple as not keeping a clean house, being a poor cook or being a slovenly person.

While I for one do not believe that a woman is expected to remain in an abusive relationship, I still believe that far too many couples are too quick to “break asunder that which God hath joined together.” Parents need to be far more aware of what their pride and self- centeredness does to their children. What needs to be emphasized first and foremost is:

Mal 2:16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

But while the first part of this verse is true, and it is first and foremost, the last part is also true:

Mal 2:15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

The law of Moses was only “for the lawless” (1Ti 1:9). The Lord Himself was not bound to that law because He was not ‘lawless’ and He certainly had no “hardness of heart”

Mat 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives [“because you have no delight in her”]: but from the beginning it was not so.

Here is your 2nd question:

2. I still don’t see the difference between fornication and adultery. Wouldn’t a woman (a wife) be stoned if she played the harlot according to the old testament law?

That is right, the law of Moses REQUIRED stoning for these offenses. That is just one more example of how Christ broke and taught against the law of Moses. Why didn’t Christ say “where is the man? Bring him here, too, and let’s get this stoning under way.” That is exactly what the law of Moses called for:

Deu 22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

I challenge any ‘minister of God’ to show me the words “neither do I condemn thee,” anywhere in the law of Moses! I have made this challenge many times, and it is still unanswered and always will be.

Your third question was:

3. Are you talking about two different things when you talk about the law and when you talk about the old covenant. I understand it as the old covenant is the 10 commandments and the law is the 10 commandments plus all the other ordinances. Is this correct?

In the interest of time I am going to ask you to read Christ and Torah. After reading this letter, if you still have a question please let me know. I would encourage you to also read The Heir and The Servant, and Christ and The Law.

Now for your last question:

6. How do you know you have God’s new spiritual law written on your heart and mind? There are so many things in this world that go against us. I feel that I am carnal in my reactions and feelings toward those that do nasty things to me. I don’t feel very loving to the guy who cuts me off on the highway, believe me. There are circumstances in my life I hate, people I would gladly do without. I get angry with my husband when I don’t get my way or if others do things against me. So is it a progressive thing? Do we just get better and better? More and more loving? How do you love people you don’t even like? I know you’re supposed to but it doesn’t come easily.

In answer to this question I will refer you to The Seven Steps To Salvation. Yes, U_____, salvation is not something anyone presently possesses. The scriptural truth from all the writers of the new testament is “he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”

Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

On this same subject I would encourage you to read Is It Possible To Lead A Sinless Life and Who Is The Beast?

The single most comprehensive thing I have written on spiritual maturity is Strong Delusion. The desire to stay spiritually immature is the very essence of ‘strong delusion.’

Do not become discouraged if you are still struggling. This is our calling until the day we die.

Remember the very definition of ‘eternal life’ involves a process:

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

In His service,

Mike