Lesson 6 Commentary by Carl Cosaert at Good Word

“If God saves people by faith alone, why did He give the Law in the first place?” So begins Carl Cosaert in his discussion of this week’s lesson with colleagues at Walla Walla University. (Audio presentation of 14 min 11 sec.)

Listen for a modern illustration of the relationship of the Law to the Promise.

What resonates with me most in this presentation is the question of whether it is really possible to appreciate Christ’s sacrifice without first attempting to keep the Law on our own. I’ve wondered that myself because it was after my recognition that there was nothing in me that could recommend me to God that I truly began to appreciate what Christ has done for me. And that’s the key to the joy that Jesus promised us. (John 15:11)

What resonates with you in this conversation?

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Lesson 6 Commentary by Carl Cosaert at Good Word — 7 Comments

Kentbourne McFarlane on August 3, 2017 at 6:49 am said:

What is significant in this lesson (in Galatians & Romans, in general), is that we must receive something else in addition to justification in order to keep the moral laws; and that 'something else, is "the power to become sons & daughter of God", [John 1:12]. This power is given to enable us to keep the law; since "flesh & blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God."

When was this power given? It must be after we are justified; since before we were unable to keep the moral laws. However, this power is given as a seed which must be willfully nurtured by the believer, in a lifestyle that consciously practice obedience to the moral laws.

What does it mean to "Keep the law"? obedience to the moral laws requires a change in our nature. So then, the seed must grow and mature in to a fruit bearing tree. "By their fruit you shall know them." If this transformation is not obvious in our lives, we need to return to repentence & justification. Perhaps this is what the process of sanctification entails.

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- Ewald Spanner on August 4, 2017 at 12:47 pm said:
  
  This is "theologization". Jesus says: "Love God with all your soul, all your heart and your
  neighbour as yourself." You don`t need anything else. Period.
  
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  - Steve Roesler on August 4, 2017 at 4:57 pm said:
    
    Agreed, and Jesus said "If you love Me keep my commandments" John 14:15. Call it theologization or whatever you like. If you Love God, your behavior will reflect it. God is the One who effects the change and it's His power that is responsible, love is the motivation. steve
    
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    - Don Litchfield on August 12, 2017 at 4:14 am said:
      
      Yes, Steve, Love is the motivation even for God to keep His own law and Character. We cannot have His Love without Him (His Spirit) Living in and through us. He must be our source of Love and motivation for all that we do. He, by His Love, can motivate our minds with thoughts and feelings that will produce right actions and make us truly fulfilled in life above anything worldly "success" can ever do motivated by our own selfish "love."
      
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Ronald Ashley on August 3, 2017 at 7:40 pm said:

I basically love this Audio and wish this new addition to the Sabbath school study

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Steve Roesler on August 4, 2017 at 10:50 am said:

There's much confusion as to what the relationship is between righteousness, justification, sanctification, and the law. The words are often used as if they are independent and are hardly related, but such is not the case at all. In Greek the term righteousness just means to be right. One who is righteous knows the right thing to do and does it. The Greek word for justification is a variant of the same word and means that one has been made right, ie: they have been changed into one who does what is right. Sanctification is simply the process by which the change occurs. The law defines what right is, it is a description of how one who is righteous/justified/sanctified behaves. The terms cannot be divorced from one another and are interconnected. It cannot be said that someone is righteous or justified or is being sanctified w/o explaining what that means. The law is the description of what that looks like in actual behavior. It is the same idea expressed and widely misunderstood in Romans 10:4 "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness". The word translated "end" in this passage would more appropriately be rendered "end result" or "goal" and so it is when the same word is used by Peter in 1Peter 1:9. "You are receiving the "goal" of your faith, the salvation of your souls". Jesus was the man who behaved in the way the law describes. His example shows us what a man who keeps the law might look and behave like and so is the "goal" of the law. The reality is that "without Me you can do nothing" John 15:5. Whatever good we might do and whatever we do keep of the law is entirely a gift of God's grace. This is salvation that by God's power we become people who behave like Jesus, it is nothing of ourselves. "He shall save His people from their sins" Matt.1:21

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JohnHerscher on August 5, 2017 at 2:21 pm said:

In our sanctification Jesus does it 100%. We are off in a dark area, we hear the Still Small voice say come unto me all ye that are heavy laden. We make the choice, and bid His calling. Christ can not chose for us for. We believe what He is saying. We chose to move over to Him with His arms wide open, He takes us, and we are transformed by the Holy Spirit. The maricle has been preformed, we would rather die than break His commandments. Justification is complete 100% by Jesus Christ.

Sanctification begains, as we continue to choose Him, His power continuses to cause us to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect. The articles on the Love of God, the need for Christ, the confession of sins, the repentance, consecration, and faith and acceptance, are the keys to happiness. God gifted us those keys, it is our choice to use them, through Christ who strengthens us. As we continue to visualize Christ, our descipleship strengthens, we grow into Christ, our testimony is bolstered, our understanding of Gods character grows, our prayer life is great, doubt melts, and we rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Philippians 4:4.
Happy Sabbath

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