"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people." Jeremiah 31:33
There is considerable confusion and misconception in the "Christian" community as pertains to the subject of law and grace. Ephesians 2: 8-9 states, "By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
This passage is used by some to suggest that any action or effort is unnecessary to receive salvation. However, what Paul is saying here is that it is the adherence to the works of the Jewish law, circumcision in particular, that is superseded by the New Covenant, wherein the Lord said he would "put the law in our inward parts." instead of trusting in the Old Testament Jewish Law, we now have faith that our obedience to the New Covenant provides our salvation. Repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus, and receiving the Holy Ghost are not works of the law, but are acts of faith in the sacrifice of Jesus as a replacement for the Old Testament blood sacrifices and rituals. The Holy Ghost is that law that is "written on our hearts," and "put in our inward parts," that helps us live in a way that pleases God.
Praying for you,
Pastor Ritchey
"Not going to church because of the "hypocrites" is like not going to the gym because of "out of shape people."
