"This he knows is the way to bring all religion to a mere lifeless formality, and effectually shut out the power of godliness, and every thing which is spiritual, and to have all true Christianity turned out of doors" Dr. Jonathan Edwards

"If the Gentile be found to act according to the spirit and design of the law, his acting thus uprightly, according to the light which God has afforded him, will be reckoned to him as if he were circumcised and walked agreeably to the law." Dr. Adam Clarke

The rite of circumcision was the emblem by which the Jews relationship with Abrahamic covenant was recognized. However, to wear the emblem does not necessarily make you an heir to the promise!

 The soul must solemnly remind itself of Who it is that is to be approached, even the Most High, before whom the very seraphim veil their faces (Isaiah 6:2).  Though Divine grace has made the Christian a son, nevertheles

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I would suggest that the same is true with regard to much of what is called modern Christianity.

Or are we clinging to the notion that we have some kind of claim to prerogatives and perquisites?

If we look toward history we will find that Adultery was a most common crime in Israel.

How often do we tell others how to live their lives while standing in the same ditch?

By profession I am a soldier and take pride in that fact, but I am prouder to be a father.  General Douglas MacArthur

Our hope is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that sets us free lest we too become the hypocrites of the faith putting the Bible under our arm to use as a seven-day deodorant pad.

Like the Jew, we too let our opinion of ourselves wax great!

Ignorance of the law is no excuse!

We can see here that Paul argues that the very privileges that the Jews boast of will hold them to a stricter standard. If we extend this to all of God's people we could say that those who have grown up in Christian families may have learned what God's word says. However, if our lives to not reflect this we are no better than the heathen.

The secrets of men. The majority of our human lives lies hidden from our fellow-men, but when the judgment comes every secret shall be made known to all.

Medical science finds in our chromosomes various codes that sometimes bring with it a weakness toward specific diseases, maladies or the like.

I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.  Dr. Benjamin Franklin, at the Continental Congress

So even though the Gentiles were not the possessors of the law (didn't have a God's written word) they knew in their innermost being its very precepts.

Bless to us our extraordinary mercies; if the day come when these must be taken, brace us to play the man under affliction.  Robert Louis Stevenson - Vailima Prayers and Sabbath Morn

I suspect that we, like Israel, become fooled into thinking that because we own a Bible, read it, and perhaps even study it, that we have somehow become something!

The sea around us, which this rain recruits, teems with the race of fish; teach us, Lord, the meaning of the fishes.  Let us see ourselves for what we are, one out of the countless number of the clans of thy handiwork.  Robert Louis Stevenson-Vailima Prayers and Sabbath Morn

This verse becomes the logical extension of the previous verse referring to God's impartiality. There is much debate by the Biblical scholars as to the exact intention of the word "law."

There is every consolation and encouragement from belonging to Christ! One is that we married men have a new heart!  It is composed of half of Jesus' heart and half of my beloved wife's heart.

What a stark contrast to the previous verse. From affliction and distress to blessing. Peace as opposed to tribulation. Approbation to honor.

"Aid us, if it be thy will, in our concerns.  Have mercy on this land and innocent people."  Robert Louis Stevenson - Vailima Prayers and Sabbath Morn

The recompense for sin is clearly given upon everyone. Sin has and effect that cannot be thwarted just like gravity. We might think we have eluded its effects but nevertheless it holds us fast. The first instance of the Jew mentioned in this chapter heads the list since they were blessed with greater privileges by knowing God's law having abused greater mercies.

For our absent loved ones we implore thy loving-kindness.  Keep them in life, keep them in growing honor; and for us, grant that we remain worthy of their love....Robert Louis Stevenson—Vailima Prayers and Sabbath Morn

“These mercies were kept back from them in order to humble them, and to bring them to a sense of their sins, and an acknowledgement of them.”  Dr. John Gill

Before we show how that possibility may be realized, let us solemnly ponder what brought that poor soul into such a sorry plight a plight into which both writer and reader will certainly fall unless we are ever on our prayerful guard.  Arthur W. Pink, Practical Christianity

And now, when the clouds gather and the rain impends over the forest and our house, permit us not to be cast down; let us not lose the savour of past mercies and past pleasures; but, like the voice of a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memory survive in the hour of darkness....Robert Lewis Stevenson

The day returns and brings us the petty round of irritating concerns and duties.  Help us to play the man, help us to perform them with laughter and kind faces, let cheerfulness abound with industry....Robert Lewis Stevenson—Vailima Prayers and Sabbath Morn

Grant that we here before Thee may be set free from the fear of vicissitude and the fear of death, may finish what remains before us of our course without dishonor to ourselves or hurt to others, and, when the day comes, may die in peace....  Robert Lewis Stevenson

The word repentance occurs 24 times in the New Testament!  How many times does it appear in our hearts?

"Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do."  Andrew Murray

Don't do as I do, do as I say! Sound familiar?  Is this not the real grist of our fallen nature that began with Adam, "the woman you gave me made me do it."  We are quick to neener, neener, neener everyone else while hiding that secret deep in our heart that will one day be brought into the light for everyone to see.

Do we really believe that the judgment of God really falls upon us?  We tend to have a greater respect for gravity than for God Himself.  Is the law of gravity more real than the "Law of Sin and Death" because scientist can see demonstrations of its existence?  Yet the same God created both! The problem is we tend to ignore the evidence of the damage that our own sin brings into our lives. Yet Christ stands ready to mightily forgive! 

We as men are responsible for our marriage.  Even if its demise would be totally the wife's fault (we would remain responsible!). 

"The first Divine movement for the salvation of an individual, after the prayer of intercession by the Spirit, is illumination by the Spirit." (Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, Satan)

The child of God was saved from the guilt and penalty of sin when he believed!

THIS IS A VERY HUMBLING, and at the same time, a very blessed word to the true disciple.  It was very humbling to the disciples to be told that they had not chosen Christ.  Your wants were so many, your hearts were so hard, that ye have not chosen me. And yet it was exceedingly comforting to the disciples to be told that he had chosen them: 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you'.  This showed them that his love was first with them — that he had a love for them when they were dead. And then he showed them that it was love that would make them holy: 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.'

It is the nature of our fleshly heart to be inventors of evil! A hard truth but nevertheless true.  The more we deny it the harder our walk!  Why?  Because when we deny the truth of Scripture, we call the God who wrote it a liar!  I suspect that is why the Apostle John mentions this in his epistle.  Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit to guide us in learning to agree with God so that we may step into the light of His Grace and find not only forgiveness but the renewing of our mind!

Gospel Light OR Gospel-lite Our understanding is totally dependent upon the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit NOT intellectual prowess. Therefore, we are without excuse and misunderstanding is no longer an option.

A poisonous morsel in her teeth she chewed,
And gorged the flesh of vipers for her food.