People Who Obey the New Commandment
2003-10-15 23:33
The new commandment given through Jesus Christ is a commandment that the new men obey when they live as strangers in the world, and is an excellent law that they will keep with Christ Jesus forever. That is not of the works of the law given through Moses, but of grace and truth, namely, the law of faith given through Jesus Christ. The old man can never obey the new commandment. Only the old commandment is given to the old man.
The Bible testifies about it, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:21-22)."
The old man is given the old commandment through Moses, but the new man the new commandment through the Son. He who belongs to Moses is one kind, but he who belongs to Jesus Christ is another. He who belongs to Moses is a natural body, but he who belongs to Christ is a spiritual body, as It is written, "it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:44)."
The old law and commandments, given to the old natural men, kill, but the new law and commandments, given through Jesus Christ to the new spiritual men who are born again of God, give eternal life.
Therefore, the Bible refers to the ministry of Moses as the ministry of condemnation. 2 Corinthians 3:9 says, "If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!" And also, Romans 7:13 says, "Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful."
God gave the old man the law of condemnation, but the new man the law of righteousness. The old natural man connot observe the law and commandments given to himself. It is written, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin (Romans 3:20".
The Bible also says, "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.' 'Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.' 'The poison of vipers is on their lips.' 'Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.' 'Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.' 'There is no fear of God before their eyes.' Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God (Romans 3:10-19)." The law says to those who are under it, so that every mouth may be silenced and all the world may become guilty before God.
The new commandment is given to the new man. If it is given as a commandment that anyone cannot obey, there is no one who will dwell in a new heaven and a new earth. That's because only righteousness dwells in a new heaven and a new earth.
Many people say, "How could those who cannot obey the old commandment obey even the new commandment? Only Jesus can obey the new commandment, and so, once we just belive in Jesus, our faith is credited as righteousness."
No, that's not true. The vain faith which the old man has cannot let him be united with Christ. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. The faith given to the new man is fully assured faith, faith working through love, substantial faith. The new man can obey the new commandment because by this faith he puts off the old man on the cross with Christ and is raised with Christ and are saved. It is written, "If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection (Romans 6:5)."
The new commandment that God gave through Jesus Christ is like this: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34)." If we are to love one another, as the Lord has loved us, we must have the mind of Christ. No one can love like him without it. Only the new man has the mind of Christ.
Therefore, In 1 Corinthians 2:9, the Bible testifies, "However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.'"
Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, who cannot lie, is saying to us, and those who hear the voice will live: "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him (John 14:21)." If a man says he loves Jesus without obeying the new commandment, he is a liar.
Those who have been raised with Christ Jesus and belong to him are not the old men, but the new men. The new men have this testimony: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!" They walk in newness of life and can obey the new commandment because they have the mind of Christ in themselves. The new commandment that holy brothers who share in the heavenly calling obey is the law of faith, our confession. Only the new man obeys the new commandment. Thank you, Lord.
The least brother, Kim Yun-gu
The Bible testifies about it, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:21-22)."
The old man is given the old commandment through Moses, but the new man the new commandment through the Son. He who belongs to Moses is one kind, but he who belongs to Jesus Christ is another. He who belongs to Moses is a natural body, but he who belongs to Christ is a spiritual body, as It is written, "it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:44)."
The old law and commandments, given to the old natural men, kill, but the new law and commandments, given through Jesus Christ to the new spiritual men who are born again of God, give eternal life.
Therefore, the Bible refers to the ministry of Moses as the ministry of condemnation. 2 Corinthians 3:9 says, "If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!" And also, Romans 7:13 says, "Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful."
God gave the old man the law of condemnation, but the new man the law of righteousness. The old natural man connot observe the law and commandments given to himself. It is written, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin (Romans 3:20".
The Bible also says, "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.' 'Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.' 'The poison of vipers is on their lips.' 'Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.' 'Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.' 'There is no fear of God before their eyes.' Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God (Romans 3:10-19)." The law says to those who are under it, so that every mouth may be silenced and all the world may become guilty before God.
The new commandment is given to the new man. If it is given as a commandment that anyone cannot obey, there is no one who will dwell in a new heaven and a new earth. That's because only righteousness dwells in a new heaven and a new earth.
Many people say, "How could those who cannot obey the old commandment obey even the new commandment? Only Jesus can obey the new commandment, and so, once we just belive in Jesus, our faith is credited as righteousness."
No, that's not true. The vain faith which the old man has cannot let him be united with Christ. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. The faith given to the new man is fully assured faith, faith working through love, substantial faith. The new man can obey the new commandment because by this faith he puts off the old man on the cross with Christ and is raised with Christ and are saved. It is written, "If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection (Romans 6:5)."
The new commandment that God gave through Jesus Christ is like this: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34)." If we are to love one another, as the Lord has loved us, we must have the mind of Christ. No one can love like him without it. Only the new man has the mind of Christ.
Therefore, In 1 Corinthians 2:9, the Bible testifies, "However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.'"
Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, who cannot lie, is saying to us, and those who hear the voice will live: "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him (John 14:21)." If a man says he loves Jesus without obeying the new commandment, he is a liar.
Those who have been raised with Christ Jesus and belong to him are not the old men, but the new men. The new men have this testimony: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!" They walk in newness of life and can obey the new commandment because they have the mind of Christ in themselves. The new commandment that holy brothers who share in the heavenly calling obey is the law of faith, our confession. Only the new man obeys the new commandment. Thank you, Lord.
The least brother, Kim Yun-gu
