Living In Grace In The Reflection Of The Law
by
Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (November 10, 2014)
“Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it...Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!...Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel...” (Isaiah 5:14-30, King James Version (KJV), [Judgments upon impiety].
Greetings in the Holy Name Of Jesus,
My brothers and sisters in the Name Of Jesus, how difficult is it for you in modern times to live in grace knowing what you know about grace and knowing what you know about God's law? The Prophet Isaiah prophesied about the blessings of Christ's kingdom---Jesus and how life would be in grace. He said, “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach” (Isaiah 4:1, KJV). More importantly, this prophesy speaks to the blessings of the woman, no longer a burden to man for her care---able through the blessings of Christ Jesus to stand, however, she still needs to stand with man and asked for his name only to keep back the reproach of a woman standing alone blessed of Christ caring for herself yet that is exactly what she is able to do blessed in Christ's kingdom, is care for herself. However, most importantly, Isaiah prophesied--- speaks to the exaltation of Christ, humbling the stand of man with his lofty looks and haughtiness as so stated in Isaiah 2:11-12, KJV “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:”
Furthermore, to the exaltation of Christ in the days of living in grace, Isaiah said in his 5th chapter 15th -16th verses, “And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.” For truly the Prophet Hosea known as the Prophet of Divine Love who suffered with an unfaithful wife spoke during the darkest hour of Israel that God would not let them go---that God's divine compassion and love was available to them so they could repent for erring because God's love would not let Israel go. The Prophet Hosea prophesied of how unfaithful Israel would marry Christ betrothed to Christ forever in righteousness, judgment, loving- kindness, mercy and faithfulness and shall know the LORD as so stated in Hosea 2:16, 19-20, KJV “And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi [My husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [My lord]...And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.(I Corinthians 7:32-40,KJV [Of celibacy and marriage]).”
Today, I hear ministers worried over same sex marriage. How do you concern yourself so when you know that Israel is married to Christ and dwells in Christ's kingdom? Is it not the same erring thought process asked of Christ, whose wife shall the woman be in the resurrection when she married seven brothers and had no children? And St. Luke (20:34-38, KJV) known as the beloved disciple who was a physician witnessed Christ, “And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more:
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for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewd at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.”
Notwithstanding, the book of Prophet Zechariah, a contemporary of Haggai, is known as the Apocalypse of the Old Testament, with messages of end times, last things and rebuilding the temple told us in his 9th chapter 16th -17th verses that “And the the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.” It is not a new thought that a good crop product makes men happy and what the crop product can make in new products makes a maid happy because it all speaks of prosperity. As we race to the finish in the good faith spirit of competition, we must know where we run to and to whom draws us to him. It is through grace we run the race saved by Christ that the mouth of hell is not enlarged for us, each one of us and collectively the one body---the church, the bride of Christ. This is enough to compel us all to live holy, freed from captivity and sin (I Corinthians 7:20-24, KJV[The Lord's freeman]). This life that Christ speaks of is available to you. Amen.
