Turn TO The Law or AWAY From The Law?

Under Covenant, Israel was told to turn TO the law. God, through the prophet Joshua, promised them prosperity if they would "turn not" from the law.

Joshua 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

Under Grace, we are told to turn AWAY from the law. Paul asked how could someone "turn ye again" to the weak and beggarly elements of the law after coming to know God by grace through faith?

Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

A significant question we must ask the legalistic-lordshippers who have pervaded their way into TRUE Christianity is this:

How can we "turn not from" something we are "dead to"?

Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Galatians 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God

This begins to make sense when we realize that Paul was given DIFFERENT instructions for DIFFERENT people under DIFFERENT circumstances.

He was given the Ephesians 3:2 "dispensation of the grace of God”.

According to that dispensational information, after being justified by faith, if someone decided to turn BACK to works, they would be guilty of fallen from grace.

“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4).

Our apostle tells us to "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith;".

This self examination is not an OUTWARD one as some wrongfully teach, and as we see, proof of this is found in the next half of the verse: "Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

It is evident that the examination is one of the INWARD man and not one of the outward.

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:

So ask yourself, am I law-working or grace-resting?

If you're law-working, you've “fallen from grace” and back to self.

From God-centered to self-centered.

From God-dependant to self-dependant.

From God-confident to self-confident.

From cross-reliant to self-reliant.

And the result is, you've become self-serving instead of God-serving.

When God dependence is replaced by self dependence, bitterness replaces joy. When God centeredness is replaced by self centeredness, distress replaces peace. When humility is replaced by pride, enmity replaces love. When God assurance is replaced by self assurance, disappointment and oppression will be lurking near by.

When our focus on the cross gets obscured by our looking in the mirror, we're no longer God-reliant, but self-reliant.

"Truth is so rare that it is delightful to tell it."

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