Moses and The Word Of God
Speaking of the Law Moses wrote...
“It is not up in heaven so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." (Deuteronomy 30:12-14)
The children of Israel were afraid of God so they asked Moses to go up into heaven on Mount Sinai and get the word of God and bring it to them, and then they would do what Moses told them.
"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all...All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23)
No one can become righteous by obeying the law because we all have "sinned" and "gone astray". That is the bad news - the good news is that "the LORD has laid on him", Jesus, "the iniquity of us all". Faith in this good news justifies us, in other words - believing the Word of God makes us righteous.
“It is not up in heaven so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." (Deuteronomy 30:12-14)
The children of Israel were afraid of God so they asked Moses to go up into heaven on Mount Sinai and get the word of God and bring it to them, and then they would do what Moses told them.
Paul said this about the above passage in Deuteronomy...
"Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them." (Romans 10:5)
"Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them." (Romans 10:5)
Before Christ Jesus came to save mankind, and make us righteous by faith in him, obeying the law was all that could be done to become righteous. How does that work out for people? Isaiah and Paul both tell us...
"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all...All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23)
No one can become righteous by obeying the law because we all have "sinned" and "gone astray". That is the bad news - the good news is that "the LORD has laid on him", Jesus, "the iniquity of us all". Faith in this good news justifies us, in other words - believing the Word of God makes us righteous.
Paul further writes this about the passage in Deuteronomy...
"Moses is writing of the righteousness which is of law...Yet the righteousness of FAITH says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ to bring Christ down, or ‘Who will descend into the deep? ’to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, ”that is, the message of FAITH that we proclaim"
Pastors and teachers are not the new Moses, yet most Christians are so afraid of God that they want their pastor or teacher to "ascend into heaven" and come tell them what they need to do to be saved and get right with God. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, Jesus our savior has done it for us - he died "for our sin" and God "laid on him the iniquity of us all". As Paul says...
"Moses is writing of the righteousness which is of law...Yet the righteousness of FAITH says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ to bring Christ down, or ‘Who will descend into the deep? ’to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, ”that is, the message of FAITH that we proclaim"
Pastors and teachers are not the new Moses, yet most Christians are so afraid of God that they want their pastor or teacher to "ascend into heaven" and come tell them what they need to do to be saved and get right with God. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, Jesus our savior has done it for us - he died "for our sin" and God "laid on him the iniquity of us all". As Paul says...
"...Christ died for our sin according to the Scriptures...If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (from having to keep the Law to be righteous). For it is with your heart that you believe and are made righteous, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith (in Jesus) and are saved (from sin and going astray). "As Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will never be put to shame. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “EVERYONE, who should be calling on the name of the Lord, WILL BE SAVED.” (1 Corinthians 15:3; Romans 10:5-13)
Few "call on him" in this age, nor "believe in him". But "EVERYONE" will be "SAVED" in the following ages when "every" knee bows and "every" tongue confesses their "faith" in Christ Jesus, and that "faith" will save them as it is written...
"...at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11)
We do not need anyone to "ascend into heaven", or a Seminary or Bible Conference, to get the Word of God and come back and tell us what God says. Jesus is the "Word", and has done what needed to be done to make us "righteous". Have faith that "Jesus" accomplished what God sent him to do - "seek and to save them which are lost" - no need to send Moses back up on the mount or send Pastors, Evangelists and Teachers to Seminary. The Word of God is "near you" and "in your heart". Have "faith" in Jesus, your salvation, the "free gift of God". Then live like you appreciate him.
"And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth...God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast...the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord" (John 1:14; Ephesians 2:4-9; Romans 6:23)
We do not need anyone to "ascend into heaven", or a Seminary or Bible Conference, to get the Word of God and come back and tell us what God says. Jesus is the "Word", and has done what needed to be done to make us "righteous". Have faith that "Jesus" accomplished what God sent him to do - "seek and to save them which are lost" - no need to send Moses back up on the mount or send Pastors, Evangelists and Teachers to Seminary. The Word of God is "near you" and "in your heart". Have "faith" in Jesus, your salvation, the "free gift of God". Then live like you appreciate him.
"And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth...God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast...the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord" (John 1:14; Ephesians 2:4-9; Romans 6:23)