BBD 11.14.13 The Letter of the Law (Classic)

#1 · November 14, 2013, 1:32 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on November 14, 2013, 1:32 pm
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

Visit the
Burning Bush websites:

www.theburningbush.net

www.theburningbush.org

The
Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170 countries. Celebrating
15 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the Burning Bush
Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 14,000
subscribers across the world.

You can
leave comments/feedback about the devotionals at www.theburningbush.net.

There is
a translation tool on theburningbush.net website in the top left hand corner of
all of the pages.

The Burning Bush Devotional

14,000 Subscribers
to the Email Devotional

Classic from 2005

11.14.13

The Letter of the
Law

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not
come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and
earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till
all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these
commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of
heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the
kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:17-18.

The letters of the Kurdish alphabet and the Turkish law
have collided. In Turkey, it is against the law to use characters not used in
the Turkish alphabet and during a Kurdish New Year celebration, 20 people had
placards, which had the letters Q and W, which are not in the Turkish alphabet.
A court in the city of Siirt fined all those who participated in using the
unlawful letters 100 new lira.

It does appear somewhat severe to punish people for
simply holding placards, which have letters on them! However, it is the law and
the Turkish court has ruled according to the letter of the law. As a result, a
penalty was imposed on the 20 people who disobeyed the law by holding up the
unlawful letters.

Jesus is speaking in Matthew five of the Old Testament
laws, and because of His use of the terms “the
Law” and the “Prophets” we know he is talking about the whole of the
Old Testament. In Luke 24:44
Jesus says, “These are the words which I spoke to you while
I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in
the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

The letter of the Law contained in the Old Testament some
would say is harsh. However, the Law is the Law, and there are penalties for
disobedience to that Law even though it may appear small to us. Jesus says, “till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means
pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

What is the purpose of the Law? The apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 3:24, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.” The “tutor (Greek: paidagogos)” that this word is based upon was usually an
elderly and trustworthy slave that would be in charge of escorting the
families’ children to school. The slave would stay at the school until the
school was over, and then escorted the children home. Even though the tutor was
a slave, the children would still call him “Master” and the slave had the authority to punish
the child if necessary. In the same way, the “Law” is our “tutor”.

The apostle Paul in Galatians
chapter three goes on to tell us how privileged we are if
we know Christ as our Savior by saying, “But
after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of
God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ
Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs
according to the promise.” This
means that, in Christ, those who know Him as Savior are no longer in bondage
but are free! Thank God! Praise God! Because Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. Romans 6:23a tells us that the penalty for sin is death. The last
part of Romans 6:23b tells us the good news: “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Have you received the gift?

Copyright © 2005-2013. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
these first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Ed Wrather has retired from
pastoring full-time and has more time to pursue other ministry opportunities.
No matter what the size your church, Ed will come on a love offering basis for
a revival or to share his testimony in the continental United States. You can
make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or theburningbushdevotional@gmail.com
View LinkedIn profile with endorsements at
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=92988105

Prayer Requests: Please pray for
Scott who is having severe headaches caused by a cyst. Many prayer needs are
posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You can also
post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am always in need of prayer -
please pray for me.).

Please join the Burning Bush Prayer Group.
The group began in 1998 and is made up of over 300 prayer warriors. Send prayer requests and receive prayer
requests. To join send an email to: bbpg-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You can unsubscribe to the burningbushdevo
devotional group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.

You may
subscribe to the html text group (Because of time constraints the devotional is
only being sent now in html format) by sending a blank email to burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org
and you may unsubscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.
If the link does not work, copy and paste the link.

--

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org

Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

Visit the
Burning Bush websites:

http://www.theburningbush.net

http://www.theburningbush.org

The
Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170 countries. Celebrating
15 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the Burning Bush
Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 14,000
subscribers across the world.

You can
leave comments/feedback about the devotionals at http://www.theburningbush.net.

There is
a translation tool on theburningbush.net website in the top left hand corner of
all of the pages.

The Burning Bush Devotional

14,000 Subscribers
to the Email Devotional

Classic from 2005

11.14.13

The Letter of the
Law

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not
come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and
earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till
all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these
commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of
heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the
kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:17-18.

The letters of the Kurdish alphabet and the Turkish law
have collided. In Turkey, it is against the law to use characters not used in
the Turkish alphabet and during a Kurdish New Year celebration, 20 people had
placards, which had the letters Q and W, which are not in the Turkish alphabet.
A court in the city of Siirt fined all those who participated in using the
unlawful letters 100 new lira.

It does appear somewhat severe to punish people for
simply holding placards, which have letters on them! However, it is the law and
the Turkish court has ruled according to the letter of the law. As a result, a
penalty was imposed on the 20 people who disobeyed the law by holding up the
unlawful letters.

Jesus is speaking in Matthew five of the Old Testament
laws, and because of His use of the terms “the
Law” and the “Prophets” we know he is talking about the whole of the
Old Testament. In Luke 24:44
Jesus says, “These are the words which I spoke to you while
I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in
the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

The letter of the Law contained in the Old Testament some
would say is harsh. However, the Law is the Law, and there are penalties for
disobedience to that Law even though it may appear small to us. Jesus says, “till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means
pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

What is the purpose of the Law? The apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 3:24, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.” The “tutor (Greek: paidagogos)” that this word is based upon was usually an
elderly and trustworthy slave that would be in charge of escorting the
families’ children to school. The slave would stay at the school until the
school was over, and then escorted the children home. Even though the tutor was
a slave, the children would still call him “Master” and the slave had the authority to punish
the child if necessary. In the same way, the “Law” is our “tutor”.

The apostle Paul in Galatians
chapter three goes on to tell us how privileged we are if
we know Christ as our Savior by saying, “But
after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of
God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ
Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs
according to the promise.” This
means that, in Christ, those who know Him as Savior are no longer in bondage
but are free! Thank God! Praise God! Because Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. Romans 6:23a tells us that the penalty for sin is death. The last
part of Romans 6:23b tells us the good news: “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Have you received the gift?

Copyright © 2005-2013. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
these first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Ed Wrather has retired from
pastoring full-time and has more time to pursue other ministry opportunities.
No matter what the size your church, Ed will come on a love offering basis for
a revival or to share his testimony in the continental United States. You can
make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or theburningbushdevotional@gmail.com
View LinkedIn profile with endorsements at
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=92988105

Prayer Requests: Please pray for
Scott who is having severe headaches caused by a cyst. Many prayer needs are
posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You can also
post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am always in need of prayer -
please pray for me.).

Please join the Burning Bush Prayer Group.
The group began in 1998 and is made up of over 300 prayer warriors. Send prayer requests and receive prayer
requests. To join send an email to: bbpg-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You can unsubscribe to the burningbushdevo
devotional group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.

You may
subscribe to the html text group (Because of time constraints the devotional is
only being sent now in html format) by sending a blank email to burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org
and you may unsubscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.
If the link does not work, copy and paste the link.

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org