5:50 – David opens in prayer.

5:53 – Tim is continuing with the lesson.  Reviews last time we discussed Christ’s blood had to be shed.  It ratified the new covenant.

5:55 – Tim points out that he feels this group is his church.  Sunday’s he is in his mission field.  I agree completely.  Here I am fed, Sunday’s I minister.

6:03 – Tim is talking about how under the new covenant we no longer follow the law just externally.  As Christian’s we strive to follow the law because it is who we are.

6:05 – Doug gently corrects Tim and says that the law is who God is.  That is why Christ lived to obey the law.  Because He is God.  The law is His heart.  Romans 7 shows Paul believed the law is holy because God is law.  The law is the expression of God and that is why the law condemns us.

6:07 – Tim makes a good point: Most of today’s misdirected church does not see the law as holiness, they see the law only as condemning.  David reminds us that they are not taught the commandments of a Holy God, but the laws of man.

6:10 – David: Most of the people at church who claim to be Christian do not have any contemplation of how bad their sin truly is.  If sin was as light an ordeal as most make it, why would Christ have even come?  David is currently reading a book called The Sinfulness of Sin, an amazing book about how absolutely evil sin is.  Tim points out that riding tandem with this lack of understanding is a lack of fearing God.

6:16 – David: The law was not the starting point.  The Holiness of God was the starting point which was expressed through the law.

6:20 – Tim: In the old order, the Priest would enter the Holy of Holys in trembling, not knowing if he would leave there alive.  Under the new order, we can enter boldly into God’s throne room. The priest entered once a year, we can enter any time. Word of warning, it must be holy.  This access has been granted to us through the blood of Christ.  Rom 5 – the word access (KJV) literally means granted an introduction.

6:27 – Tim: We are no longer under law, but under grace. We are dead to the law.  When Christ died to the law, we also died.  The ten commandments still apply to us but Christ is fulfilling the law.  Romans 8 is often misread and misunderstood as talking about a carnal “Christian.”  There is nothing to support carnal Christianity in the Bible.  Romans 8 illustrates the difference between a lost person and a saved person.

6:35 – Tim: There is no value in profession if there is no change in our lives. Martyn Lloyd-Jones denounces antinomionism.

6:39 – David: The more I learn of Christ and truth, the more I realize how bad I am. What, other than the leading of the Holy Spirit, could possibly lead a person to desire to learn more of Christ when doing show only makes us more aware of how aweful we are?  Monergism!

6:41 – Tim: Not only does Christ start our salvation, He sees it through to the end.

6:45 – We are finishing up the study and discussing somewhere we can begin giving (financially and any other way needed).  As a group where can we give?  If you read this blog and have an idea of a need, leave a comment.

7:00 – Doug closes in prayer. Pat is being nominated for next weeks study. (He’s not here tonight).

Tags: antinomionism, grace, law, legalism, martyn lloyd jones

6:05 – David started the group tonight with a question, “What does it mean that the devil has the power of death?”  The devil can tempt us with sin and the wages of sin are death.  However, it does not imply that Satan has any power of a child of God or over Christ.  As seen in Job, the devil must ask permission from God before even touching one of His children.

6:11 – David follows with another question, “How has Christ delivered us from the devils power of death?”  He has delivered us from the sting of death which is sin and the power of sin is the law.  Christ has delivered us from the law. The moralist tries to keep the law but it is a futile effort.  None can keep the laws.

6:16 – Consider how the Christ’s death not only changed the world, but significantly changed Heaven.  Before Christ, the devil could bring accusation against God (i.e. David was a murder and adulterer and you have called him a man after your own heart).  After Christ, the devil had no way to accuse the Father. (Rev 12:10)  This is so important because so many people think the cross was just a sign of God’s love toward men.  It was so much more, He glorified Himself through the cross and achieved much more than we could every understand.

6:28 – MacArthur speculates that God did not immediate cast Satan from Heaven because curiosity may have welled up in the remaining Angels.  Thus, God may have continued to put out revolts for eternity as the Bible does say sin will run its course.  Interesting theory.

6:31 – Tim is now leading the group. The theme is from Martyn Lloyd-Jones Great Doctorines of the Bible chapter Blessings of the New Covenant.

6:40 – Just completed a round room discussion on why The Message is such an insulting translation of the Bible.  Tim brings the focus back on the study.  Christ actually accomplished something on the cross, not something potentially (as would be the case if dealing with our will).  Christ said, “It is finished” (John 19:30).  See the previous post by Arturo Azurdia.  If it were the other way, if Christ was just waiting for people to come after all the work He accomplished, He should be pitied.  He went to the cross with a mission… to save His children.  He went to the cross with names – His chosen.  He was not passive, He offered Himself up.

6:54 – Had to step away to get my daughter a cup of water.  Back into the study now, Tim is talkin about how he used to fear death and think of it a lot bu not anymore.  He just hopes that when it comes, it is not painful and it’s “while [he's] nighty night.”

6:56 – Christ’s blood ratified the new covenant.  The old covenant was writen on tablets of stone.  The new covenant is written in our hearts.  Symbolic.

7:01 – Assurnace of slavation is not free reigns to sin just because we cannot loose salvation.  Pastor Dave points out that a saved person cannot be like a lost person. It is impossible.

7:05 – Closing prayer and conclusion until next week when Tim will continue this chapter of study.

Tags: arturo azurdia, assurance, election, martyn lloyd jones, new covenant