Returning to bondage.

Gregory Thompson

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Deuteronomy 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

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?

Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

======

We have been delivered from the bondage of the law of death, in which people who did not follow many of its precepts would be stoned with stones until they are dead. If you are not familiar with the curses of the law, read the last part of Deuteronomy.

In the previous covenant, this was based on God taking the people of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and wonders.

The current covenant is based on Jesus taking on the curses meant for us by dying on a cross.

To return to following this law of death in the current covenant, is like returning to Egypt.

In the same way where the people would say "if only we would have stayed in the land of Egypt instead of dying in this wilderness" - today, people seek to follow laws and precepts that say taste not, touch not, handle not, as if Jesus had not died on the cross instead of relying on the Holy Spirit to restrain sensual indulgence.

So the two are the same. Returning for the same reason, going back makes sense to the flesh that is hostile to God, but also communicates that Jesus died in vain according to the letter to the Galatians.
 

Tolworth John

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So the two are the same. Returning for the same reason, going back makes sense to the flesh that is hostile to God, but also communicates that Jesus died in vain according to the letter to the Galatians


Clarify for me just what you mean and its implications please?

You appear to be saying, that Christians who give in to temptation have lost their salvation.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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Clarify for me just what you mean and its implications please?

You appear to be saying, that Christians who give in to temptation have lost their salvation.
The implications are related to the taking in of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

As it is written, if you are by the law, you cannot be by the Holy Spirit.

People talk of dry spells, but this should not be. It's not related to salvation, but the works that we are saved for. If the way we operate leaves no room for spiritual intake from God, we don't get any work done.
 
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Noxot

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Deut 17:14-15 (ESV2011)
“When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.


oh lookie another prophesy of Jesus Christ
 
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Gregory Thompson

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Deut 17:14-15 (ESV2011)
“When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.


oh lookie another prophesy of Jesus Christ
Testimony of Jesus is a correct usage of the law.
 
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Noxot

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the bible is one story whos king is unchanged through time who always has spoken to us about the way, the truth, and the life. it is because of sin that the law is death to us,, this is why we stumble - because of blindness and hardness of heart. but no one is completely blind, no one is fully hard.

Jer 6:10-30 (ESV2011)
To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it. Therefore I am full of the wrath of the LORD; I am weary of holding it in. “Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the gatherings of young men, also; both husband and wife shall be taken, the elderly and the very aged. Their houses shall be turned over to others, their fields and wives together, for I will stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the LORD. “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,” says the LORD. Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’ Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them. Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it. What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me. Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.’” Thus says the LORD: “Behold, a people is coming from the north country, a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth. They lay hold on bow and javelin; they are cruel and have no mercy; the sound of them is like the roaring sea; they ride on horses, set in array as a man for battle, against you, O daughter of Zion!” We have heard the report of it; our hands fall helpless; anguish has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in labor. Go not out into the field, nor walk on the road, for the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side. O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us. “I have made you a tester of metals among my people, that you may know and test their ways. They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron; all of them act corruptly. The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed by the fire; in vain the refining goes on, for the wicked are not removed. Rejected silver they are called, for the LORD has rejected them.”


silver is found as a byproduct from various other kinds of ore
 
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Tolworth John

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People talk of dry spells, but this should not be
God created the universe, his character can be seen in his creation and we can learn from creation about God.
One interesting aspect is how energy is cyclic, it comes in waves of highs and lows.
Christians can see this in the lives of people in the Bible.
They have times of great spiritual highs, mountain top experiences. Which are followed by great spiritual lows.

C s Lewes wrote about it in his book the screwtape letters. How God uses thes fluctuations in spiritual life/energy to teach us to depend on him.

That is one reason for a spiritual dryness or barrenness, there are others.
 
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LoveGodsWord

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Deuteronomy 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

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?

Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

======

We have been delivered from the bondage of the law of death, in which people who did not follow many of its precepts would be stoned with stones until they are dead. If you are not familiar with the curses of the law, read the last part of Deuteronomy.

In the previous covenant, this was based on God taking the people of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and wonders.

The current covenant is based on Jesus taking on the curses meant for us by dying on a cross.

To return to following this law of death in the current covenant, is like returning to Egypt.

In the same way where the people would say "if only we would have stayed in the land of Egypt instead of dying in this wilderness" - today, people seek to follow laws and precepts that say taste not, touch not, handle not, as if Jesus had not died on the cross instead of relying on the Holy Spirit to restrain sensual indulgence.

So the two are the same. Returning for the same reason, going back makes sense to the flesh that is hostile to God, but also communicates that Jesus died in vain according to the letter to the Galatians.

According to the scriptures bondage is to sin which is defined in the scriptures as breaking God's law and not believing and following God's Word (1 John 3:4; Romans 14:23). Bondage is not to God's law but sin that we are slaves to as sinners (John 8:31-36; Romans 6:7-14; Romans 7:5-25; Matthew 9:12-13) and is the reason we all need a Savior because we are all sinners (Romans 3:9-10; Matthew 9:12-13). All the law does is to give us a knowledge of what sin is (Romans 3:20; Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4) and it's purpose is to lead us to Christ that we might be forgiven through faith *Galatians 3:22-25. Therefore Paul says that God's law (10 commandments) is holy, just and good *Romans 7:12 as they give us the knowledge of what sin is when broken *Romans 7:7 and righteousness when obeyed (Psalms 119:172)

Hope this is helpful
 
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Soyeong

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Deuteronomy 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

Deuteronomy 17:16-20 Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold. 18 “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

Do you really think that in the above passage that Moses was warning them against returning to Egypt by warning them against obeying the Law of Moses? It is for freedom that God sets us free (Galatians 5:1) and the Law of Moses is a law of freedom (Psalms 119:142), so God gave the Law of Moses as gift to Israel to teach them how to live as people who had been freed from bondage in Egypt, not in order to put them under bondage. The above passage equates returning to Egypt with turning away from God in contrast with obeying the Law of Moses and emphasizes the importance of the king writing, reading, and obeying it. In Psalms 119:142, the Mosaic Law is truth, and in John 8:31-36, it is sin in transgression of the Mosaic Law that puts us in bondage while it is the truth that sets us free.

Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

In Romans 8:4-7, those who walk in the Spirit are contrasted with those who have minds set on the flesh, who are hostile to God, and who refuse to submit to the Mosaic Law. It is absurd to think that the flesh that is hostile to God is what leads us to repent and obey Him.

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?

In Galatians 4:8, Paul addressed 4:9 to people who formerly did not know God, also known as former pagans, and as such, they were not formerly keeping the Mosaic Law, and thus Paul count not have been criticizing them for returning to keeping it.

Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

The fact that righteousness does not come by obeying God does not mean that we don't need to obey God.

We have been delivered from the bondage of the law of death, in which people who did not follow many of its precepts would be stoned with stones until they are dead. If you are not familiar with the curses of the law, read the last part of Deuteronomy.

In the previous covenant, this was based on God taking the people of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and wonders.

The current covenant is based on Jesus taking on the curses meant for us by dying on a cross.

To return to following this law of death in the current covenant, is like returning to Egypt.

In the same way where the people would say "if only we would have stayed in the land of Egypt instead of dying in this wilderness" - today, people seek to follow laws and precepts that say taste not, touch not, handle not, as if Jesus had not died on the cross instead of relying on the Holy Spirit to restrain sensual indulgence.

So the two are the same. Returning for the same reason, going back makes sense to the flesh that is hostile to God, but also communicates that Jesus died in vain according to the letter to the Galatians.

In Romans 7:25-8:2, Paul contrasted the Law of Moses with the law of sin and death. Jesus set a sinless example for us to follow of how to walk in obedience to the Law of Moses, he did not hypocritically preach something other than what he practiced, and he did not establish the New Covenant in order to undermine anything that he spent his ministry teaching by word or by example, but rather the New Covenant still involves following it (Hebrews 8:10). While there is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ because he gave himself to pay the penalty for our sins (Romans 8:1), it is also true that those who are in Christ are obligated to walk in the same way he walked (1 John 2:6), so being in Christ does not remove our obligation to obey the Law of Moses. On the contrary, the fact that he gave himself to pay the penalty of our sins should make us want to go and sin no more by living in obedience to the Law of Moses.

Colossians 2:22 Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?

The above verse directly describes what he was speaking about as being according to human precepts and teachings, so he was not speaking about what was according to the commands of God. In Titus 2:14, Jesus gave himself to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people of his own possession who are zealous for doing good works, so becoming zealous for doing good works in obedience to the Mosaic Law through the leading of the Spirit is what it looks like to believe in what Jesus accomplished through his ministry and through the cross (Acts 21:20).

As it is written, if you are by the law, you cannot be by the Holy Spirit.

In Ezekiel 36:26-27, the Spirit has the role of leading us to obey the Mosaic Law, and in Acts 5:32, the Spirit is given to those who obey God.
 
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Studyman

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The implications are related to the taking in of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

As it is written, if you are by the law, you cannot be by the Holy Spirit.

People talk of dry spells, but this should not be. It's not related to salvation, but the works that we are saved for. If the way we operate leaves no room for spiritual intake from God, we don't get any work done.

I'm not sure Peter agrees with you here.

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

And Paul neither;

Rom. 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

And again;

1 Cor. 7:19 Circumcision (Jew) is nothing, and uncircumcision (Gentile) is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

And Jesus either.

Matt. 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

I know where your confusion is, and I would humbly show you and hope you might consider.

Before Jesus ushered in the New Priesthood, AKA New Covenant "After those days", there was a Law "ADDED" because of Transgressions, "till the Seed should come". This LAW, or Covenant God made with the Tribe of Levi after leaving Egypt, is called the Levitical Priesthood in Hebrews 7. This Priesthood performed 2 basic functions.

#1. Administration of God's Laws, Statutes and Commandments.

#2. To provide sacrificial "Works" for the atonement of sins. (See Exodus and Leviticus)

God told us that this Covenant would change in Jeremiah 31. Prior to the coming of the SEED, the only place one could go to hear the Word of God was to find a Levite Priest who read from the Book of the Law. And the only way, according to the Law, for sin to be forgiven, was to find a Levite Priest and give him a sin offering. This was the "Law of Works" Paul speaks to in Romans 3. Now that the Seed has come, we are justified, not by the sacrificial "Works" of the Levitical Priesthood Abraham didn't have. But we are justified by belief/faith that the Lamb of God shed His own Blood.

Paul was dealing with Jews who didn't believe Jesus was the Messiah, and therefore they were still following their version of this Priesthood "Law of works" required for the atonement/justification of men.

Paul tells them;

Ron. 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

As Prophesied, religious men have twisted Paul's words to mean something it doesn't. They preach that Paul is speaking to God's Laws given the children of Israel.

But if you actually read the account, Moses didn't say "If a man sins, he shall keep the 10 Commandments and his sins are forgiven", nor did Moses say, "If a man sins he shall love his neighbor as himself and his sins are forgiven?

But what Moses did say is this;

Lev. 4:30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.

31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

These are the "Works of the Law" for justification the Jews were still promoting.

This is the LAW that was ADDED 430 years after Abraham obeyed God's Laws, Commandments, Statutes and Judgments. This is the Law "ADDED" because of Transgressions (Golden calf) "Till the Seed should come. This is the Law that foreshadowed the sacrifice our Savior would make for us. This is the Law that was to lead the Jews to Christ as it did for Zacharias and Simeon.

So your statement "As it is written, if you are by the law, you cannot be by the Holy Spirit." needs some amending to become truth.

To be truthful it should read "As it is written, if you rely on the temporary atonement "works of the law" God gave Moses, for justification, you are not being led by the Holy Spirit."

The one way for a man to know if we are in Christ, at least according to HIS holy Inspired Word, is if we are yielding ourselves to God's instructions. If we are not, then we are liars and the Truth is not in us.

1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

There is a lot of deception out there as prophesied. But once a man accepts the existence of these "works of the Law" of Atonement "ADDED" to God's Laws, Statutes and Commandments 430 years after Abraham, they will begin a journey which results in an understanding of Paul that will bring the scriptures to life in ways you have never seen or heard in the religions of this land.

Just remember Paul is saying "DEEDS of the LAW" for justification. The Sin, or transgression has already occurred. He is specifically speaking to "Justification". You can read them for yourself. What are the "DEEDS of the LAW" God gave Moses for justification/atonement/forgiveness.

If you accept what you find, you will understand Paul's reference to "works of the Law".
 
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Gregory Thompson

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According to the scriptures bondage is to sin which is defined in the scriptures as breaking God's law and not believing and following God's Word (1 John 3:4; Romans 14:23). Bondage is not to God's law but sin that we are slaves to as sinners (John 8:31-36; Romans 6:7-14; Romans 7:5-25; Matthew 9:12-13) and is the reason we all need a Savior because we are all sinners (Romans 3:9-10; Matthew 9:12-13). All the law does is to give us a knowledge of what sin is (Romans 3:20; Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4) and it's purpose is to lead us to Christ that we might be forgiven through faith *Galatians 3:22-25. Therefore Paul says that God's law (10 commandments) is holy, just and good *Romans 7:12 as they give us the knowledge of what sin is when broken *Romans 7:7 and righteousness when obeyed (Psalms 119:172)

Hope this is helpful
It is helpful, since it is also written that the law magnifies sin, thus magnifying the bondage.
 
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Clare73

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the bible is one story whos king is unchanged through time who always has spoken to us about the way, the truth, and the life. it is because of sin that the law is death to us,, this is why we stumble - because of blindness and hardness of heart. but no one is completely blind, no one is fully hard.
The NT reveals that God has indeed hardened part of Israel (Ro 11:25) so that they do not believe.
 
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Studyman

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Deuteronomy 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

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?

Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

======

We have been delivered from the bondage of the law of death, in which people who did not follow many of its precepts would be stoned with stones until they are dead. If you are not familiar with the curses of the law, read the last part of Deuteronomy.

In the previous covenant, this was based on God taking the people of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and wonders.

The current covenant is based on Jesus taking on the curses meant for us by dying on a cross.

To return to following this law of death in the current covenant, is like returning to Egypt.

In the same way where the people would say "if only we would have stayed in the land of Egypt instead of dying in this wilderness" - today, people seek to follow laws and precepts that say taste not, touch not, handle not, as if Jesus had not died on the cross instead of relying on the Holy Spirit to restrain sensual indulgence.

So the two are the same. Returning for the same reason, going back makes sense to the flesh that is hostile to God, but also communicates that Jesus died in vain according to the letter to the Galatians.

How can you equate "turning to God" and yielding to His instructions, after a life of disobedience and indifference to Him, to returning to Egypt/Sin?

I have heard of this popular religious doctrine in the religions of this world since my youth.

They Preach that the Spiritual Laws of God are actually "Beggarly Elements" and "Rudiments of the World".

Gal. 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

So these people, before they knew of the God of Abraham, followed religions of the Land they were in and did service to "Them" who were not the God of Abraham. OK, I got that.

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?

You are furthering the popular religious philosophy of this land which preaches that the "weak and Beggarly" elements a man lives in before he even knows God, are God's Laws. As if they were in bondage to God's "weak and Beggerly" Laws before we even knew Him.

And NOW, that they have been shown God, they desire to return to obedience to His Laws we were held in bondage to before we even knew Him.

It doesn't make any sense.

10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

There isn't a religion on the planet who doesn't have High Days and/or months.

Egypt had religions and Priests and religious traditions. Israel wanted to return to them, not return to God's Laws they didn't even know.

To believe your philosophy here I would have to believe that the God of Abraham, after doing miracles in order to gain their trust, saved Israel from Sin/Egypt, only to place on their necks "weak and Beggarly" Laws to burden them in bondage. Told them to obey, and told them they could obey. Only to deceive them, because modern religions preach it is impossible for a man to repent and turn to God in obedience. And this same God slaughtered thousands for rejecting His Laws. So God's Son had to come save Israel, not from their own religious traditions and stubborn indifference to God, but Jesus had to save them from HIS unjust Father, and HIS unjust laws HE placed on their necks.

This isn't truth Michael.

Paul is speaking about the Pharisees who were "Transgressing God's Commandments by their own religious Traditions. (Matt. 15:3)

They were "teaching for doctrines the Commandments of Men" (Matt. 15:7-9)

They didn't know God. (John 8:19)

Moses gave them the Law, but none of them kept the Law. (John 7:19)

The Pharisees had placed heavy burdens on the Shoulders of men, not God as you imply here. (Matt. 23:4)

The Beggarly Elements these men in Gal. 4 were desiring to return to, were not God's perfect, Just and Holy Laws of God that Jesus and all His faithful examples of Faith walked in. The Beggarly Elements are the religious doctrines and traditions of men.

We have them today in the religions of the land I was born into. Lent, Good Friday, Christmas, Sunday Sabbath, huge Shrines of worship, mammoth religious businesses all in Christ's name. Images of God in the likeness of some handsome, long haired men's hair shampoo model. All of which are taught against in the Holy Scriptures. Jesus talks about this very thing.

Matt. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Lawlessness)

No sir, I know you probably can't accept any other perception, but I must, out of love for the brethren, bring it up anyway.

Jesus freed us from the death sin brought to us. When we didn't know God, we served (yielded ourselves) to them who were not the God of Abraham, which brought us death. But now, Jesus has freed us from this death so we are free to "Yield ourselves" to another.

As Paul said;

Rom. 6:15 What then? shall we sin, (Transgress God's Law again) because we are not under the law, (Dead in our sins) but under grace? (Alive and purchased by the Blood of Christ) God forbid. (That means no)

16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin (Transgression of God's Laws) unto death, or of obedience (to God's Laws) unto righteousness?

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, (When you knew not God, or were not known of God) but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (Rom. 2:13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

18 Being then made free from sin, (Not the definition of sin) ye became the servants of righteousness.

Whose Righteousness? Whomever you yield yourselves servants to obey.

I know what you are teaching is very popular in the religions of the land, but I am hopeful that you might consider the warnings and follow the instructions of the Christ who purchased me.

"Man shall LIVE BY Every Word which proceeds from the mouth of God."

Thanks for letting me share my understanding with you.

With God's Love

SM.
 
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