Hello Jason God bless.
Lots to discuss. I will take smaller sections to look at. I am busy today I'll try to get back later.
I am by no means saying the holy scriptures are a second fiddle or not
a rule or somehow not profitable today and all men should do is listen to God inwardly. Even a fiddler must have a ability to play the fiddle and some natural ability before he can play the sheet music of the fiddle.Some have played music and couldn't read sheet music.
I spoke of the use of scripture in my post and their importance and use along with the Primary rule of God working in men by His Spirit and through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All the three aspects of being
made perfect work in harmony and do not contradict. That is, if men do indeed
have the scriptures or the body of Christ then they can walk in harmony with them. If they
do not have the scriptures and are not connected directly to the body of Christ God
can still work in them and help them and they can have life as many scriptures testify to. Consider all the men who had no scriptures before Moses and beyond and even until to day. Do we say they were all lost and God could not reach then or work work in them? I think of a believer who is put in prison alone with no other believers till his death. Is he now
not able to have faith and walk with God because he cannot read scriptures. Or, I think of a retarded person who cannot read or write and is alone somewhere. Or the many people who were on the earth before any scripture was written. But this is a long discussion of how God reaches the
uneveangelized. It is connected to the mystery of Christ and for another post perhaps.
But the three ways God can makes us perfect I spoke of already
1. By God directly in us working (which is the primary rule)
2. by the body of Christ and Christ effectual working in every part and from whom came the scriptures of the New Testament,
3. By the Holy scriptures which are able to make us perfect through faith (first) which is IN CHRIST JESUS This is obvious or else the pharisees by simply reading the scriptures as they did would have heard God's voice and would have had faith. But they did not hear God's voice or His word or have faith and inwardly they were ravening from the Spirit (which is the first and initial rule and witness in their heart.
You know that I see the true Light that lighteh every man that cometh into the world (
John 1:9) is the first rule or witness to all men from Adam and to all without the scriptures from Adam to Moses and beyond from Moses with scripture until today. All have this true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Though not all are in that Light or have the new birth until they receive him in their hearts. This true Light is the life and light of men, This true Light is the Word of God that is God. This is not speaking of the scripture here or else men would have to worship the Bible as God. This is not the case we do not worship the holy scriptures as God. I am not trying to separate God's word from scripture. But I am showing the truth of the word as a seed sown in the heart, this is the true Light that lighteth every man with or without scripture.
I see this true Light as the free gift that came upon
ALL men everywhere on the Earth purchased for them in time by Jesus Christ and his death on the cross burrial and resurrection for all. God was able to give men this free gift before Christ came in the Old Testament but only because Jesus Christ would come in the future. God calls those things that aren't as though they were. But they could not enter into the fulness without us and they were in a place called Abraham's Bosom until Christ accomplished the work for them, then he led captivity captive.
Even the Gentiles God can reach and witness to by the primary rule ALL over the entire earth as we read in
Romans 2:14,15 We see that God would judge the "secrets of men" one day. So even if they don't have scriptures or the law (scriptures) God is able to work in them in the secret part. David also spoke of God desiring truth in the inward and hidden parts (
Psalm 51) I speak again of the mystery here, which is vital to this entire discussion But consider that the Gentiles did not have the law (or the written scriptures) and yet God is able to witness to them and speak to their hearts by His inner witness of the seed, word, true Light, the truth they hod in unrighteousness. This witness in their heart shines and is called the work of the law written in their hearts. This is the way God deals with all men both Jew and Gentile since the beginning. The word is nigh or close unto all men (
Deuterononmy 30:9- with Romans 10).
But I am pointing to the
first primary rule, which is The Spirit of God and to be in Christ walking and living in the new creation where God works in us to will and to do and to make us perfect unto every good work
Abraham and others were in the "primary rule" through faith and had no scripture yet
We see men like
Abraham, Noah, and
many others who God worked in and who had faith
before and
without scripture being written down yet. Paul even uses Abraham as an example of a man with faith before the law was given ( before scripture was written) and before circumcision. Part of his reason for doing this was to point to the fact that a man can be justified without the works of the law and that it is a spiritual life in faith where believers live. If we say that without the bible no man can have faith and that it is necessary to be saved and have faith "alone". Then we miss the inner working of God by His true Light in all men and this is where men hear the word of God inwardly. The word is a seed sown in the heart Abraham also had this seed (Christ) in him as
Galatians 3 speaks of. This is the same seed in all believers today. This would be the first and primary rule. Then from that life in Christ men spoke forth the scriptures by the Spirit of God and wrote them down. You cannot have the scriptures first before the Spirit of God was working in their hearts. This is the primary rule again as i have been showing. But in the case of Abraham and others before the law (scriptures) were written we see men having faith and salvation and Christ in them, Paul said,
"9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,"(Romans 4:9-16)
We also read that Christ dwells in the heart by faith
Ephesians 3:17
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;..."
And so all Old testament saints who did not have scripture yet could still have faith and could still have the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world in them and guiding them. This is the seed or word sown in their hearts which is Christ in them the hope of glory. Faith is the substance of things "hoped for" the EVIDENCE of things not seen. Christ in you is the hope of glory
Consider that some of these men did not have scriptures yet but they had faith (ie. Christ dwelling in their hearts)
Hebrews 11
"1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable."(Hebrews 11:1-12 KJV)
Talk soon I have to step out
God bless