Thoughts on Law vs Lawlessness #1

Matt 24:11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

"Deception" has thrown down the gauntlet to all Christians and the world's churches and ministers:  Most Protestant ministers have declared that the New Covenant effectively does away with much of the Law, it is now all right to work on the Sabbath, and Holy Days are voluntary. At the same time, they says they are not claiming the law is ‘abolished’—but parts of it are abolished. Now it is all right to work on the Sabbath day if think you should. Now it is all right to
eat "unclean meats"—including shrimp, oysters, crabs, pork, every-
thing! The sins of the spiritual "Amorites" have come to the full. Apost-
asy has now reached its peak. The "apostasy roller coaster" has reach-
ed its summit—it’s all "downhill" from here on!

But is Deception right? Has God's Church been so utterly and tremendously wrong?  Is tithing,  Sabbath observance, and obed-ience to God’s Law necessary for salvation?  Just what is meant by the "New Covenant"?  Let’s take a new look at this question—and answer it in these series of studies.    Your SALVATION could well lie in the balance!

If you follow Deception, and he is wrong, you will perish.  The stakes are enormous. Let’s make our salvation and our calling and election sure...
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;   v11   for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (II Pet.1:10)!!!

"Howbeit in VAIN do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the TRADITION OF MEN . . ." (Mark 7:7-8).

The World's Ministers ask, "Are we an old covenant Church, or a new covenant Church?"   The world then quotes old philosophers who write that "The old covenant is ended." However, they then go on to say, "We have overlooked the implications of this new covenant," and went on to disagree with the fundamental and most essential teachings of the Bible concerning the Laws of God, the Sabbath day, tithing, and a whole raft of "laws" which the world insists belong to the "Old Covenant" and not to the "New Covenant." The Modern day educators then say that this also means that the "dietary laws" of the Old Testament are included in the laws which have been abolished and done away by the New Covenant! So now, for the first time, members of the Church  are encouraged to eat "unclean meats"—such as shrimp, pork, lobsters, clams, oysters, and so forth! (It would be well to inquire of  proven studies in health sciences and research before making such statements alone.)

Word has it that the people actually applaud when they hear these relaxations of the former identifying characteristics of the Church of God. And no doubt, Church watchers in the Protestant world, are delighted, and jumping with glee, at any complete roll-over and about-face of the People of God. 

In these thoughts, I want to carefully examine some of the statements and claims that the world and mans teachings make, and compare these conclusions with Scripture. You be the judge. However, to preface my remarks, let we remind everybody that the apostle Paul warned that in the
"last days perilous times shall come" (II Tim.3:1), and that during these times men shall be "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (verse 7), and that "men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith" would "arise" (v.8), and that in these last days "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (v.13).

Also, speaking of the "last days" (II Thess.2:1-2), Paul warned that there shall "come a falling away (Strogs.646. apostasia, ap-os-tas-ee'-ah; fem. of the same as G647; defection from truth (prop. the state) ["apostasy"]:--falling away, forsake.(apostasy from the truth) first" (v.3), and then the "man of sin," the "son of perdition" would be revealed. That is a falling away or forsaking or defecting from the truth.  Paul also warned that the "mystery of iniquity" or lawlessness was already at work, even in his day, and would become very powerful a pull in the last days (v.7-8). 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
He warned that this would be a period of great instability, and deception, "with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved" (II Thess.2:10).

We will dig deeper and provide more next time.