Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The Lord Jesus Christ is
the sole inheritor of all of the covenant promises which the
Lord has revealed to men. He has taken captivity captive
and given gifts unto men, triumphing over all of his enemies, and
therefore the enemies of those whom the Father has given him
from before the foundation of the world. He is the fulfiller
of the law which no man could keep, and he has established
his covenant of redemption. The only conditional covenant
which the Lord has set forth was that which was given to Moses.
Many assume this covenant is still in effect today and go
about to establish their own righteousness by supposed adherence
to its demands. Yet this covenant was never given
to produce righteousness. If there had been a law given
which could have given life, verily righteousness should have
been by the law. Therefore, by the deeds of the
law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law
is the knowledge of sin. This Mount Sinai is no hiding
place, but does clearly reveal the wickedness of man's heart
and the sins of his flesh. The law was given to teach men
that they cannot keep the law, nor come unto God by any works
of their flesh. The man who thinks that he does
keep the law is deluded, and those who would seek to earn
blessings by supposed obedience to it deny both the holiness
of the law and their own innate wickedness. Such was the plight
of the Pharisee who went to the temple to pray thus with himself. The Jews perish because they
go about to establish their own righteousness, even as many who
profess to follow Christ do the same, when they think that they
can gain the favor of God by their actions. All of our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags before Him. So likewise ye, when ye shall
have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are
unprofitable servants. We have done that which was our
duty to do. The glorious new covenant which
the Lord has established is in reality older than the Mosaic
covenant, which fail due to the weakness of the flesh and not
the failure of the law. The law does indeed accomplish
exactly what it was intended to do. Wherefore, the law was
our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be
justified by faith. But after that faith is come,
we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Any use of the law other than
to bring men to Christ in repentance is a misuse of it, and any who
lay it upon the backs of those who are set free in Christ war
against the liberty of the sons of God. There is therefore now
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law
of sin and death. For what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in
the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled
in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The covenant of promise which was first demonstrated to Abraham
was in reality hinted at in the Lord's declaration to Satan of
that one who was to come. And I will put enmity between
thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. It shall
bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. The Lord set
forth his promise directly to the seed of Abraham, which is
the same one who is called the seed of the woman. For all the
promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory
of God by us. The Lord taught Jeremiah how
he would bring this covenant to fruition in calling out a
people which he has loved from the beginning. This covenant
of promise is set forth in contrast to that covenant of law, which
only demonstrated the weakness of sinful flesh. In this I say
that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ The law,
which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul,
that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance
be of the law, it is no more of promise, but God gave it to
Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law?
It was added, because of the transgressions, till the seed
should come, to whom the promise was made. This is a covenant
which shall stand forever, for it is built upon a promise which
shall never fail, and does not depend in any wise on the ability
or supposed faith of sinful flesh to bring it to pass or cause
it to endure, which hope we has as an anchor of the soul, both
sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the
veil. Is Christ and His righteousness your only hope, or do you expect
to earn the blessings of God by your obedience, faith, and
good works? If it is the latter, then you
shall perish in your righteousness, which is but filthy rags in the
sight of a holy God. For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.