It Is Finished

John 1:17, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

I have never questioned law keeping (Old Covenant/Torah). I was not aware this was an even an issue, Scripture clearly states Jesus fulfilled the law. Yet, many people to this day, who are of the Apostolic faith, still hold to the law (or rather think they do), either in part or whole. It saddens me to see this. I know of at least two separate individuals who made definitive statements we are to either keep the whole law, or only the sacrificial part of the law was fulfilled. I don’t associate anymore with the one who said we must keep to the whole law (this person has some other very off the wall doctrine as well, I can’t understand why this person bothers to say they are Apostolic, as their doctrine is not that of Christ and the Apostles). The other I hold dear to my heart, and we have had a conversation about it, but I cannot seem to change this person’s mind, even with Scripture which clears shows, no law. This is dangerous ground, for Scripture plainly states if we keep the law, then we make the death of Christ to no effect: Galatians 2:21, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

What is the law? It was the Old Covenant God made with Israel, and He gave them laws to follow. The book of the law (the Torah – the first 5 books of the Old Testament) contains 613 precepts, all of which, if you observe the law, have to be kept. If not, then you should be put to death. So I took it upon myself to educate myself further. I took a college class on the subject; I have read and reread Scripture. I pulled out my Strong’s and my Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. I have spent some considerable amount of time now on this subject and have come to the same conclusion, the only conclusion available, as the Apostles did: Acts 15:24, “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:” We are not to keep the law, either in part or in whole.

Let me make this clear as well, no “gentile” was made to follow the law; the law was for the Israelites. Romans 2:14, “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:” This is one case where I will say, look at the “who”, because this is important, gentiles were not included in the Old Covenant. Yes, you could convert to Judaism, but the Old Covenant along with the law, as they are hand in hand (see Exodus 34) was made between God and Israel. This is important to understand because we, as gentiles, cannot be law keepers unless we convert to Judaism, and as such, would no longer be Christians.

Now, the law was discussed by the Apostles in Acts 15:1-11. They held a meeting, and in this meeting in Jerusalem, the Apostles came to the conclusion the gentiles were not to be held to the law. It was determined that salvation can only be through faith in Jesus Christ, and the grace of God would be without practice of the law. They then sent out a letter which clearly states no one should keep the law or be circumcised. Acts 15:24, “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:”

It is clear; we are not to keep the law, not one iota of it. The only reason it was ever under debate was because the Jews thought it to be so, the Pharisees and the scribes of the day. Acts 15:5, “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” But those who knew better, stood against them, and Peter said no, this is not the case (Acts 15:7-11). The Pharisee said the Law of Moses, notice this Pharisee did not say, “This part or that part of the law must be kept,” but “…to keep the law of Moses.” This is the entire law, all 613 precepts, to include the death penalty for anyone who did not follow the law!

Paul observed Peter doing something which was wrong, and not only did he tell him as much, he did it publically so all would know the law is not to be followed, any of it.

Galatians 2:11-16

11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Acts 13:38-39

38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

We cannot be justified by the law, in any way. We are not made righteous by the law, yet we have been brought into a relationship with the Lord through our faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness is inaccessible by submission to any law, or by man’s own merit or any other form than faith in Jesus. II Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as the fulfillment of the whole of His requirements (the Old Covenant/the law).

Romans 4:8-40

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

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,

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Abraham was not circumcised when he received the Abrahamic Covenant, it was later used as a seal or sign of the covenant. Because of Abraham’s faith he received the covenant; so all of us, who by faith believe on the LORD Jesus, shall also be heirs in the promise (covenant).

Marriage is a good example of a covenant and what happens when it (the covenant) is fulfilled. When two people enter into a marriage, they enter into a covenant (Mal 2:14). The fulfillment of this covenant is when one of the partners passes away. When this happens, the covenant has been fulfilled (“’til death do us part”), the marriage is over, it no longer exists, it is finished, sound familiar? John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” When Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant, it was finished, done, over.

Hebrews 8:10, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:” He has written it upon our hearts, no longer are there stone tablets with commands on them which we must follow, for God has put them in our minds and in our hearts.

For one last emphasis on not following the law, let’s look at the Sabbath, which we do not follow. Exodus 34:21, “Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.” This is the commandment written upon the tablet which was placed into the Ark of the Covenant, a little different than what you see in the “10 Commandments”, yet this is the one, again, that was written on the tablet. Question: How many of us do not do anything, including cooking, leaving home, cleaning, any “work” at all, from Friday night ‘til Saturday night (no Sunday sun up to sundown is not the Sabbath). This was the observance of the Sabbath, 24 hours of doing nothing, you were to rest. All food had to be prepared the day before. You couldn’t even collect sticks, or you were put to death:

Numbers 15:32-36

32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.

35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Our rest (Sabbath) is now found in Jesus. Hebrews 4:10, “For he that is entered into his rest {Sabbath}, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” Let no man judge you on observance of any holy day, including observing the Sabbath. Colossians 2:16, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:” Once again it is clear, the law, including the 10 Commandments, was fulfilled by Jesus at Calvary.

If we say we must abide by any of the law, including what most call the “10 Commandments”, for they are part of the law, then again, we make Christ’s death in vain.

May God bless you!

Be encouraged –

Minister of the New Covenant

One God, One Salvation

Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”

There is but one God


Jesus declares this: Mark 12:29-31, “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”


Paul tells us in his Epistle to the Ephesians: Ephesians 4:5-6, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

Mark 12:32 tells us: “And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:”

Deuteronomy 6:4 states: "The Lord our God is ONE Lord."


Scripture repeatedly states there is one God, and this God is our Saviour, our Father, and our Comforter. God states in Isaiah (as he spoke through the Prophet Isaiah): Isaiah 44:8, “Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.” The one thing God does not know, another God. How that is then anyone knowing there is only one God, would then believe in other “gods”? There were no gods formed before Him or after Him (Isaiah 43:10). This is stressed over and over again, to the point you can’t miss the fact that God is trying to get across the point, one God, and one God only, I am He, and I am Jesus Messieh (Rev 1:8). All the prophets, the Apostles, every saint in the Holy Bible, only believed in one God.


There is only one throne in heaven, and only One sits upon that throne (Revelation 4:2), our great God and Saviour Jesus Messieh (Titus 2:13).


God is our Saviour


Isaiah 43:11, “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no Saviour.” God died for us: I John 3:16, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” How did God accomplish this? God manifest Himself in the flesh: I Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” The Prophet Isaiah foretold of the coming of God in the flesh when he wrote these words: Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” As well, Isaiah states in Isaiah 25:9, “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”


In the Gospel of John, John makes it crystal clear who Jesus is, from the beginning:


John 1:1-14
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.


In this we can see the Word (Logos, NOT the Son of God), has always existed. This word, the plan of salvation for all mankind, Jesus Messieh dying on the cross taking on all man’s sins and defeating death, is uttered by a living voice (God’s voice), it embodies a conception or idea, it’s a part of God. Just as if I were to say something, those words are mine, my thoughts are mine, not separate from me, but a part of me, expressed by me, and me only. We know God created the world by speaking it into existence, it didn’t just appear. Now, this Word, God’s thought, His plan, is put into action and God takes on a human body, manifest in the flesh, and he lived among us.


There is but One Path to Salvation


Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”


Indeed we are saved by grace, yet so many fail to read the very next line of text, “through faith”. So many times I have written you must act upon your faith! But I get ahead of myself, let’s go through some of Jesus’ ministry and see what He had to say about salvation.


Jesus talks with Nicodemus:


John 3:1-7


1There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Jesus states in no uncertain terms, you cannot see the kingdom of God if you are not born again of water and Spirit; unless a person is born again of water and Spirit, a person cannot enter into the kingdom of God, “Ye must be born again.”


Jesus again talks about baptism as a must: Mark 16:16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”


Jesus tells the Disciples what to do:


Luke 24:46-48


46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48And ye are witnesses of these things.


Jesus tells them he has to suffer, die and rise again, and that REPENTANCE (A change of mind, as it appears to one who repents of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done. {To repent [repentance - metanoia, 'change of mind'] involves a turning with remorse from sin to God; the repentant sinner is now ready for remission of sins.}) and REMISSION (aphesis – forgiveness or pardon, of sins, remission of the penalty {letting them go as if they had never been committed}) OF SINS be preached in HIS NAME among ALL NATIONS.


Repentance (Repent) - How can you come to God if you don’t repent? You must turn from sin, God tells us to be Holy because He is holy (Leviticus 19:2 and 1 Peter 1:16). We are saved from our sin, not in our sin. This is the first step toward salvation. We turn from sin and turn to God, knowing we are sinners and sorry for our sins, looking to God now to forgive us.


Remission of sin(s) - This is the next step one must take. How does one receive remission of sins? It’s certainly not by the mouth, for by the mouth we confess our sins, this is where we say we are sinners and now we need to receive remission of these said sins. This is water baptism in Jesus name. To ensure you are now one of God’s elect, one of God’s chosen, if you haven’t already (and if you have already received the Holy Ghost, you better run down to the nearest true Acts 2:38 Apostolic church and get baptized in Jesus’ name!). Now your you have no sin(s), washed by the blood of the Lamb as white as snow, though your sins were red like crimson they are gone, you are clean, white as snow and wool (Isaiah 1:18).


The Gift of the Holy Ghost – You will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, as evidenced by speaking in other tongues as the infilling of the Holy Spirit occurs, again, if you haven’t already.


Where does all this come together? “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” – Acts 2:38. Many people think they have the right or the responsibility to reinterpret this verse. They claim it’s legalism or law-keeping, forcing people to do something, stating no faith or grace can be received by this because it doesn’t match up with their belief system, their theology.


I mentioned we are saved by grace, through faith, and that is a fact. We have to step out in faith, act upon our faith. Once the revelation of Jesus is received, act on your faith. The grace is not imputed to anyone who just confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord, anyone can say Jesus is God, and many do (even the devils believe and tremble! – James 2:19), yet they have not repented, they have not had their sins washed away and they have not the Holy Ghost! When someone has repented, been baptized in Jesus name and received the Holy Spirit by faith they are saved by grace through faith. The person relies on Jesus only for salvation, by faith and by grace.


Act of Faith                           Grace Recevied
---------------                     ---------------------
Repentance                          Forgiveness of sins
Baptism in Jesus’ Name       All sins washed away
Receive the Holy Ghost        Life eternal with God


Ephesians 4:4-6
4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.


There is but one God, our great God and Saviour Jesus Messieh, and but one baptism, in His glorious name!


May God bless you!

Be encouraged -
Minister of the New Covenant