Can the Law save us?


Jesus used parables to explain things plainly so the people could understand, and I was struck as I worked on my fence this morning, by how the fence was like Gods law, and I thought I would share it. I have many animals but none have given me more grief than my goats. When I first got them, they were a few weeks old and I put up a fence to keep them safe from the various panthers, bears, bobcats and other wildlife that share the woods with us. The fence was more of a marker for the goats as they soon learned to go under it and wander out in the woods were dangers lurked. They got out and indulged in all their little goat desires and ate lantana and other things which wasnt good for them, then at night they would come home through the front gate and lay on the warm hood of my car or the top, causing me great grief. Then I lost some of them from bloating from what they ate and to wildlife, so I did everything I could to save them from the real dangers in the woods. I put a second fence around them so they were in sight of the house so I could go get them if they got out. I sank the bottom of the fence deeper, but they jumped over it. I made the fence higher, so they stood on top of stumps or logs so they could get over it. I told my wife we would have to get rid of the goats because they would not stay withing the fence, so she said to let her try.

She went and sat with them and gave them alfalfa hay to clear out their tummys of the bad stuff they had picked up. She talked to them and rubbed their bellies when they were sick and gave them charcoal for the bloating. Soon the goats stopped jumping the fence and waited for my wife in their pen, and let her hold them and clean their fur or between their horns as that is the one place they cant reach. Now they listen for her voice and come running when she calls and sit with her and listen to her little goat stories she tells them.

Something happened that changed the goats, I couldnt put my finger on it but on one thing I was clear, the fence didnt save them from the dangers. Did it help, yes as far as it delineated the cleared land of the farm and their little goat pen where it was safe. But somehow the goats changed in their little goat desires and behaviour and they no longer wanted to jump the fence and leave the farm, but instead to stay within the safety of the fence and share their happiness with someone who loves them......

Having spent a considerable amount of time during my teen years, raising and milking goats that wandered the closeby hills, I was impressed with the parable and the ingenious way your wife solved the problems caused by goats for which you made yourself responsible. At the time of my training with the goats I was not more than a Christian in the makeing, but in retrospect I can see so many lessons one can learn from the goats, especially since the bible relates that in the last days the sheep and the goats will be separated.
While I can see that the temperment of the goats is hard to deal with, the most obvious enjoyment of my family's relationship with the goats was observing the fun they seemed to have with their freedom roaming around the hills in complete abandonment of restraint, only coming back hurriedly to the milking buildings when our dog, Brownie, was sent up to get them twice daily for the milking.
I'm satisfied that our Father, in His infinite love, will make many of the "goats" of this world into sheep when the final call is made to come home before nightfall. And then their forays over the green pastures, in full and perfect freedom, will be an everlasting freedom both Shepherd and sheep will joy over.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." Jeremiah 31:33 KJV

"FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS.AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD,AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE." Hebrews 8:10 NASB Emphasis their's LHC

"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd." John 10:16 NASB
Regards!!

The traditional spin on this is that God writes the law in our hearts and we automatically become obedient. That, of course, is far, far from the truth. The man of Romans 7 had the law written in his heart, yet he was failing. Hence, you have an interpretation problem.

There is no spin on this, Rob. You seemingly fail to accept God at His word and, at least in this forum, also find God's Word so unpalatable you misconceive another's understanding of His intent.

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation." 2 Pet 1:20 KJV

"...no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion... it's not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God's Word." 2 Pet 1:20 MSG

Prophecy: the inspired declaration of Divine will and purpose. an inspired utterance of a prophet. WEBSTER'S NINTH NEW COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY

"Love....is ever ready to believe the best of every person..." 1 Corinthians 13:7 AMP
Regards!

Then, since the law of God is written in your heart, you are living Christ's life? You are just like Christ, no?

Rob

AMP = highly paraphrased and therefore useless.

RSV: "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

You see the AMP version makes God contradict Himself:

Matt 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity....32 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Rob

The sins we see the most prominent in others are the ones we find most difficult to deal with in our own lives.

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matthew 12:37 KJV
Regards!

Hello, knock...knock. Is anyone home?

What in the wide world of theology does that have anything to do with my previous statement? answer: nothing!

Can you stay with a subject or must you go off on tangents using quotes lifted out of their original context. Really, I have no respect for folks who do this.

"One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination." Proverbs 28:9 NKJV

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19 NKJV
Regards!

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments." Psalms 119


I read this today.