Don’t Let Your Faith Become Void

One of Satan's greatest weapons against Christians is to bring them under the condemnation of the Old Testament Law. When believers in Christ turn to works of self-righteousness by attempting to abide in the Old Covenant or mix the Old and New Covenants, they open themselves up to deception and fall away from God's grace. The Old Testament Law had a purpose that was totally fulfilled by Christ Jesus, and now no longer has any value to those who are in Christ. Don't let your faith become void by going under the Old Covenant. Learn to stand in the promises of God by faith and in the power of the Spirit!

Want this teaching in a different format? You can watch it here or find the audio version here.

Don't Let Your Faith Become Void

Going Back Under The Law Is Adultery to Christ

The Old Testament Law was a school master and a shadow to bring us to Christ.

Going back under the Law is adultery to Christ. It will cause you to fall from grace.

Satan uses the Law against Christians to accuse them. It is one of the key devices that he uses against the Saints.  

Satan's Armor Is Sin And Its Power Is the Law!

1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

The curse of the law was death. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law.

Satan's armor is sin. The demons are there to entice man into sin.

In Corinthians, Paul talked about drinking from the cup of the Lord and drinking from the cup of demons. If you are sitting at the table of demons by having fellowship with sin and the world, then you are in great danger. You will start contaminating yourself and receiving leaven.

Jesus said that a little leaven will leaven the whole lump.

The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law. 

It is very important to understand this point. Many Christians do not understand that by going under the Old Testament Law, they are allowing satan to bring them under judgment.

The Law brought wrath. It was the judgment of God on lawbreakers.

If you go under the Old Testament Law, then you are going to fall from grace.

You must understand that you are under a New Covenant, a better one.

Luke 11:21-23 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

This verse is talking about Jesus coming along, binding the strongman, removing the armor in which he trusted, and then being able to strip him naked causing him to be powerless.

Afterwards, He is able to plunder his goods.

It is important that you be in the Lord and His kingdom. The kingdom that you are in now, in Christ, in spiritual Mt. Zion, has overcome satan.

Satan's keys have been removed from him. He doesn't have the keys of death anymore because Jesus has taken them from him. Effectively, satan has had his armor removed.

Now, if you go under the Old Testament Law, then you are going to come under the curse of the Law.

You need to get your mind around the reason you are free. The freedom and the liberty you have is from not being under the Law anymore.

No Christian should be living under the Old Testament Law, including the Ten Commandments. That all comes under the Law of Moses. The Law written on the tablets of stone as well as the Book of the Law constitute the Law of Moses. In Christ, you are no longer subject to that Law because it was nailed to the Cross.

Satan wants to bring Christians into a place of ignorance. Because then, he can arm himself against believers through deception.

You are dead to the Law because you died with Christ. It is important that you understand what Christ did to set you free from the Law. He put to death your body of sin, the Old Man, the flesh. You died with Christ.

The Law was removed by Christ and nailed to the Cross. Judaizers will try to tell you that one part of the Law was taken out of the way, but not another part. It makes no sense.

Your righteousness now is in Christ, not in the Law. You can know this because the Bible tells you that you were weak to it. No one was able to fulfill it or be made righteous through it.

Satan uses the Law against you to condemn you. The Bible tells us there is now no condemnation for those that are in Christ.

This promise of no condemnation does not apply to those who are living under the Old Testament. If you go under the Old Testament, you will be condemned. You will be judged by the Old Testament Law. In that case, you have come under the curse.  

You can never come up to God's standards in the Law. The only person that was able to do that was God himself, God in the flesh. Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law by nailing it to the Cross.

The Law never made anyone righteous. If righteousness came through the Law, then Jesus Christ died in vain.

Going under the Law and trying to be righteous under the Old Testament Law makes the Cross of no effect. That will bring you under works and put you right under the curse of the Law.

If you try to do things in your own strength, under the Old Testament Law, then you will put yourself under the curse of the Law.

That is exactly where Satan wants you to be because then he can condemn you.

The curse of the Law is described as the ministry of death. There was a judgment of death against you. But, Jesus took that judgment and penalty for you when He drank that cup given to Him.

No man could drink that cup except Christ because there was no sin found in Him.

The demon's armor is sin and their strength is the curse of the Law. Meditate on that and get greater understanding of it.

1 Corinthians 15:56 will set you free when you understand that the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law.

So, why would you go under the Old Testament Law?

Satan obviously wants to bring you into captivity so that He can have power over you.

His biggest enemy is Christ.

So, are you going to follow the curse of the Law?

Or are you going to follow Christ, and the Law of Liberty?

There are two different Laws.

Where there is no law, there is no sin. Satan's armor is removed and his kingdom is spoiled.

Now, in Christ you are not under the Old Testament Law. Therefore, you are not under the sting of death. You are not under the strength of sin. You are no longer judged by the requirements of the Old Testament Law.

Satan's kingdom is spoiled! He doesn't have any power over you anymore. You are free!

That's why the Word says that he whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

What did Jesus do? He set you free!

What did He set you free from? The curse of the Law.

If you go under the Old Testament Law, including the Ten Commandments, then you fall from grace and make the Cross of no effect.

People who are not born again cannot see or understand this. They may claim to be born again but they can't be. You cannot mix the old with the new. That does not work.

Jesus warned His disciples against trying to put new wine in old wine skins. It does not work.

The old wine skins will burst. That is exactly what will happen to you. You do not want to burst!

That is the key to freedom in Christ.

The truth sets you free and that truth is Christ!

Christ sets you free from the curse of the Law. You enter in now to a higher Law that has more glory.

That Law is Christ.

Some Christians have been deceived by a distorted view of grace.

Grace is awesome. The New Covenant is a covenant of grace. It puts you in Christ. If you are in Christ you are a new creation and all things are new. You are not any more held captive by the body of sin.

Jesus's answer to that body of sin, your Old Man, is the Cross.

It's the New Testament circumcision not made with human hands, but with God's hand. This is an awesome revelation and must be spiritually discerned.

People that are led by the Law do not receive the things of the Spirit. If you go under the Old Testament Law, you will not understand this. If you're not able to understand this, then you must humble yourself, get before God, and ask Him to help you understand what Christ did for you on the Cross.

Much error comes into the Church from not understanding the work of the Cross.

Going Back Under the Law Is Adultery to Christ

The Old Testament covenant that God made with Israel was not given to the Gentiles. The Old Covenant was replaced with a better Covenant.

This New Covenant that you have with God is not the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant was a shadow and a tutor to bring you to Christ.

Remember that satan's armor is sin and the power of sin is the Law. If you go under the Law, then you will arm satan. He has been disarmed by Christ.

Satan's Greatest Weapon Has Been Removed

Romans 3:20 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.

The Law was put there to show you your sin. That is why God put it there.

God knew that no one would be justified through it. He only put it there to show you your need for a savior and to show you how sinful you are.

The Jews would never have known what sin was had it not been for the Law. In any case, the

Law was never given to you. It was given to the Jews.

Galatians 2:16 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.

Now you enter into a new law, which is the Law of Christ. it is not the Old Testament Law, which was of works. No flesh will be justified by that Old Law.

The New Law is called the Law of Liberty, the Law of Christ, and the Law of the Spirit. It is Christ.

It is a higher Law. it is the Law of the Most High. It is freedom. That Law of the Most High is Love.

Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.  

You must understand this point. If you start getting into Law and your own works, then you will fall from grace. This passage speaks of the Old Testament Law.

The New Law is by faith in Christ. You come under the Law of the Spirit by faith in Christ. You look to Jesus. He is your atoning sacrifice. He is your righteousness, and He is your redemption. He redeemed you from the curse.

You inherit His nature by faith.

Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

This righteousness comes through the Holy Spirit, by the power of the Holy Spirit through Christ. The Spirit, Christ and the Father are one.

If you are in Christ, then you have the fullness of the Godhead inside of you. You are one with Christ now by faith.

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

That love is in Jesus Christ. The faith you have that works by love is in Christ's identity in imitating Christ by faith, not through the works of the Law.

Romans 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

There is no transgression.

Satan, the accuser of the brethren has no accusation against you now, unless you believe it.

This is where the truth sets you free.

When you know the truth, Satan's sting is removed. He has no power over you. That's why the Word says now there is therefore no condemnation in Christ.

Satan cannot condemn you. Jesus paid the price. He bought you with his blood. His blood is on the mercy seat.

You've been bought by Jesus Christ. he paid a huge price for you. You need to rejoice and celebrate in Christ for that!

He has set you free. He drank the cup that you would have had to drink.

If you come under the Law, you're going to drink the cup of judgment that comes with the Law.

You need to come into the Law of Christ, by faith. In the Law of Liberty and the Law of Spirit there is freedom.

Now you are under the Law of Christ by faith. Pursuing any of the works of the Old Law will actually make your faith void and the promises of God of no effect.

That's a pretty serious reality. There is a lot of Christianity and "Churchianity" that wants to put you into legalism.

The devil loves legalism. Satan is a legalist. That's his armor. Satan's armor is legalism because that gives him permission to torment you under the Curse of the Law.

If you go under the Old Testament Laws and rituals, you make the promises of God of no effect. All of those laws and rituals were nailed to the Cross.

One example of this is when Christians observe the Old Testament Sabbath. The New Testament Sabbath is not about honoring a particular day, but rather about resting in Christ.

These Believers have gone under the letter of the Law.

If you as a Believer go under the letter of the Law, you will be blinded and unable to see the things of the Spirit.

Only when you have faith do you make the promises of God effective. The promise becomes effective in Christ by faith, not through any other way.

That is the message of the Cross.

Do not get sidetracked by religious traditions of men. 2 Timothy 3:7 is all about traditions of men.

The key is to walk in the Spirit.

If you are walking in the Spirit that means you are not walking in the flesh. The Spirit overpowers the work of the flesh.

If you walk in the flesh then you will grieve the Holy Spirit.

Walking in the Spirit is by faith. It is abiding in the promises of God.

What are the promises of God?

• You are righteous.

• You are holy.

• You are sanctified.

• You are not under the Law of Sin and Death.

• You have all power in Christ Jesus.

You abide in all the promises of God by faith. When you abide in God's promises then you will receive the mind of Christ.

The mind of Christ gives you wisdom, understanding, and freedom.

1 John tells you that the anointing will guide and lead you into all truth. It says that you don't even need a teacher basically because you're now going to be led by the Holy Spirit.

He is going to give you intuition, insight, and wisdom into how you need to operate.

The Promise Becomes of No Effect

The Old Law was based on merit (works), but by comparison the New Law of Liberty is based on grace, and is unmerited.

Under the Law it was your works, and now in the new Law of Liberty in Christ it is unmerited.

This is where you must come out from under condemnation. For you to truly be free, you have to understand that nothing is based on your righteousness. It's all His righteousness.

All have been found guilty. None is righteous. We all need Jesus as our savior.

That is grace. It is unmerited and offered to us by the Father as a free gift.

Having confidence in the Old Law will disqualify you from grace. This makes the Cross of no effect because you're actually saying that you don't need Jesus's sacrifice.

When you go under the Old Testament Law, or even have a works based mentality, then you are trying to do things in your own strength. You are basically saying to Jesus, "Well, I don't need your sacrifice. I can be righteous in my own strength and my own works!"

That is not the message of the Cross.

Romans 4:14-15  For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

By following the Old Testament Law and applying it to the New Covenant, you will make your faith void and the promises of God of no effect.

Can you see why Satan loves deceiving people by removing them from the Promise and bringing them under the Curse?

How many Christians today are frustrated because they're walking in the flesh?

If you are in the Spirit, then it is no longer your will be done, but God's will be done.

The flesh is all about self and ego.

The Spirit is all about Christ. Not your will be done but God's will be done. It is no longer you that lives, but Christ that lives in you.

Now, you put away your selfish desires and you turn and follow Christ.

How many times did Jesus say to his disciples, "Follow me."?

Satan knows that he cannot overcome you when you are not under the Old Law. So, he wants to get you back under that Law so that he can put you under the Curse. Once you're under the Curse he can send the tormentors.

As soon as you go under the Law, you disqualify yourself from Christ and then Satan's got you.

Where there is no law, there is no transgression. Satan is powerless.

In order for you to deactivate Satan in your life, the answer is the Cross. The message of the Cross.

The message of the Cross is the power of God. It's what separates you from satan. Satan cannot get past the blood of Jesus.

When you understand the righteousness of faith that comes through Christ, then satan is powerless. He's been stripped of his armor and all of his power.

He can't touch you.

The Law was pointing to the blood and to Christ. The thorns on Christ's crown represent the Curse of the Law. Those thorns represent your punishment. Jesus took that punishment for you.

That is powerful!

Praise God for the blood of Christ Jesus!

Let This Mind Be In You: Christ, Not the Mind of Moses's Law

Get out from under condemnation.

Christ suffered for you.

He gave up His glory to come down and be an example to you of how you should humble yourself, make yourself of no reputation, and serve.

This is the real gospel of Jesus Christ: loving your neighbor as yourself.

You have to learn this. This is what you have to do.

You are guilty before the Law, but in Christ you've been made righteous.

Be like Christ!

Philippians 2:1-2 (AMP) Therefore if there is any encouragement and comfort in Christ [as there certainly is in abundance], if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship [that we share] in the Spirit, if [there is] any [great depth of] affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same [a]love [toward one another], knit together in spirit, intent on one purpose [and living a life that reflects your faith and spreads the gospel—the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ].

This is an example of the Law of Christ, the Law of the Spirit, and the Law of Liberty.

It's having the same mind of Christ, the same love toward one another, being knit together in the Spirit, intent on one purpose, and living a life that reflects your faith.

Faith without works is dead.

This is living a life that reflects your faith and spreading the good news of the Gospel regarding salvation through faith in Christ. It's not through faith in anything else.

It is only through faith in Christ. He is your role model.

You have to look to Him.

When the nation of Israel looked upon the serpent lifted on the pole they were healed. In the same way, when you look to Christ, then you will be healed.

Philippians 2:3a (AMP) Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife],

Can you see how strife and division is the flesh? These are from the enemy.

If you're operating in selfishness, that is not Christ. You have a different gospel. You have to be very careful because pride will separate you from Christ.

Pride blinds you.

What is selfishness? Its pride. It's ego. Or empty conceit through factional motives or strife.

That's division.

Philippians 2:3b (AMP) but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous],

Our righteousness is in Christ, not self.

Was Christ arrogant?

No!

He made himself a servant.

Philippians 2:3c (AMP) regard others as more important than yourselves.

You should count others as more important than yourself. This is the awesome thing about fellowship. When you meet together with other Believers it is an opportunity to love others.

If you want to know Christ, then love others. Deny yourself. Take up your Cross and love others.

Philippians 2:4-5 Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility],

Attitude is the mind.

Have the mind of Christ.

Look to Him as your example in selfless humility.

This is the Law of Christ.

By faith you are to look to Jesus as your example. When you do this by denying yourself and crucifying the Old Man, you allow God to work in you and do His good pleasure.

You become one with Christ.

You need to examine yourself to see whether you are of the faith.

You are to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

What does that mean?

The price paid for you was huge. You have to make sure that you are in the faith. Make sure that you have the right gospel.

The right gospel is Christ.

It is the message of the Cross and Jesus Christ crucified.

Warning: Legalism Will Blind You Spiritually

What does it mean that some are learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth?

It is spiritual blindness.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters].

Everyone needs to be careful with this. You can think you are very spiritual. The Pharisees thought that they were spiritual.

Examine yourself to see if you are acting in self-righteousness and selfishness or are you acting in Christ?

Philippians 3:3 for we [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, set apart for His purpose and] are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory and take pride and exult in Christ Jesus and place no confidence [in what we have or who we are] in the flesh—

This is not referring to the circumcision of the flesh, but the circumcision of the Spirit, which is done by God's hands.

You must realize that without Christ you are nothing. You are wretched, naked, and shameful.

Revelation tells us that.

If you have dead works, which are your own works and not Christ's works, false religion, a form of godliness but deny the power of God, then you are wretched and naked.

The Lord commands us to counsel him for gold refined in the fire, for white garments, and eye salve that we may see.

That's all Christ's work.

You cannot do it.

Without this knowledge by faith, you are lost.

Paul takes this opportunity to boast in his Jewish roots.

Concerning the Old Testament Law, he was blameless. He was saying that he was from the tribe of Benjamin, a Jew of all Jews, he upheld the law blamelessly, a Pharisee of Pharisees, but then he came to the realization of the truth and counted all of his self-righteousness as garbage.

He claimed it all as loss for Christ.

Christ had given him everything that pertained to eternal life and true freedom.

Paul's Comparison of What Was Garbage

Philippians 3:7 But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then], these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life].

Paul is reflecting back on how he used to think.

How many Christians following Old Testament Law are in this place? They regard their own dead works as advancements and merit. Paul's life now had purpose: not in himself but in Christ.

Philippians 3:8a But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled].

You have to have a relationship with Jesus. You have the Holy Spirit in you. The Holy Spirit is a person. You have the Holy Spirit inside of you.

Do you ignore the Holy Spirit in your life?

The Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit, Christ and the Father are one.

Christ is in you, the hope of glory.

Philippians 3:8b-9 For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ,  and may be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.

Not by works but by faith.

Philippians 3:10a And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely]

This is speaking of a relationship. Paul had an awesome revelation of this relationship with the Spirit, not with the Letter of the Law. The Letter kills but the Spirit gives life.

Philippians 3:10b and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers],

Do you believe the true Gospel? That is where the power is.

Philippians 3:10c-11 and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did]; so that I may attain to the resurrection [that will raise me] from the dead.

You see that Paul realized that the Old Law was worthless, even his Jewish roots. Now, he is a new creation in Christ.

That's what you are, a new creation. Your identity is now in Christ.

The Old Testament will not make you a new creation. It will only separate you from Christ.

Paul saw that the fruit of the Law was his own self-righteousness and he rightfully considered that garbage!

Even its rituals, including the letter Sabbath. The spiritual Sabbath in the New Testament is entering the rest of Christ.  Seventh Day Adventists, Judaizers, Sabbatists, etc. want to keep the letter Sabbath.

Only the Holy Spirit can open your eyes to discern that it's not about rituals or ceremonies anymore.

It is about entering into Christ's rest and resting from your own works. As Jesus said, "Come to me all you heavy laden, and I will give you rest." It's not in the Letter or the rituals.

It's in Christ.

That's where your rest is! It's resting from your works and abiding in His.

Old Testament Law keepers (Hebrews 4) cannot see or understand this. These are always learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth. They are not rightly dividing the Word of God.

Keeping the Old Testament will not bring you into God's rest. The intimate relationship that Paul is describing only comes by faith in the finished work of the Cross.

It does not come by any of your works.

You must imitate Christ by faith!

The Old Verses the New: Two Different Gospels

Mixing the two Covenants will leaven the whole lump. If you bring in Old Testament Law, you're going to bring in leaven. If you try to mix the Old Covenant with the New Covenant, you're going to mix in leaven. Yu cannot put new wine in old wine skins.

The Old Testament Law was sin consciousness.

The Law was for people who were not born again. People originally under the Old Testament Law were not born again. It was never given to Gentiles anyway, it was only given to the Jews.

They could not receive the New Covenant. The only way they could have received the New Covenant was to be spiritually minded and to have the mind of Christ.

The only way you can discern truth is by having the mind of Christ. That is how God opens your eyes.

He opens your eyes through the Spirit.

Those who are under the Law need to have sin consciousness removed by the Cross.

They would not have been able to discern the Holy Spirit. This is why Jesus had to make a way to crucify the old carnal nature.

The carnal mind is an enemy of God.

You have to have your carnal mind and your canal understanding crucified with Christ. it has to be cut off. Mixing the new wine in old wineskins is what many deceived Christians end up doing.

This leads to a distorted opinion of grace.

It takes faith to walk in grace. You do not need faith to walk in the Law. You just do it, or else!

Whatever is not of faith is sin.

The Law was for carnally minded people. The things which are spiritual are spiritually discerned.

Grace makes you look at what Jesus did. The Law makes you look at what you did.

The Old Testament Law is not God's standard to live by. The Law was not faith.

Faith is the standard to live by!

Faith is in the finished work of the Cross.

If you live in the Old Testament commandments, you will be judged by them.

That is not recommended for anyone.

The Ten Commandments are not your righteousness. Christ is!

Legalists try to strain a gnat to swallow a camel. They are always twisting the scriptures.

The Old Testament Law does not have the keys. Christ does!

Jesus has given you the keys to the Kingdom.

You just need to understand that now you have a better Covenant built upon better promises in Christ.