<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" ><channel><title>Jacob Kiers &#187; Religion</title> <atom:link href="http://jacobkiers.net/category/personal/religion-personal/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><link>http://jacobkiers.net</link> <description>Some things I want to share</description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:53:09 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1</generator> <item><title>God&#8217;s law: is it still relevant?</title><link>http://jacobkiers.net/2009/03/02/gods-law-is-it-still-relevant/</link> <comments>http://jacobkiers.net/2009/03/02/gods-law-is-it-still-relevant/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:43:11 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Jacob Kiers</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.jacobkiers.net/?p=56</guid> <description><![CDATA[You might wonder whether the law of God as laid out in Scripture is still relevant in the 21st century. In this article I'll try to find an answer to that question.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sometime you think: are the laws which God had given to Israel still relevant to us, or shall we just skip them? Didn&#8217;t the Lord Jesus fulfill the law when He died on that tree at Golgotha? Doesn&#8217;t that mean that we don&#8217;t need to keep these laws throughout our lives?</p><p>Lets open up our Bibles and see what God has to say about this.</p><p>The law is not passed away, for the first chapter of the Sermon of The Mount is wholly written about the way we should practise the law in our daily lives. Paul, the Apostle, also says he delights in the law of God. (<a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Romans+7%3A22" class="bibleref" title="NIV Romans 7:22">Romans 7:22</a><a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Romans+7%3A22" class="scripturizer_newwindow" title="Open this passage in a new browser window" target="_new"><img src="http://jacobkiers.net/wp-content/plugins/the-holy-scripturizer/new-window.gif" alt="Open Link in New Window" /></a>). That does not mean the law can save us (<a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Romans+3%3A20" class="bibleref" title="NIV Romans 3:20">Romans 3:20</a><a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Romans+3%3A20" class="scripturizer_newwindow" title="Open this passage in a new browser window" target="_new"><img src="http://jacobkiers.net/wp-content/plugins/the-holy-scripturizer/new-window.gif" alt="Open Link in New Window" /></a>), for salvation is only by faith in Jesus Christ (<a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Romans+8%3A1-4" class="bibleref" title="NIV Romans 8:1-4">Romans 8:1-4</a><a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Romans+8%3A1-4" class="scripturizer_newwindow" title="Open this passage in a new browser window" target="_new"><img src="http://jacobkiers.net/wp-content/plugins/the-holy-scripturizer/new-window.gif" alt="Open Link in New Window" /></a>). I personally think we can say that law in the New Testament is less like &#8216;rules&#8217; and more like &#8216;doing the will of God&#8217;. His will can be found in the Bible, which is revealed by Himself (<a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=2+Timothy+3%3A16" class="bibleref" title="NIV 2Timothy 3:16">2 Timothy 3:16</a><a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=2+Timothy+3%3A16" class="scripturizer_newwindow" title="Open this passage in a new browser window" target="_new"><img src="http://jacobkiers.net/wp-content/plugins/the-holy-scripturizer/new-window.gif" alt="Open Link in New Window" /></a>).</p><p>The foundation of his will, is love for God and for our neighbours (<a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Matthew+22%3A40" class="bibleref" title="NIV Matthew 22:40">Matthew 22:40</a><a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Matthew+22%3A40" class="scripturizer_newwindow" title="Open this passage in a new browser window" target="_new"><img src="http://jacobkiers.net/wp-content/plugins/the-holy-scripturizer/new-window.gif" alt="Open Link in New Window" /></a>). Flowing from that love for God and because we are grateful for what He did for us, we (should?) want to do his will. Then it is easy to understand why Paul says he deligths in the law.</p><p>Summarizing: the law has been fulfilled by Jesus and we don&#8217;t need to fulfill it anymore to get saved. However, because He did this much to us, we want to do what He wants us to do.</p><p>Which brings us back at the law. In this case, the law of Christ, consisting of love for God and all other people. So you might wonder how to show your love towards God. You can do so by doing His will, which is given in Scripture, especially in the first five books (Genesis till Deuteronomy).</p><p>Many of these books are filled with guidances and precepts which we are still able to apply. Many parts of it seem to be quite obsolete for everyday life, though, for example the sacrificial laws. I think it is good to apply many of these laws in a practical way, useful in our everyday life. <a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Joshua+1%3A7-8" class="bibleref" title="NIV Joshua 1:7-8">Joshua 1:7-8</a><a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Joshua+1%3A7-8" class="scripturizer_newwindow" title="Open this passage in a new browser window" target="_new"><img src="http://jacobkiers.net/wp-content/plugins/the-holy-scripturizer/new-window.gif" alt="Open Link in New Window" /></a> also seems to point that out.</p><p>Many times I&#8217;m struggling with applying these laws as a general rule in my life. It certainly isn&#8217;t easy to take 3000+ years-old laws and give them an application in the 21st century. However, it really is worth a try.</p><p>Are you in?</p><p>PS. As always: if you think I&#8217;m wrong, or if I made horrible grammatical or spelling mistakes, feel free to comment, or <a href="http://twitter.com/jacobkiers"title="Tweet me: @jacobkiers" >tweet me</a>. Bottom line: if you have anything to say, don&#8217;t hesitate.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://jacobkiers.net/2009/03/02/gods-law-is-it-still-relevant/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Grace alone</title><link>http://jacobkiers.net/2008/06/26/grace-alone/</link> <comments>http://jacobkiers.net/2008/06/26/grace-alone/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:11:09 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Jacob Kiers</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[bible]]></category> <category><![CDATA[christianity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[religion]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.jacobkiers.net/?p=10</guid> <description><![CDATA[Did someone ever want to give you something of a very very great value? Then you know how hard it can be to just accept it. It is nearly impossible to take it, and if you take it, you nearly drop it. An even greater value has the grace which our Saviour, Jesus Christ, achieved [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Did someone ever want to give you something of a very very great value? Then you know how hard it can be to just accept it. It is nearly impossible to take it, and if you take it, you nearly drop it.</p><p><span id="more-10"></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">An even greater value has the grace which our Saviour, Jesus Christ, achieved for us. To give us this, Hes had to die.</p><p>Is the grace which He gives to us a consequence of our goodness towards Him? No way! If his grace depends on that, we will immediately and definitely go to hell, But luckely it doesn&#8217;t depend on that. It only depends on Him.</p><p>He knows us better than we know ourselves, nevertheless, he wants to give us His grace, which the apostle Paul calls an <em>immeasurable richness</em>. This is about the strongest expression I know to use when I want to show the greatness of something. And this grace, this richness, we can get from Him for free.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;">At last, in the sixth verse the apostle states that we are now, at this moment, with the Lord in heaven, due to his resurrection.</p><p>If I think about this, I can&#8217;t do anything but say: &#8220;<em>what are we thinkin less about our future</em>&#8220;.</p><p>Do you show in your life His grace?</p><p><em>Based onÂ  <a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Ephesians+2%3A6-9" class="bibleref" title="NIV Ephesians 2:6-9">Ephesians 2:6-9</a><a href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=31&amp;passage=Ephesians+2%3A6-9" class="scripturizer_newwindow" title="Open this passage in a new browser window" target="_new"><img src="http://jacobkiers.net/wp-content/plugins/the-holy-scripturizer/new-window.gif" alt="Open Link in New Window" /></a></em></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://jacobkiers.net/2008/06/26/grace-alone/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>
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