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Master Life
Lesson One

INTRODUCTION

This world is a swirling torrent of troubled waters. Even the formerly Christian Western nations are fast being swept over the edge into the raging waters below. Disaster stalks us, threatening to overtake us at every turn because we have forsaken the God of our Salvation.

We have demanded to have things our own way, and - God help us - God has allowed us to have it. Even as we are pulled toward a dark destiny of our own choosing, God has not left us without hope. He has thrown out the life line to help help us. If we will but grab it, He will pull us to safety and again put our feet on solid ground so we can begin the process of mastering life. Our civilization can once again shine as a warm, encouraging lighthouse until the brightness of day overtakes it.

How can we master life and work with God to rescue a world wrapped in the icy waters of despair? And why is it that so many modern Christians thrash about hopelessly in the swift current rather than grab God's life line in order to master life?

The true way of mastering life is not a popular subject. What Jesus taught during His earthly time was not popular then, and it is no more popular today. Even among many Christians, God's way of understanding how life works and mastering it is a much neglected, abused, - and yes - even hated subject.

The life line, God's method of mastering life, that God has thrown out for us to grasp is Biblical Law. The mere mention of God's Law sends shudders down the spines of many Christians. It is important at this point we recognize that when I say God's Law is our way of mastering life I do NOT mean it is our salvation [this is explained in much more detail in later lessons]. Salvation from sin and right standing before God is in Christ alone. Nevertheless, God's Law does have a VITAL part to play in the Christian's life and in rescuing the world from disaster.

In this Master Life course we are going to examine what Biblical Law is, what it isn't, if it is still valid, what Jesus and the apostles taught about it, how it works with love and grace, and how it works in society. This is not going to be a detailed study of any particular law, but we will lay the foundation for a good basic understanding of the Law.

Why is the Law God's way of mastering life? Isn't it hopeless out-dated? Didn't Jesus and Paul condemn the Law? How could it work today anyhow?

We are going to answer these and many other legitimate questions as we work our way through this course. Never be afraid to ask honest questions. We will search the Scriptures for the answers. For any answer to be believed and accepted, it must be supported by the Word of God in context.

As we begin this exploration of reality, let's remind ourselves that EVERY Word of God is important, otherwise He would not have recorded it in His Holy Word.

"The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, you shall preserve them from this generation forever" Psalm 12:6-7, NKJV.

We know in the New Testament when they wrote about the Scriptures they were referring to the Old Testament because they were living the New Testament. How often do we recognize that in the Old Testament when they spoke of the Word of God [or used similar terms] they were speaking of the books of Moses [otherwise known as the Law], because they were living the Old Testament?

So "the words of the Lord" referred to in Psalm 12, while certainly true of the entire Scripture, specifically meant the books of Moses. Notice, David prophesied these words would last forever. The Law is with us today, whether we like it or not. As we go through this course, keep an open mind to the Word of God, and then you can judge for yourself whether this is from God or not.

What I want most, and I know you do too, is to know the Truth. It is the Truth which sets us free. We need to be willing to have our fantasy bubbles burst and learn to live in God's world of reality. Remember in John 6:67-68 where Jesus had just finished teaching some very difficult truths? Many of His followers turned away and said, "This is too much for us!" In fact so many deserted Him, Jesus turned to the 12 disciples and said, "Do you also want to go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'"

I love Peter for that answer. He saw right to the heart of the issue. Only Jesus has the words of eternal life. Leave Jesus and we've left everything. We have forgone reality for a fantasy world of our own making. It is better to have the Truth, even if we don't always understand it or even like it, than to live a lie.

So as we look into the Law of God in this course, we are searching for the Truth. We don't have to like it, but we do have to believe and act upon it. Living in our own fantasy world may seem a lot more pleasant, but it is still living a lie. We are not going to avoid any of the tough issues or scriptures involved with the Law. We are going to tackle them head-on and see what the Scripture has to say. Only as Christians are willing to grasp this way of mastering life and use it is there any hope for the rest of the world to see its value and be pulled from the swirling waters.

WHY DO WE NEED THE LAW?

As Christians we are still living in this physical world. Seems like a rather obvious statement, doesn't it?

"I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world" John 17:15-16.

We are in the world, but we are not of the world. In other words, while we live in and interact with this world, our Source is not from this world system. We are first of all citizens of the Kingdom of God, and secondly, we are citizens of a nation. Why did Jesus leave us in the world? Because He has a mission for us. We have job to perform. What is that job? I'm glad you asked.

"Then Jesus came a spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and in earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.'" Matt. 28:18-20, NKJV

What is our job? What are our marching orders from the Commander-In-Chief? "Make disciples of all nations." This has been misinterpreted many times as making disciples of all kinds of people or of all types of nationalities. That is not what Jesus said. He said, "Make disciples of all nations".

Now we know nations are made up of people. Therefore, people must come to Christ as Lord and Saviour before nations do, but if we stop with mere conversions we are only playing a numbers game [how many got saved this week?] and have fallen short of fulfilling our orders.

Our orders are to disciple nations: to bring entire nations into line with the Word of God. This does not mean that everyone in the nation is going to be a Christian [nor does in mean that a political minority of Christians force their will on everyone else], but that the nation as a whole follows Christ.

"The expectation of the Commission's influence is that the gospel of Jesus Christ will gradually and increasingly triumph throughout the world until the large majority of men, with their cultures and nations, are held in its gracious and holy sway." Kenneth Gentry

Isn't this what the Lord's Prayer asks for: ..."Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."? Matt. 6:10, NKJV

How is this basic mission going to be accomplished? It begins as people experience the grace of God through salvation by Jesus Christ alone. That is not where it stops, however. Jesus must also be Lord. The next logical question is: Since Jesus is Lord, how are we supposed to live? If we are expected to answer that question and disciple nations in the ways of God, we are going to have to develop a Christian social theory. In other words, we have to be able to live and teach how God expects our lives and this world to be governed. We have to be able to answer tough questions like the following:

How high [or low] should taxes be?

Is gun control right?

What legal standing [if any] do common-law marriages have?

Are property taxes legitimate?

Should we be involved in overseas wars?

Is genetic research and planning proper?

Must Christian demonstrations always be non-violent?

Is capital punishment right or wrong? If right, for what offenses?

Should Medi-Care be privatized?

What is the role of civil government?

Should the Free Market be encouraged or not?

Should criminals under age 18 receive lighter sentences?

Is the prison system right?

The list could go on almost forever and cover every area of life. If we are going to teach the nations how to act pleasing to God and obey Him we have to have the answers for many difficult questions. Unfortunately, for the most part, Christians have either ignored the questions or else given humanistic answers clothed in thin veil of false Christianity.

Why is this? Because a good percentage of modern Christians have rejected Biblical Law. If we are going to come up with God's unique [and very practical] answers we have to go to God's Law. If we are going to master life, we have to know what works and what does not work. That is why the Law is so important. It gives us those answers! It teaches us how to govern ourselves, our families, our churches, and our nations in a way that is pleasing to God.

Without the law we can run and hide or we can parrot humanism's disastrous answers, but we cannot give God's answers. For God's answers we must go to the Law. Biblical Law applies Christianity to the everyday problems and questions of life.

In Lesson 2 we will establish a good definition of the Law, see how it is structured, and learn that law is the foundation of every society.

Master Life Assignments

Note: This assignments are written from the assumption that the student has completed the prerequisite Feed Yourself Course. Some of the assignments may not make sense if you have not taken that course.

1. Read Is. 58 and analyze verses 9 -12.

2. Memorize Rom. 8:1-4.

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Master LifeLesson One

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Master Life
Lesson One