Why do so many so-called Christian churches emphasize the impossible standard of law-keeping for Christian living. It is the result of a failure to appreciate the word of God dispensationally. Confusion and contradiction reign in ‘the church at large’ today because they don’t practice “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15); that is, they don’t note this Biblical fact: that which applies to the nation Israel, does NOT apply to the members of “the church, the body of Christ,”

There was a time, which the Apostle Paul calls “time past” (Eph. 2:11), when God instructed Israel to keep ALL the Mosaic Law. He promised to bless Israel if they obeyed ALL of His laws, but He also swore that He would curse them if they refused to follow His laws (cf. Levi 26, Deut. 28). The Law was Israel’s religion, a strict set of rules to govern every facet of the Jews’ daily behavior.

The failure to recognize the distinction between Israel and “the body of Christ” is the basis of ‘performance’ based religion.’ There are millions of burdened souls, who are firmly shackled to religious works-based systems. This works & performance basis is perpetuated by most of the so-called ‘Christian church at large.’ Sadly, many churches that claim “grace” continue to teach and or imply that “works” are needed for one to either win God’s favor, or keep God’s favor.

So today, many are stressed at trying to please God, hoping that He will accept them and their performance, and favor them. These religious systems essentially say; “Just follow our instructions, and God will be happy with you and you will reach heaven.’ This is religion’s devilish lie! God favors all His children on the sole basis that they’ve received Christ (Col 1:27) and are “in Christ.”

Sadly, not only are lost (unsaved) souls bound by this false religious teaching, many are genuine Christians. They at one time trusted in Christ alone for salvation, but now they believe they must work to please God. Christendom abounds with ‘legalism’… “If you want to receive God’s favor and blessings, you must give more, pray more, confess more, come to church more… and quit doing … and start doing this…” Again, this erroneous theology is derived from a failure to understand the Bible ‘dispensationally’… which sets us free from Israel’s “Law” of works and performance.

So yes, God did deal with Israel via the Mosaic Law. He did instruct them to keep His Laws so they could receive His favor and blessings (cf. Lev. 26; Deut. 28). However, in this age of “the grace of God,” Paul “the apostle to the Gentles” (Rom 11:13) proclaimed “the gospel of the grace of God” (Act 20:24) whereby; “… ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14b). Dispensational Bible study enables us to see our relationship with God in what Paul calls the “but now” (Eph. 2:13), The words “but now” means mankind’s relationship with God has changed from that which was before.

Today, God has abolished the performance-based acceptance system’ and He has replaced it with His ‘Christ-based acceptance system,’ called “grace.” Today our performance is not the issue, today Christ’s victorious performance at the cross, and His ongoing work in His believers that is the issue. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Phili. 2:13)

God is not dealing with us today as He dealt with Israel in “time past”; now we “are under grace” … not under “the Law.” Trying to follow Israel’s Law program will only cause Sin to dominate us since “the Law is the power of sin” (1Cor 15:56b). Yes, the Law empowers Sin (cf. Rom. 7:15-23). Today’s God’s grace-based acceptance system involves us placing our faith in the truth of Paul’s epistles that encourage us to let Christ Jesus live His life in and through us, making our Christian life pleasing to God. The following verses are an encapsulation of the Christian life: “… the love of Christ constraineth us; (compels us) because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but (live) unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:14-15).