“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-11.

It is just as important for the Believer to know and understand the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.  Because we are no longer under Law, many dismiss the Old Testament without ever realizing it was not the Law that saved man but, as is today, it was grace through faith that saved them.  The Mosaic Law which was given to indict man of their unrighteousness, was Righteous indeed but it never saved anyone.

Sadly, many believe since we live under the dispensation of Grace, all due to what Jesus did on the Cross, that God can now tolerate sin in a Believer’s life. This is unequivocally not so.  The Israelite murmurers, idolaters and fornicators who tempted God and were destroyed in the wilderness should serve as our examples of how God treats sin.  God does not change, He is the same yesterday, today and forever more (Hebrews 13:5).   So many of us complain and murmur about the way God is doing something in our lives and in fact blame it on satan because it does not appeal to our flesh.  The Lord chastises and teaches His children through testing, yet we rebuke His testing as if it came from the devil.

The dispensation of Grace in which we now live under does not give us a license to sin but gives us the power NOT to sin.  What God thinks about sin and how He handles sin has not changed.  This power not to sin is made possible because of Jesus Christ.  He was our Sin Offering unto the God, which is again, explained in the Old Testament.  It is because of Jesus, the Perfect Lamb of God, laying down His life for us to live that we are able to live.  Jesus accomplished what He came to earth to accomplish, die for our sins and His Resurrection is our proof that He accomplished all He came to do which is reconcile God to His Children.  Don’t make the mistake however that Jesus reconciled God to those who don’t believe in Him; no, God’s Children belong to Jesus, Abraham’s Seed…not “seeds”  as in many (Galatians 3:16).

“But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:11.

With our faith placed on Jesus Christ and Him crucified, we have the power not to sin.  The Holy Spirit is commissioned to isolate our sin nature and quicken our mortal bodies when our faith is placed on Jesus…not our self efforts.  “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2.  Don’t ever think that because we are living under Grace and the Law is written on our heart that we are entitled to sin.  In fact, if that law that is written on our heart, doesn’t line up with the Word of God, it is not the law of God written there but our own law we have conjured up in our heads to fit our lifestyle.  Sin hasn’t changed….and neither has God but in God’s Goodness, He has given us a way to overcome sin, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  – Donna Clark Warren