Title: The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 20) 

Subject: Colossians (A)
Summary: In this twentieth installment of the Covenants, Grace and Law series, John Ritenbaugh asserts that the S.P.S. (Specific Purpose Statement) of the entire Bible is "Let us make man in our image, according our likeness" (Genesis 1:26). To this end God has given us His Law, which serves as a map showing us the way of sanctification and holiness. Because God desires companionship of beings like Himself, He is in the process of reproducing the God-kind. The map showing the way consists of the Old and New Testament, works inextricable as law and grace and letter and spirit. As Paul's writings reveal, the Old Testament is in the New revealed while the New Testament is in the Old concealed. Contemporaries of John and Paul (and some deceivers this very day) have tried to throw out the Old Testament and the Law, replacing it with Gnosticism.

Keywords: Angels Asceticism Big picture Buddhism Carnal mind Character inscribed in us Colossians Companionship Company Contaminated Denigrating Old Testament Direction Docetism Empty deceit Epaphrus Epicurianism Faith Free moral agency Gentile Christians Gnosis Gnosticism Greek way of life Hellenism Higher knowledge Hinduism Holy Hypostasis Intent Jot or tittle Keith Stumpf Law as map Law is holy Lie Map analogy Metaphorical leaven Nature of God New Testament Old Testament Paul's use of the Old Testament Philosophy Philosophy brought in Potter/clay analogy Rudiments of world Secret Knowledge Sin Specific purpose statement Specifics Spirit Stand under Stoicism Stret