Introduction:  Good morning brethren or friends should I say.  Scripture says it is good when brethren dwell together in unity. I add it is good even when they come together to study God’s Word.  Rather than be in the world’s religious systems with their traditions and ideologies (or idol ogies) I am glad to have others with whom to share a desire to following Yahweh’s commandments.  It is sometimes not as nice to hold it on your own as probably did Elizah in the cave when Ahab and Jezebel had the congregation following pagan ways. Today's study is the Apostles' Doctrine. 

Question: Are Christians not now guided by the Holy Spirit rather than the Law?

The title is taken from another reason some persons give. What is the Holy Spirit? If you read about John the Baptist (Luke 1:15 “He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost/Spirit even from his mother’s womb”), Jesus (Matt 3:16, 4:1, 12:18, Luke 4:14) and some persons of the Old and New Testaments (Ex 28:3, 35:30-35; 2 Chron 15:1, 24:20, Num 11:17, 25; Jdg 14:19 Luke 1:41-2, 67), you would see they were either filled with the Holy Spirit or the spirit of God came upon them

RELIGION OR RELATIONSHIP. Not that I turn to dictionaries for definition of biblical things as the bible should be understood through itself line upon line and precept upon precept; but a dictionary definition of religion is “the belief and worship of a super human controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. A particular system of faith and worship. A pursuit of interest followed with great devotion i.e. football. The biblical definition is Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. So apart from the easily understood part, pure religion is to keep oneself unspotted from the world. To mix with the world or become spotted by it is to defile it. That is the purpose of the deceiver and his apparent angels of light. To make believers spotted and defiled, unacceptable by God. Yahweh God, in His directives gave many ways how one can become defiled and separated from Him. Exo 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Lev 11:43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. Lev 11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Lev 11:45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. Dan 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Mat 15:20 These are which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. 1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Psa 119:1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. So in short, not walking in the way of the law of God is to be defiled. The result of which is Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. So to put James “pure religion” into the context in which he wrote it let us read from a few verses before. Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.