You still don't understand do you? Do you not know that after Christ's return, God's commandments and statutes is exactly what we will be following? Everyone will, not just those of Christ's elect that reign with Him. You know what? It'll be easier to do in that time when in our resurrected bodies. But for now, we are to strive... to be perfect, even though we never can be during this present world.
And you obviously don't know me at all, as to how I think or feel about others. I love all... peoples. I just don't always love what people do, myself included. Arguments and debates is not a reason to hate one's brother or sister. Even family have arguments, it doesn't mean they hate each other.
I well know that we can have no righteousness that can save us. We are only saved by God's unmerited favor (grace) through His Son, period. But you see, you've been trained that when someone merely mentions 'the law', you think it means someone is trying to supplant it with Christ's Salvation by Faith.
2 Tim 3:16-17
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
(KJV)
Do you think Apostle Paul was talking only about the New Testament Books with that? I assure you, he was not.
Try to make up your own Salvation plan, but it won't work. If you follow Jesus, then why don't you listen to Him, for what I testified to is what He was teaching. You may think to escape God's laws today, but you cannot. Go out and steal something and see if God's laws are no more in effect. Try it if you don't believe me.
And if you're going to quote our Lord Jesus there, it might help you if you go back into the Old Testament and read where He was quoting that from God's commandments.
I honestly don't know if you understand what I've been trying to say. I will attempt, one last time to communicate what I mean...
I am in no way advocating a Christian 'living it up' under the freedom of Christ. Christ Himself talked of many things that were good and those that were not. I suspect, as you say, that those things line up with some of the OT laws...in particular the 10 commandments.
These, I believe a Christian should strive to live by. Of course Christians should try and live by a moral code...so much of what Paul talks about it how a Christian should now live. Freedom in Christ gives us a freedom from a life of sin, not freedom to live one.
What I am saying is this: so many of the laws...what we would call the law of Moses, has been fulfilled by Jesus. So therefore running through a check list of all 516 laws (or whatever) on a daily basis to try and make sure you're keeping them, is foolishness. It is pure Pharisaical nonsense to feel a need to check off every little box...right down to the spice rack. To do this we become more worried about the letter than the spirit.
I truly am not 'making up my own salvation plan'. Why on earth would I do that when I know that only Christ's will work.
I'm sorry if you still disagree with me, but that is not my problem. I am following the Bible as I see the truth, and I am just as passionate in my belief that it is right as you are yours. Who ends up being correct in the end? Only God knows. I pray all the time that if I am mistaken God will show it to me, that the Holy Spirit will direct me in the right direction. So, in the end it comes down to faith. I believe I'm right because I trust God to show me if I'm wrong. I cannot listen to man when he tells me I'm wrong, as so many men are wrong. I can listen to them, weigh what they say with scripture, pray, so on. But ultimately it is God and His word, His Spirit who will show me right from wrong.
I think the point I'm trying to make here is this: I may heartily believe you are wrong, but I won't lay into you personally...accuse you of being in denial of the truth, of making your own salvation up (And, let's face it, both are blasphemous...as they imply I'm aware of the truth, but choosing to ignore it.) Because being sure in my belief and faith, does not give me leave to be mean. It gives me leave to stand firm, to encourage others towards the truth with love. If you are truly hoping to 'sway me to the truth' by feeling free to say these things to me, I would have to say that you were perhaps ignoring the spirit of the law...that being love, yeah?