OK. Let's start here:
"If you trust someone you tend to do what they ask. Failure to do so just proves you really do not trust that person"
I agree, wholeheartedly!
Ok lets start here
We are enemies of the cross. Alienated from God. In adam. Spiritually dead. We must be born again, Adopted, and be brought into right standing.
This is accomplished solely by the work of God. His work on the cross. And his work of thousands of years of gathering witnesses and his words in a logos we call scripture. And working in peoples lives. Not to mention bringing the HS to show us our need. (Remember in romans 1, it says we know we are rightly condemned. We hide it in our hearts. But we have no excuse)
The Bible is clear that God is in the world. Not judging the world. But so that the world might be saved. That as Moses lifted the serpent so must the son of man be lifted up that whoever trusts him, should never die, but have eternal life. For god so loved the world. He gave his son, that whoever again trusts in him will never die, but has eternal life. This is being born again, Made right with God and taken out of the world. And being placed into Christ.
Salvation has been this way Since Adam, All men throughout eternity on earth have been saved By grace through faith. No one earns grace, no one can earn grace, By the law will no man be justified. Because by the law SOLELY is knowledge of sin. As paul said, again, the law is a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ.
Not one work of righteousness we could ever do will get us to this point of salvation. As paul said again, Not by works of righteousness which we have done but by his mercy he saved us.
Jesus spoke of new birth, think of it that way. When you are born again into Gods family. You have not done one work. You are as paul calls you a babe in christ. A baby must be trained, cared for. And brought up. He can not do things on his own. This is the state we all began our christian life. And from this point forward. God works in our life to sanctify us, and to perfect us.
The author of hebrews said, By one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
The word also says we can be confident in this very thing, he who BEGAN a good work in us WILL complete it.
And lets not forget. We have eternal (not conditional) Life and we have the spirit, given to us, as a pledge until ressurection day. That seal can not be broken.
Up to this point, works should not even be part of our vocabulary. They should not be mentioned. They should not be demanded or taught Because up until this point, any work any person may or may not do would not be a work of righteousness. It would be a work of self righteousness. Because all works flow out of love. And as he said, We love before God loves us first. Anything not done out of love is sin. And since a non believer who has not been born again, has not experienced the perfect love of God. They are incapable of loving others the way God demands. For this reason. They are in a habitual state of sin, Even if on the outside, they appear to be morally upright people
So hopefully, we can start here as I said, to see if we are in agreement on how one is saved, born again, Justified, or made alive, who were dead in sin.
Jesus said, "whosoever breaks the least Commandment and tells others to do the same will be called least in the Kingdom."
So, if I trust Jesus, I should try and learn about those Commandments. That was His instruction. Am I obeying Jesus because I fear I won't be saved? No. I obey Him because I love Him and trust Him. John 14:15.
Hebrews explains that we should be getting over the "are you saved" controversy and move on to perfection. Where do I find the instructions for perfection? Paul told Timothy the instructions for righteousness that would make him perfect were the Scriptures he had from his youth. Timothy did not have the NT from his youth. He had the Law and the Prophets.
There is a problem with this, The law was given as a schoolmaster to lead us to christ. Those commands your attempting to learn saying they are instructions? They are not instructions on how to be good. They are instructions on how to see your sin and guilt.
The pharisees and religious jews made the mistake of thinking they were righteous because they kept the commands. Jesus spent a whole sermon saying the law says this……, But I tell you……In an attempt to show them not only how they failed to keep the law. But to show them even if they think they kept it. Sin is far deeper than that.
Jesus said all the law and prophets are contained in two commands.
1. Love the lord your God.
2. Love your neighbor. (Who is your neighbor? Well even your enemy is your neighbor and your are commanded to love them)
The command says do not commit adultry. So if I never sleep with another woman (or man) the whole time after I am married. According to the law. I have not broken it.
But as Jesus said, if we even look to a woman (or man) we have sinned. And the law can not tell us that. Because that was not its purpose.
It all boils down again to love. Do you love self (lust) or do you love your spouse (not even tempted to lust)
Thats how we become obedient people. I hope you can see and understand this.
Romans 6:16 says that I am the servant of the one I obey. I can sin and die, or I can obey and live.
Salvation is a free gift for the asking. It requires no work. However, salvation is only the beginning of the journey. Maturity requires work. It demands obedience.
Our discussion is salvation. Not sanctification
Every issue is not a matter of salvation. The Law is not about salvation. It is about sanctification.
This is wrong. The law is about leading us to christ so we can be saved. It is not about sanctification. if the law could sanctify a person and lead them to righteousness. Christ came in vein
The Law is the prophetic story of Jesus. That is why God gave it to us. Luke 24:44, John 5:46
Obedience to the Law is what Jesus said to do. It is what He did. He was perfect at it. It is HIS story. That's why following Jesus IS obeying the Law. 1 John 3:4 - Sin IS violation of the Law. I can sin unto death or obey unto righteousness. The Law explains HOW we are to worship God. Faith is that journey.
A Christian that hangs on to the world is carnal. Romans 8:7 tells us the carnal mind is at odds with God. The carnal mind will not and CANNOT be subordinate to God's Law. We can submit to HIS righteousness, or we can seek our own righteousness. When we make up our own law, obedience to it is nothing but filthy rags.
Does the Bible say that Jesus is the Easter Ham, or the Passover Lamb?
Here is the requirement of the law
Moses.
Deuteronomy 27:26
‘Cursed
is the one who does not
confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ ”
Paul
Gal 3:
10 For as many as are of the works of the law
are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed iseveryone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
19 What
purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made;
and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not
mediate for one
only, but God is one.
21
Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For
if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But
the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore
the law was our tutor to bring usto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
James
James 2:10
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all
What did paul; call the tablets of stone which had the Ten Commandments on them?
2 Corinthians 3:7
But if the
ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which
glory was passing away,
If we are lookin got the law. And do not see how sinful we are How hopeless we are. And how bankrupt (poor in spirit) we are. How dead we are. Because as paul also said, for all have sinned and fall short….
Something is wrong. Would you not agree?
