Keep His Commandments.

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mjrhealth

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Joh_1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

but its not so hard

Rom_6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Gal_2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

The lawe wasd all about the flesh, "works", grace is all about faith, His work.

Im acually in agreement with Mungo on this.
 

JesusIsFaithful

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You said in post#14 "The law of the sabbath day was not done away with as Worthy referenced in post # 9, but Matthew 12:1-8 has Jesus explaining why believers today are guiltless for not keeping the sabbath day."
I'm saying you are wrong. The law of the sabbath day was done away with. We are guiltless because no such law exists any more. You cannot be guilty of breaking a law that does not exist.

Jesus acknowledged the sabbath day in how He is Lord of it. Jesus acknowledged that the law was present in the Old Testament when He cited two examples in Matthew 12:1-8 on how the saints had profaned the sabbath but were blameless because they were in the Temple. Then Jesus pointed out that One greater than the Temple was here to the Pharisees. So in light of the New Covenant, the law of the sabbath day was not done away with, but it has no longer the effect as sin because Jesus is Lord of the sabbath day; and it is because He is with us as He was with His disciples, and even better.. He is in us as our bodies becomes the temples of the Holy Ghost..... that is why we, the believers, are blameless in spite of the law of the sabbath day.

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Jesus fulfilled the law by the blood on the cross and by the body of His death which is why He is Lord of the sabbath day for we are saved without keeping it.

Until you recognize that to the hard-liners that believe the law was not done away with in according to Jesus's own words, you will continue to lead the hardliners to believe you are not taking His words seriously if you expect them to take the Lord's words seriously in Matthew 12:1-8 that regardless of the law of the sabbath day, Jesus Christ is with them is why they are blameless.
 

JesusIsFaithful

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Joh_1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

but its not so hard

Rom_6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Gal_2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

The lawe wasd all about the flesh, "works", grace is all about faith, His work.

Im acually in agreement with Mungo on this.

I agree halfway with Mungo, but I agree wholeheartedly with you. Christians are not under the law of the sabbath day because Jesus Christ is in us even though the law of the sabbath day is still in effect as far as practicing Jews are concern, AND unless they repent, they will be judged by the law, and that is why it is still in effect. Galatians 5th chapter testify of any one does circumcision, which is the smallest letter of the law, they are entitled to do the whole law. That warning is given to believers that the law of even circumcision is still in effect.

Any christian seeking to be justified by the law, have fallen from grace and will be judged by the law. See? Mungo needed to be clear in that the law is still in effect if any one places themselves under the law, but he is testifying in part that the law is not in effect when he should have stated further that the law is not in effect over believers living by faith in Jesus Christ.

So if any believer wishes to repent from keeping the sabbath day as if under the law to keep it, then stop keeping the sabbath day by believing that Jesus Christ's righteousness is all it is needed to bring them Home.

Romans 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

That also include the modern day crusades that places the commitment to follow Christ and even the Promise Keepers program as putting christians under the law to keep them by the flesh and to finish them by the flesh as if that is the power in living the christian life when we are to live by faith in Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd in helping us to follow Him. If doing circumcision which is the smallest letter of the law and if believers do that, they are entitied to do the whole law, imagine what making a promise or a commitment to Jesus mean... the biggest letter of the law. So many believers today need to repent by asking Jesus for forgiveness and to set them free to rest in Him & all His promises to us to live by faith in Him.
 

Mungo

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Jesus acknowledged the sabbath day in how He is Lord of it. Jesus acknowledged that the law was present in the Old Testament when He cited two examples in Matthew 12:1-8 on how the saints had profaned the sabbath but were blameless because they were in the Temple. Then Jesus pointed out that One greater than the Temple was here to the Pharisees. So in light of the New Covenant, the law of the sabbath day was not done away with, but it has no longer the effect as sin because Jesus is Lord of the sabbath day; and it is because He is with us as He was with His disciples, and even better.. He is in us as our bodies becomes the temples of the Holy Ghost..... that is why we, the believers, are blameless in spite of the law of the sabbath day.

When Jesus was alive and preaching your examples the Old Jewish Law was still in force. But the Old Law was abolished on the cross. I will show you this in a moment. But first you have ignored my point that the Old (Mosaic) Law was NEVER given to the Gentiles. It was not even given to the Jews before the Sinai Covenant.

We can see this clearly in Dt. 5:1-9
1 And Moses summoned all Israel, and said to them, "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your hearing this day, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them.
2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
3 Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive this day.
4 The Lord spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire,
5 while I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said:
6 "'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
7 "'You shall have no other gods before me………

22 "These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them to me…….

27 Go near, and hear all that the Lord our God will say; and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you; and we will hear and do it.'

This very clearly shows that the Ten Commandments were given the Israelites at Horeb (Sinai) as part of the Covenant Law. The Covenant was made between God and the Israelites with Moses as Covenant Mediator.

Paul says:
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands-- remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (Eph 2:12)
Gentiles were strangers to the covenant.

Paul himself declares he is no longer under the Law.
To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law--though not being myself under the law--that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law [Gentiles] I became as one outside the law--not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ--that I might win those outside the law.
He also makes here a clear distinction between those under the Law (the Jews) and those not under the Law (the Gentiles)

Now to abolition starting with St. Paul’s letter to the Romans.
Are you unaware, brothers (for I am speaking to people who know the law [i.e. Jews]), that the law has jurisdiction over one as long as one lives? Thus a married woman is bound by law to her living husband; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law in respect to her husband. Consequently, while her husband is alive she will be called an adulteress if she consorts with another man. But if her husband dies she is free from that law, and she is not an adulteress if she consorts with another man.
In the same way, my brothers, you also were put to death to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to the one who was raised from the dead in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the flesh, our sinful passions, awakened by the law, worked in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, dead to what held us captive, so that we may serve in the newness of the spirit and not under the obsolete letter.
(Rom 7:1-6)
We [Jews] are put to death to the Law
We [Jews] are released from the Law

Note particularly that this is particularly relevant because God considered himself “married” to Israel. When Jesus died the Covenant ended and Jesus was free to take a new bride – the Church.

Galatians 3:
Before faith came, we [Jews] were held in custody under law, confined for the faith that was to be revealed. Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian. (Gal 3:23-25).
We (Jews) are not under the Law

Paul describes the Jews and Gentiles as separated but then he says:
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, (Eph 2:13-15)
The Law has been abolished.

Col 2 says much the same:
And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, having cancelled the bond which stood against us with its legal demands; this he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (Col 2:14)
The Law is cancelled

The Book of Hebrews makes this replacement of the Old Covenant by the New very clear.
On the one hand, a former commandment is annulled because of its weakness and uselessness, for the law brought nothing to perfection; on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. (Heb 7:18-19)
The Law is annulled

When there is a change of priesthood, there is necessarily a change of law as well. (Heb 7:12)
There is a change of Law

For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one. But he finds fault with them and says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. (Heb 8:7-8)
We have a new covenant (& new law)

When he speaks of a “new” covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing (Heb 8:13)
The Old Covenant (& Law) is obsolete

He takes away the first to establish the second (Heb 10:9)
He takes away the Old Law.
 

Mungo

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Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Jesus fulfilled the law by the blood on the cross and by the body of His death which is why He is Lord of the sabbath day for we are saved without keeping it.
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

There is a double condition here:
I tell you the truth,
[condition #1] until heaven and earth disappear,

[the action] not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law
[condition #2] until everything is accomplished.

In other words the law will not ever pass away (condition #1) unless it is fulfilled first (condition #2).
Now Jesus says he has come to fulfil the Law – and he does.

So when Jesus fulfilled the law it became obsolete and passed away.
 

Mungo

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Remember Sabbath Keepers:
Paul says to the Galatian Gentiles who were Judaising

Tell me, you who desire to be under law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married." Now we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now. But what does the scripture say? "Cast out the slave and her son; for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman." So, brethren, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. (Gal 4:21-31)

He is clear. To go back to Judaism (accepting the Law) is to put yourself back into slavery.

He goes on to warn them:.
You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. (Gal 5:4)

The Jews recognise 613 laws within the Law of Moses. For Jews the Law was indivisible.
whoever keeps the whole law, but falls short in one particular, has become guilty in respect to all of it.
(Jas 2:10).

“Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the law.” (Gal 3:10)
 

JesusIsFaithful

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When Jesus was alive and preaching your examples the Old Jewish Law was still in force. But the Old Law was abolished on the cross. I will show you this in a moment. But first you have ignored my point that the Old (Mosaic) Law was NEVER given to the Gentiles. It was not even given to the Jews before the Sinai Covenant.

When he speaks of a “new” covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing (Heb 8:13)
The Old Covenant (& Law) is obsolete

He takes away the first to establish the second (Heb 10:9)
He takes away the Old Law.

I agree in part only to clarify your point further;

When you enter the New Covenant by believing in Jesus Christ, we are not under the law; Jew or Gentile.

However.. a warning has been given out to believers in Jesus Christ that if they place themselves under the law, they will be judged by the law. It is in that regard is why the law is still in effect only when they place themselves under the law They need to repent with His help to believe that faith in Him & His righteousness is all that is needed for Him to bring them Home as we are to live by faith in Him to help us follow Him by abiding in His words to love others... even our enemies as only He can help us to do even that when necessary.
 

liafailrock

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To make things clear. We are not "under" the law, ie. the CURSE the Law. Jesus died to save us from the curse of the law. This does not mean that the STANDARDS of the law are done away with. If we are in him, then we want to obey the standards of the Law, which is a list of God's righteousness. WE can start with the 10 commandments. I understand that obeying these laws do not save us-- so don't get started with a debate about that with me. But if we are being saved, then we have a tendency to keep these laws which shows our faith. That's because we have God's Spirit which helps us to emulate those standards. One of the object lessons that teach us God's truth are the feast days and keeping them, at least understanding what they stood for, as opposed to Christmas, Easter and Halloween. The feast days show God's redemptive plan for all of mankind.
 

JesusIsFaithful

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To make things clear. We are not "under" the law, ie. the CURSE the Law. Jesus died to save us from the curse of the law. This does not mean that the STANDARDS of the law are done away with. If we are in him, then we want to obey the standards of the Law, which is a list of God's righteousness. WE can start with the 10 commandments. I understand that obeying these laws do not save us-- so don't get started with a debate about that with me. But if we are being saved, then we have a tendency to keep these laws which shows our faith. That's because we have God's Spirit which helps us to emulate those standards. One of the object lessons that teach us God's truth are the feast days and keeping them, at least understanding what they stood for, as opposed to Christmas, Easter and Halloween. The feast days show God's redemptive plan for all of mankind.

The only thing we are to "obey" is to believe in Him as our Saviour that we are saved and believe in Him as our Good Shepherd to help us abide in Him and His words in following Him as we walk in the light with Him. And by His grace& by His help, we need His help to keep on trusting Him for all things.

When we look to ourselves to "obey", we will find that no matter how much the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak; therefore what is impossible for man... that means any of His commandments under the New Covenant you are trying to obey but cannot, God can which also includes the thoughts of your mind as well as the words of your mouth. Casting down wicked imaginations and thinking on good things is what all believers need His help on, daily.

Psalm 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:.....11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

2 timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
 

liafailrock

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Remember Sabbath Keepers:
Paul says to the Galatian Gentiles who were Judaising

Tell me, you who desire to be under law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married." Now we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now. But what does the scripture say? "Cast out the slave and her son; for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman." So, brethren, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. (Gal 4:21-31)

He is clear. To go back to Judaism (accepting the Law) is to put yourself back into slavery.

He goes on to warn them:.
You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. (Gal 5:4)

The Jews recognise 613 laws within the Law of Moses. For Jews the Law was indivisible.
whoever keeps the whole law, but falls short in one particular, has become guilty in respect to all of it. (Jas 2:10).

“Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the law.” (Gal 3:10)

Right! If we are to be justified by the Law, then we indeed fail. But that does not mean the standards of the LAW are done away with. We keep those standards, e.g the Sabbath, not because they save us, but because they are the righteous standards of God and it pleases Him. Don't confuse the INABILITY to keep the Law for salvation with God's license to just "do as you please because the Law no longer matters". We were saved to keep God's commands. When we fail, we have an Advocate. But what we could not keep by the flesh, He died so that we can, by the Spirit, keep his Law. Don't you know that whatever you follow you are a slave to? If we sin (which sin is defined by the Law), then we are slaves to sin. If we practice righteousness, in which the death of Christ and our faith in Him frees us from the Law of sin and death, then we practice righteousness, i.e the standards of the Law. Again.... this does not save us, but if we are saved, we want to obey God and not try to find deep theological escapes from the Law as well as showing that keeping the Law does not save us, thus a reason to beak it.
 

liafailrock

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The only thing we are to "obey" is to believe in Him as our Saviour that we are saved and believe in Him as our Good Shepherd to help us abide in Him and His words in following Him as we walk in the light with Him. And by His grace& by His help, we need His help to keep on trusting Him for all things.

When we look to ourselves to "obey", we will find that no matter how much the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak; therefore what is impossible for man... that means any of His commandments under the New Covenant you are trying to obey but cannot, God can which also includes the thoughts of your mind as well as the words of your mouth. Casting down wicked imaginations and thinking on good things is what all believers need His help on, daily.

Psalm 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:.....11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

2 timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

But righteousness is defined by His Law, so you can't talk
of repentance or keeping from sins unless you have a benchmark as to what sin is, i.e. His law.
 

JesusIsFaithful

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But righteousness is defined by His Law, so you can't talk
of repentance or keeping from sins unless you have a benchmark as to what sin is, i.e. His law.

It is by believing in Him as our Good Shepherd that He keeps us from sin. I was addressing the how for which every one is using "obey" in a form of religious striving whereas in order to follow Him in obeying Him is by placing their faith & trust & hope in the Lord.

His standard is higher than the works of the law when He deals with the inside, and not just the outside of vain religious practices that most men can only see.

Addicts will talk about their commitments to overcome, but it is to their glory when they keep it. That is not how we are to overcome sin, but by faith in Jesus Christ.

Sin is still sin, but the law is not over believers in Jesus Christ when we are looking to Jesus & His righteousness for living as His as the just shall live by faith. We see His words to let us know where we need His help in, and He shall overcome for us when we trust Him to do it, whereas most religious people just give up.

The benchmark of His commandments under the New Covenant is there, but even believers can go astray not seeing the benchmark exposing apostasy. That is how much we need to rely on the Lord as our Good Shepherd to help us see iniquity and turn from them whethor they be f the works of the flesh or religious works that deny Him. So our exhortation is not to tell others to obey the commandments, but to trust Jesus to see the commandments and help them abide in Him & His words as His disciples.
 

liafailrock

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It is by believing in Him as our Good Shepherd that He keeps us from sin. I was addressing the how for which every one is using "obey" in a form of religious striving whereas in order to follow Him in obeying Him is by placing their faith & trust & hope in the Lord.

His standard is higher than the works of the law when He deals with the inside, and not just the outside of vain religious practices that most men can only see.

Addicts will talk about their commitments to overcome, but it is to their glory when they keep it. That is not how we are to overcome sin, but by faith in Jesus Christ.

Sin is still sin, but the law is not over believers in Jesus Christ when we are looking to Jesus & His righteousness for living as His as the just shall live by faith. We see His words to let us know where we need His help in, and He shall overcome for us when we trust Him to do it, whereas most religious people just give up.

The benchmark of His commandments under the New Covenant is there, but even believers can go astray not seeing the benchmark exposing apostasy. That is how much we need to rely on the Lord as our Good Shepherd to help us see iniquity and turn from them whethor they be f the works of the flesh or religious works that deny Him. So our exhortation is not to tell others to obey the commandments, but to trust Jesus to see the commandments and help them abide in Him & His words as His disciples.

From the way I understand what you are saying, I think we are saying the same thing. Of course I don't advocate following the Law legalistically or for righteousness. But if we are righteous following Him we will tend to emulate that same Law. For new comers to the faith, the Law gives one a direction as to what God expects in which the convert will see himself or herself indeed "following" it when they follow Christ.

My issue is with those who say "we are not under the Law" interprets it to mean "no human can keep it so why try?" and "do as you want" approach. And they even go one step further as to say "those Laws are not in effect any longer" thus nullifying the pragmatic definition of righteousness because where there is no Law, there is no sin. If they are not aligning themselves with the commandments, then they are deceiving themselves.
 

JesusIsFaithful

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From the way I understand what you are saying, I think we are saying the same thing. Of course I don't advocate following the Law legalistically or for righteousness. But if we are righteous following Him we will tend to emulate that same Law. For new comers to the faith, the Law gives one a direction as to what God expects in which the convert will see himself or herself indeed "following" it when they follow Christ.

Clarity is needed when you refer to the Law, seeing how you are saying that God has expectations on the believers.

I know we will be held accountable to what we sow towards; the works of the flesh or the fruits of the Spirit, but I regard that standard of judgment as not on me to achieve when I am trusting the Lord as my Good Shepherd to correct me when I go astray, getting involved in something I should not be or watching something even though I am trying to avoid the worldly influence in it by fastforwarding it. A dream warned me that I was failing and so I had returned the dvd back to the library the next day without continuing to watch it towards the end and the next season of it too. So He is doing a really great job helping me walk through this valley of death & I thank Him for it. This is what I am trusting Him for.

My issue is with those who say "we are not under the Law" interprets it to mean "no human can keep it so why try?" and "do as you want" approach. And they even go one step further as to say "those Laws are not in effect any longer" thus nullifying the pragmatic definition of righteousness because where there is no Law, there is no sin. If they are not aligning themselves with the commandments, then they are deceiving themselves.

You need to address those who say these things to be clear in how they are applying the scripture.

Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

If they say that no human can keep the law so why try it? then they may be thinking of these verses above. They are right if they are referring to how they even live as His because being under the law in trying to keep them by their religious flesh in doing the best they can is vain as Galatians 3rd chapter had addressed.

But if they really mean to say I can live in sin so why repent? Then they fail to see why Jesus had to come; to deliver them from living in sin; to destroy the works of the devil in their lives so that they are free to follow Him and walk with Him in the light to maintain that fellowship with the Father & the Son so that their joy may be full.

The Law under the Old Covenant does not help us to follow Him. Jesus helps us to abide in His words in the New Covenant to follow Him when we trust Him as our Good Shepherd and not just as our Saviour.

When most believers refer to the Law, they usually are hyping on keeping the sabbath day, yet disregarding His words in Matthew 12:1-8 as to why believers are blameless for not keeping the sabbath day.

So it is about our identity. How are we identify as His? By faith in Jesus Christ or by our identity in keeping the Law? Do they know we are christians by our love or do they see us as looking to others in being serious in being good and to do good when Jesus testified that no matter how much the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.... so why look to them to be serious when we are to look to Him in professing Him that He is serious in helping them to follow Him and live as His so that not only sinners will place their hopes in Him, but suffering believers and religious believers shall also.

That is the only way we can know Him & the power of His resurrection when we stop looking to the Law to help us to do good, but trust Jesus Christ to help us to be good and do good for which we shall praise Him even more in Heaven for and noy just for our salvation.