Ronald David Bruno
Well-Known Member
Absolutely, by our new spirit and His Spirit, we willingly obey, we hate sin and die to our old selves.. if we follow the commandments not by the letter of the law like the pharisees did but under the Holy Spirit, then we are under grace
They have a wrong understanding. Reminds me of those Mafia guys in the movies going to church on Sunday, even confession, then the rest of the week get busy with crime, thinking they are continually washed. But they are deceived. We cannot continue to practice sin. If they don't die to their old ways, they are certainly deceived.Many interpret grace as a license to sin and they will be saved anyway
Matthew's gospel is clearly written for a Jewish Christian audience living within the immediate proximity of the homeland itself. The Book of Matthew is the most Jewish of all the gospels.Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
MATTHEW opens with a geneology, pointing the Jews to their Messiah based on their history. Throughout their nation, Jewish Christians continued to meet on the Sabbath, but also met on the Lord's Day, more popular for the Gentiles.
The point is, when Judgment Day comes, Jews who did not have a relationship with Jesus, who were not born again, will use that argument ...
Matthew 7:22-23 says, "On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness'".
Think about this passage. Gentiles, folks of other religions would not make that claim. Jews, who lived under the Law, who had a works based faith, may try to reason with Him. It is His Law they lived under... as if they could earn their salvation. " We did this, we did that ... why can't we get into heaven?" Because " by grace you have been saved through faith ( on Christ). And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph. 2;8-9
His revised list, rather than giving us all of them, fall under the Law of Love - two commandments: Love God and love your neighbor. Even that is difficult to fully do. "Love your enemies", it works, but we chose to say no sometimes - right?Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”