Do we have to keep all the New Testament commands?

[MikeinSeattle]

I was surprised to not find any articles on google addressing this question. There is plenty on the question of whether or not the Old Testament commands are binding but not the New Testament commands.

More specifically my question is this:

In light of the fact that there are something like 1000 commands/exhortations/instruction in the New Testament. Do we have to keep all of them all the time in order to live blamelessly before God as Christians today? Ie. Acts 24:16, Phil 2:15, 1 Tim 6:14.

In other words, is it possible to regularly do things(or fail to do things) that we are instructed not to do in the NT without actually sinning against God?

I realize that there are some things that are obviously of paramount importance, (Like believing the Gospel). But what about all those nitty gritty instruction on how to live, how to do church etc. Are all of those binding on us? (as in we have to do them all, all the time) If so why? Romans 13:8 says "the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." That would lead me to believe that as long as you truly are loving your neighbor as yourself there could be ten thousand ways that you could knowingly and purposefully disregard a NT command without displeasing God at all. Is this logic faulty? Where does the bible say that we have to do everything written in the NT perfectly all the time in order to keep from sinning against God?

 

[~Anastasia~]

Which ones does someone want to disregard?


But the answer is that it's not a legal box-checking thing. It is about the heart, so it is worth asking what command(s) someone wants to disregard, and more importantly, why?



(No one keeps the NT "laws" perfectly any more than they did the OT ones. Generally the NT is even stricter, since even thoughts or failure to do right are falling short of perfection.)

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Why would anyone "have to " keep any instructions ?

Where does the bible say that we have to do everything written in the NT perfectly all the time in order to keep from sinning against God?

Yahuweh says that transgression of TORAH is sin. This is still true today. It is also still true today that the penalty for sin is death. This never changed.

 

[SkyWriting]

I was surprised to not find any articles on google addressing this question. There is plenty on the question of whether or not the Old Testament commands are binding but not the New Testament commands.

More specifically my question is this:

In light of the fact that there are something like 1000 commands/exhortations/instruction in the New Testament. Do we have to keep all of them all the time in order to live blamelessly before God as Christians today? Ie. Acts 24:16, Phil 2:15, 1 Tim 6:14.

In other words, is it possible to regularly do things(or fail to do things) that we are instructed not to do in the NT without actually sinning against God?

I realize that there are some things that are obviously of paramount importance, (Like believing the Gospel). But what about all those nitty gritty instruction on how to live, how to do church etc. Are all of those binding on us? (as in we have to do them all, all the time) If so why? Romans 13:8 says "the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." That would lead me to believe that as long as you truly are loving your neighbor as yourself there could be ten thousand ways that you could knowingly and purposefully disregard a NT command without displeasing God at all. Is this logic faulty? Where does the bible say that we have to do everything written in the NT perfectly all the time in order to keep from sinning against God?

Correct:
Romans 13:8 says "the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

This is repeated about 5 times by various authors.

 

[Halbhh]

The instructions to believers in the epistles are generally just elaborating on what Christ said to us in the gospels.

They are variously paraphrases, direct repetitions, expansions, applications to particular situations. They aren't brand new ideas not in the gospels. Even Romans chapter 8, to walk in the spirit, is really just a paraphrase and elaboration on remaining in Christ as He says to us in John chapter 15, v1-17.

4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I was surprised to not find any articles on google addressing this question. There is plenty on the question of whether or not the Old Testament commands are binding but not the New Testament commands.

More specifically my question is this:

In light of the fact that there are something like 1000 commands/exhortations/instruction in the New Testament. Do we have to keep all of them all the time in order to live blamelessly before God as Christians today? Ie. Acts 24:16, Phil 2:15, 1 Tim 6:14.

In other words, is it possible to regularly do things(or fail to do things) that we are instructed not to do in the NT without actually sinning against God?

I realize that there are some things that are obviously of paramount importance, (Like believing the Gospel). But what about all those nitty gritty instruction on how to live, how to do church etc. Are all of those binding on us? (as in we have to do them all, all the time) If so why? Romans 13:8 says "the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." That would lead me to believe that as long as you truly are loving your neighbor as yourself there could be ten thousand ways that you could knowingly and purposefully disregard a NT command without displeasing God at all. Is this logic faulty? Where does the bible say that we have to do everything written in the NT perfectly all the time in order to keep from sinning against God?

I tend to look at it this way:

Jesus said those who do not do what Jesus said to do, build a house that will ruin. The parable does not say, you cannot build a new house afterwards on a better foundation. Think of it as a learning experience.

 

[ajcarey]

You see in Matthew 22:36-40 how Jesus taught that God's Law was always an expression of His love. If you willfully do anything God forbids or neglect to do anything He commands then you are not walking in love. It is that simple. The fact that "God is love" means everything He does and everything He commands is love. We have to have a living faith that strives from the heart to obey whatever the Bible has commanded under the New Covenant. This is called walking in the light and there is no cleansing from sin through Christ applied to us without that (1 John 1:6 to 2:6). Walking in love cannot be separated from walking in the light. If that is grievous to us it is because our heart has turned from God in unbelief and we need to repent that we might live by a real faith in Christ which works by love (1 John 5:3-5, Romans 1:16-17, Galatians 5:6 etc). If one loves God why would they not seek to do everything He requires? Remember too that Jesus came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-20). Every moral precept of the Old Testament is included under the New Covenant (Romans 8:4, Hebrews 10:16 etc) while the ceremonial precepts are only not binding because Christ is the substance which they foreshadowed. These are defined in Colossians 2:16 along with circumcision which is dealt with in the very same chapter (see also Acts chapter 15). If you compare Matthew 5:17-20 with 2 Timothy 3:15-17 you see that everything written in the Old Testament is compatible with and instructive for Christianity- because Jesus inspired its writing just like He did with the New Testament. Under the New Covenant we are not commanded to be Jews outwardly, but we must be Jews inwardly who worship God in spirit and in Truth with the mindset and morality which He instilled in Israel's worship under the law of Moses; and which also pre-dated Israel as a nation and goes back to the worship in Genesis that bound faithful men like Enoch, Noah, and Abraham. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). From the beginning of time people have also tried to dismiss His commandments and claim to walk in love instead, as an alleged alternative. But love as God defines it and which God finds acceptable cannot be separated from a heart to do all of His commandments (Revelation 22:14, etc).

 

[timothyu]

Just as man has come up with multi sins which are all covered by the original sin of self interest, there are just as many ways to be selfless, but in the end it is self vs selfless.

 

[Guojing]

Paul states at least twice that we are not under the law

 

[joshua 1 9]

Are all of those binding on us?

Yes this is most clear when Paul says: "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." I get a little concerned when I see the word: "many". Even though two different Greek words are used here for many. For me this means that if we sin there are going to be consequences in the way of sickness and even death. So we should do what we can to live right before God.

We should live a life worthy of rewards, not a life where we suffer loss. We sow what we reap and there can be consequences for what we do.

 

[joshua 1 9]

Paul states at least twice that we are not under the law

Paul is referring to the Jewish law where they add to what God gave to Moses. "2“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." Matthew 23.

I have personally had a conversation with Paul about this. He is amazed that we do not live right before God. He is adamant in that we should live a life free from sin. Under the law in the Old Testament people were to be good. Now Paul tells us we are to be right before God. This was the conversation I had with him because he wanted to now how this generation is receiving what he taught almost 2000 years ago.

 

[joshua 1 9]

You see in Matthew 22:36-40 how Jesus taught that God's Law was always an expression of His love.

I learned about the law of God from David in the 119 Psalm. David tells us that: "I will delight in Your statutes". David loved the law of God because the law was designed to keep us save and out of harms way. The law is for our own benefit and a reflection of God's love for us because He wants what is best for us.

Man's law is more designed more to protect the innocent and punish the guilty. God's law is not designed to punish us but to guide us in the way we should go and show us how to live our life.

 

[ajcarey]

We are not under the ceremonies and rituals of the Law of Moses; we are bound by the moral law of God (seen in the moral precepts of the Law of Moses) yet- and those who live disobedience and uncleanness still go to hell.

1 Corinthians 9:20-21: "20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law."

The Apostle says God forbid that faith would make void God's law: Romans 3:28-31: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."

Revelation 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."

Mark 9:47-48 "And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

 

[ajcarey]

I learned about the law of God from David in the 119 Psalm. David tells us that: "I will delight in Your statutes". David loved the law of God because the law was designed to keep us save and out of harms way. The law is for our own benefit and a reflection of God's love for us because He wants what is best for us.

Man's law is more designed more to protect the innocent and punish the guilty. God's law is not designed to punish us but to guide us in the way we should go and show us how to live our life.

That would be a suggestion then, not a Law. God's Law is indeed designed to guide us in the way should go and to show us how to live our life. But what if we disregard it? It may ruin our life, but there is something worse because of the great authority of the one we've disregarded. He kicked Lucifer out of heaven for his sin, he banished Adam and Eve from the garden for their sin, he killed all but 8 people in the flood for their sins, he plagued Israel and killed multitudes therein for their sins. The issue is greater than the happiness of our temporal lives.

Luke 12:4-5 "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him."

Revelation 22:12-16 "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." (Revelation 22:12-16)

Psalm 103:17-18 "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them."

 

[Radagast]

That would lead me to believe that as long as you truly are loving your neighbor as yourself there could be ten thousand ways that you could knowingly and purposefully disregard a NT command without displeasing God at all.

Loving God is even more important than loving our neighbour. Wilfully disregarding what God says in the NT is not consistent with loving God.

 

[BrotherJJ]

Why would anyone "have to " keep any instructions ?



Yahuweh says that transgression of TORAH is sin. This is still true today. It is also still true today that the penalty for sin is death. This never changed.

We've all broken God's law & deserve the sentence invoked in (Rom 6:23 A). No one can say he is not a sinner until some means is provided (not to take away the law) but to remove the sin, which is the transgression of the law.

Sin's required payment/judgment is death (Rom 6:23 A). A sinless Jesus in willing sacrifice. Fulfilled/met, covered, cleansed & paid the laws requirements & thru FAITH removes ALL our sin. Once our sins have been removed, there is no transgression of the law

It's thru Faith/belief in the sin atoning sacrificial death(sins required wage/payment), burial(proof he died) & resurrection(God's receipt, payment received & accepted)

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
(NOTE: Christ's redemptive sin payment. Ends becoming righteous by law keeping)

Romans 5:13 For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
(NOTE: Please notice - by the faith "OF" Jesus Christ. Again the Holy Spirit verse proclaims - that we might be justified by the faith "OF" Christ. Additional scriptures sighting the faith "OF" Christ. Rom 3:22. 5:19, Gal 2:16, 2:20, 3:22, Phil 3:9Acts 26:18 & Habakkuk.

It's Christ's Faithful & Finished sin atoning work & when we place our faith in them/Him. Are sins are imputed onto Christ (Rom 4:11-25 & 2 Cor 5:19)

We access Gods Grace thru Faith (Rom 5:2) placed in Christ's finished redemptive sin atoning sacrificial work. Found in Christ's death (Sins required price PAID), burial (proof of death) & resurrection (God's receipt, payment received & accepted). Then God imputes/transfers Christ's righteousness onto us & transfers/imputes our sins onto Christ. See this process in Lev 4: 22,24,27,29,31,32,33,35 & Lev 16:21 & Rom 4:3-8) Peace Brotherjj

 

[bekkilyn]

*first makes sure I'm not in some faith group forum...nope*

Paul states at least twice that we are not under the law

And yet humans will attempt to do everything in our power to put everyone back under the yoke of law since humans just can't seem to accept that God's gift of grace is free and there is nothing whatsoever we can do to earn it. Humans seem to enjoy turning the new covenant into even a more burdensome rulebook than the law of Moses, which had the very particular purpose of showing Israel its sin (which it still does even for us), though there was even back then no being saved by the law. It was *always* through faith by the free grace of God.

Loving God is even more important than loving our neighbour. Wilfully disregarding what God says in the NT is not consistent with loving God.

We show our love for God by showing our love for our neighbor. Loving God and neighbor are not two different things.

John 13:34

Much of what people say God says in the NT is actually what Paul says, or Peter says, or John says, etc. to other particular people or churches that existed at the time. While we might be able to learn something of God and his character and his plan of salvation from reading other people's mail, it wasn't written to us.

Christ came to set us free....we need only to say "yes" to him and the Holy Spirit will do the rest.

 

[Radagast]

We show our love for God by showing our love for our neighbor. Loving God and neighbor are not two different things.

Loving God includes things that have nothing to do with human neighbours.

And one of them, a lawyer, asked him [Jesus] a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40)

 

[bekkilyn]

Loving God includes things that have nothing to do with human neighbours.

Can you love God and hate your neighbor?

Let me add a human example. What if you decided you loved me and you showered me with gifts, gave me many compliments, praised me up and down to everyone you meet, etc., but let's say I'm also a parent and you hate my kids. You bully them, you degrade them, you try to mentally and physically harm them, you discard them, you trod on them, and you talk bad about them to everyone you meet.

What message is that sending to me? Love?

 

[Radagast]

Can you love God and hate your neighbor?

Loving God includes things that have nothing to do with human neighbours.