Sabbath and Sunday in early Christian Theology (under construction)

[Leaf473]

Love And The Ten Commandments​

The most surprising and disturbing error among law and Ten Commandments bashers is the failure to understand the relation between love, the law and the Ten Commandments.Some attempt to prove that the word commandment as used in John 14:15, 21; I John 2:3-4; 3:22, 24; 5:2-3; Matthew 22:36-38; I John 3:23; 4:21; II John:5-6, has nothing to do with the ten commandments. They say:

"Clearly none of the commandments cited in the above passages refers to the ten commandments. "

Or claim they walk by the Spirit as if the Spirit of God is opposed to the law/love/ten commandments.


What is Love? How do we love? The very scriptures used in this determination show what it is to love. "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." (John 5:3)

Love is not just a feeling we have but our actions will determine whether or not we love.

I John 3:
18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

This relationship was seen in the giving of the Ten Commandments and with the law as a whole. Loving God and keeping the Ten Commandments were clearly linked together, even as the commandments were spoken at Sinai. (See Exodus 20:6). When the commandments had been spoken, it was then that God revealed His intention concerning them. It is by having these words in their hearts that the people would love God with all their hearts.


Deuteronomy 6:
4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

The apostle Paul confirms that by observing the Ten Commandments, we fulfill the law, and also the portion of the commandments, which concern human-to-human relations, is summarized or comprehended by saying:

"Thou shaft love thy neighbour as thyself." (Romans 13:8-9). N.B. To love, according to God's standards, we must keep his commandments. The command to love our neighbor is a summary of the Ten Commandments, which can also be summarized by saying we should:

"Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (Deuteronomy 6:5).

The Lord Jesus also taught that the purpose of the law and prophets, including the Ten Commandments, was to teach us how to love. He said:

"On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets." (See Matthew 22:36-40).

hang - depend upon, that which they enjoin or prescribe.

Hence the law and prophets explain how we show love to God and our neighbours. God did not leave us to decide how to love him but gave us comprehensive instructions about this. He knows it is not in man to guide himself. (Jeremiah 10:23; Romans 7:7).

Note carefully why Cain is considered not to have loved his brother. (I John 3:11-12). He slew him!! i.e. he transgressed, "Thou shalt not kill." Hence, if we are keeping God's commandments about love, we cannot be killing, stealing, lying, committing adultery, dishonouring parents, coveting, taking God's name in vain, having other gods, making images, profaning the Sabbath. N. B. other commands also give further instructions about how the above is to be properly accomplished; eg. Leviticus 19:11-13 shows that to defraud is a part of stealing and Leviticus 19:17 shows that we should not hate our brother in the heart.

Without keeping the ten commandments we cannot be any better than Cain and the assertion, by persons who deny this, that, "We too yield to the authority of those verses"; or that they walk by the Spirit,is a lie.

There is no love without keeping the Ten Commandments. James also makes this clear:

James 2:
8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

If we fail to observe even one of the components of God’s love, we would not only be transgressing the law, but we would not be loving as we should. Hence we would be guilty of not fulfilling the requirements of love and it would be just as if we had transgressed all.

What you say makes sense so far. Continuing on, wouldn't we also put fringes on our clothes?

Psalm 111
The works of his hands are truth and justice. All his precepts are sure.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

What you say makes sense so far. Continuing on, wouldn't we also put fringes on our clothes?

Psalm 111
The works of his hands are truth and justice. All his precepts are sure.

Yes you kind of are getting at something I will be pointing out in my threads. There is an artificial division in the Law according to Seventh Day Adventist theology that is not present in the Hebrew text. This division however is necessary for their Church and it's distinctive "End Times" message ("Investigative Judgement", Three Angels Message, and the Great Controversy).
Will trying to take some detailed notes on some great videos that cover this precise thing, such as

 

[safswan]

What you say makes sense so far. Continuing on, wouldn't we also put fringes on our clothes?

Psalm 111
The works of his hands are truth and justice. All his precepts are sure.

If that is what you need to help you to remember to love. Paul in my view has a better way:

Titus 2:
11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

 

[Leaf473]

If that is what you need to help you to remember to love. Paul in my view has a better way:

Titus 2:
11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

if the idea is that each of us only need to keep those laws that help each of us individually to love, then cool! I'll agree with that

Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you: if I speak with the tongues of men and of angels...
1 Corinthians

 

[BobRyan]

Yes you kind of are getting at something I will be pointing out in my threads. There is an artificial division in the Law according to Seventh Day Adventist theology that is not present in the Hebrew text.

Less accusation -- more attention to Bible detail and real life facts such as the fact that the same distinction between moral law of God (that includes the TEN) vs ceremonial law, and civil law - is affirmed by almost all major Christian denominations on planet earth.

Planet earth calling...

to remind us all that almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

[*]The Baptist Confession of Faith section 19
[*]The Westminster Confession of Faith section 19
[*]Voddie Baucham
[*]C.H. Spurgeon
[*]D.L. Moody
[*]Dies Domini by Pope John Paul II
[*]D. James Kennedy
[*]many others as well..

 

[Leaf473]

Less accusation -- more attention to Bible detail and real life facts such as the fact that the same distinction between moral law of God (that includes the TEN) vs ceremonial law, and civil law - is affirmed by almost all major Christian denominations on planet earth.

Planet earth calling...

to remind us all that almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

[*]The Baptist Confession of Faith section 19
[*]The Westminster Confession of Faith section 19
[*]Voddie Baucham
[*]C.H. Spurgeon
[*]D.L. Moody
[*]Dies Domini by Pope John Paul II
[*]D. James Kennedy
[*]many others as well..

Hi BobRyan, how's it going?

Yes, the division is affirmed by many denominations. But it isn't affirmed by the Hebrew text, which is what I understand @Pavel Mosko 's point to be in his response to me.

Psalm 40
I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.

 

[safswan]

Yes, the division is affirmed by many denominations. But it isn't affirmed by the Hebrew text, which is what I understand @Pavel Mosko 's point to be in his response to me.

This is not quite true. The divisions may be arrived at based on the analysis done by men on the scriptures and may be contrived in some instances but make no mistake,the Hebrew scriptures or the Law and the Prophets do hint at commands which were not as important to God as were others.

Psalm 51:
16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Jeremiah 7:
21Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
22For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:
23But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.


So if sacrifices were not the intention at the start of the exodus, then why did that system come to be so highly esteemed among the people of Israel? Does it not hint that this whole system would be made redundant one day? (Psalm 40:6-8;Hebrews 10:5-9) Is there not a difference between these laws and those of which the Lord said:

"But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you..."

The writings of the apostles are replete with seemingly contradictory statements about law which can only be reconciled if we come to the conclusion that they are referring to different aspects of the Torah. Hence divisions in the law. Will post these soon but it is rather lengthy. Will attempt to post it in parts.

 

[BobRyan]

Planet earth calling... to remind us all that almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

[*]The Baptist Confession of Faith section 19
[*]The Westminster Confession of Faith section 19
[*]Voddie Baucham
[*]C.H. Spurgeon
[*]D.L. Moody
[*]Dies Domini by Pope John Paul II
[*]D. James Kennedy
[*]many others as well..

Hi BobRyan, how's it going?

Yes, the division is affirmed by many denominations. But it isn't affirmed by the Hebrew text

Hi --

Paul reminds us that the Hebrew does support it when he contrasts the commandments of God - vs ceremonial law such as circumcision.

1 Cor 7:19
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God."

That verse only works one way -- the ceremonial law is being contrasted with the moral law of God where as Paul says in Eph 6:2 "honor your father and mother is the FIRST commandment with a promise"

No wonder almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

As the NT Church leadership reminds us in Acts 21

20 And when they heard about them, they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22 So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore, do as we tell you: we have four men who have a vow upon themselves; 24 take them along and purify yourself together with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and then everyone will know that there is nothing to what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also conform, keeping the Law. 25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we sent a letter, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took along the men, and the next day, after purifying himself together with them, he went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

Another example that only works one way - moral law of God that defines what sin is -- vs -- ceremonial law from which gentiles were exempy unlike commandments regarding morality which were still binding (as also James 2 points out).

The very thing you argue cannot exist - and yet the only way that the Acts 21 text works.

No wonder almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

 

[Freth]

As I just stated last night in another thread by the same OP, the statement of Jesus in Matthew 22:40 slams the door shut on any/all arguments that X commandment is no longer to be observed or that Y commandment is not outright commanded in the NT. Remember, Jesus taught from the OT as the NT had not been written yet. So let's repeat that statement again.

Matthew 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus didn't say "some". He didn't pick and choose, He said ALL the law and the prophets hang on love God and love your neighbor. And again, this was not some new concept, as Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, which both point to the commandments of God given on Mt. Sinai.

There is no argument to be had, unless you toss out scripture, but then that's going off the rails; what was set forth by the law and the prophets that Jesus affirmed resoundingly.

The Sabbath is noticeably present in scripture as a holy day sanctified by God. Sunday is not.

Matthew 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

 

[Freth]

@BobRyan pointed out something earlier which bears repeating.

The Seventh Day Instituted

​

Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.​

​

The Seventh Day Commanded

​

Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.​

​

The Seventh Day Reaffirmed

​

Revelation 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.​

​

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Fear God, and give glory to Him. And worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. The hour of His judgment is come.

 

[Leaf473]

This is not quite true. The divisions may be arrived at based on the analysis done by men on the scriptures and may be contrived in some instances but make no mistake,the Hebrew scriptures or the Law and the Prophets do hint at commands which were not as important to God as were others.

Psalm 51:
16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Jeremiah 7:
21Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
22For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:
23But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.


So if sacrifices were not the intention at the start of the exodus, then why did that system come to be so highly esteemed among the people of Israel? Does it not hint that this whole system would be made redundant one day? (Psalm 40:6-8;Hebrews 10:5-9) Is there not a difference between these laws and those of which the Lord said:

"But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you..."

The writings of the apostlse are replete with seemingly contradictory statements about law which can only be reconciled if we come to the conclusion that they are referring to different aspects of the Torah. Hence divisions in the law. Will post these soon but it is rather lengthy. Will attempt to post it in parts.

Okay... Would you like to then address the question I pose in post #42?

What you say makes sense so far. Continuing on, wouldn't we also put fringes on our clothes?

Psalm 111

The works of his hands are truth and justice. All his precepts are sure.

 

[Leaf473]

Planet earth calling... to remind us all that almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

[*]The Baptist Confession of Faith section 19
[*]The Westminster Confession of Faith section 19
[*]Voddie Baucham
[*]C.H. Spurgeon
[*]D.L. Moody
[*]Dies Domini by Pope John Paul II
[*]D. James Kennedy
[*]many others as well..

Hi --

Paul reminds us that the Hebrew does support it when he contrasts the commandments of God - vs ceremonial law such as circumcision.

1 Cor 7:19
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God."

That verse only works one way -- the ceremonial law is being contrasted with the moral law of God where as Paul says in Eph 6:2 "honor your father and mother is the FIRST commandment with a promise"

No wonder almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

As the NT Church leadership reminds us in Acts 21

20 And when they heard about them, they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22 So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore, do as we tell you: we have four men who have a vow upon themselves; 24 take them along and purify yourself together with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and then everyone will know that there is nothing to what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also conform, keeping the Law. 25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we sent a letter, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took along the men, and the next day, after purifying himself together with them, he went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

Another example that only works one way - moral law of God that defines what sin is -- vs -- ceremonial law from which gentiles were exempy unlike commandments regarding morality which were still binding (as also James 2 points out).

The very thing you argue cannot exist - and yet the only way that the Acts 21 text works.

No wonder almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

Okay... Are you able to give scripture references for where all those commandments are found?

Deuteronomy 8
You shall observe to do all the commandments which I command you today, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers.

 

[Leaf473]

As I just stated last night in another thread by the same OP, the statement of Jesus in Matthew 22:40 slams the door shut on any/all arguments that X commandment is no longer to be observed or that Y commandment is not outright commanded in the NT. Remember, Jesus taught from the OT as the NT had not been written yet. So let's repeat that statement again.



Jesus didn't say "some". He didn't pick and choose, He said ALL the law and the prophets hang on love God and love your neighbor. And again, this was not some new concept, as Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, which both point to the commandments of God given on Mt. Sinai.

There is no argument to be had, unless you toss out scripture, but then that's going off the rails; what was set forth by the law and the prophets that Jesus affirmed resoundingly.

The Sabbath is noticeably present in scripture as a holy day sanctified by God. Sunday is not.

Are you endorsing keeping all of the law of Moses, then?

1 Samuel 15
It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to the Lord all night.

 

[safswan]

Okay... Would you like to then address the question I pose in post #42?

What you say makes sense so far. Continuing on, wouldn't we also put fringes on our clothes?

Psalm 111

The works of his hands are truth and justice. All his precepts are sure.

I thought I had addressed the question in post #44. But do you see the division hinted at in the Law and Prophets?

 

[Leaf473]

I thought I had addressed the question in post #44. But do you see the division hinted at in the Law and Prophets?

Edit: Yes, you did address it, and I even liked it , I see now

As it relates to divisions in the law, I have further questions, if you would like to discuss them.

But Yes, and thank you for your answer
_______________
So... The law about fringes is not for everyone, only those who need it do you remember to love? Is that true for all of the laws?

I see that some laws are talked about as more important than others. But I wouldn't see that as an actual division. Indeed, the entire law (a single unit) hangs on the first and second greatest commandments.

James tells us,
"Whoever breaks one law is guilty of breaking them all."

If we break the least important commandment, we are guilty of the entire law.

 

[safswan]

Edit: Yes, you did address it, and I even liked it , I see now

As it relates to divisions in the law, I have further questions, if you would like to discuss them.

But Yes, and thank you for your answer
_______________
So... The law about fringes is not for everyone, only those who need it do you remember to love? Is that true for all of the laws?

I see that some laws are talked about as more important than others. But I wouldn't see that as an actual division. Indeed, the entire law (a single unit) hangs on the first and second greatest commandments.

James tells us,
"Whoever breaks one law is guilty of breaking them all."

If we break the least important commandment, we are guilty of the entire law.

I will try to respond to your questions as soon as I can. Need to retire shortly as I will be out early in the morning.

 

[safswan]

Edit: Yes, you did address it, and I even liked it , I see now

As it relates to divisions in the law, I have further questions, if you would like to discuss them.

But Yes, and thank you for your answer
_______________
So... The law about fringes is not for everyone, only those who need it do you remember to love? Is that true for all of the laws?

I see that some laws are talked about as more important than others. But I wouldn't see that as an actual division. Indeed, the entire law (a single unit) hangs on the first and second greatest commandments.

James tells us,
"Whoever breaks one law is guilty of breaking them all."

If we break the least important commandment, we are guilty of the entire law.

The instruction about the fringes was, as were the animal sacrifices, necessary for the time, since Christ had not made His sacrifice as yet.That event made all the laws designed to motivate us, towards God's intent to have us show love,redundant as well as all the laws which shadowed the atoning work of Christ. The instruction about the fringes and the various judgements for transgressions fall into the motivational category.

Remember some of the the laws not only seemed more important but as I said:

"Does it not hint that this whole system would be made redundant one day? (Psalm 40:6-8;Hebrews 10:5-9)

Hence they were temporary in nature until Christ made His sacrifice.

So we have the laws which God gave in order to teach us how to show love. When those are broken then we have the judgements and also the sacrifices and systems for administering the same. To support the laws which teach how to show love, are the laws that motivate or help us to observe these laws. The instructions about fringes and phylacteries fall into this category.

So, love is the aim, but along with that which teaches how to love, are the supporting,but temporary laws.

When James speaks of the entire,we are able to know the category he is referring to.

James 2:
8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

It should be clear that this is a reference to the laws which teache how to love. It cannot be referring to the laws about sacrifices nor the laws about judgements for sin. James is not saying, keeping this law is not possible. Rather, he is saying,in order to love your neighbour fully,you must observe all that pertains to your neighbour.

If you keep all the laws which pertain to love, except for one,then you would not have fulfilled all the requirements of love.Hence you would not have loved fully and so James says,"he is guilty of all".

Read what he encourages us to do:

James 2:
12So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

He encourages us to do what is necessary so we will not be judged adversely by the law of liberty. He did not say,"don't try to keep the law because if you miss one then you are guilty of all". He is saying, we need to ensure we are doing it all, so our love can be complete.

Sorry to be so long but I hope this can help.

 

[Leaf473]

The instruction about the fringes was, as were the animal sacrifices, necessary for the time, since Christ had not made His sacrifice as yet.That event made all the laws designed to motivate us, towards God's intent to have us show love,redundant as well as all the laws which shadowed the atoning work of Christ. The instruction about the fringes and the various judgements for transgressions fall into the motivational category.

Remember some of the the laws not only seemed more important but as I said:

"Does it not hint that this whole system would be made redundant one day? (Psalm 40:6-8;Hebrews 10:5-9)

Hence they were temporary in nature until Christ made His sacrifice.

So we have the laws which God gave in order to teach us how to show love. When those are broken then we have the judgements and also the sacrifices and systems for administering the same. To support the laws which teach how to show love, are the laws that motivate or help us to observe these laws. The instructions about fringes and phylacteries fall into this category.

So, love is the aim, but along with that which teaches how to love, are the supporting,but temporary laws.

When James speaks of the entire,we are able to know the category he is referring to.

James 2:
8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

It should be clear that this is a reference to the laws which teache how to love. It cannot be referring to the laws about sacrifices nor the laws about judgements for sin. James is not saying, keeping this law is not possible. Rather, he is saying,in order to love your neighbour fully,you must observe all that pertains to your neighbour.

If you keep all the laws which pertain to love, except for one,then you would not have fulfilled all the requirements of love.Hence you would not have loved fully and so James says,"he is guilty of all".

Read what he encourages us to do:

James 2:
12So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

He encourages us to do what is necessary so we will not be judged adversely by the law of liberty. He did not say,"don't try to keep the law because if you miss one then you are guilty of all". He is saying, we need to ensure we are doing it all, so our love can be complete.

Sorry to be so long but I hope this can help.

So... Trying to see if I'm following what you're saying here...

The division in the law is between the laws that motivate us to love and the laws that foreshadow the atoning work of Christ.

Well, to be honest, No, I'm not seeing I clear division.

But... If the laws that motivate us to love are now redundant,
and the foreshadowing laws are not needed because the reality is here, and that's all the categories,
then the entire law is not now needed,
it's now redundant.

Am I following you right?

 

[BobRyan]

almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

[*]The Baptist Confession of Faith section 19
[*]The Westminster Confession of Faith section 19
[*]Voddie Baucham
[*]C.H. Spurgeon
[*]D.L. Moody
[*]Dies Domini by Pope John Paul II
[*]D. James Kennedy
[*]many others as well..

Okay... Are you able to give scripture references for where all those commandments are found?

Deuteronomy 8
You shall observe to do all the commandments which I command you today, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers.

Deut 5:22 says that the TEN at Sinai were the Ten words He spoke and wrote "and He added no more"

22 “These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.

Deut 4:13 So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments (words); and He wrote them on two tablets of stone

Deut 10:4 And He wrote on the tablets according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the Lord had spoken to you in the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly; and the Lord gave them to me.

Ex 34:28 So he was there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" as included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the NEW Covenant - compared to civil and ceremonial laws.

[*]The Baptist Confession of Faith section 19
[*]The Westminster Confession of Faith section 19
[*]Voddie Baucham
[*]C.H. Spurgeon
[*]D.L. Moody
[*]Dies Domini by Pope John Paul II
[*]D. James Kennedy
[*]many others as well..

A few problems with this

1) The problem with this rationale is that there is a Law vs. Gospel distinction in the Bible and Christian theology. You do not have these things comingled together the way SDA and some Messianics do. In Christianity we are saved by grace, and sanctification comes as a response to that, contrary to the Pelagian or semi-pelagian message of the SDA where we embrace a commandment like OT Sabbath keeping and we are graced by that on the back end.


2) The Commandments of Jesus in the NT are a summary and the Teleos of the Law (destination/ the real reason or goal behind) of the Commandments and are not the exact equivalent of the 10 commandments as Adventists believe. This difference leaves a lot of room for things like allegorical / symbolic meanings of things for Christians, on top of any literal ones.


3) These 10 commandments are not pre-existent the way SDA believe, where they believe they were given in heaven to the Angels and that God the Father is "The Great Law Giver"as part of his divine nature. This notion really has more in common with Islam than Christianity!

The fact they were not given until the time of Moses has a lot of meaning and relevance to their place given to them by Christians. There is absolutely no biblical evidence for Sabbath keeping before the time of Moses. Any biblical evidence for things in Genesis about "God resting" etc. can be shown to be other things like God stopped creating.

This is true on so many levels and reasons, aka God holds the universe together, a universe where God truly rests is one where we stop living or existing. Not to mention the pagan like Anthropomorphic understanding of Ellen and James White believing that God the Father has a body and need to rest like we do..... It ironic that they say we have a pagan understanding believing in things like "Spirit", but they go in the opposite direction of the older pre-philosophical paganism with their conceptions about God and the Godhead.


4) The Decalogue is never formally separate from the Torah and other Mitzah in any literal grammatic way, other than chapter location in English Bibles. In other words, this is an artificial distinction or function of Eisegesis. The closest parallel I could think of to explain why this is wrong is to make the following analogy:

Imagine a group that really loves the Sermon on the mount, but not a few other things Christ said, so they develop a doctrine that they claim comes directly from God where they gaslight other Christians that only the Sermon on the mount is inspired, and authoritative, and treat it as being separate from the rest of Matthew and other gospels, when it is pretty obvious to everyone else that the Sermon on the Mount is just a few chapters, and one major incident in the gospel of Matthew, and the other gospels...