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Psalm 119 NIV
In the American language, our idiom, our connotations, the phrase 'rule book' has the flavor of being...about only rules.
Maybe that is what people may think today because they do not want to follow God's commands today, but that is not how it is defined in an older dictionary (i.e. 1913 Webster's Dictionary).
rule book | Definition of rule book by Webster's Online Dictionary
But if you read in the psalms you encounter many psalms about the wonderful goodness of God's laws for us (such as long and helpful psalm 119), the way His laws make our lives better, for one, and more, and His law we hear is so much better, so much more than only 'rules'. His law in spirit and in truth is so much better than just regulations
Not sure what you are talking about. In God's Word, rules would be the same thing as laws. Also, Psalms 119 is not in support of your view of speaking against God's commands, but it is in favor of keeping God's commands. Keeping God's commands actually one of the proofs that you know God (See: 1 John 2:3-4). For you said that law in spirit and in truth is better than regulations (Suggesting that God acts contrary to his regulations, rules, or commands).
You said:His law in spirit and in truth is so much better than just regulations (what the pharisees preferred too often). It's something we can't do that well unless we are under that altering on us through Christ, such as we are aided with for instance when we pray the prayer of Matthew 6 with faith. Because the law is about love, summed up with such as 'love your neighbor as yourself'. On our own we'd not do that truly well (as deeply and wonderfully as we should), but if we are on the Vine (John 15), then the Vine delivers into us the power to bear real fruit.
Actually, no. The Pharisees did not keep God's laws. They ignored the weightier matters of the Law like love, justice, faith, and mercy (See Luke 11:42, and Matthew 23:23). Jesus told them to do these things and he did not tell them what you just said by seeking after spirit and truth and how that is better than His regulations or commands. Jesus said if you will enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17). Jesus admitted to the truth of the lawyer's statement that to love God (with some details) and to love your neighbor is to inherit eternal life. In fact, Jesus stressed that the lawyer should do this and he will live (See Luke 10:25-28). Jesus did not say to the lawyer, "do not worry lawyer about keeping my commands or regulations, just focus on the Spirit, etc." Jesus told the lawyer, "And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." (Luke 10:28).
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