Do we have to keep all the New Testament commands?

[salt-n-light]

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?

There's like two though:

1 Do you love God?
2. Do you love others as you love yourself?

If your'e actions is in God's will and your heart is to give God glory then you will never miss those two commandments. Where people trip up is HOW to love God and HOW to love others.

Whats the process of loving someone?
1. Get to know them
2. Share a connection
3. Make a decision to grow the relationship
4. Do actions that grows the relationship

That's it.

 

[W2L]

All commands are a drop in the bucket of love. Love for God, brother, spouse, neighbor and enemy.

 

[timothyu]

That's it.

How about don't condemn others for their sins/evils. There but for the grace of God go we.

 

[Strong in Him]

He wanted to know how this generation is receiving his teaching from 2,000 years ago. I think Heaven is a very big planet much bigger then the Earth - only there is no moon so the seasons do not change.

My questions are;
how did you make contact with someone who has been dead for nearly 2000 years?
What makes you think that Paul - who has been worshipping and serving God in heaven since his death - is remotely interested in the state of God's church now?
And why would he have chosen to talk to you about it?

He's more likely to have rebuked you for contacting the dead. If Paul really needed to know the state of the church - and he may well know it already - he would have asked the Lord; not any of us.

 

[bekkilyn]

How about don't condemn others for their sins/evils. There but for the grace of God go we.

I think that would fall under loving one's neighbors.

 

[~Anastasia~]

This seems like it could possibly be the right answer to me. The problem is how do we know that it is? How do we know that when Jesus summed up the into those 2 commandments He REALLY WAS giving us liberty to disregard everything else that is commanded of us in the New Testament if need be as long as we were keeping those 2 commandments.

Some people might say the question of "what would God be pleased with?" in whether or not to lie to save the Jews is an easy question to answer. As you have just said.

Some other honest genuine believers would really think that under no circumstances would God be pleased with you sinning against Him by lying. They would argue, if we have the liberty to disregard EVEN ONE of all the 1000 or so commands that are in the New Testament, for the sake of keeping the command of love, then how can any believer be held accountable to anything written in the New Testament at all? Since as long as you claim that you are following the command of "love" you can disregard whatever you want to disregard.

The question seems easy to answer in a situation of life and death. It gets harder to answer when its a situation of sickness and health or comfort and discomfort or just what you want to do. Would you say that you only have the freedom to disregard commands in situations of life and death? Is that true just because you feel like thats what should be true? What gives you the authority to make that judgement call? Im not attacking you or saying you are wrong in wanting to save people from death. But if you are going to say that we have liberty to disregard the commands of the NT for the sake of love than you have to prove with scripture why God has given us the liberty to do that and under what circumstances.

Well I would never say that we have "liberty to disregard commandments".

What I would say is that the world is fallen. Situations are not ideal. Sometimes due to sin (our own or someone else's) it's not possible do do things according to the ideal. (Often it's not.) So what do we do? We weigh the consequences as best we know how to every person affected, and do what is best - most importantly for the spiritual good but also for the temporal good of persons. And prefer what is good for someone else over what is good for us.

Wisdom must be applied of course. We don't make a decision that would cause our own spiritual ruin for the sake of temporal comfort for someone else, even though we should prefer others. The good of any human SOUL for eternity is the highest good.

But even though we might be forced to sometimes choose a "lesser evil" ... i.e. purposely break some command because keeping it legalistically would cause more harm than breaking it (for example betraying innocents for the sake of refusal to lie) ... we still should not regard it as "liberty to disregard commandments". That mindset opens the door to begin to rationalize sin, and we can expect the enemy to take full advantage of whispering such suggestions to us (probably further confusing matters).

Some of these things are illustrated for example when Jesus talked about David and his men eating the shewbread - which was not lawful for them. But it was more necessary that they not starve.

Even more so is Jesus healing on the Sabbath, which is technically not "legal" ... yet He chose to unburden persons from their suffering and infirmity.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Yes this is most clear when Paul says: "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."

You have quoted 1/2 a verse...

For what cause ??

 

[Strong in Him]

Don't some Christians pray to Paul?

My understanding is that some people pray to saints to ask them to intercede to God for them.
But that's very different to contacting Paul, and having a conversation with him about the state of the church.

 

[MikeinSeattle]

Even more so is Jesus healing on the Sabbath, which is technically not "legal" ... yet He chose to unburden persons from their suffering and infirmity.

I was actually meditating on this this morning. It may be a clue. However I wonder if He actually was breaking the law of Moses here or if He was just breaking the man made laws of the pharisees. We must not forget that He also said:

17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

If He had broken the law of Moses by not keeping the sabbath then how could He have fulfilled it?

 

[~Anastasia~]

Not to get off track ... but yes, someone could ask those who are with God to pray for us. They only know of the request because they are with God, who knows we ask. My great-grandmother probably prayed most of us in her family into our relationship with Jesus, and I imagine she's still asking Him for our sakes now that she's with Him.

We should NEVER try to "contact" anyone who is no longer alive in the body with the intention of having a conversation with them. That is necromancy.

And I'm sure Paul is quite interested in what's going on with the Church. We are all one Body of course. But he wouldn't have to come and ask any of us. God is capable of making him aware.

If anyone is curious about ancient teaching on the matter, those should be the replies.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I was actually meditating on this this morning. It may be a clue. However I wonder if He actually was breaking the law of Moses here or if He was just breaking the man made laws of the pharisees. We must not forget that He also said:

17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

If He had broken the law of Moses by not keeping the sabbath then how could He have fulfilled it?

Keep reading the Scriptures.

Man did not understand the Law. The Sabbath WAS to be kept. But yet they fed their animals, or would rescue them from certain death. If one has compassion on an animal, how much more on a person? The Sabbath was created FOR man. Not so that God would watch and crush a man like a bug if he dared lift a finger on the Sabbath. It was so we would know we need to rest sometimes, and to set aside time for God.

People can get too wrapped up in legalism and miss the real meaning.

 

[joshua 1 9]

For what cause ??

The point is we need to live right before God or suffer sickness and in some cases even death.

 

[joshua 1 9]

how did you make contact with someone who has been dead for nearly 2000 years?

Paul is not dead he is in Heaven. Maybe his body is dead but we do not need our physical body in Heaven.

What makes you think that Paul

It does not matter what we think, there are just things we know. Most likely we learn this from the angels.

He's more likely to have rebuked you for contacting the dead.

I did not contact him, he contacted me. He is more alive then me. Maybe you are the one that is dead.

There is a women on YouTube named Kat Kerr that knows a LOT more about Heaven then I do. It is obvious you have never listened to any of her revelations. If you want to write this off as a product of my imagination that is fine with me. But if you continue to break the rules with personal attacks then I will have no choice but to report you. Because it is against the rules for me to defend myself against your attacks against me.

 

[Carl Emerson]

The point is we need to live right before God or suffer sickness and in some cases even death.

Yes but the verse is referring to a specific sin...

Maybe our Greek scholars can help clarify if you are interested.

 

[Strong in Him]

Paul is not dead he is in Heaven.

I know - he is worshipping and serving God and not worrying about us.

It does not matter what we think, there are just things we know. Most likely we learn this from the angels.

Angels don't teach us about God. That is what Scripture is for - inspired by the Holy Spirit, who is God himself.
Any other teaching, any other voice or "knowledge" about God is incorrect, if it's not in Scripture.
So where does it say in Scripture that people who are dead will have conversations with us after their death to find out how life is here on earth? Where does Paul say, "my earthly life is coming to an end - but I'll keep an eye on you from heaven, talk to you about what you should do and where you're going wrong and find out whether or not you are obeying my teachings."?

I did not contact him, he contacted me.

Sorry, but whatever voice you heard, I do not believe it was St Paul.

Maybe you are the one that is dead.

Not at all; very much alive thank you.

There is a women on YouTube named Kat Kerr that knows a LOT more about Heaven then I do. It is obvious you have never listened to any of her revelations.

No; never heard of her.

But if you continue to break the rules with personal attacks then I will have no choice but to report you. Because it is against the rules for me to defend myself against your attacks against me.

I'm not attacking you, I'm questioning what you say happened; how do you know it happened and where does Scripture teach such a thing is possible? Show me from Scripture, not Youtube, that people who have died can contact Christians and have conversations with them.

Speaking of personal attacks; it was you who suggested that I may be dead.

 

[Cis.jd]

You should keep it's commandments but also take in note that many things do depend on circumstances at the same time some of paul's views are culturally rooted. Always fact check on things you read in the Bible, including the NT otherwise you may make the bible to look like a parody of it's self that encourages unintelligent reasoning.

 

[1213]

... 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?

In the Bible, commandments are something with conditions. If one wants the promises, he should obey the commandments. If one doesn’t want the promises, he doesn’t need to do what is commanded. And according to Jesus, it is possible that person can go to the Kingdom of God, even if he has not kept the whole Law.

"Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mat. 5:17-19

So, on basis of that, the whole Law is not the condition. But,

…this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.
1 John 5:3

 

[joshua 1 9]

I'm not attacking you

Yes you are, you are attacking me, accusing me and breaking the rules. There is a library in Heaven that contains all wisdom, knowledge and understanding. The angels take care of the library. So your angel here on earth can go to the library in Heaven and research anything you want to know. So we have access to all wisdom, knowledge and understanding. If people do not know how to work with their angel then it may take a while for them to assimilate this understanding.

It does not matter to me what you think because I know that 20 years from now you will be singing a different tune and you will know that I am telling you the truth.

 

[Strong in Him]

Yes you are, you are attacking me, accusing me and breaking the rules.

If you feel that I've offended you, then of course, I'm sorry.
I can't actually see where I've done that; maybe you could show me?

There is a library in Heaven that contains all wisdom, knowledge and understanding. The angels take care of the library. So your angel here on earth can go to the library in Heaven and research anything you want to know. So we have access to all wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

None of this is Scriptural.
That is not an attack on you, it's a fact; it just isn't in the Bible. If you want to prove me wrong on that, go ahead and show me the passages of Scripture which teach this.

If people do not know how to work with their angel then it may take a while for them to assimilate this understanding.

Yet the Bible tells us that if we want wisdom, we just need to ask God who will give it to us, James 1:5.
When God asked Solomon what he wanted from him, Solomon said "wisdom", and he was the wisest king ever - he wrote Proverbs. All the while that he walked, and we walk, with God, we can have wisdom and know his mind and his will.

It does not matter to me what you think because I know that 20 years from now you will be singing a different tune and you will know that I am telling you the truth.

None of us knows if we'll be here in 20 years time, and if we are, this forum might not be - so you'll never know. You might even find out one day that you're wrong; but I'll never know either.
It doesn't matter; it's not a contest or a point scoring exercise. I've simply been asking you to prove the things you are saying from Scripture. Never mind Youtube; where does God's word say the things you have been teaching here?
If you can prove your claims from Scripture; great. I'll have learnt something and I'll apologise for saying that your claims weren't there. If you can't prove what you are saying; show me verses where Paul said we could have a conversation with him after his death, and abut the library in heaven - quite frankly, I'm not interested. Why would you take the word of someone on Youtube rather than believing the word of God?

I know nothing about you as a person and don't believe I have made any personal attack on you. I just don't agree with what you are saying.

 

[iLearn]

I really wish somebody can help me out. Maybe I’m in the minority but I do t do everything Jesus said to do all the time. How did you enter into this perfection in your daily walk where is you sin no more? Or if anybody else wants to explain how they entered into this sinless life I’d like to know. Thanks

Sorry for the late reply. I also wonder in the past. But now no more. You see, if you are saved, God will be the one guiding you, and providing you with all the Grace you need to abandon sin. For example, I was once an addict in wtching inappropriate content, now I cannot even feel any excitement when seeing those filth. It's as if something inside my brain was modified by God. This changes doesn't come in an instant. For my case, God had to punish me first to make me repent. For your case, maybe different. It depends on individual. But one important thing we must realize, it is the trusting of God that is paramaount. You need to trust the Lord with everything you have.

 

[joshua 1 9]

None of this is Scriptural.

Wisdom, knowledge and understanding is not scriptural. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Jesus taught us to pray: "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." If we do not study and understand Heaven then we are not going to understand God's plan and purpose for the Earth.

You can not take a pair of scissors and cut the words: wisdom, knowledge, understanding & Heaven out of our Bible because there would be nothing left. Jer10:12 "But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding."

James 3:17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

The Bible makes a very clear distinction between worldly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. Col 3:2 "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

Lets go back to the beginning of the conversation:

Psalms 53:1
Psalms 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

Paul quotes David only he changes the word: GOOD ט֑וֹב to righteous.

Romans 10:1 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" δίκαιος
dikaios

This was my question for Paul, this is what I did not understand. Why did Paul change the word good to the word righteous? I was given a vision to help me understand this. Acts 2:17 "Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." We are told that this is a quote from Joel.

We are to expect dreams and visions, signs and wonders and prophecy. No doubt there are lies, counterfeits and deceptions. But dreams and visions, signs, wonders & prophecy are a part of the new testament church.